Month: June 2014

Giants humbled by the Padres and Cuban export pitcher in his major league-debut

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By Morris Phillips

In a battle of the frustrated and the really frustrated, the really frustrated Padres were runaway winners on Monday.

The really frustrated Padres–who announced after Sunday’s game that GM Josh Byrne had been fired, the result of two losing seasons and the Padres headed inextricably toward a third—got a stellar, major league-debut from starter Odrisamer Despaigne and shutout the Giants, 6-0.  San Diego still trails the Giants by 12 ½ games, but their professional integrity can’t be questioned in this situation which a lot of times isn’t the case.

“Our guys play,” manager Bud Black said of his Padres.  “They come to play every night, and we’re proud of that.”

The merely frustrated Giants and cornerstone pitcher Matt Cain took the loss.  The Giants are 3-10 in their last 13 games, and Cain’s 1-6 on the season with an ERA way too close to 5.00 at 4.82.  Frustrating evening, but the first place Giants saw the Dodgers lose in Kansas City on Monday and their four game lead in the NL West was preserved.

The Giants hodge-podge lineup minus leadoff hitter Angel Pagan, Brandon Hicks and the disabled Brandon Belt flopped again with a double and three singles on the night. The current string of poor play has the Giants looking like old June Swoon crews from Candlestick days past, or at least looking like a team in desperate need of a trade-deadline pickup to help on offense, in this case, way before the July 31 deadline grows near.

Regarding who could help the Giants most immediately, Pagan missed his eighth straight game on Monday with an ailing back, but remains on the active roster with no decision on a trip to the disabled list.  Marco Scutaro has intensified his workouts but still has no announced date for his 2014 debut.

Cain pitched well on Monday with the exception of the fourth inning when he allowed three runs on four hits.  The big blow in the inning saw Yasmani Grandal hit a ball into Triples Alley that was helped into the seats by a fan who reached over the brick wall to catch the ball.  The umpires initially ruled the drive a home run, but the MLB instant replay crew in New York correctly reversed the call, giving Grandal a double, but with two runners on base, they ordered trail runner Seth Smith back to third base.

“There’s no way Smitty doesn’t score on that play,” Black said.  The San Diego manager left with no one to complain to—as dictated by the new replay rules–complained anyway and was tossed by home plate umpire Marvin Hudson.  Hard to argue with Black on this one: the play came with two outs and on a 2-2 pitch with Smith obviously running on contact.

The Padres added three more runs in the eighth on another four hits and a costly Giants’ error.  Cain was still around in the eighth–attempting to make soup with no hot water—but was relieved by Bruce Bochy after Everth Cabrera’s RBI single and Hunter Pence’s throwing error on the play allowed a second run to score.  Smith greeted reliever Javier Lopez with a run-scoring double to complete the scoring on the evening.

But the real story was Despaigne, the Cuban export at age 27 making his big league debut in his first year in the Padres organization.  Not the big name that Yoenis Cespedes and Yasiel Puig have become, but plenty competent, Despaigne showed great versatility and control in his pitches and was never seriously challenged in seven innings of work.

“Pitched great, didn’t he?” Black gushed.  “(Padres’ minor league brass) said that there was enough flashes through these minor league outings that this guy knows what he’s doing.  And that’s what he did today.”

Despaigne threw first-pitch strikes to 15 of the 24 batters he faced and needed just 86 pitches to get through seven innings.  Cain, for that matter, threw first-pitch strikes to 24 of the 29 batters he faced and only walked one guy.  The Giants’ preferred staff anchor threw 102 pitches on the evening and looked far better than he did in Chicago last week where the White Sox touched him for eight runs on 10 hits. 

On Tuesday, the Giants turn to Tim Hudson who will face the Padres’ Jesse Hahn at 7:15pm.

No Guarantees for Scuffling Reddick in Return to Roster

Published on by Matthew HarringtonLeave a comment

By Matthew Harrington

In 2012, Josh Reddick’s career took a gigantic leap, evolving from fifth outfielder with the Boston Red Sox to a 32 home run masher with the Oakland Athletics. The Savannah, Georgia native went from spare part to key cog in an offense, notching 85 runs batted in while providing Gold Glove-winning defense in right field. 2013 brought a regression, a return to the average with a .226 clip at the plate and diminished power (12 home runs). Again, 2014 proves more the latter than the former for the left-handed hitting outfielder who is scuffling to stay above the Mendoza line (.214 batting average in 50 games) while struggling to stay healthy enough to stay on the field.

