Hometown Broadcasting Sports Friday 5/7/21
7 May 2021 Sports
Sports for May 7th
Zack Wheeler struck out eight and tossed a three-hit shutout and Alex Bohm homered to lead the Philadelphia Phillies to a 2-0 win and four-game sweep of the Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday. The Phillies head out on a nine-game road trip in first place (17-15) and as the only team in the NL East with a winning record. Wheeler threw his second career shutout and complete game in 144 starts and first since 2014 when he played for the New York Mets. Wheeler put two runners on in the ninth and retired Daniel Vogelbach on a foul pop on the 118th pitch to finish the shutout.
Wheeler (3-2) and Brandon Woodruff engaged in a brilliant pitchers’ duel that ended when Bohm connected on a 97 mph fastball in the seventh for his fourth homer of the season. Rhys Hoskins added an RBI double in the eighth. Woodruff (2-1) struck out 10 over the first five innings — 11 total over 6 2-3 innings — and allowed only Odubel Herrera’s single in the second until Bohm went deep. Wheeler matched him pitch-for-pitch, giving up just Billy McKinney’s leadoff double in the third until Lorenzo Cain’s one-out single in the ninth. McKinney was promptly erased when Luke Maile lined into a double play. Wheeler faced the minimum through eight.
In a year of vanishing offense, Woodruff and Wheeler added to MLB hitters’ woes. The overall batting average was .233 coming into Thursday and pitchers have already tossed three no-hitters – including Baltimore’s John Means against Seattle a day earlier. Woodruff had only one earned run in 18 career innings against the Phillies and Wheeler had 2.90 ERA in five career starts against the Brewers. Woodruff threw only 74 pitches over the first six innings. He threw 73 strikes out of 103 pitches total The Brewers head to Florida for a three-game set with the Marlins. The Brewers have not named a starter while the Marlins use LHP Trevor Rogers (3-2, 1.91 ERA). Fist pitch is at 6:10 CDT and the game can be heard on AM 1100/98.3 FM, WISS.
Elsewhere in the NL Central on Thursday, the Mets beat the Cardinals 4-1. At 17-15, the Brewers are in second place in the division, a game behind the Cardinals (18-14)
The Bucks are back in action tonight hosting the Houston Rockets. Milwaukee is coming off a 135-134 win at Washington Wednesday night. The Bucks (42-24) are third in the Eastern Conference, a half-game behind the Nets and three-games behind the first-place 76ers. All three teams have clinched playoff spots. The Rockets (16-50) are in last place in the Western Conference.
One of the Green Bay Packers’ top remaining free agents has finally found a new home. The Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers announced the signing of defensive back Raven Greene on Wednesday. Signed as an undrafted free agent out of James Madison in 2018, Greene played in 20 games for the Packers over three seasons. He produced 56 tackles, 2.5 sacks, seven pass breakups, one interception and two forced fumbles. The Packers played Greene as a backup safety and dime linebacker. He was also a key part of the special teams. Other unsigned free agents for the Packers include Tyler Ervin, Tavon Austin and Snacks Harrison.
Del Crandall, a star catcher who played on two Milwaukee Braves teams that reached the World Series in the 1950s before managing the Milwaukee Brewers and Seattle Mariners, has died. He was 91. He had Parkinson’s disease and died Wednesday in Mission Viejo, California, surrounded by family, son Bill Crandall said. Crandall was one of the best defensive catchers in the 1950s and ’60s. He was a member of the Braves’ 1957 World Series championship team as well as the 1958 squad that lost the World Series. According to the Society for American Baseball Research, Crandall was the last surviving member of the Boston Braves. He was a four-time Gold Glove winner who appeared in 11 All-Star Games over eight seasons. He played in each of the two All-Star Games that were held during the 1959, 1960 and 1962 seasons. Crandall played for the Boston Braves (1949-50), Milwaukee Braves (1953-63), San Francisco Giants (1964), Pittsburgh Pirates (1965) and Cleveland Indians (1966). He didn’t play in 1951-52 because of military service. He had a career batting average of .254 with 179 homers and 657 RBIs. He led all NL catchers in fielding percentage four times and threw out the most potential base stealers of any NL catcher in five seasons. He was also behind the plate for two outstanding Braves pitchers in Warren Spahn and Lew Burdette. After his playing career, Crandall managed the Brewers from 1972-75 and the Mariners from 1983-84. He posted a 271-338 record with Milwaukee and a 93-131 mark with Seattle.
Crandall was managing the Brewers when Hall of Famer Robin Yount began his MLB career in 1974 at the age of 18.
“Fortunately he saw enough potential in a raw 18-year-old kid to give me a chance,” Yount said in his Hall of Fame induction speech. “I’m grateful for that.”
Crandall also worked as a color commentator on Brewers television broadcasts from 1992-94.
The NFL has set its schedule for offseason workouts and still plans to have mandatory in-person minicamps, something the players’ union has opposed. The league released the schedule through mid-June, with all 32 teams listing required-attendance minicamps next month. NFLPA President JC Tretter, a center for the Browns, has been vocal in his opposition to any programs requiring players to be on hand, stressing a preference for virtual work similar to 2020. Minicamps are scheduled for June.
High School Baseball (Thurs.)
Kettle Moraine Lutheran 7, Berlin 1
Campbellsport 5, Winneconne 4
Winnebago Lutheran 8, North Fond du Lac 6
Wautoma 5, Adams-Friendship 0
Mauston 9, Westfield 5
Nekoosa 5, Wisconsin Dells 4
High School Football (Fri.)
Winnebago Lutheran at Ripon-Kickoff at 6:00 on AM 1600/93.1 FM, WRPN.
Campbellsport at Omro
St. Mary’s Springs at Laconia
Lomira at Mayville
Waupun at North Fond du Lac
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