Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (July 7, 2016)
SPORTS THURSDAY, JULY 7, 2016 1B FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @EOSPORTS STANFIELD Rogers ready to roll as new Tigers skipper Longtime assistant tapped as next Stanfield baseball head coach By ERIC SINGER East Oregonian As the Stanfi eld Tigers baseball program prepares for life after Bryan Johnson, it will have a familiar face leading the way. Assistant coach Brad Rogers has STANFIELD been elevated to varsity head coach after serving as the lead varsity assistant for the past nine seasons. It is Rogers’ fi rst go at a varsity head coaching spot, with his only head coach experience coming at the middle school football level in Stanfi eld. “It’s a little scary, I’ll admit, with the high expectations set by Bryan (Johnson) here,” Rogers said, “but I’m excited for the opportunity and I learned a lot over the last nine years. We have a great group of kids coming back and we’re ready to go.” “I’m excited for the opportunity and I learned a lot over the last nine years. We have a great group of kids coming back and we’re ready to go.” Rogers — Brad Rogers New Stanfi eld head baseball coach Rogers said he believed he was the best fi t for the job from the start, citing continuity within the program as a key to continue this recent string of success. “It just seemed like the best thing for the kids,” he said. “Having some continuity with all of the returners we do was paramount … they were relieved when I got the job, and were glad it was someone they knew.” Before leaving town last week, Johnson said he was ecstatic to see Rogers stay on as head coach. “Brad’s great with kids, he cares about kids and has a big heart and a lot of pride for Stanfi eld,” Johnson said. “It’s never been a one-man show here with me, he’s been a See ROGERS/2B MLB Swept Mariners leave bases loaded Grogan promoted The Seattle Mariners Dae-Ho Lee (10) reacts after striking out to end the game as Hous- ton Astros catcher Evan Gattis (11) walks away in the Astros 9-8 victory in a base- ball game Wednesday, July 6, 2016, in Houston. Stanfield product called up to Rookie Advanced League By ERIC SINGER East Oregonian Quin Grogan’s professional baseball career is now off and running. After the Stanfi eld product signed his fi rst contract mid-June, Grogan started his journey in Fort Myers, Florida with the Minnesota’s Gulf Coast League team, which is in the lowest rung on the Grogan minor league ladder. But after just one start there, Grogan has now stepped up one rung as he was promoted to the Elizabethton Twins in Elizabethton, Tennessee. It is the Rookie Advanced League affl iate for Minnesota. “I’m very grateful for this opportunity,” Grogan said via text message on Wednesday. “Traveling the states, meeting new people, and pursuing the dream just doesn’t get much better than this!” His fi rst appearance in Eliza- bethton was on July 4, when he allowed four hits and four runs over two innings with four strikeouts. In his two total minor league appear- ances, Grogan is 0-2 with a 7.50 ERA with eight strikeouts in six innings. Grogan said he has not been told whether will be a starter or reliever going forward, but for now will be working out of the bullpen. AP Photo/ George Bridges Gregerson strikes out Lee to end game, Seattle loses third in a row By KRISTIE RIEKEN Associated Press HOUSTON — Carlos Gomez had three RBIs and fi nished a home run shy of the cycle and Luis Valbuena hit a tiebreaking two-run homer in the eighth inning to help the Houston Astros sweep the Seattle Mariners with a 9-8 victory Wednesday night. The game was tied at 7 with one on and one out when Valbuena launched a Seattle towering shot off Edwin Diaz (0-2) to the second deck in right fi eld for his second straight game with a homer. Ken Giles (1-3) struck out two in a scoreless eighth for the win. Luke Gregerson allowed an RBI 8 double to Robinson Cano with one out in the ninth Houston before striking out Dae-Ho Lee with the bases loaded for his 14th save. Houston led by fi ve runs early before Cano, Kyle Seager and Lee all homered in the fourth inning to cut the lead 5-4. The Astros stretched the lead to 7-4 with a 9 two-run sixth before a three-run homer by Seth Smith tied it in the seventh. Evan Gattis