May 2018 – Page 11 – Sports Radio Service

San Francisco Giants podcast with Morris Phillips: After snapping six-game skid, Giants looking to get back on track in series with Reds in SF

Published on May 14, 2018May 14, 2018 by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Photo credit: sfgate.com

On the San Francisco Giants podcast with Morris Phillips:

The Giants, after dropping six straight games, finally got a win and took some of the pressure from a six-game skid in Pittsburgh with a 5-0 shutout being the pitching of Derek Holland, who went six-plus, four hits, no runs and seven strike outs. Holland’s five walks was the most he has given up thus far this season.

The Giants provided great defense behind Holland and didn’t commit an error. The team is leading the National League in errors with 31. The Giants also look forward to getting pitcher Madison Bumgarner healthy again.

Bumgarner threw off the mound tonight at AT&T Park before the Giants meeting with the Cincinnati Reds. Bumgarner will continue to rehab until his scheduled start on May 25th some 11 days from now. Meanwhile, the Reds, who are in last place, have recently found their way to the win column putting together a six-game win streak coming into AT&T tonight. The Reds have simply improved with good hitting and good defense.

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

Sean Manaea hurls the A’s to a 6-5 win over the Red Sox

Published on May 14, 2018May 14, 2018 by rxsluggerLeave a comment

Photo credit: @Athletics

By Jerry Feitelberg

The A’s Sean Manaea continued his mastery over the Boston Red Sox as he beat them for the second time this season. Manaea didn’t pitch a no-hitter, but he pitched well enough to earn his fifth win against four losses. Manaea bested Boston’s Rick Porcello, who suffered his first loss of the year. The A’s hitters came through with three solo home runs and catcher Jonathan Lucroy’s double with two outs in the fourth drove in two big runs.

Oakland put a run on the board in the top of the third. With one out, Matt Joyce hit fourth big fly of the campaign off Porcello to give the A’s an early 1-0 lead. The Red Sox tallied twice in their half of the third. With two out, Mookie Betts singled. Betts stole second and then advanced to third on a wild pitch. Andrew Benintendi reached on a throwing error by Matt Chapman that allowed Betts to score and Benintendi was able to go to second when the ball got by Matt Olson. Hanley Ramirez’s singled to drive in Benintendi with Boston’s second run. The Red Sox lead 2-1.

The A’s regained the lead in the fourth. With one out, the Matts, Olson, and Chapman, singled. Lucroy followed with a double to drive them in, and Lucroy scored on Dustin Fowler’s first career triple. Oakland has a 4-2 lead after four.

The Red Sox crept closer in the bottom of the fifth. Red Sox catcher Sandy Leon singled, and Betts doubled to put men on at second and third with no out. Benintendi flew out, but Leon could not tag and score. Ramirez hit into a fielder’s choice that drove in Leon. Betts was thrown out a third and Manaea retired J.D.Martinez for the third out.

Matt Olson homered to right-center-field to make it a 5-3 game in the top of the sixth. The Red Sox got the run back in the seventh when Rafael Devers led off the inning with his seventh. In the eighth, Khris Davis homered for Oakland, and J.D.Martinez blasted his 11th to make it a 6-5. The A’s closer Blake Treinen earned his seventh save as he was able to get the final three outs of the game.

Game Notes and Stats: With the win, The A’s improve to 20-21 and Boston drops to 28-13 and are now in second place in the AL East just a half game behind the idle New York Yankees. The A’s are now 2-2 on the 10-game road trip and have beaten Boston three out of four.

Sean Manaea went six-plus innings and allowed eight hits, four runs, one of which was unearned, four strikeouts, one walk, and one home run, and improved to 5-4.

Yusmeiro Petit pitched two innings and Treinen pitched one. Rick Porcello took the loss and is now 5-1. Porcello went six innings and allowed nine hits, and five runs, and two homers.

Trevor Cahill, who has been on the 10-day DL, is eligible to return to action on Wednesday. Outfielder Stephen Piscotty, who lost his mother to ALS last week, is expected to return from bereavement leave Tuesday night.

