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THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2013
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
AL CENTRAL
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Detroit Tigers' Victor Martinez, right, hits a one-run double against the Kansas City Royals in the third inning of the game in Detroit, Wednesday, April 24.
DETROIT — Jose Valverde returned to Detroit with a save and Victor Martinez drove in a pair of runs to help the Tigers beat the Kansas City Royals 7-5 Wednesday night.
Royals drop first of road series in Detroit
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Max Scherzer (2-0) got the win, allowing five runs in five innings, with three Tigers relievers finishing the game. Valverde, called up earlier in the day, returned to the Tigers with a perfect ninth inning. Valverde lost the closing role during the postseason and wasn't offered a contract, but signed a minor-league deal earlier this month and returned to Detroit after a short minor-league stint.
Wade Davis (2-1) gave up seven runs — but only three earned — in 3 2-3 innings. Davis allowed eight hits and four walks while only getting 11 outs.
The Tigers took the lead on Omar Infante's RBI single in the second, but Kansas City responded with four runs in the third. Salvador Perez and Chris Getz started the inning with singles,
and Alex Gordon tied the game with a double. Alcides Escobar and Billy Butler made it 3-1 with RBI singles, giving the Royals five straight hits, and Eric Hosmer drove in the fourth run with a long sacrifice fly.
The Tigers added two more in their half of the third on Martinez's RBI double and Jhonny Peralta's run-scoring single. Martinez tried to score from second on Peralta's double, and was beaten so badly by Jeff Francoeur's throw from right that he just veered off toward the dugout and was called out for leaving the basepath.
Detroit took control in the fourth when Infante scored on a Mike Moustakas error and Miguel Cabrera followed with a tie-breaking sacrifice fly. Martinez added an RBI single, chasing Davis, but Luis Mendoza walked the next two batters to force in a seventh run.
The Royals loaded the bases with no one out in the fifth, but only scored once, and couldn't get anything after putting two runners on in the seventh.
NBA
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0). shoots over Houston Rockets center Omer Asik. (3) in the first quarter of Game 2 of their first-round NBA basketball, playoff series in Oklahoma City, Wednesday, April 24.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
OKC Thunder too much for Rockets
ASSOCIATED PRESS
OKLAHOMA CITY — Russell Westbrook relishes the moments when an opponent challenges him and his Oklahoma City Thunder teammates and it becomes time to respond.
Rookie Patrick Beverley showed a willingness to go toe-to-toe with the Thunder's All-Star point guard, and the Houston Rockets didn't back down despite a 15-point deficit in the fourth quarter.
Then it was up to Westbrook and the Thunder to come up with an answer.
Westbrook and Kevin Durant each scored 29 points, and Oklahoma City recovered after squandering its big lead to beat Houston 105-102 on Wednesday
night and take a 2-0 series lead.
"It's fun. During this time of the year, as a team we've got one goal and we can't let nobody get in the way," Westbrook said. "That's how I feel and that's how I want my team to respond as well."
Durant hit the go- ahead 3-pointer with 2:28 to play after the Rockets had turned a 15-point deficit into a four-point lead, and the Thunder did not relinquish the lead. Durant missed a free throw with 1 second left, but Houston was out of timeouts and Carlos Delfino couldn't connect on a desperation shot at the final buzzer.
"It's frustrating and it hurts really bad right now," said Chandler Parsons, who scored 17 points for Houston. "But you've got to take some positive out of it. It's a long
Game 3 is Saturday night in Houston.
series."
The Thunder's big lead melted away with nine straight empty possessions as the Rockets mixed in a zone defense. James Harden spearheaded a 21-2 Houston comeback by getting into the lane to create his own opportunities, and he also kicked the ball out to set up two 3-pointers by Delfino. His second 3, from the right wing, provided a 95-91 lead with 3:27 to go.
But the Rockets couldn't keep it up.
Oklahoma City came back to tie it before Harden knitted to the basket for a layup to give Houston its last lead at 97-95 with 2:42 to play. Durant answered right away
with a deep 3 from the left wing at the opposite end, and the Thunder came up with back-to-back stops before Thabo Sefolosha's 3 provided a little breathing room at 101-97.
Serge Ibaka added a long jumper to make it 103-98 after Durant was forced to give up the ball. Durant and Kevin Martin, both in the top 5 in the league in free-throw percentage, both went 1 for 2 at the foul line in the final 12 seconds to give the Rockets one last chance.
"We all stuck together," Westbrook said. "They made a run when we weren't able to make shots, but I thought everybody had a big role toward the end of the game and we came up with the win."
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bloch.umkc.edu
Reserved seat tickets are on sale in the KU ticket offices: University Theatre, 864-3982; Lied Center, 864-ARTS, and online at www.kutheatre.com. Tickets are $20 for the public, $19 for senior citizens and KU faculty and staff, and $10 for all students. All major credit cards are accepted.The University Theatre is partially funded by the KU Student Senate Activity Fee. The University Theatre's 2012-13 season is sponsored by the KU Credit Union.
7:30 p.m.
April 19,25,27,2013
2:30 p.m.
April 21,2013
Crafton-Prever Theatre
KU UNIVERSITY THEATRE The University of Kansas
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