added a solo homer for Houston and Carlos Correa had two hits and an RBI. Seattle had runners on fi rst and second with one out in the seventh when Smith connected off Michael Feliz to tie it at 7-7. Two errors helped the Astros extend the lead in the sixth. US Track & Field Trials Nothing new: Youth served at Olympic trials Second half of meet starts today By EDDIE PELLS Associated Press EUGENE — The head- lines say youth is being served on the U.S. Olympic track and fi eld team. The numbers say that’s nothing new. With the second half of Olympic track trials set to start Thursday, 35 of the 50 athletes (75 percent) who have already guaranteed themselves trips to Rio de Janeiro will be going to their fi rst Olympics. That sort of turnover is pretty much the norm. Data supplied by USA Track and Field shows an average of 53 percent turnover from year to year on the most recent world cham- pionship and Olympic teams, which essentially award the same number of spots through the same qualifying process. When the gap is two years, the turnover rate is 60 percent. This year’s group of newcomers includes 18-year-old high jumper Vashti Cunningham, the world indoor champion, who will be the youngest U.S. track and fi eld athlete to qualify for the Olympics since Carol Lewis in 1980. The team also includes high jumper Chaunte Lowe and sprinter Allyson Felix, both of whom are in their 30s and going for the fourth time. “You look at the system we have and the depth of talent we have, and one thing that’s fairly consistent is that we’ll have an amazing team and amazing athletes,” See TRIALS/2B AP Photo/Matt Slocum, File In this July 4, 2016, fi le photo, Sam Kendricks competes during the men’s pole vault event at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials in Eugene Ore. Sports shorts Seahawks’ Browner under investigation for alleged assault POMONA, Calif. (AP) — Seattle Seahawks cornerback Brandon Browner is under inves- tigation, accused of punching his FACES girlfriend’s father. Pomona police Lt. Ron McDonald says offi cers were sent around 8 p.m. Tuesday to a home where the girlfriend was living. McDonald says the woman’s 59-year-old father told police that Browner and his daughter argued Browner by telephone and the father walked over to Browner’s house, about a block away. The man said Browner met him in the driveway, they argued and the two-time Super Bowl champion punched him. He reportedly fell down but declined medical treatment. McDonald says Browner drove away and police haven’t talked to him. “I have never forgotten where I came from and I am thankful to have an opportunity to play for the team that fi rst fueled my love of the game.“ — Dwyane Wade Former Miami Heat guard and Chicago native after agreeing with the Chicago Bulls in free agency. Wade played 13 seasons in Miami where he won three NBA championships and made 12 all-star teams. He will sign a two-year, $47 million deal with Chicago. Trail Blazers, CSN Northwest extend partnership PORTLAND — The Portland Trail Blazers announced on Wednesday afternoon that they have agreed to a multi-year extension with CSN Northwest for local broadcast rights. “After thorough negotiations with several other potential partners, it became apparent that by building on our existing rela- tionship with CSN Northwest, we have the best opportunity to increase distribution for Trail Blazers games and other programming in our marketplace,” said Trail Blazers president & CEO Chris McGowan in a press release. In addition to game broadcasts, the Trail Blazers-CSNNW partnership will continue producing Trail Blazers Courtside. There are also plans to refresh studio sets, on-air graphics and other production elements. THIS DATE IN SPORTS 1993 — Tom Burgess tosses three touchdown passes, and Wayne Walker scores twice as Ottawa spoils the debut of the CFL’s fi rst American-based team by beating Sacramento 32-23. 2013 — Andy Murray becomes the fi rst British man in 77 years to win the Wimbledon title, beating Novak Djokovic 6-4, 7-5, 6-4 in the fi nal. The last British man to win the Wimbledon title before was Fred Perry in 1936. Murray, who lost to Roger Federer in last year’s fi nal, wins his second major title after last year’s U.S. Open. Contact us at 541-966-0838 or sports@eastoregonian.com