10A
THE DAILY ASTORIAN • WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26, 2017
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Gary Henley | Sports Reporter
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Knappa
batters
defeat
Gaston
Tigers
rout the
Mariners
The Daily Astorian
By NOAH TRISTER
Associated Press
While the rest of the Northwest
League sits and waits for the rain
to end, the Knappa Loggers con-
tinue to play … and win, and win,
and win.
The Loggers may be clinching
their league title a lot sooner this
season, as they improved to 6-1 in
league play Tuesday, with a 12-2,
five-inning win over Gaston at
CMH Field.
Neah-Kah-Nie is currently a
distant second in the league stand-
ings, at 3-3. Gaston falls to 0-4
in league, with two more games
against Knappa Friday, scheduled
to be played at Yamhill-Carlton.
Knappa pitchers Dale Takalo
and Mason Hoover combined on
a five-hitter with six strikeouts,
while the Loggers had 10 hits in
four at-bats, and scored in every
inning.
Reuben Cruz had a home run
in a five-run first inning to set
the tone. Jason Miller had a dou-
ble and scored twice; and Hoover
was 2-for-2 with a double and two
RBIs.
“It was a good overall perfor-
mance,” said Knappa coach Jeff
Miller. “The kids battled through
the weather, and we’re thankful to
Astoria for opening up their field
and getting it ready for us.”
MLB: Multiple
groups have
submitted bids
to buy Marlins
Associated Press
MIAMI — Derek Jeter and Jeb
Bush still haven’t touched all the
bases in their bid to buy the Miami
Marlins. Far from it.
Multiple groups have sub-
mitted bids to buy the team, and
none has yet been accepted, base-
ball Commissioner Rob Manfred
said Tuesday. His comments came
after Bloomberg reported a group
led by former New York Yankees
captain Jeter and former Florida
Gov. Bush won an auction for the
team with a $1.3 billion bid.
“There are multiple groups
interested in acquiring the Mar-
lins,” Manfred said in Pittsburgh
while attending the Pirates-Cubs
game. “One of
those groups is
the Bush-Jeter
group. When we
have a resolu-
tion as to which
bid is going to be
accepted, we will
Jeffrey
announce that.”
Loria
Completion of
any sale by Mar-
lins owner Jeffrey Loria could
take months and would require
approval by at least 75 percent
of the major league teams. More
than half of the winning bid could
involve cash because of MLB’s
debt service rule, meaning the
Bush-Jeter group would need to
raise a lot of money.
“You can rest assured that the
acquiring group, whoever it turns
out to be, will have a financial
structure — meaning some debt
and the rest equity — that is con-
sistent with the rules that we have,
most notably the debt service
rule,” Manfred said. “And more
important than complying with the
rules, (that) puts the franchise in a
position that it can operate effec-
tively. That’s really the commis-
sioner’s office’s job in terms of
approving any potential bidding
group, and we are really focused
on that issue with respect to the
Marlins.”
The debt service rule was
expanded under the new collective
bargaining agreement to include
club-supported debt incurred by
the club or any club-related party.
Quogue Capital investment
fund founder Wayne Rothbaum
has also pursued the Marlins, and
talks with him might be restarted if
Detroit scores
nine in fifth inning
AP Photo/Chuck Burton
Dale Earnhardt Jr. speaks during a news conference at Hendrick Motorsports in Concord, N.C.,
Tuesday. Dale Earnhardt Jr. abruptly announced his retirement at the end of the season, a decision
that will cost NASCAR its most popular driver as the series scrambles to rebuild its fan base.
NASCAR has huge hole to
fill after Earnhardt retires
By JENNA FRYER
Associated Press
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — There
was a moment during the Bristol
Motor Speedway race that cap-
tured the essence of Dale Earn-
hardt Jr.
He was walking briskly to the
care center for a mandatory health
check after a crash. Flanked by
a television reporter on one side,
a handler on the other, he was
explaining why he wrecked while
hustling to his destination. A fan
approached him from behind,
Earnhardt turned, and the fan was
shoved away when it became
clear he just wanted a selfie.
Earnhardt never broke stride.
He just gave his aw-shucks smile
and continued on his way. Once
cleared by the medical staff, he
found the fan and posed for the
photo.
Earnhardt is a 14-time win-
ner of NASCAR’s most popular
driver award for a reason. He’s
personable and authentic and as
close to the roots of racing as any
driver alive today. When he walks
away from NASCAR at the end
of this season , he will take a lot
more than 26 Cup wins.
He will also take a big, reliable
chunk of NASCAR’s identity. The
big question is whether he will
also take Earnhardt Nation and its
thousands of fans with him, too.
