Month: May 2018

Watson falters in Giants’ 6-5 loss to Pirates

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Photo credit: @SFGiants

By Jeremy Kahn

Once again, it was a homecoming for a former Pittsburgh Pirates All-Star, but this is one game that Tony Watson will want to forget.

Watson, who played for the Pirates for six seasons got into a jam, as he loaded the bases and then the Pirates took the lead for good, when Watson hit former teammate Jordy Mercer to score Josh Bell from third base and the Pirates defeated the Giants 6-5 at PNC Park.

The win went to Pirates closer Felipe Vasquez, who picked up his second win of the season, as he got the final five outs of the game.

Bell picked up two hits on the night, and his base running helped the Pirates score the winning run. David Freese hit an infield single that Evan Longoria fielded, and Bell was able to elude Longoria’s tag to get back to third base.

Andrew McCutchen went 2-for-5, as he extended his hitting streak to 11 games and streak of getting on base up to 22 games.

Longoria and Alen Hanson hit home runs for the Giants, who have lost six games in a row thru the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Jeff Samardzija went 5.2 innings, allowing five runs and six hits, as he saw his earned run average increase to a whopping 6.94 on the season. Samardzija also gave up two home runs to Francisco Cervelli and Gregory Polanco.

After Cervelli gave the Pirates a 5-3 lead in the bottom of the sixth inning, as his laser shot landed in the front row of the right-center field seats.

Brandon Belt cut the Pirates lead in half, as he singled in McCutchen in the top of the seventh inning.

Austin Jackson tied up the game in the top of the eighth inning, as he doubled to left to score Hanson, who is day-to-day with a tight left hamstring.

Pirates starter Chad Kuhl pitched six innings, allowing three runs and six hits. Kuhl also struck out six and walked four.

Both Samardzija and Kuhl did not fare in the decision for either teams.

NOTES: Derek Holland looks to stop the teams’ losing streak, and a streak of his own, as Holland last won on the road on May 21, 2017, while with the Chicago White Sox. Ivan Nova looks to help the Pirates pick up the sweep.

Hunter Pence looks to be improving, and he could possibly be activated during the Giants’ seven-game home stand that begins on Monday night against the Cincinnati Reds.

UP NEXT: The Giants-Pirates series concludes with a series finale on Sunday at 10:35 am PT.

Yankees need 11 innings on Saturday in the Bronx to beat the A’s 7-6

Published on by Charlie O. MalloneeLeave a comment
NYY Neil Walker
Neil Walker gets the treatment after hitting the game-winning hit Photo: @Yankees

by Charlie O. Mallonee

It took four hours and 15 minutes, 11-innings, 13 pitchers, 34 baserunners, 17 hits, four home runs and one controversial video replay to bring game two of the three-game series between the Athletics and Yankees to a conclusion on Saturday afternoon.

In the bottom of the 11th inning with two out and runners at first and second, the Yankees Neil Walker stepped into the batter’s box to face A’s relief pitcher Chris Hatcher who entered the game in the 10th inning. Walker hit the first pitch to him from Hatcher into center field. Gary Sanchez took off from second base at the crack of the bat and never had any goal in mind but to score the winning run. Mark Canha’s throw was off-line and Sanchez scored the run for a 7-6 New York walk-off win.

Walker is now 9-for-25 (.360) including nine walks in his last nine games after hitting just .163 in his first 21-games of the season.

Oakland thought the game might be over in nine innings

NYY TAG
Was he safe or was he out? Photo: Yankees Facebook

In the top of the ninth inning, the Yankees brought in the fire-balling Aroldis Chapman to shut down the A’s. It became apparent immediately that Chapman did not have his usual unhittable, strikeout “stuff” on Saturday. After loading the bases on three consecutive walks, Chapman was able to strikeout Mark Canha.

Jonathan Lucroy was inserted as a pinch-hitter for catcher Bruce Maxwell. Lucroy was 1-for-9 versus Chapman with the one hit being a home run. Lucroy hit the first pitch from Chapman into shallow left field. As Brett Gardner caught the ball, the Athletics Matt Olson tagged at third and headed for home. Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez moved about three-feet up the baseline, caught an on-target throw from Gardner and made a sweeping tag at Olson who was sliding toward home plate. Home plate umpire James Hoye called Olson safe without hesitation. The Yankees immediately challenged the call on the field.

The replays made available to television made it look like Sanchez did indeed make the tag except for one crucial angle where it looks like the catcher misses the tag. The replay center overturned the call on the field. It became an inning-ending double play.

Personal opinion inserted here: I hate replay in all sports. You have professional officials on the field to calls. Let them do their jobs. Yes, they will make some mistakes. over the course of a 162-game season, all of the mistakes will balance themselves out. Review your history if doubt my opinion.