Reddick last manned right field on May 31s but exited the game against the Los Angeles Angels after two at-bats nursing a hyperextended right knee. Just like in 2013, a season that ended in a second-straight American League West title for Oakland, the A’s rolled on without Reddick’s contributions required. They currently boast the best win percentage in the Major Leagues (.618) and are tied with the Milwaukee Brewers for the most wins in the big leagues (47). Over the last 10 games, all sans Reddick, the A’s have gone 7-3.

Reddick appears poised to wrap up a rehab stint with the Sacramento River Cats in time to join the team for a trip to New York to face the Mets starting Tuesday. While he may be ready to rejoin the team, the Swingin’ A’s might not have a clear role for him. When Reddick first went down to end May on a down note, general manager Billy Beane called upon third-string catcher Stephen Vogt to fill the roster vacancy. The idea heading in was that Vogt would provide some depth at catcher as well as the corner infield and outfield spots where he had a scattering of experience at the minor league level.

Instead, the 29-year-old backstop stole the starting right fielder spot from other candidates like Brandon Moss and Craig Gentry, producing an eye-popping .346 batting average to go with 11 RBIs in only 17 games. While no one will confuse Vogt for a Gold Glove outfielder, his defense afield has certainly passed the eye test. For a catcher, he certainly doesn’t look out of place roaming right field.

One thing Melvin has displayed in his tenure with Oakland is a loyalty his veterans, evidenced by Daric Barton’s ability to work his way into the line-up 30 times this season despite only nine hits. Reddick will receive every opportunity to regain his role as a starter, likely seeing the majority of starts in the coming days. Melvin, however, shouldn’t feel obligated to continue to pencil no.16 onto his lineup card every day if his offensive woes continue.

If Reddick still looks lost at the plate over the next few series, the best course of action may be another stint at Sacramento. Reddick still has a minor league option left, leaving the best course of action to be riding out Vogt’s hot streak for as long as it will last. By then, perhaps Reddick will rediscover his long ball stroke and return to Oakland with past woes behind him.

Michael Duca on A’s and Giants: No quit A’s keep rolling against some of baseball’s best;Everytime Mad Bum comes out he brings that no hitter feel

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by Michael Duca

Oakland A’s update: The Oakland A’s relief pitching was really solid all the way through the entire series against the Boston Red Sox over the weekend. As A’s manager Bob Melvin said before Sunday’s game the players don’t quit and if their seemingly out of a game and their down 6-1 in the eighth inning they still don’t think their out of the game and Sunday they weren’t.

Major League players, coaches and managers would never admit to being blown away even if they are, this season still has 100 games to run almost 90 games to run anyway. They are impressed with the way the A’s play, they’ve got a bunch of guys that aren’t well known outside of Oakland.

The A’s seem to perform in a variety of circumstances, Sunday in the tenth inning they had to give up the designated hitter because one of their catchers took another knock to the noggin on a back swing. Sooner or later their going to have to take a hard look at whether or not they have to start telling players to limit their back swings because a 360 degree back swing is just flat out dangerous and it doesn’t accomplish anything but it certainly endangers catchers.

They wound up giving up the DH and the pitchers spot was going to hit in the tenth inning and the A’s went to Sean Doolittle as their hitter and he made the last out of the game and Doolittle is a guy who as recently as four years ago counting A ball and fall league had impressive seasons. The A’s have versatility almost everywhere you look.

San Francisco Giants update: Giants pitcher Madison Baumgarner is the staff ace you aticipate him having no hit stuff everytime he goes out to the mound. His only rival is a left handed starter in the National League and that’s the Dodgers Clayton Kershaw. Baumgarner and Kernshaw are similar guys, they’re country kids with probably not the prettiest beards in the world. Their hard throwing lefties that can easily strike out ten, 12, or 13 guys on any given night he’s been absolutely rock steady and that’s what you expect from your staff ace.Baumgarner is working hard, he works quickly he throws to contact, he’s willing to trust his defense because he works quickly his defense is trustworthy.