It’s the last thing NASCAR needs
in a time of transition, both in
terms of structure and in its celeb-
rity lineup of drivers.
NASCAR has already lost Jeff
Gordon, the driver who took the
sport mainstream and announced
his retirement two years ago at
43, just like Earnhardt. Then a
year ago it lost Tony Stewart, the
talented, volatile rebel who said
what everyone was too scared to
say out loud.
Carl Edwards, friendly and a
strong ambassador, walked away
AP Photo/Wade Payne
Driver Kyle Larson watches
during practice for a NASCAR
Xfinity Series auto race Fri-
day in Bristol, Tenn.
from NASCAR at the start of this
year.
Now here goes Earnhardt,
the blue-collar everyman. A
third-generation racer from North
Carolina who says “ain’t” and
“Daddy” and talks the way the
good ol’ boys always did.
Stage left
So what does NASCAR do
now, with its most bankable stars
rapidly exiting stage left at a time
when the sport needs to rebuild its
audience?
“It will be an important year
for fans to look at what other driv-
ers are out there and who will
make them interested in con-
tinuing to watch,” said Jill Greg-
ory, chief marketing officer for
NASCAR. “We knew these days
were going to come, we just didn’t
know when.”
Gregory said the biggest chal-
lenge for NASCAR is introduc-
ing the current crop of young tal-
ent to fans and giving the drivers a
chance to make their own marks
rather than pigeonhole them in
roles as the next Gordon, Stewart
or Earnhardt.
“What is true to them? What is
authentic?” asked Gregory. “You
look at Kyle Larson, he loves to
race. That’s what he is going to
do, and allowing him to do what
he naturally loves, that’s what we
want to highlight. I don’t think
there’s an effort to say ‘We’re
going to make this guy into the
next Jeff Gordon.’
“We have to let it come nat-
urally and what do they gravi-
tate toward, because if it’s natu-
ral, that’s what makes it real to the
fans. If we are trying to manufac-
ture it, that’s how it is going to be
seen. We have to let it play out.”
Kyle Larson
Earnhardt didn’t hesitate to
name the future of the sport: Lar-
son, the current Monster Energy
Cup points leader, and Chase
Elliott, his current teammate who
replaced Gordon last season.
Elliott is the son of Hall of
Famer “Awesome” Bill Elliott,
a Georgia native who grew up at
NASCAR tracks. Larson is a dirt
tracker from California who will
race anything at any time and is
likely headed in 2018 for a seat
in the Indianapolis 500. Earnhardt
also praised Ryan Blaney, another
second-generation
NASCAR
driver, and Bubba Wallace, who
have used social media to show
the life of a millennial and not
been afraid of overstepping their
place.
Although their personalities
are often overshadowed by the
veterans, they are settling into
their own niches and engaging a
much younger fan base for a series
whose origins are steeped in the
bootlegging days of Prohibition.
“All those guys have great atti-
tudes, great personalities,” Earn-
hardt said. “I know them well
enough to be excited about how
fans are going to know them in
the future. I feel like that these are
the guys that they’re the cream of
the crop, and maybe I’m the only
one that sees it in this room, but I
really have a lot of confidence in
the personalities that we have.”
Spurs, Jazz take the wins in Game 5
HOUSTON — James Harden
had 34 points and his supporting cast
helped Houston overcome a 47-point
game by Russell Westbrook to get a
105-99 victory over Oklahoma City on
Tuesday night to advance to the West-
ern Conference semifinals.
The Thunder head home a year
after advancing to the Western Con-
ference finals after Houston took this
series 4-1.
The Rockets used a 5-1 run, with all
their points coming on free throws, to
pull away from the Thunder and make
it 98-91. Victor Oladipo threw a pass
about 5 feet above Westbrook’s head
and out of bounds on the next posses-
sion and Harden made a layup on the
other end with about 3 minutes left.
The Rockets began eating up the
clock after that and Oklahoma City
missed shot after shot that could have
closed the gap.
Houston couldn’t add to its lead
UP NEXT: MARINERS
• Seattle Mariners (8-13)
at Detroit Tigers (11-8)
• Today, 4:10 p.m.
TV: RTNW, FSDT
SCOREBOARD
PREP SCHEDULE
TODAY
Baseball — Seaside at Astoria (CMH
Field), 5 p.m.
Track — Warrenton at Clatskanie L&C
Meet, 3:45 p.m.
THURSDAY
Baseball — Clatskanie at Warrenton,
5 p.m.; Wishkah Valley at Ilwaco, 4 p.m.
Track — NWL Meet at Nestucca, TBA
Boys Golf — Banks at Astoria, 3 p.m.