Up Next: Daniel Mengden (2-4, 4.06 ERA) will pitch for Oakland Tuesday. Mengden is 0-1 with an ERA of 8.00 in two career starts against Boston. He will be opposed by lefty Eduardo Rodriguez (3-0, 4.58 ERA). Game time will be at 4:10 pm PT.

“Hamptons 5” lineup helped Warriors to 119-106 rout of Rockets in Game 1

Published on May 14, 2018May 14, 2018 by smallforceLeave a comment

Photo credit: David J. Phillip/Associated Press

By Pearl Allison Lo

The Golden State Warriors started on the road for the first time these 2018 NBA playoffs and won by way of a 119-106 victory over the Rockets Monday at the Toyota Center in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals for a 1-0 series lead.

Golden State’s “Hamptons 5″ lineup consisted of Kevin Durant, Draymond Green, Andre Iguodala, Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, who all combined for 99 points and a +48 rating versus the starting five for the Rockets (85 points and a -30 rating).

Durant posted his second-highest total this postseason with 37 points. On the flip side, Houston’s James Harden’s 41 points tied his second-highest too as he shot his best from the field (58.3%) these 2018 playoffs.

Harden’s role could not be understated, as he helped or made 23 straight points from 3:10 left in the second to 8:10 left in the third.

In Durant’s words: “We tried to take the first punch and kept on fighting…stay solid and keep up with each other…play a calm, steady game.”

Rockets’ coach Mike D’Antoni cited “mental lapses” and the need to be “mentally sharper.”

However, the separation between the teams did not occur until the third quarter.

At the end of the first half, both were dead even and just one point away after the first quarter.

Harden scored the first nine points for Houston (9-2 run) with a variety of shots, including two three-pointers and a technical free throw, courtesy of Green.

The Rockets got a scare when Harden left the court with 3:17 left in the first after Kevon Looney inadvertently stepped on his right foot.

The Warriors got their first lead (35-33) with 9:03 left in the second and then the teams wrestled back and forth until Golden State emerged the winner.

Houston used a 7-0 run to tie the game again with 1:51 left.

Golden State did not get their first free throws until 1:28 left in the half.

Almost ending the first half the way he started, Harden made his team’s last three shots for a total of 13 points in the second. Trevor Ariza, Green and Iguodala ended the half with three fouls.

Foul trouble would continue.

In the third, Ariza had to sit out with 9:35 left when he got his fifth foul.

After Iguodala made the second free throw, both teams traded baskets (seven of them interrupted) until 5:50 left when the Warriors went on a 10-2 run spurred by Thompson’s three. Stephen Curry either assisted with or hit eight of the points.

The Rockets put together an 8-0 run with two threes and two free throws near the end of the third, pulling to within four with a three (11:44 left in the fourth).

However, Golden State countered with a 7-2 run two minutes later to keep their lead.

Game Notes: Houston’s Chris Paul had a game-high 11 rebounds, Green a game-high nine assists and +19 and Thompson a game-high six threes.

Up Next: Game 2 will take place Wednesday at 6 pm PT.

San Francisco Giants feature with Tony the Tiger Hayes: He was a Giant? Cesar Gutierrez, former infielder for SF in the 60s

Published on May 14, 2018May 14, 2018 by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Topps 1970 baseball card of former San Francisco Giant and Detroit Tiger infielder Cesar Gutierrez

CESAR’S SALAD DAY

By Tony “Le Tigre” Hayes

Cesar Gutierrez – IF – 1967, 1969 – # 17

SAN FRANCISCO–He Was a Giant?

This slight 5’9″, 150 pound infielder – who spent parts of two seasons swinging and missing as a Giant – was alternately nicknamed, “Bandito” (he was a nifty base stealer) and “Cocoa” (for an undying love of Hershey bars).

But “The Enigma” would have equally worked for Gutierrez — especially in reference to the right-handed hitter’s perplexing batting results in the Majors.

Though he was a minor league career .299 hitter and even won a Triple-A batting title as a Giants farmhand, the Venezuelan was an underachieving big league batsman, hitting a moribund .235 in 223 MLB contests.

Gutierrez was practically an automatic out.

That is… with the exception of one stunning performance by Gutierrez as a Detroit Tiger in 1970, when the normally feeble swinger set a modern day big league record for most hits in a game without recording an out.