The Giants Joe Panik had two hits in his first Major League start Sunday night at Chase Field and also did a fine job with the glove in his debut. Panik is a nice looking young player but people shouldn’t put too many expectations on him. I don’t want him to get too tied up in the structure in the pressure of this pennant race.

If Panik is able to do what a rookie is able to do which is play within his self and do what he was doing at the previous level that’s good enough. You can find somebody to play second base on a everyday level who’s a solid fielder and who can bring a .850 OPS to bear on the game that’s absolutely all you could ask for. Panik doesn’t need to try and be better now that he’s a Major Leaguer he doesn’t need to push himself.

Michael Duca does A’s and Giants commentary for http://www.sportsradioservice each week

Thats Amaury’s News and Commentary: U.S. Men trying to get the mind set not to lose to Germany on Thursday at game’s end

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by Daniel Dullum for Amaury Pi Gonzalez

PHOENIX–The U.S. Men’s team is still alive in this set of matches in Brazil. Who saw this coming with a 2-2 loss and a draw on Sunday night against Portugal. The U.S. is playing remarkably well and generally the U.S. doesn’t qualify for the World Cup to begin with and to see them enjoy this kind of success it’s a shame they lost.

Its a shame they lost the game in extra minutes but their not a favorite to begin with and to make it to that round 16 would be awesome. It’s very exciting especially for generations who have grown up playing soccer in the U.S. even causal fans are paying attention now and a lot more people are familiar with the game and as a result fans are pretty jazzed about what is going on.

Giants are back on track: After losing last Friday night for their sixth consecutive loss San Francisco Giants manager Bruce Bochy remarked saying “that’s baseball that happens all the time. It happens to every team good and bad, your going to go through a stretch where you lose five or six. Just like you can win five or six.”

For Bochy and the Giants clubhouse there was no sense of panic at at all and sure enough Saturday and Sunday the Giants were back on track. They got good starting pitching and it starts there. The key hitting fell into place accordingly.

The one Panic that the Giants don’t seem to mind on their team is rookie Joe Panik who made his big league debut on Sunday with some great defense and his first two hits in the show to take two souvenirs home. Panik has some flashy plays over at second base and if he was a nervous rookie he certainly didn’t act like one. Panik seemed very poised and it energizes a team a little bit when you call somebody up and they come up and get you going and it’s all positive.

Finally as far as pitcher Matt Cain in concerned he will get back on track eventually he had these stretches too where for some reason he can’t seem to get his pitches over the plate and that gets him in trouble and you’ll see him in the second half for the All-Star break straighten out.

NFL Cheerleaders starting to make some noise about getting paid: Cheerleaders in the NFL goes back to the 1970s when the Dallas Cowboys got it started off and for the most part over the years these ladies have taken these jobs knowing that they weren’t going to get paid very much.

These jobs were more for the status, more for getting their modeling or show business career going. Whatever that motivation is, should they be making a little more? Probably, the NFL is like a money printing machine and there is no reason why the cheerleaders can’t be compensated properly.

They make a lot of public appearances aside from games that people don’t know about. They definitely shoud be paid and there is no reason not to.

Daniel Dullum is filling in for Amaury Pi Gonzalez who is taking the day off, Daniel files A’s game reports for http://www.sportsradioservice.com every Thursday

A’s furious comeback falls short as Big Papi homers in the 10th to propel the Red Sox

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By Morris Phillips

Had the A’s completed their comeback on Sunday and beaten the Boston Red Sox for the fourth straight day it would have ranked as one of the team’s biggest accomplishments in a season-to-date of eye-popping feats.

Instead, the A’s were treated to the latest in David Ortiz’s dossier of big accomplishments, as his solo shot in the 10th inning drove the Red Sox past the A’s, 7-6.

The 448th home run of Ortiz’s career came off a two-strike pitch from Fernando Abad, who has allowed three home runs this week in his role as manager Bob Melvin’s lefty specialist.  Ortiz’s blast reversed the tide which saw the A’s tie the game after trailing 6-1 with three runs in the eighth, and two more in the ninth.