Girls Golf — Astoria Invitational, Noon
STANDINGS
BASEBALL
Cowapa League
League Overall
Astoria
7-0
12-2
Banks
5-2
8-5
Valley Catholic 5-2
9-3
Seaside
2-5 5-9-1
Scappoose
1-5
7-7
Tillamook
0-6
1-10
Lewis & Clark League
Rainier
6-0
9-3
Clatskanie
3-2
5-4
Catlin Gabel
2-2
3-6
P. Christian
1-3
4-6-1
Warrenton
0-5
0-9
NBA PLAYOFFS
Associated Press
DETROIT — James McCann
homered in the second inning,
then Justin Upton and Alex Avila
followed suit in the fourth.
The Detroit Tigers were just
getting started.
Detroit added nine more runs
in a fifth-inning onslaught , and
despite the usual shakiness from
the bullpen, the Tigers went on
to rout the Seattle Mariners 19-9
on Tuesday night. Felix Hernan-
dez was bothered by a stiff shoul-
der and allowed four runs in two
innings. The next two Seattle
pitchers didn’t fare any better.
The teams combined for 40 hits
and 14 walks.
“Don’t know if I’ve ever been
a part of a game like that before,”
McCann said.
It was the shortest outing for
Hernandez (2-2) since 2015.
Detroit finished with 24 hits, 19
of which came in the first five
innings. That was despite inju-
ries that kept Miguel Cabrera, J.D.
Martinez and Jose Iglesias out of
the lineup.
Jordan Zimmermann (2-1)
allowed five runs in six innings.
Jean Segura, Danny Valencia and
Nelson Cruz hit solo homers for
Seattle, but that wasn’t nearly
enough to keep up with Detroit.
Mikie Mahtook added another
home run for the Tigers in the
eighth. Ian Kinsler had four hits
and four runs before being lifted
for a pinch hitter in the seventh.
though and the Thunder cut it to 4
points twice in the final seconds, with
the second one coming on a basket by
Alex Abrines. But Harden made two
free throws both times they got close
to secure the win.
SPURS 116, GRIZZLIES 103
SAN ANTONIO — Kawhi Leon-
ard had 28 points and San Antonio
rebounded from two discouraging
road losses to beat Memphis and take
a 3-2 lead in their first-round series.
San Antonio shot 14 for 28 on
3-point attempts, two off its postsea-
son record, including 5-for-7 shooting
by Patty Mills.
Mills finished with 20 points and
Tony Parker added 16.
Mike Conley had 26 points and
Marc Gasol added 17 for the Grizzlies,
who have lost nine straight postseason
games in San Antonio.
With each team winning on its
home court, Game 6 is Thursday night
in Memphis.
JAZZ 96,
CLIPPERS 92
LOS ANGELES — Gordon Hay-
ward scored 27 points, Utah controlled
the paint, and the Jazz beat the Clip-
pers 96-92 to take a 3-2 lead in their
first-round playoff series.
Hayward returned after missing
most of Utah’s win in Game 4 because
of food poisoning that caused him to
lose weight and energy.
Chris Paul’s 3-pointer drew the
Clippers within two with 5 seconds
left. After George Hill hit two free
throws, Paul struggled getting the ball
under control near the sideline and
couldn’t do anything as time expired.
The Jazz made five 3-pointers in
the fourth quarter, including three by
Rodney Hood, who finished with 16
points.
Paul led the Clippers with 28 points
and J.J. Redick added 26 with injured
star Blake Griffin watching from the
bench, his right foot encased in a black
walking boot.
Northwest League
Knappa
6-1
9-3
Neah-Kah-Nie 3-3
4-8
Vernonia
2-1 6-3-1
Nestucca
2-4
6-5
Gaston
0-4
3-7
Knappa 12, Gaston 2
Gaston
010 01—2 5 4
Knappa
521 4x—12 10 0
Cullers, Losey (4) and Anderson;
D.Takalo, Hoover (3) and Goozee. W:
Hoover. L: Cullers. 2B: Kna, J.Miller,
Hoover. HR: Kna, Cruz.
SOFTBALL
Cowapa League
Banks
5-1
13-1
Scappoose
5-1
12-2
Astoria
4-2
7-8
Tillamook
2-4
3-9
Seaside
1-5
3-11
Valley Catholic 1-5
4-9
Lewis & Clark League
Rainier
6-0
12-1
Clatskanie
3-2
8-3
Warrenton
2-3
10-3
P. Adventist
1-3
4-3
P. Christian
0-4
0-9
Northwest League
Knappa
6-0
7-10
Gaston
3-0
5-6
Vernonia
1-0
4-1
Nestucca
0-4
0-8
Neah-Kah-Nie 0-6
2-8