Oakland Postgame Notes

NYY Khris HR
Khris Davis celebrates after hitting HR No. 11 Photo: @Athletics
  • This was the A’s first extra-inning loss of the season. They were 3-0 in extra-inning games until Saturday.
  • Starting pitcher Andrew Triggs did not record a decision. He worked 4.1-innings allowing six runs (all earned) on six hits. He struck out six Yanks and walked four. Triggs real undoing was allowing three home runs.
  • Reliever Chris Hatcher (3-1) took the loss on Saturday. He pitched 1.2-innings giving up one run off two hits.
  • The A’s other five relievers – Coulombe, Dull, Casilla, Petit and Treinen pitched 4.2-innings of shutout baseball.
  • Khris Davis hit another home run on Saturday – number 11 of the season. This one came in the fourth inning with two runners on base and gave the A’s a 3-2 lead.
  • Mark Canha went 2-for-5 with two RBI in the game. He is batting .400 (6-for-15) with nine RBI and three walks with runners in scoring position.
  • The A’s are now 19-20 for the year.

Yankees Postgame Notes

  • This was the Yankees fourth “walk-off” win of the season and ended a two-game losing streak.
  • The win ended a five-game losing streak to the Athletics.
  • New York starter RHP Domingo Germain took a no-decision whiled working 5.0-innings and allowing six runs (all earned) on six hits (one HR). He walked three and struck out one.
  • Yankees reliever A.J. Cole (3-1) picked up the victory. Cole struggled with the first two hitters he faced but then settled down to keep his team in the game.
  • Three big home runs helped the Bombers on Saturday: Aaron Judge hit a two-run shot, his 11th of the year. Gary Sanchez (10) and Aaron Hicks (3) went long back-to-back in the second inning.
  • Didi Gregorius ended a 30 at-bat hitless streak when he hit a single off Triggs in the fifth inning.

Up next

The Athletics and Yankees will wrap up this three-game series on Sunday in the Bronx with a 10:05 AM PDT first-pitch. Oakland will send LHP Brett Anderson (0-1,8.68) to the mound to face the Yankees RHP Luis Severino (5-1,2.21).

 

Wondolowski achieves MLS record in Earthquakes’ 3-1 win over Minnesota United FC

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Photo credit: @SJEarthquakes Twitter

By Pearl Allison Lo

San Jose Earthquakes captain Chris Wondolowski achieved a MLS record with the most goals for a single club, facing Minnesota United FC in a 3-1 win Saturday.

The Earthquakes ended a seven game, 70 day drought without a win including seven minutes of stoppage time. San Jose continued their dominance versus the Loons (4-0-0). The Quakes have scored three goals apiece in the last three, Danny Hoesen has scored at least one in each of those games and Wondolowski has put up an assist in all four games.

Both teams were able to put numbers on the board after being shut out in their previous games.

Wondolowski was not in the opening lineup for a second game, but entered in the 55th minute.  He made an indirect and direct impact in the 69th and 76th minutes.

The indirect play was when Wondolowski made a scoop pass from the endline to Hoesen. It was Hoesen’s second straight goal in two games versus Minnesota and third overall in that same span. He had the game-winner this time and the last.

For the 76th minute, Wodolowski’s attempt was set up when Francisco Calvo was called for a handball when he blocked Hoesen’s shot.

Wondolowski made a bit of a straightaway shot for the 3-1 cushion. It was San Jose’s first decision of the season that went beyond a goal.

The Quakes were not without their share of luck however.

San Jose was fortunate when Christian Ramirez hit the crossbar 41st minute. Calvo also came close when he hit the near post in the 90th minute. Minnesota was a victim of the post in their last MLS game as well.

The Quakes got the lead goal for the first time since April 14. In just the second minute, Magnus Eriksson converted on an early penalty kick to the bottom left corner as goalie Bobby Shuttleworth went to his left. Robert Jonas notably mentioned that “it was the first time since May 2014 that someone other than Wondolowski attempted a penalty kick” for San Jose. Anibal Godoy got the “assist.”

In the 24th minute, Quakes’ goalie Andrew Tarbell was able to parry away the ball first, with a defender behind him in the box hoping to connect with the ball.

However, in the 26th minute, Shea Salinas gave the ball away to Ramirez, who one-timed a long arc into the bottom left corner of the net from the right corner of the box to even the score.

At the end of the first half, Eriksson, Hoesen and Vako each had two shots with one on target apiece for San Jose. Both teams received yellow cards for unsporting behavior.

There was stoppage in the 53rd minute due to two separate injuries. The Quakes’ Cummings came out only to return straight after. Jahmir Hyka was not as fortunate, but Wondolowski came in as the substitute.

A scary head-to-head collision occurred going for the ball between Florian Jungwirth and Calvo in the 85th minute. Both remained in the match.

Game Notes: Jungwirth also had an aerial clearance in the first half and when the Loons had momentum from one end to the other, as the lone defender on the field, Jungwirth was able to keep up and make a stop in the second. Minnesota’s Alexi Gomez had a game-high five shots. Eriksson had a career-high four shots.