He batted 7-for-7, in a 9-8, 12-inning Tigers win at Cleveland in the night-cap of a double header (6/21/70).

Cesar batted safely off all six Cleveland pitchers that day.

He collected two singles off the Tribe’s Rick Austin (in his MLB debut), mashed a double and single off Dennis Higgins, laced another single off Fred Lasher, stroked another single against Dick Ellsworth and capped his day with yet another single off the losing pitcher Phil Hennigan.

Astonishing Gutierrez’s six singles and one double that day, fell just one short of the grand total of hits Gutierrez amassed as a Giant when he batted .182 in 33 contests.

Why Was He a Giant?
With the sure-handed Hal Lanier holding down shortstop in SF, Gutierrez was the back up to begin the 1967 campaign. but didn’t hang around long – spending most of the season at Triple-A Phoenix.

Coincidently he thrived in the desert, winning the Pacific Coast League batting crown with a .322 average.

Before & After
After spending all of 1968 back in the minors, Gutierrez made the Giants big club on Opening Day in 1969, but failed to get his bat in gear once again.

The Giants cut ties with Gutierrez later that season, trading the then 26 -year -old to the Tigers to complete an earlier deal for rubber-armed reliever Don McMahon.

Gutierrez finally got his shot to play in the bigs in 1970 and was Detroit’s starting shortstop for most of the season. But save his one heavy volume hit day – Gutierrez did not impress at the plate (.243).

He failed to hit a home run and to make matters worse, Gutierrez had more errors (23) than he did RBI (22). After the Tigers’ disappointing fourth place finish, the Bengals closed the curtains on the Gutierrez experiment.

He Wasn’t Omar Vizquel… But
After starting his Giants career 0-for-10, Gutierrez delivered his first two big league hits off of former 20-game winner Chris Short of Philadelphia in a 9-1 loss at Candlestick Park (9/29/67).

Giants Footprint
Since Gutierrez’s magical day at the plate in 1970, only two players have stroked seven hits in a game. They each have ties to the Orange & Black.

In 1975, as a member of the Pirates, future Giant Rennie Stennett batted 7-for-7 in a regulation 9-inning game.

Then in 2017, current SF player Brandon Crawford batted 7-for-8 in a 12-inning game.

Tony the Tiger Hayes does the Giants features. Catch him at http://www.sportsradioservice.com.

NHL Stanley Cup Playoff podcast with Len Shapiro: Caps off to a Lightning start, up 2-0; Tampa Bay struggling on defense

Published on May 14, 2018May 14, 2018 by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Photo credit: nhl.com/capitals

On the NHL Stanley Cup Playoff podcast with Len Shapiro:

The Washington Capitals are off to a fast start with a series 2-0 lead over the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Capitals dominated in Game 2 on the Tampa Bay ice on Sunday with a four-goal 6-2 win. Alex Ovechkin says the team doesn’t panic under pressure and say the Caps are playing the system and doing it the right way.

The Lightning down 1-0 saw the Capitals turn on the red lamp with three goals in the second period and two more goals in the third period. The Lightning just couldn’t get any kind of defense going nor could they get back into the game to answer the Capitals on their goal scoring.

The two clubs match up again on Tuesday night this time for Game 3 in Washington, which is a tall task to ask of the Lightning to try and come back down two. The Lightning more than likely will attack like a cornered animal and will need Game 3 to feel some semblance of this third round of the playoffs.

Len Shapiro does the NHL Stanley Cup playoff podcasts each Monday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Whoa, Nellie! There’s a new cash cow in town and it’s not marijuana

Published on May 14, 2018May 14, 2018 by Charlie O. MalloneeLeave a comment

by Charlie O. Mallonee

The Supreme Court of the United States just blew the lid off the sports world on Monday when it ruled that the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) is unconstitutional. The PASPA law was passed in 1992 and limited sporting betting to Nevada and on a limited basis to Montana, Deleware, and Oregon who already had some sports gambling set up through their lotteries.

“The Supremes” ruled 6-3 saying it is up to the states to decide if they want to allow their residents to be able to wager on sporting events. What they really said, is it is up to the states to decide if they want to put an end to the flood of cash that goes to Nevada and get a piece of the action back in the form of taxes. Legalized sports gambling at the state level could also “take a bite out of crime” hurting the illegal underground gambling operations.