“More than anything he stays at rest or at peace mentally in those key spots and doesn’t miss his pitch when he gets it,” Boston manager Dave Farrell said of Ortiz.

The A’s were looking to win their sixth straight, go 20 games above .500 and sweep the Red Sox in a four-game series for the first time since 1971.  Against nemesis Jon Lester it didn’t seem possible as the Boston ace kept the A’s bats near silent until they rallied in the eighth.  Lester struck out 15 A’s batters in a start earlier this year in Boston and followed that up by holding the A’s to a run through the first seven innings on Sunday.

With two outs in the eighth, Lester hit Craig Gentry with a pitch, saw Gentry steal second and walked Jed Lowrie.  Farrell went to his bullpen at that point and Burke Badenhop surrendered consecutive run-scoring singles to Yoenis Cespedes, Josh Donaldson and Derek Norris to pull the A’s within 6-4.

In the ninth, the A’s really got serious by denting Red Sox closer Koji Uehara who had converted 42 of 44 save opportunities dating back to last year and was a major piece to Boston’s run to the World Series title.   First Stephen Vogt took Uehara deep and with two outs, John Jaso in a pinch-hitting role homered to get the A’s even, 6-6.

“They never quit.  That’s as hard as we fought all year,” Melvin said of the A’s comeback.  “We never feel like we’re out of a game until the last out.”

But one day after the A’s took over in extra innings, the Red Sox did the same as Ortiz took Abad out as the leadoff batter in the 10th.  It was Ortiz’s 17th home run of the season and it came off a 1-2 pitch from Abad.

The A’s have a rare two-days off this week surrounding a two-game series in New York with the Mets.  They will then travel on to Miami and Detroit before returning home to face the AL East-leading Blue Jays around the July 4th holiday.

On Tuesday in New York, the A’s will send Scott Kazmir to the mound and he will oppose familiar face Bartolo Colon at 4:05pm.

Bumgarner handcuffs Snakes; Giants win second in a row

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By DANIEL DULLUM
Sports Radio Service
Sunday, June 22, 2014

PHOENIX, Arizona – With two road wins in less than 24 hours, the San Francisco Giants have all but forgotten that six-game skid they were carrying into their weekend series in the desert.

“It’s a good way to finish the trip,” Giants Manager Bruce Bochy said. “When you’re in the midst of a losing streak, it’s tough for a ballclub. What could go wrong has gone wrong. But that’s baseball.

“You don’t have any choice but to keep looking forward,” he added. “These guys are bouncing back. You’re always going to have your ups and downs in this game – it’s a matter of how you deal with it, and I’ve got a good group here.”

The big hits the Giants weren’t getting just a few days ago are retuning; they collected four on Sunday. That, along with a near complete game from Madison Bumgarner, helped San Francisco defeat the Diamondbacks 4-1 and take the rubber game of the three-game set.

With the victory, San Francisco maintains its four-game lead over Los Angeles in the National League West Division.

In his eight-plus innings, Bumgarner (9-4) struck out seven, and allowed only infield singles by Cody Ross and Ender Inciante, along with one unearned run and two walks.

“Bumgarner was exceptional today, maybe the best I’ve ever seen him,” Diamondbacks Manager Kirk Gibson said. “It seemed like his cutter was excellent, he was throwing his fastball wherever he wanted to, his curveball was good, so were his changeups. His curveball was as good as I’ve seen it.”

“Bumgarner pitched an excellent game. We had to try and hold him down, but we couldn’t do it.”

Bochy felt “it was real important” to get a quality start from Bumgarner.

“Your season is usually determined by your starters, because their consistency gives us a chance to win,” Bochy said. “Our guys are human, and they’re going to hit some bumps in the road, but we’ll be okay.”

After Ross’s hit in the second inning, Bumgarner retired 18 of the last 22 hitters he faced When the first two Arizona batters reached base in the bottom of the ninth, Sergio Romo came on to record his 22nd save.

