Detroit, MI

East Grand Forks overwhelms Detroit Lakes in doubleheader

Published

1 year ago

June 27, 2024

DETROIT LAKES

— The Detroit Lakes Post 15 legion baseball team welcomed East Grand Forks Post 157 to Washington Ballpark for a Wednesday night doubleheader.

Post 157 dominated the series from start to finish as they took down Detroit Lakes 12-1 in Game 1 and 15-2 in the second contest.

EGF clicked on all cylinders with lights-out pitching and red-hot bats in both games. Detroit Lakes struggled at the plate throughout the night tallying eight hits combined.

“I think we just showed that we were lacking the pitching tonight,” Detroit Lakes co-head coach Zack Oistad said. “When you have seven games in a week, your pitching can run dry at times. We have two more games on Friday so we were stretched thin tonight. The bats didn’t show up either so we have some things to work on.”

Chaz Eckhoff fires in a strike during the Detroit Lakes Post 15 doubleheader against East Grand Forks Post 157 on Wednesday, June 26.

Cooper Kanthak / Detroit Lakes Tribune

Post 15 started off the opening game with a bang as Noah Rieber blasted a solo home run to dead-center field to take a 1-0 lead. Chaz Eckhoff started on the mound for Detroit Lakes. He threw four and one-third innings, allowed nine runs on nine hits, and struck out four batters.

EGF ace Carson McDonald threw a complete game for Post 157. He was efficient on the mound as he threw 87 pitches and 61 were called for strikes. McDonald allowed one run on four hits and fanned 11 batters.

“Their pitching was excellent tonight,” Oistad said. “We got down a bit and lost any momentum that we had. They threw strikes and their defense made all of the plays when we made contact.”

Noah Rieber rounds third base after hitting a home run during the Detroit Lakes Post 15 doubleheader against East Grand Forks Post 157 on Wednesday, June 26.

Alex Spect came in for relief and threw two and two-third innings. He allowed three runs on four hits and struck out one batter. Connor Beswick, Kael McArthur, Eckhoff, and Rieber all recorded a hit and Rieber had the lone RBI.

In Game 2, EGF got out to an early lead. Henry Peeters started on the mound for Detroit Lakes and struggled with his control as he walked seven batters. EGF scored two runs in the opening inning. They scored nine runs on four hits in the top of the second to take an 11-0 lead. EGF added a run in the third and three runs in the fourth to take a 15-0 lead. Detroit Lakes scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth to trail 15-2.

“We just want the guys to have fun at the end of the day,” Oistad said. “The game of baseball is meant to be fun and we want to get better for the future. I want them to go up to the plate and not watch strike three go by. I want them to be all right with their approach and just shake off the bad at-bats. Stay confident in themselves and do what they’ve been doing for a long time.”

Ross Hansen secures a fly ball in right field during the Detroit Lakes Post 15 doubleheader against East Grand Forks Post 157 on Wednesday, June 26.

GAME 1: EAST GRAND FORKS 12 DETROIT LAKES 1

EGF – 0 0 2 5 2 1 2 X X – 12

DL – 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 – 1

DETROIT LAKES BATTING – E. Rieber: 0-3; Eckhoff: 1-2; Spect: 0-1; N. Rieber: 1-3, RBI, R; Martin: 0-3; Beswick: 1-3; Wilson: 0-2, BB; Hansen: 0-3; McArthur: 1-2; Bartnes: 0-2

WP: McDonald (EGF); LP: Eckhoff: DL)

GAME 2: EAST GRAND FORKS 15 DETROIT LAKES 2

EGF – 2 9 1 3 0 X X – 15

DL – 0 0 0 2 0 X X – 2

DETROIT LAKES BATTING – N. Rieber: 1-3; McArthur: 1-2; Erickson: 0-1; Eckhoff: 0-2, BB; Wilson: 0-1, 2BB; Hansen: 0-3; Martin: 1-1, R, BB; E. Rieber: 1-3; Peeters: 0-1; Spect: 0-1; Bartnes: 0-1, R, BB

WP: Stassen (EGF); LP: McArthur (DL)

Cody Bartnes hits a ball during the Detroit Lakes Post 15 doubleheader against East Grand Forks Post 157 on Wednesday, June 26.

