Month: September 2017

Angels send A’s down to their seventh straight loss as Halos win in 11, 11-9

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by Jerry Feitelberg

Oakland- The A’s and the Los Angeles Angels played a game that seemed to go on forever as it took four hours and thirty-eight minutes to finish. The Angels’ manager, Mike Scioscia, set an American League record by using twelve pitchers in the game. The A’s used eight. The 14,571 fans in the stadium saw the two teams use twenty pitchers, score twenty runs, three home runs by the Angels and the A’s had two by first baseman Matt Olson. There were over 400 pitches thrown in the game.

The A’s Chris Smith (0-4) was looking for his first win of the year.He was opposed by Parker Bridwell (7-2). Neither pitcher lasted long as the hitters on both teams were taking advantage of the warm and humid condition at the park on Labor Day.

The A’s jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning. The key hit was a double with the bases loaded by Khris Davis. For Davis, it was his 94th, 95th, and 96th runs batted in this season. Bruce Maxwell singled to drive in Davis with the fourth run of the inning.

The Angels tied the game at four in the top of the second. Kole Calhoun and Andreton Simmons singled to put two men on with one out. Smith served up a gopher ball to Angels’ third baseman Luis Valbuena. Valbuena’s homer was an opposite field homer to left field. Catcher Martin Maldonado followed with a solo homer to tie the game.

In the third, the A’s regained the lead when rookie first baseman, Matt Olson, hit his thirteenth dinger of the year to put the A’s back in the lead 5-4. Olson has been red-hot as it was his fifth homer in his last seven games.

In the top of the fourth, the Angels sent Chris Smith to the showers. Smith walked C.J.Cron to start the inning. Maldonado followed with his second blast of the day to up the Angel lead to 6-5. Brandon Phillips followed with a single. A’s manager Bob Melvin removed Smith from the game and brought in the big righty Simon Castro. Castro walked the first hitter he faced, and that was Mike Trout. The Angels then executed a double steal sending Phillips to third and Trout to second. Castro uncorked a wild pitch and Phillps scored. The veteran and future Hall of Fame player, Albert Pujols, singled to drive in Trout with the Angels eighth run of the game. Smith’s line was 3 and 1/3rd innings of work, and he allowed seven runs, seven hits, and three home runs. Smith has given up sixteen home runs in just 46 innings of work. The A’s scored a run in their half of the inning. Maxwell and Matt Chapman singled to start the inning. Scioscia went to his bullpen immediately and brought in the veteran Jesse Chavez. Chavez pitched very well last week when the A’s were in LA. He went four scoreless innings in that game. Maxwell scored on a ground out by Marcus Semien, and the A’s now trail the Angels 8-6 after just four. Bridwell’s line was three plus innings pitched and he gave up seven hits, six runs, and one home run.

The Angels plated a run in the top of the fifth, and the A’s got it back in the bottom of the sixth. The Angels lead 9-7 after six complete. There was no more scoring until the ninth inning. Scioscia brought in Blake Parker to close out the game for the Angels. With one out, Jed Lowrie singled. It was Lowrie’s third hit of the day. Parker struck out Khris Davis for the second out.It was the 21st straight game for Davis with at least one strike out. All Parker had to do was retire Matt Olson for the final out of the game. Olson had other ideas as he hit his second round tripper of the day and the A’s tied the game at nine to send the game into extra innings.

The A’s closer, Blake Treinen, pitched a scoreless tenth inning. The A’s did not score in the bottom of the tenth. Treinen’s luck ran out in the eleventh. He gave up walks to Justin Upton and Eric Young, Jr. Angel’s right fielder Kole Calhoun lined a ball into the corner in right field for a triple to drive in Upton and Young. The Angels lead 11-9 with the A’s coming up to hit.

Scioscia used three pitchers in the eleventh inning. Troy Scribner, Jose Alvarez, and Keynan Middleton were able to keep the A’s off the board. The game ended when Davis hit into a double play.