“I felt like I got better as the game went on,” Bumgarner said. “I was making pitches, getting the ball over the plate, going down when I wanted them to go down and up when I wanted them to go up. I felt pretty good all the way around.”

In 16 career games against Arizona, Bumgarner has given up 25 earned runs in 94 1/3 innings. In his last four starts against the Snakes, Bumgarner has given up only one earned run in 25 innings.

“I wouldn’t have thought that, because they’re a tough team,” Bumgarner said. “I feel like it’s always a battle to come in here and play them.”

Diamondbacks starter Mike Bolsinger (1-3) gave up one earned run on five hits and one walk. He also struck out four before leaving with two out in the eighth. Relievers Evan Marshall and Joe Thatcher gave up the Giants’ three ninth-inning runs.

“Other than the pitch to Colvin, I thought (Bolsinger) pitched real well today,” Gibson said. “Those three runs in the ninth really hurt us, because you’re trying to hang in there and hope to get to a guy like Bumgarner. But we didn’t.”

Tyler Colvin snapped a scoreless tie for San Francisco with his RBI double in the fifth inning, scoring Brandon Crawford, who walked. Colvin was thrown out trying to stretch his double into a triple.

The Giants tacked on three more runs in the ninth. Hunter Pence singled and scored on a Buster Posey double, and with one out, Crawford’s single to right-center drove in Posey. After Colvin struck out, rookie second baseman Joe Panik doubled to left, scoring Crawford from first base for his first big league run batted in.

“Panik has a nice stroke, doesn’t try to do too much, and he’s got some pop,” Bochy said. “It’s nice to have a left-handed bat that is comfortable hitting against lefties.”

Things got interesting in the bottom of the ninth, when Diamondbacks pinch-hitter Jordan Pacheco reached on an error by Crawford and Ender Inciante beat out an infield hit. That combination chased Bumgarner and Romo was brought in to face Martin Prado, who promptly singled to center to score Pacheco from second, cutting the Giants lead to 4-1.

For the second game in a row, Romo would face Paul Goldschmidt in a key situation, and again, Romo prevailed, getting the Diamondbacks slugger to hit into a double play. Romo struck out Aaron Hill to end the game.

Now, the Giants head home, riding a two-game winning streak.

“Everybody is still in good spirits,” Bumgarner said of the new winning streak. “This was a big series for us to win.”

GIANT JOTTINGS: It was Bark in the Park day at Chase Field, with 313 dogs accounted for. Human attendance was 27,862. … San Francisco SS Brandon Crawford’s seventh-inning triple was his seventh three-bagger of the season. … Giants INF Joe Panik got his first major league hit, a single in the fifth inning off Arizona starter Mike Bolsinger. Panik was called up from Triple-A Fresno on Saturday. … RHP Sergio Romo needs seven more saves to match Rod Beck for the most saves at the All-Star break in the San Francisco-era team history. Beck had 29 first-half saves in 1997. … The Giants head back to AT&T Park Monday to start a 10-game homestand against San Diego, Cincinnati and St. Louis. San Francisco’s probable starters against the Padres are Matt Cain (1-5) on Monday, Tim Hudson (7-3) on Tuesday and Tim Lincecum (5-5) on Wednesday.

TAGS: (San Francisco Giants,Arizona Diamondbacks,Daniel Dullum,Sports Radio Service)

How to Tell if You Have Mad Shark Disease

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By Mary Walsh

The San Jose Sharks are engaging in some very strange behavior. They seem hell bent on alienating a fan base that they spent decades building up. They are firing favorites and making deranged threats about a losing season and possible relocations. Someone put something funny in the San Jose water.

The relocation noise seems to be connected to complaints about a painfully horrible 14 year tv contract that the Sharks have with CSN Bay Area. In theory, if the Sharks moved to Seattle, where they have no new arena, they would no longer be in the Bay Area and CSN could not hold them to the punitively bad agreement. The other relocation theory is that the Sharks would move only as far as Santa Clara, to be near the fancy new Levis stadium. Like Seattle, Santa Clara also does not have a new rink waiting for an NHL team to move in.