Henry Peeters fires in a pitch during the Detroit Lakes Post 15 doubleheader against East Grand Forks Post 157 on Wednesday, June 26.

Kael McArthur gets set for a pitch during the Detroit Lakes Post 15 doubleheader against East Grand Forks Post 157 on Wednesday, June 26.

Cooper Kanthak is a sports reporter for the Detroit Lakes Tribune, Perham Focus and Wadena Pioneer Journal. Cooper graduated from South Dakota State University with a degree in journalism and minored in digital and social media. He is originally from Pipestone, Minnesota, and has a passion for all things sports. You can reach Cooper at ckanthak@forumcomm.com.

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Detroit, MI

Detroit Lions running backs open up about life on and off the field

Published

9 hours ago

December 20, 2025

Press Room

Detroit Lions running backs open up about life on and off the field

Detroit Lions fans get to sit back and watch running backs Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery put on stellar performances to help lead the team’s offense. What fans don’t often see are the bonds and dynamics that hold the backfield group together. CBS News Detroit’s Rachel Hopmayer hung out with the group at Bronx Bar to shoot the breeze and play some pool.

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Detroit, MI

Detroit Fire Department brings Christmas joy to family who lost everything in house fire

Published

21 hours ago

December 19, 2025

Press Room

Detroit Fire Department brings Christmas joy to family who lost everything in house fire

DETROIT (WXYZ) — Christmas came early for a Detroit family of 10 after the Detroit Fire Department surprised them with a truck full of gifts, nearly a year after they lost their home and all belongings in a devastating fire.

On Jan. 6, Raychelle Womack and her family were living in their home on Santa Rosa Drive near Fullerton Street when it caught fire. All their possessions were destroyed in the blaze.

Watch Demetrios Sanders’ video report below:

Family’s Christmas saved after fire

“You try buying everything for a new baby and then you lose it all, on top of the other seven kids that you’ve got — that’s everything,” Womack said.

As the family continued recovering from the fire, questions remained about what Christmas could look like this year.

“Whatever we could make happen, that’s what we’re going to make happen,” Womack said.

WXYZ

That worry disappeared when the Detroit Fire Department and community partners visited the family’s new east side home with a truck full of Christmas gifts.

“To lose everything and then slowly but surely gain everything, it means a lot,” Womack said.

This marks the fourth year the Detroit Fire Department has brought Christmas cheer to families in need during the holidays.

“We know people lose everything in these fires, so if we can do anything to make their lives better, to make their lives easier, especially around the holiday season, we’re willing to do it,” said Chuck Simms, executive fire commissioner with the Detroit Fire Department.

Simms said the effort is driven by donations and brings joy not only to the families impacted but also to the first responders who participate.

“It’s just a great thing and nice thing for us to do,” Simms said.

With a Christmas tree now surrounded by gifts, Womack’s children are definitely looking forward to Christmas.

“It was nice and we appreciate it,” one child said.

For Womack, only one challenge remains.

“Now it’s making sure everything (gifts) stays closed until Christmas,” Womack said.

—————

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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Detroit, MI

Near 500 saves, Kenley Jansen joins Detroit Tigers without closer role

Published

1 day ago

December 19, 2025

Press Room

Near 500 saves, Kenley Jansen joins Detroit Tigers without closer role

Kenley Jansen is destined for the Baseball Hall of Fame.

The 38-year-old right-handed reliever is fourth on the all-time saves list, first on the active saves leaderboard, 24 saves away from the 500 milestone and just signed a one-year contract that guarantees $11 million.