Game notes  – Bob Melvin had this to say about Monday’s marathon:”We scored four in the first and lost the lead pretty quickly after that. We just couldn’t hold them down in early innings,” A’s manager Bob Melvin said. “We continued to fight and, when you’re going through a little bit of a losing streak like that, it shows some grit. Would’ve been nice to finish it off.” Yes, it would have been nice. The A’s have been getting hitting during the losing streak but the pitching, starting, and bullpen, has been awful. Billy Beane and David Forst must address this issue if the A’s are going to improve next year. The A’s best pitcher has just nine wins. Graveman, Manaea, Cotton, Gossett, and Smith are not the solution. Paul Blackburn has shown promise, but he is done for the season. The bullpen needs to be rebuilt. The A’s lost three games during the streak that they possibly could have won. They lost 10-8 to the Angels, &-6 to Seattle, and 11-9 on Monday to LA again. The A’s scored enough runs to win, but the pitching was not there.

With the Twins loss to the Tampa Bay Rays, the Angels are just 1/2 game behind the Twins for the second Wild Card spot in the American League.

Game two of the three-game series will be at 7:05 pm Tuesday night at the Oakland Coliseum. Kendall Graveman with a record of 4-4 will pitch for Oakland and the Angels’ Garrett Richard (0-0), who has missed all of the season due to injury, will be making his first start.

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Are the Giants one player away from contention on 2018?

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Miami Marlins’ Giancarlo Stanton rounds second base as he hit a home run during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Monday, Sept. 4, 2017, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

By Amaury Pi Gonzalez

SAN FRANCISCO–Let’s image that the Giants can make some kind of a deal with the Marlins (who will have new owners and want to reduce payroll) would Giancarlo Stanton with the Giants in 2018 be the difference? Many are thinking about that, but I believe they need more than Stanton. The Miami Marlins now have Derek Jeter as part of the new ownership, he is investing $25 million, and he will pay himself a salary of $5 million per year, as a businessman he will make that money and then some. The other main owners realize this is Miami, where baseball has never and will never be king. I was raised in Southern Florida (Dade County, Miami) to be exact and down there Friday High School football is huge, and any kind of football, from the Hurricanes of the University of Miami to the Miami Dolphins of the NFL. The Fox Sports television contract with the Miami Marlins is one of the smaller in major league baseball, between a television network and a team.

The Florida Marlins won two World Series earlier in their existence, in 1997 and 2003. The Marlins were born in 1993. However, they broke those teams and got rid of all their star players, prompting an exodus of season ticket holders and others in the very tough baseball market that is Miami. With the new owners coming along they’re probably looking to get rid of some salaries, there are players that can be obtained from the Marlins like Yellich, Gordon, Osuna and even Giancarlo Stanton, who is on his way to 60 home runs this season and has enough power to hit it out to the San Francisco International Airport. That is a slugger that the Giants really need. But would he alone make a difference? I do not believe so. He will make Posey and other hitters much better. A trade for Stanton from the Marlins side they would probably want guys like Bumgarner and Panek, at least, maybe more. Plus Stanton alone would not make a difference if you do not have much more. Teams would pitch around that lineup.

But the Giants lack of power is a glaring issue for this team right now. Everybody these days have two,three, or more guys in lineups with 20 plus home runs, not the Giants. They have done it with great pitching in the past, but that is not there, at least this season.

The fact remains the Giants have 54 wins as the conclusion of play today, Sunday September 3, 2017, (with 22 games remaining) as they just lost three out of four games to the St Louis Cardinals, a team with a group of young and talented players, something that the Giants do not have in riches today.

One player will not make the difference for the Giants, I can care less, if it is Stanton, Bonds or Babe Ruth, this team needs an influx of young players because with Pence and Belt, they are not going to do it in 2018. The Giants prospects are not in the top 100 of Major League Baseball, they do have the money, so they might want to pay Stanton if the Marlins decide to unload his salary to the Giants, because the new owners in Miami are no fools, and they know in that market even if they win they still have a hard time bringing fans into their ballpark.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the Spanish radio talent for the A’s, the Spanish TV talent for the Angels, and does News and Commentary each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

San Francisco Giants with Morris Phillips: All of sudden Bumgarner is not untouchable anymore

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Colorado Rockies’ Carlos Gonzalez, center, is congratulated by Alexi Amarista, front, after Ian Desmond doused Gonzalez with powder following his bases loaded walk against San Francisco Giants relief pitcher Cory Gearrin in the ninth inning of a baseball game, Monday, Sept. 4, 2017, in Denver. The Rockies won 4-3. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

On the Giants Podcast with Morris:

1 The Giants plan to re-evaluate once the season is finished one of the first things the club will do is evaluate it’s roster and Giants pitcher Madison Bumgarner who give up three home runs and has struggled at times this season could be on the trade block this off season