So either destination requires a lot of waiting and building. After the waiting and the building, there’s more waiting while people figure out that there is an NHL team in town (Seattle) or where their NHL team went (Santa Clara). Neither option will save the Sharks, directly or indirectly, from the gushing monetary losses they are (theoretically) suffering at the hands of CSN Bay Area.

The second symptom of mad Shark disease was the firing of Drew Remenda.

@MercPurdy: Just my opinion: Drew sometimes too honest on air for team’s taste. Also, were issues involving him not living here.  “@indgiuli1. Remenda?”

That is just one journalist’s opinion but it is ironic that he used the word “honest,” since that is Doug Wilson’s new catch phrase. The Sharks don’t have a problem with honesty. Their issue is with openness. There are obvious reasons to keep business dealings confidential but the degree of secrecy displayed by this team baffles the mind and I suppose reflects poorly on the reporters who are expected to dig things up. Nonetheless, it isn’t that the Sharks lie to the public, they just withhold so much that it borders on the absurd.

And that, I would argue, is where the team might have been at odds with Remenda. He shared his opinions… but if that isn’t an analyst’s job, what is?

Maybe it was because of Twitter. Remenda would not join Twitter and clearly everyone must join Twitter.

Whatever reasoning behind that decision, it was petty. It also revealed a complete disregard for the fan base, and for what worked for the Sharks. Dumb, dumb, dumb.

Yet another symptom of Shark madness is all this rebuild talk. Granted, Doug Wilson may be planning to take a different tack this Summer but to be throwing the R word around is confusing. The notion that the Sharks need to move their remaining vets out and prepare to lose a season or more has most people crying cuckoo.

Does he say “rebuild” to convince his vets to move on? Will that word send Thornton or Marleau running for the Eastern hills? Really? If they want to win so badly as that, do the Sharks want them to leave? And if it took outsiders a matter of minutes or hours to figure this ruse out, what are the chances it would work on hockey players or their agents?

Wilson doesn’t describe this rebuild process as anything like the many seasons the Kings and the Blackhawks spent missing the playoffs. In his interview with NHL Live, he talked about one or two poor seasons. If he can bolster a team so significantly in just one or two seasons, he’s redefining “rebuild.”

What I think it means is simply that Wilson has no plans to add major pieces to the team. He is not going to follow a “win now” plan. He will use his draft picks, he will give his younger players time to mature. He won’t tinker. Or I hope that’s what he means, because my second choice explanation is that Wilson has cracked up.

Giants snap six-game skid, hold on to edge Snakes

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By DANIEL DULLUM
Sports Radio Service
Saturday, June 21, 2014

PHOENIX, Arizona – For the first time in a week, the postgame music returned to the ambiance of the San Francisco Giants’ clubhouse.

No dancing or yelling, though – just the quiet confidence that comes from snapping what was, for the National League West-leading Giants, an annoying six-game losing streak.

Eight batters contributed to the Giants’ 12-hit attack as San Francisco outlasted the Arizona Diamondbacks 6-4 Saturday night at Chase Field.

“It was a good win for us to break this streak,” Giants Manager Bruce Bochy said. “Everybody had a hand in it, the back end of the order did a nice job, (Ryan) Vogelsong battled hard out there and the bullpen stepped up and did a real nice job.”

Tyler Colvin drove in three of the San Francisco runs, and Pablo Sandoval drove in two while going 3-for-5. Buster Posey had two hits, as did Hunter Pence, whose 11th home run of the year, a solo shot in the sixth inning, landed in the upper deck in left field. Pence’s blast gave the Giants their final margin of victory.

“I’m pretty sure it was a changeup,” Pence said of his home run pitch.

Though the Giants had a two-run cushion going into the bottom of the ninth, there was some drama when, with one out, pinch-hitter Roger Kieschnick doubled and Didi Gregorius followed with an infield single off closer Sergio Romo. Gerardo Parra moved the runners up with a groundout to second, bringing D-Backs slugger Paul Goldschmidt to the plate with first base open.

After a brief meeting on the mound, Goldschmidt swung on the first pitch from Romo and sent a line drive to right that hung up long enough for Pence to make the catch, ending the game,

“I was just talking about the situation, and Sergio was aware of it. I just wanted to make sure we’re on the same page,” Bochy said. “You’re in a position where, if you put him on, the guy behind him (Aaron Hill) is having a good day. But he found a way to get it done.