The potential influx of tax income from sports betting could eclipse the present revenue received from the lottery, marijuana, Indian casinos, and horse racing combined. It really could be the tax windfall many states have trying to create for many years.

Could there be abuses?

Of course, there will be abuses. There will be people who gamble wager too much. There will be people who will go bankrupt and lose their homes. Families will fall apart. But, this is happening now except the money is flowing into the state of Nevada or into the hands of criminals.

The majority of people will participate with no problem and will enjoy the opportunity to test their skill. A few people will become “super rich”. Even if you do not like sports and will not bet on a game, you will benefit as newfound tax revenue that flows in the state.

Pro sports teams are not happy

The major professional sports organizations are not happy. Why? Because there is about to be a “boatload of cash” enter the sports market and at the moment, they are completely out of the loop when it comes to getting their hands on what could potentially be billions of dollars.

Major League Baseball and the National Basketball Association have proposed the concept of an integrity fee where one-percent of bets would go to the leagues to help combat point-shaving and other illegal gambling corruption. A little of that one-percent might also wind up in the team’s coffers.

According to an expert quoted in USA Today, that one-percent take would really represent a 20-percent income grab by the pro teams. The gaming expert stated most sports book operations keep only five-percent of the revenue they take in from gamblers.

The bottom line is that for now all of the teams – pro, college, and amateur – are going to find themselves out in the cold when it comes to sports gambling revenue. The only way they are going to be able to wedge their way in is to find a legal loophole or to get Congress to sponsor legislation mandating states to cut them in on the profits.

If you live in California, don’t get too excited

The current estimate is that it will take up to five years for the Golden State to put a sports betting plan into place. Why will it take so long? Politics – plain and simple is what will delay the start of wagering in California. How should the money be used? What should the age limits be? Where should betting be allowed to take place? Should state income tax be collected on the winnings?

As you can see, it will be a real political donnybrook.

We will be sharpening our skills

In the meantime, we at SportsRadioService.com will be sharpening our skills in preparation for giving you the best information available to assist you in making your wagering decisions when you can finally lay your money down on your favorite team.

Aces fall to Wings 68-55 in preseason finale

Published on May 13, 2018May 13, 2018 by psushawnLeave a comment

20180506 - A'Ja Wilson 02

Photo credit: Shawn McCullough, Sports Radio Service

By Shawn McCullough

The Las Vegas Aces finished their preseason with a 68-55 loss to the Wings in Dallas.

A’ja Wilson struggled in her second professional game shooting just 4 for 17 from the field and scoring nine points. Wilson dominated on the boards, pulling down a game-high 12 rebounds.

Tamera Young led the team in scoring with 11 points.

12 Aces players logged minutes in preparation for Las Vegas’ season opener on Sunday, May 20th against the Connecticut Sun in Uncasville, CT.

With the loss, the Aces finished the preseason 1-1, after a 98-63 win over the Chinese National Team in Las Vegas last weekend.

The Aces will play their home games this season at the Mandalay Bay Events Center and will play their first regular season home game on Sunday, May 27^th against the Seattle Storm.

Las Vegas Aces – http://aces.wnba.com

Game Starters:

C – 22 A’ja Wilson
F – 19 JiSu Park
F – 1 Tamera Young
G – 12 Nia Coffey
G – 51 Sydney Colson

Yankees take series over A’s with 6-2 victory

Published on May 13, 2018 by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Photo credit: @Athletics

By: Jessica Kwong

NEW YORK – After a two-hour, 45-minute rain delay at Yankee Stadium, the Oakland Athletics on Sunday afternoon let the New York Yankees to take an early lead, rallied too late and lost the game 6-2, as well as the series.

A’s starting pitcher Brett Anderson, who allowed four runs in five innings, admitted that the rain delay threw him off.

“You come to the field knowing what time the game is supposed to start, then it’s a hurry-up-and-wait scenario,” Anderson said.