2 When you see Mad Bum give up three home runs in one ball game the question could be is if it was mechanical or mental

3 The home run ball was so prevalent on Sunday that even Mad Bum hit one himself in the fifth inning

4 Despite giving up the three home runs Mad Bum still has a decent ERA at 3.15

5 The Giants are in Colorado on Monday night and dropped a one run deficit 4-3 and starter Chris Stratton started the ball game for the Giants and the Rockies Carlos Gonzalez ended it with a ninth walk for the win

Morris Phillips does the Giants podcasts each at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

Cal Bears Football Podcast with Morris Phillips: Cal was well prepared despite being two TD underdogs against North Carolina

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photo by Al Sermeno KLCFOTOS.COM: Cal quarterback Ross Bowers (3) celebrates the win with his fellow Cal students at North Carolina in week 2

On the Cal Bears Podcast with Morris:

1 Cal really showed it could handle North Carolina they really prepared well for last Saturday’s game and came in underdogs by two touchdowns. They were well coached on both sides of the ball from head coach Justin Wilcox

2 Wilcox said that even though it wasn’t a perfect game it felt great in the locker room as Cal got a five point win 35-30

3 Cal quarterback Ross Bowers threw for 368 yards and on one play Bowers had to scramble to pass the ball and got it to Patrick Laird on a 54 yard pass that he scored on to put the Bears on top

4 Bowers was so good that he threw a touchdown in each of the four quarters with two interceptions

5 Cal opens up their home season next Saturday 9th against Weber State Morris describes how the match ups look

Morris Phillips does the Bears podcasts each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Seattle Mariners sweep A’s out of Seattle with a 10-2 victory on Sunday

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by Charlie O. Mallonee

Mariners Celebrate sweep
Mariners celebrate sweep of Oakland*

The Oakland Athletics have a major problem to solve between now and the beginning of the 2018 season. They have to figure out how to win games on the road.

Winning at home has been a positive for the 2017 Athletics. They have posted a 37-31 record at the Coliseum this season. The Mariners who swept them this weekend have 37-32 record at home this year. The Athletics home record would make them competitive in any division in baseball.

The Athletics road record is where the team hits the wall at 100 miles per hour. With the loss on Sunday, Oakland is now 21-47 on the road which is the worst record in the MLB. Turning that trend around will not be easy with a team that is as young and inexperienced as the Athletics. They will have to learn the art of winning on the road.

That is all a part of the rebuilding process. If an organization commits to a true rebuilding plan, it involves pain. No one likes pain — owners, executives, coaches, players or fans. But simply put … there will be pain.

Seattle took charge early on Sunday

Mariners Haniger
Mitch Haniger had a 4-for-5 day at the plate*

The Mariners jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning and never looked back. Seattle added another run in fourth inning to take a 3-0 lead.

While the Mariners were scoring runs, their starting pitcher Andrew Albers was shutting the Athletics down. He allowed the A’s just one hit over the six innings he pitched. Matt Olson hit his 12th home run of the season off the first pitch Albers delivered to him in the sixth inning.

The M’s came right back and scored solo runs in the bottom of the sixth and seventh innings. The A’s added their second and final run in the top of the eighth when Matt Olson hit a single that drove Mark Canha home to make it a 5-2 game in favor of the Mariners.

Then came the disastrous bottom of the eighth inning. The A’s sent Michael Brady to the mound to hold the Mariners at five runs. Carlos Ruiz led off with a double to center field and Gordon Beckham was sent in as a pinch-runner. Jean Segura — who was on fire at the plate the entire series — bunted his way on base and Beckham moved up to third.

With the infield drawn in, Yonder Alonso (yes, another former Athletic) hit a single through the shortstop position as Semien moved toward second to cover the base runner. Beckham scored and Segura stopped at third.

Robinson Cano singled to right field which drove Segura home and moved Alonso up to second. Nelson Cruz singled to left which allowed Alonso to score and sent Cano to second base.

Pitching coach Scott Emerson made a visit to the mound to explain to Brady that no help was coming from the bullpen. The A’s have an afternoon game on Labor Day so they were not going deep into the pen when they were six runs down and there were no outs in the inning.