“It was a tough call, putting your pitcher in a tough situation there,” Bochy added. “Sergio wants to go after everybody. That’s his mentality out there.”

Ryan Vogelsong (5-3) worked five innings, giving up five hits, four earned runs and three walks while striking out three to get the win. Jeremy Affeldt, Jean Machi, Santiago Casilla and Romo pitched four scoreless relief innings. Romo picked up his 21st save.

“It was a great collective effort from everybody,” Pence said.

Diamondbacks starter Brandon McCarthy (1-10) got off to a rough start and never recovered McCarthy gave up five earned runs on 10 hits, struck out two, walked one and hit a batter.

San Francisco batted around against McCarthy in the top of the first inning, jumping to a 3-0 lead. With one out, consecutive singles by Hunter Pence, Buster Posey and Pablo Sandoval accounted for the first run, as Pence scored on Sandoval’s RBI single and Posey moved to third on leftfielder David Peralta’s error.

After a sacrifice bunt by Michael Morse moved Sandoval to second, Brandon Crawford was walked. Tyler Colvin followed with a two-RBI single to left-center, driving in Posey and Sandoval.

The Giants made it 4-0 in the second when Posey doubled with two out and scored on Sandoval’s single to center.

Back-to-back doubles by Aaron Hill and Miguel Montero put Arizona on the board in the bottom of the second. Martin Prado’s groundout moved Montero to third, and Peralta followed with a double off the centerfield wall, scoring Montero, cutting the San Francisco lead to 4-2.

The Giants added a run in the fifth when Crawford tripled and scored on Tyler Colvin’s groundout to second, but the Diamondbacks responded with two runs in the bottom of the inning. With one out, Jordan Pacheco – pinch-hitting for McCarthy – doubled, followed by walks issued to Didi Gregorius and Paul Goldschmidt. Aaron Hill hit a two-out single to right-center scoring Pacheco and Gregorius, but was thrown out at second to end the rally.

GIANT JOTTINGS: Giants 1B Michael Morse left the game in the sixth inning due to back tightness. He’s day-to-day. … The Giants have not lost more than six straight games since losing seven in a row June 26-July 10, 2010. … Prior to Saturday’s game, the Giants purchased the contract of INF Joe Panik from Triple-A Fresno. Panik hit .321 with five home runs, 45 runs batted in and 50 runs scored in 74 games with the PCL Grizzlies. To make room on the 25-man roster, the Giants optioned OF Juan Perez to Fresno. … Panik, pinch-hitting for P Jean Machi in the eighth inning, walked in his first major league plate appearance. … U.S. Senator John McCain (R-Arizona) was part of the announced crowd of 37,916. … Probable pitchers for Sunday’s series finale are LHP Madison Bumgarner (8-4) for San Francisco against the Diamondbacks’ Mike Bolsinger (1-2). Game time is 1:10 p.m.

TAGS: (San Francisco Giants,Arizona Diamondbacks,Daniel Dullum,Sports Radio Service)

A’s slip past Boston for fifth straight win despite Melvin’s ejection

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By Morris Phillips

So clever were the A’s on Saturday that they overcame the desperation-leaning, reigning World Champs, home plate umpire Quinn Walcott and his game-altering eighth inning call, the subsequent ejection of manager Bob Melvin and the almost complete absence of offense which saw just two Oakland base runners get as far as second base.

The surprising result?  The A’s squeezed past the Red Sox 2-1 in 10 innings on Coco Crisp’s RBI single off All-Star closer Koji Uehara to win their fifth straight and improve their divisional lead over the Angels to 6 ½ games, their biggest margin prior to an All-Star break since 1988.

The A’s were clinging to a 1-0 lead and riding the impressive seven-inning outing of starter Jesse Chavez when confusion struck in the top of the eighth with setup man Luke Gregerson looking to retire Mike Napoli to end the inning.  Gregerson’s two-strike pitch had Napoli swinging and missing, but Walcott ruled that Napoli fouled the pitch and catcher Stephen Vogt failed to catch it.  Bob Melvin was incensed, but powerless to argue balls and strikes.