But he hasn’t received the closer role from the Detroit Tigers for the 2026 season.

“Will we label Kenley the closer?” Tigers president baseball operations Scott Harris said Wednesday, Dec. 17, deferring to manager A.J. Hinch. “I don’t know. That’s going to be for A.J. to figure out. I’m just going to try to give him as many options as possible.”

Entering 2026, Jansen – a four-time All-Star in his 16-year MLB career – trails only three relievers on the saves list, all three of which are Hall of Famers: Lee Smith (478), Trevor Hoffman (601) and Mariano Rivera (652).

Before signing Jansen, the Tigers connected him with Hinch for an important phone call. For context, Hinch hasn’t named a full-time closer since left-hander Gregory Soto in 2021-22, instead favoring a bullpen that operates without defined roles.

Early signs suggest Jansen has already embraced the Tigers’ approach.

“From that conversation, we learned Kenley is all about winning,” Harris said of Jansen, who won the 2020 World Series with the Los Angeles Dodgers. “He’s willing to pitch in any spot. He just wants to be in a winning environment. And he was really attracted to Detroit as a destination, which is a huge step forward for this organization.”

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With three more saves, Jansen will move into sole possession of third place.

He has secured at least four saves in each of his 16 seasons, along with 25 or more saves in each of the past 13 full seasons, not counting the coronavirus pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign.

“We liked a lot of things,” Harris said. “First of all, he’s one of the best to ever do it. I’ve admired him from afar – and up close for a few years. He brings a ton of success in the highest-leverage moments of games in the regular season and postseason.”

[ MUST LISTEN: Make “Days of Roar” your go-to Tigers podcast, available anywhere you listen to podcasts (Apple, Spotify) ]

In 2025, Jansen registered a 2.59 ERA with 19 walks and 57 strikeouts across 59 innings in 62 games for the Los Angeles Angels, racking up 29 saves in 30 opportunities.

His 8.1% walk rate ranked in the 46th percentile, while his 24.4% strikeout rate ranked in the 63rd percentile.

Many indicators foreshadow regression coming soon – most notably the lowest strikeout rate of his career, driven by his third-worst in-zone whiff rate and worst out-of-zone whiff rate over the past four seasons – but the Tigers believe in their future Hall of Fame reliever.

“The cutter still really plays,” Harris said. “He also has a two-seamer that misses bats, as well as a curveball. We think he’s going to miss plenty of bats for us. We think there are some things that we can do with sequencing and refining some of the shapes of his mix.”

The Tigers have pursued Jansen several times.

There was interest during the 2024-25 offseason, when he ultimately signed a one-year, $10 million contract with the Angels, then at the 2025 trade deadline, when the Angels opted not to move him, and once again in the 2025-26 offseason, when the Tigers finally signed him to a one-year, $9 million contract, which includes a $12 million club option for 2027 (with a $2 million buyout).

“I’ve admired him from afar and up close,” Harris said.

With Jansen, the Tigers now feel confident using four relievers in save situations. The other three: right-hander Kyle Finnegan, right-hander Will Vest and left-hander Tyler Holton.

Of those four relievers, three of them produced more than 20 saves during the 2025 season, led by Jansen’s 29 and followed by Finnegan’s 24 and Vest’s 23.

“I think it was really important for us to add to the bullpen and be able to protect the leads that we know we’re going to get,” said Harris, who re-signed Finnegan on a two-year, $19 million contract earlier this month. “Whether we can find other opportunities to make our bullpen better, I’m not quite sure yet, but I like the bullpen as it is right now.”

For Jansen, his sights are set on reaching 500 saves.

It’s likely to happen in 2026.

But Jansen isn’t the Tigers’ closer.

Not yet.

“It’s going to be A.J.’s call on that,” Harris said.

Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold.

Listen to our weekly Tigers show “Days of Roar” every Monday afternoon during the season and Tuesday afternoon during the offseason on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.

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