Kyle Seager singled to left field which allowed Cano and Cruz to advance 90 feet. Mitch Haniger grounded into a force out that erased Seager at second base but Cano scored and the bases remained loaded.

Ben Gamel grounded into a force out that allowed Nelson Cruz to score the fifth and final run of the inning for the Mariners. When the dust settled, Seattle held a commanding 10-2 lead which led them to their third consecutive victory.

Seattle is now just 2.5 games out of being a Wild Card team in the American League.

On the mound

Oakland

Mariners Gossett
Daniel Gossett struggled in his start on Sunday*
  • Daniel Gossett made the start for Oakland and never was able to take control of the game. He worked 3.2-innings giving up three runs (all earned) off seven hits (one home run). Gossett walked five and struck five. He threw 89 pitches (49 strikes) to the 22 batters he faced. Gossett was tagged with the loss and now has a record of 3-8 for the season.
  • Liam Hendriks was strong in his 1.1-innings of relief work. He faced just four hitters allowing no runs on one hit and striking out one.
  • The rest of the A’s relievers broke the rule “Goose Eggs” in their three innings of work. All three relievers gave up at least one run when the goal is to give up no runs — a “Goose Egg”. Cassilla gave up one run, Moll allowed a run and Brady had five runs scored during his one inning on the hill. All seven of the runs allowed by the relievers were earned runs.

Seattle

Mariners Albers
Andrew Albers pitched six strong innings on Sunday
  • Andrew Albers did everything the Mariners hoped their starter would do on Sunday. He pitched 6.0-innings to make it a quality start allowing the A’s just one run (earned) on one hit (one home run). He walked one and struck five. Albers was credited with his third win of the year to go with just one loss.
  • Emilio Pagan relieved Albers and was credited with 1.0-inning of work. He did face one hitter in the top of the eighth. Pagan allowed one run on two hits but was credited with a hold (5).
  • Marc Rzepczynski took over for Pagan in the eighth and faced two batters giving up one hit.
  • Then it was “Goose Egg” time for the Seattle bullpen. Nick Vincent took over for Rzepczynski and shut the A’s down posting all zeros. Vincent was credited with his 26th hold of the season.
  • Shae Simmons worked the ninth in a non-save situation allowing no runs on one hit and striking out two Athletics.

In the batter’s box

Mariners Olson hits HR
Matt Olson hit his 12th HR of the year Sunday

Athletics

  • Matt Olson was the real story at the plate for Oakland on Sunday as he went 2-for-3 with two Rbi and a run scored. He hit his 12th home run and upped his Rbi total to 26.
  • The A’s had just five hits in the game. They had just one hit — Olson’s home run — in the first six innings.
  • The Athletics were 1-for-3 with runners in scoring position (notice the lack of opportunity) and left four runners on base.

Mariners

  • Robinson Cano was the man of the day with the bat going 4-for-5 with four Rbi and scoring two runs. He hit his 21st home run of the season — a two-run shot in the first inning — off Gossett.
  • Mitch Haniger also had a 4-for-5 day that included two Rbi and run scored. He hit his 10th home run and his 18th double of the year in the contest.
  • Jean Segura had a 3-for-4 day scoring three runs. He upped his doubles total to 27 and upped his stolen base total to 20.
  • The M’s scored 10 runs on 17 hits and left 10 men on base.
  • Seattle went 6-for-17 with runners in scoring position.

The Mariners and Athletics have three games left to play against each other in Oakland on September 25, 26 and 27.

Up next

The A’s come home for Labor Day to play a day game with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim at 1:05 p.m. Rookie RHP Parker Birdwell (7-2, 3.52) will start for the Angels while the Athletics will counter with RHP Chris Smith (0-4, 6.27) who is still seeking his first victory of the year.

*Photos by USA Today Sports

 

 

Giants drop series finale to Cardinals 7-3

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San Francisco Giants pitcher Madison Bumgarner works against the St. Louis Cardinals in the first inning of a baseball game, Sunday, Sept. 3, 2017, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

By Ana Kieu

SAN FRANCISCO — The San Francisco Giants lost 7-3 to the St. Louis Cardinals in the series finale at AT&T Park on Sunday afternoon.

Madison Bumgarner made his 14th start of the season after being scratched from his start on Thursday with flu-like symptoms.

The Giants broke through in the bottom of the third inning. Buster Posey hit a line-drive single to Joe Panik, who scored a run to give his team a 1-0 lead.