“My feeling is that if there’s a play that needs to be reviewed, you should review it,” Melvin recounted.  “You just can’t on that one.”

The umpiring crew gathered after the play and discussed it.  But without video review none of the four could definitively say that they saw the foul tip wind up in Vogt’s glove on the fly.

“The plate umpire (Walcott) heard sound and thought the ball hit the ground and called it a foul ball.  This type of play happens quite often actually, it’s a difficult call for us.  And in order to change it, we have to (be) positive,” crew chief Gerry Davis said.

Two pitches later, a hyped up and disappointed Gregerson saw his offering short hop Vogt and bound toward the mound.  Boston’s Dustin Pedroia seized the opportunity, and broke for the plate from third base successfully ahead of Vogt’s attempted tag.

Suddenly, the A’s found themselves in a tie game, and Chavez without the opportunity to pick up a win, despite pitching the first six innings without allowing a hit.   But the resilient bunch minus Melvin who was thrown out in between innings for arguing the blown call rallied in the tenth.

Alberto Callaspo led off by drawing a walk from reliever Edward Mujica.  Nick Punto bunted Callaspo to second, and Crisp came up with the game-winning hit on Uehara’s first and only pitch of the game.

“I was taking the approach they were going to come right after me,” Crisp said in anticipating a first-pitch fastball.  “I didn’t want to wait around for the splitter so I was hoping that he would come in to what I was looking for, and he did.

The A’s improved their major-league best record to 47-28 with the win.  The defending World Champion Red Sox have lost 12 of their last 19 games and continue to struggle offensively.  Boston ranks 27th in slugging percentage which almost seems like an impossibility given the Sox call doubles-orientated, hitter friendly Fenway Park their home.  Incredibly, the Red Sox are just 20-19 at home this season.

On Sunday, Boston’s John Lester stands between the A’s and a four-game sweep.  Lester will be opposed by the A’s Tommy Milone in the 1:05pm start.

Clutch Crisp Seals Victory For A’s Over Red Sox 4-3

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Kyle Blanks scores the go-ahead run in the eighth inning. The A's defested the Red Sox, 4-3. BEN MARGOT/AP
Kyle Blanks scores the go-ahead run in the eighth inning. The A’s defested the Red Sox, 4-3. BEN MARGOT/AP

 

By Kahlil Najar

OAKLAND – Coco Crisp came in to the game in the bottom of the seventh and proved his worth in the eighth when he hit a go-ahead RBI single off of lefty Andrew Miller to give the A’s a 4-3 victory over the Boston Red Sox.

On his clutch timing Crisp said, “Everybody in here in the later innings, his number can be pulled out of the hat. We know with our team we play a full squad, so we’re always prepared in case of anything.”

Putting Crisp in was something that coach Bob Melvin didn’t want to do, “Certainly I’d like to rest him the whole game, but he always tells me he’s ready to go, and he came up huge for us. There’s been so many times over the last couple of years where he comes up in those situations and comes through so many times. To an extent you almost expect it, which is unrealistic, but you always feel good when he’s up at the plate.

With the win tonight the A’s have the best record in the league and are 18 games over .500.

Josh Donaldson hit his 18th homer of the year in the bottom of the first with two men on to give the A’s a 3-0 lead. Boston mounted a comeback in the second when Jackie Bradley Jr. hit a line drive single to center field and score Mike Napoli and Jonny Gomes who had landed on the bases earlier in the inning.

The Red Sox completed the comeback in the top of the third when the always reliable David Ortiz hit a single to right field ans score Xanders Bogaerts to tie the game at 3-3.

It wasn’t until the bottom of the eighth when Crisp smacked a line drive single to Red Sox right fielder Brock Holt and scored Kyle Banks who was on second and sealed the victory for Oakland.

Melvin concluded, “That was a complete team win today. When your starter goes four innings and you got to use a lot of bullpen you certainly got a lot of contributions.”

The Red Sox and A’s head back at it tomorrow night when the Red Sox send Rubby De La Rosa (2-2) against Jesse Chavez (6-4), game time 1:05pm PT.