The Yankees got off to a good start. Brett Gardner and Aaron Judge scored when Giancarlo Stanton hit a ground ball to center fielder Dustin Fowler, and Didi Gregorius advanced to second base. Gregorius scored when Aaron Hicks singled on a ground ball to Fowler, putting the Yankees up 3-0 over the A’s.

In the fifth inning, Jed Lowrie singled on a sharp line drive to right fielder Judge and Jonathan Lucroy scored the first run for the A’s. But at the bottom of the fifth, Stanton hit a home run to put the Yankees up 4-1.

“Struggled some in the first, looked like he got it under control the next couple innings, but we needed five out of him today, we had bullpen issues,” A’s manager Bob Melvin said of Anderson. “I think sometimes it takes a starter time to settle in, and they had him on the run right away with guys on base.”

Anderson was relieved by veteran Santiago Casilla, who pitched two innings and allowed Judge to score in the seventh inning.

Melvin said Casilla’s contribution was “huge for us.”

“The guy’s out there throwing 40-some pitches, helped save the bullpen, wanted no part of coming out of that game, competing real hard. It’s good for our younger guys to see, too, in a game that you’re behind like that,” Melvin said. “There are small victories in certain games even when you lose and that was big for us.”

In the eighth inning, with Wilmer Font pitching, Judge singled on a sharp ground ball to right fielder Mark Canha and Miguel Andujar scored, bringing the Yankees up 6-1.

Canha in the ninth inning hit a homer on a fly ball to center field to cut the Yankees lead to 6-2, but the A’s did not manage to get more runs.

With Sunday’s loss, the A’s for the first time since April 20 fell two games under .500 (19-21). The A’s are 8-12 on the road this season.

The A’s continue their 10-game road trip in Boston to play a three-game series against the Red Sox. First pitch on Monday is at 4:10 p.m. PST.

Hernandez and Holland help end the Giants’ skid with 5-0 shutout

Published on May 13, 2018May 13, 2018 by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Photo credit: @SFGiants

By Jeremy Kahn

After seeing their opponents, the Pittsburgh Pirates, hit fly ball home runs for the first two games, the San Francisco Giants thought enough was enough and they needed to join in.

Well, Gorkys Hernandez did just that, as he hit a solo home run to lead off the top of the sixth inning, where the Giants scored all their runs on their way to stopping their six-game losing streak thru the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania after defeating the Pirates 5-0 at PNC Park.

Brandon Belt and Pablo Sandoval each singled, Brandon Crawford doubled and then Nick Hundley greeted reliever Richard Rodriguez by taking his first pitch out of the park for a 5-0 lead.

After the Sandoval single, Crawford hit a double that scored Belt to increase the Giants lead to 2-0, and ended Pirates starter Ivan Nova’s day

The single by Sandoval was one that haunted Nova in the end, as he knew he was able to field it for the possible third out; however, he was unable to handle and then Hundley launched his three-run home run.

Derek Holland pitched 6.1 innings, scattering four hits, walking five and striking out seven, as he won for the second time this season.

Holland was helped out by the fact that the Pirates went 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position on the afternoon, including 0-for-8 against Holland.

The trio of Reyes Moronta, Will Smith and Hunter Strickland ended the seven-hit shutout, as the Giants picked up their fourth shutout of the season, while the Pirates were shutout for the third time this season.

Nova went 5.2 innings, allowing four runs and eight hits, and Is 0-2 in five starts since defeating the Miami Marlins on April 15.

Andrew McCutchen went 1-for-4 with a walk, and the weekend by going 4-for-14 with three doubles in his first weekend playing in the city where he played for the first 13 seasons of his career. McCutchen extended his hitting streak up to 12 games, and 16-for-43 during the streak.

NOTES: Chris Stratton opens up the seven-game home stand on Monday night, as he takes the mound against the Cincinnati Reds. Stratton, who is 3-3 on the season and in his three losses, the Giants have been outscored by their opponents, 35-9.

Madison Bumgarner will throw a bullpen session on Monday at AT&T Park, and could begin his rehab assignment within days. If the rehab goes well, Bumgarner could be activated from the 60-day disabled list on May 25, the day he is eligible to come off of it.

UP NEXT: The Giants will return home to host the Cincinnati Reds for a three-game series. Game 1 is scheduled for Monday night at 7:15 pm PT.