The Cardinals hit back-to-back home runs to take their first lead of the game in the top of the fourth inning. Paul DeJong tied the ballgame 1-1 with a home run on a fly ball for his 21st of the season. Jose Martinez then smacked a home run on a fly ball to left center that gave St. Louis a 2-1 lead.

Bumgarner hit a solo home run for his third of the season, tying the game 2-2 in the bottom of the fifth inning.

The Cardinals poured in the runs in the sixth inning. Harrison Bader hit his second career home run and the Cardinals’ third of the game to put his team ahead 3-2. Martinez followed with an RBI double to make it a 4-2 game. Yadier Molina added another RBI double to extend the Cardinals’ lead to 5-2.

Bader expanded the Cardinals’ lead to 6-2 with a ground ball single that scored Alex Mejia in the top of the seventh inning. Shortly after, Bader scored on a ground rule double by Martinez to enlarge the Cardinals’ lead to 7-2.

Tim Federowicz hit his first home run as a Giant in the bottom of the eighth inning. As a result, San Francisco cut the Cardinals’ lead to 7-3.

The Giants lost to the Cardinals 7-3 in the series finale at home.

“I contribute a little bit more,” Giants center fielder Gorkys Hernandez said. “You have to finish hard. You have to prepare for next season.”

“This year is really tough,” Hernandez added. “Everyone wants to go to the playoffs.”

Notes
The Giants recalled infielder Orlando Calixte and outfielder Mac Williamson from triple-A Sacramento. San Francisco now has 31 active pitchers on their roster (16 pitchers, three catchers, six infielders and six outfielders).

Giants outfielder Austin Slater went 1-for-3 in his second rehab appearance with triple-A Sacramento last night, playing seven innings in left field. Slater has missed the last 50 games with a right groin strain.

Giants left handed pitcher Josh Osich turns 29 years old today.

Today’s attendance is 39,724.

Up Next
The Giants head to Coors Field to take on the Colorado Rockies for a three-game series that starts this Monday at 1:10 p.m. MST on NSBA, ATRM.

NCAA Football Podcast with Daniel Dullum: Crimson Tide handle the Seminoles with no trouble; Stanford takes momentum into USC next Saturday

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Alabama’s Najee Harris (22) in action during the Chick-Fil-A Kickoff Game, featuring the Alabama Crimson Tide and the FSU Seminoles, played at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. Cecil Copeland/CSM (Cal Sport Media via AP Images)

On the NCAA Football Podcast with Daniel:

No. 1 Alabama knocks off No. 3 Florida State

Stanford 62-7 over Rice in Australia

Paycheck games, like the one San Jose State played on Saturday

Daniel Dullum is filling in for Michelle Richardson for the NCAA Football Podcast

MLB Podcast with Daniel Dullum: Astros giving back to Houston community on their return; D-Backs, Cleveland, Twins battle in Wild Card race

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Houston Astros’ Justin Verlander, right, laughs while talking to Jose Altuve during the second inning of the second game of a baseball doubleheader against the New York Mets, Saturday, Sept. 2, 2017, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith)

On the MLB Podcast with Daniel:

1 Astros glad to be back in Houston

2 Justin Verlander makes his Astros debut on Tuesday after trade from Detroit

3 D-Backs, Indians on hot streaks; Twins in thick of AL Wild Card

4 Tigers’ Victor Martinez will undergo heart surgery

Join Daniel Dullum on the MLB Podcast each weekend at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

Categories MLB

Hundley’s homer beats Cardinals, and gives pause to the Giant’s most recent struggles

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San Francisco Giants’ Nick Hundley, right, celebrates after hitting a home run against the St. Louis Cardinals to win the baseball game in the tenth inning on Saturday, Sept. 2, 2017, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

By Morris Phillips

SAN FRANCISCO–Nick Hundley has been one of the biggest bright spots for a bad Giants baseball team in 2017, a point that got hammered home on Saturday.

The journeyman catcher started behind the plate, moving Buster Posey to first base, and with the game tied in the tenth, Hundley provided the game-winning home run off reliever Ryan Sheriff.

“To play a team like the Cardinals, who are still fighting for the playoff race and to come out and get a win, it’s really important,” Hundley said. “It’s important for us, and it’s important for the league. The rest of the league deserves our best shot, too.”

