THE WRESTLING REPORT

Clash of Champions is shaping up to be a great show.

Clash of Champions is shaping up to be a great show.
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Born with a comic book in one hand and a remote control in the other, Cory DLG is the talent of Conroe's very own Nerd Thug Radio, Sports. Check out the podcast replay of the FM radio shows www.nerdthugradio.com!

Raw came out swinging, with an appearance from Stone Cold Steve Austin and a stunner on AJ Styles. The contract was finally signed between Seth Rollins and Braun Strowman but then the OC showed up and wrecked shop, then in the next match AJ Styles was fighting Cedric Alexander and the OC showed up again, but this time The Viking Experience saved the day. Could they finally be building up to an actual rivalry for the OC? The girls put on an amazing tag match in selling the upcoming clash of champions as all four of them looked great. Baron Corbin coming out on top of the triple threat to make it into the King of the Ring finals is an obnoxious development but hopefully he won't win it. It was great of Raw to finish with a Stone Cold toast, with him kind of crowning Seth and Brawn.

Smackdown started off a little wonky with a timing error meaning the show opened up with Undertaker already in the ring and Sami Zayn out to address him. It does end nicely though with Undertaker choke slamming the Mouth of the North. The build up to the Women's Tag Team titles hasn't been anywhere near as good, with this week finally stooping to Mandy just calling Nikki Cross ugly. The underselling continued with Rowan and Roman squaring off and then Chad Gable defeating Shane for his pathway to the finals. We're now set up for Chad Gable against Baron Corbin for the title of King of the Ring, in a true who cares less match. Shane taking Elias' place was an interesting development and they're building up for an interesting Kevin Owens vs Shane rivalry which is great except this won't be the first time it's come up.

Clash of the Champions is looking really strong overall and there is genuine uncertainty coming into the event of who will be champion when it's all said and done. This weekend is going to be a big deal simply because it's unclear what will happen next.

Feel free to check out my brand new comic book Another Day at the Office email me for details or buy a shirt from Side Hustle Ts where some proceeds help people struggling with cancer or listen to Nerd Thug Radio. Thoughts, complaints, events and comments can be sent to corydlg@gmail.com.

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The Tigers beat the Astros, 7-4. Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images.

Javy Báez capped a five-run third inning with his ninth career grand slam, and the Detroit Tigers avoided a series sweep by beating the Houston Astros 7-4 on Wednesday.

Baez’s two-out homer off AJ Blubaugh (0-1), a 24-year-old right-hander making his major league debut, put the Tigers ahead 7-1. All five runs were unearned due to shortstop Jeremy Peña throwing error on Kerry Carpenter's grounder.

Riley Greene tied his career high with four hits.

Brenan Hanifee (2-0) pitched two scoreless innings in relief of Jackson Jobe, who allowed three runs, four hits and four walks in three innings. Detroit has won five of seven and nine of 13.

Blubaugh (0-1) struck out two in a 1-2-3 first and gave up seven runs — two earned — and five hits in four innings with six strikeouts and a walk.

Blubaugh was optioned back to Sugar Land after the game.

Peña hit the first career leadoff home run, the first of his three hits, but Colt Keith hit a two-run homer in the second to put Detroit ahead for good.

Jose Altuve hit a two-run double in the fifth and Victor Caratini homered in the seventh against Tyler Holton.

Holton struck out Yainer Diaz to strand two runners in the seventh and Tommy Kahnle struck out Christian Walker to leave two runners on in the eighth.

Houston went 2 for 10 with runners in scoring position and stranded 12 runners.

Key moment

Báez drove a high sweeper over the left-field scoreboard.

Key stat

Houston allowed five unearned runs in the third inning after giving up three in its first 29 games.

Up next

Astros: LHP Framber Valdez (1-3 4.00 ERA) opens a three-game series at the Chicago White Sox on Friday night.

Tigers: RHP Casey Mize (4-1 2.12 ERA) opens a four-game series against the Los Angeles Angels and LHP Yusei Kikuchi (0-4, 4.31) on Thursday night.

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