The Cardinals fell seven games behind the Cubs in the NL Central with the loss, the meandering Giants simply ended a tough. ,,stretch of 10 losses in 13 ga558mes with the win, a stretch that again had folks talking about the club becoming only the second Giants team to lose 100 games (1985, 102 losses).

Starters Jeff Samardzija and Lance Lynn were the stars of the first nine innings with the Shark allowing two hits, one run in seven innings, and Lynn allowing one hit in eight innings. With the hot weather conducive to power hitting, the two starters had to be on their game to get things done. They were.

“When you have horses going like that, runs are hard to come by,” Hundley said.

A couple of singles and a wild pitch allowed the Cardinals to push across a run in the fourth. That stood as the difference in the game until Posey’s RBI single in the ninth. What drama remained, was conducted in a succinct, decisive 10th inning.

First, Dexter Fowler tripled off Sam Dyson to open the inning, the second straight day Fowler had soured Dyson’s appearance. On Friday night, Fowler’s big hit opened the floodgates. This time, Dyson responded to the challenge, escaping without allowing a run.

With pinch-runner Harrison Bader on third for the injured Fowler, Dyson induced a ground ball out from Yadier Molina. Then Stephen Piscotty also hit a grounder to third baseman Pablo Sandoval, and the Panda threw out the breaking Bader at the plate. Dyson then recorded the third out on Greg Garcia’s grounder that resulted in a fielder’s choice.

That set the table for Hundley’s heroics, the rare home run down the right field line into the arcade, launched by a right-handed hitter. Given the backup catcher’s popularity with his teammates, the ensuing celebration at home plate was especially spirited.

“He’s an amazing teammate, one of the best I’ve ever had,” Samardzija said of Hundley. “You’re not surprised because he’s always competing.”

 

 

Rising early: Cal beats North Carolina in Wilcox’s head coaching debut

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AP559238932819-1

September 2, 2017 – Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA – Patrick Laird (28) of California celebrates after scoring a touchdown for the Golden Bears. The North Carolina Tar Heels hosted the California Golden Bears at the Kenan Memorial Stadium in Chapel Hill, N.C. on Saturday, September 2, 2017. California won 35-30. (Credit Image: © Fabian Radulescu via ZUMA Wire) (Cal Sport Media via AP Images)

By Morris Phillips

California football went from great mystery to great debut in just over three hours.

Unexpected? By any measure.

From the financial issues surrounding the California athletic department to all the unknown among the team’s personnel and coaching staff, topped off by the East Coast opener timed to start for breakfast in Berkeley, the Bears put all the uncertainty to the side with their surprising performance, surging after halftime in a 35-30 win at North Carolina.

“There’s going to be so much off the tape that was far from perfect, it’s never going to be quite as good as you want it, but man it feels good in that locker room right now and I’m just really, really proud of our team, the players, our coaches, our university, our fans,” new Bears’ coach Justin Wilcox said. “It’s just a great moment.”

Ross Bowers led Cal offensively, throwing for 368 yards in his first collegiate start. Bowers also authored the game’s signature play, a screen pass off a scrambling escape that put the ball in Patrick Laird’s hands on a 54-yard pass and run that gave Cal the lead after they trailed for the majority of the firtst half.

Bowers threw a touchdown pass in each of the four quarters, along with to interceptions, the second of which set up the Tar Heels to regain a 24-21 lead, after a 73-yard return by Andre Smith, at the conclusion of the third quarter.

But Cal rebounded with two touchdowns in the fourth to take control, the second on a Vic Enwere run giving the Bears a 35-24 advantage with 1:56 remaining.

While Bowers was a consistent force throughout the four quarters, UNC quarterback Brandon Williams completed just 7 of 16 passes for 60 yards, then saw his afternoon shortened after throwing a second interception in the third quarter. Redshirt freshman Chazz Surratt played as well, and finished 18 of 28 for 161 yards. Both quarterbacks seemed constrained under the platooning dynamic, but may have been limited to a greater degree by UNC’s ineffective receivers who failed to create separation from Cal’s defensive backs.

Not only did Cal’s secondary hold up, its defense as a whole held up, maybe the afternoon’s biggest surprise given that the Cal defense allowed 40 points a game in 2016, and didn’t gain any significant, new personnel. The 30 points allowed, including a meaningless touchdown in the game’s final seconds, stood as the fewest points Cal had allowed in a road game since 2015.