Up Next: The Quakes will have their first short turnaround when they play again Wednesday at 7:30 pm PT to see Vancouver Whitecaps FC.

NHL Stanley Cup Eastern Conference Playoff podcast with Matt Harrington: Capitals take early lead on Ovechkin’s goal; Lightning have been down 0-1 before

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Photo credit: @Capitals

On the Eastern Conference Finals playoff podcast with Matt:

#1 The Washington Capitals Alex Ovechkin’s early game power play goal help the Capitals to a 4-2 win past the Tampa Bay Lightning on Friday night in Tampa Bay.

#2 It was 80 degrees outside of Tampa Bay’s Amalie Arena at the start of Friday night’s Game 1 contest. Both teams needed a lot of hydration before and during the game.

#3 The Caps’ Ovechkin, who got a power play goal and an assist on Friday was one of the key reasons why the Caps are this far in the Eastern Conference finals.

#4 The Bolts are not to be underestimated they lost the opener in Game 1 Round 2, but bounced back by winning four straight over the Boston Bruins to advance to Round 3.

#5 Talk about the Caps goaltender Braden Holtby’s job in net with one goal allowed in 19 saves.

Matt Harrington does the NHL Stanley Cup Playoff podcast each Saturday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

Pirates hit four home runs; spoil McCutchen’s homecoming with 11-2 rout

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Photo credit: @SFGiants

By Jeremy Kahn

On a night where the Pittsburgh Pirates welcomed home of their favorite sons, they put an absolute bludgeoning on his new team.

Josh Bell, Starling Marte and Jose Osuna each launched two-run home runs, and Max Moroff hit a three-run home run, as the Pirates defeated the San Francisco Giants 11-2 at PNC Park that spoiled the homecoming of current Giants right fielder Andrew McCutchen, who was drafted with the 11thpick in the 2005 Amateur Draft by the Pirates.

While with the Pirates, McCutchen was a multi-time All Star and the 2013 MVP. McCutchen also helped lead the Pirates back to the postseason in 2014, where they faced the Giants in the National League Wild Card Game.

That 2014 appearance in the postseason was the Pirates first postseason appearance since 1992, when their leftfielder won his second NL MVP in three years; however, after that season, that leftfielder returned to his hometown of San Francisco. That leftfielder’s name is Barry Bonds.

McCutchen went 1-for-5 on the evening, and ended the sixth inning, as he threw Colin Moran out at the plate that brought cheers from the home fans.

Steven Brault improved to 3-1 on the season, as he picked the win in relief of Pirates starter Jameson Taillon, who was forced to leave the game after just three innings due to a laceration on his pitching hand.

Once again, the Giants starting pitcher was unable to make it out of the fifth inning for the fifth straight game.

Andrew Suarez went just four innings, as he gave up five runs and seven hits, as his record dropped to 1-2 on the season and the Giants have lost five in a row after sweeping the Atlanta Braves to open the road trip.

The Giants tied up the game in the top of the fourth inning, as Austin Jackson hit a two-run double off of Brault. Unfortunately, Suarez was unable to hold the lead and the Pirates took the lead for good in the bottom of the fourth.

Once again, the Giants struggled in scoring position, as they went 2-for-16 with runners in scoring position. Also, the Giants struck out 14 times, as they have struck out a whopping 69 times during their five-game slide thru the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

NOTES; Jeff Samardzija looks to put the end to the losing streak on Saturday night, as he takes the mound against the Chad Kuhl.

It is not good news for Mac Williamson, as he remains in the concussion protocol and it could be another week before he is cleared, this according to Giants manager Bruce Bochy. Williamson last played on April 24, when he crashed into the wall near the Giants bullpen at AT&T Park against the Washington Nationals.

Bochy also said that Hunter Pence’s sprained thumb was doing better, as he is on a rehab assignment with the Sacramento Rivercats.

UP NEXT: Game 2 of this series is scheduled for Saturday at 4:05 pm PT.

San Jose State signs two all-state guards and a emerging frontcourt player

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Photo credit: sjsuspartans.com

By: Ana Kieu

Two all-state guards and an emerging frontcourt player from winning high school basketball programs signed a National Letter-of-Intent to enroll at San Jose State University and continue their men’s basketball careers this fall. Jean Prioleau, the Spartans head coach, made the announcement on Friday.

6-foot-9 forward Christian Anigwe from Desert Vista High in Phoenix, Arizona, 6-foot-4 guard Kaison Hammonds from ThunderRidge High in Highlands Ranch, Colorado, and 6-foot-6 guard Seneca Knight from Northside High in Lafayette, Louisiana, are joining the Spartans.

“These three guys are versatile perimeter players. The two guards (Hammonds and Knight) can pass, dribble and shoot the ball. Seneca is a big guard. Kaison is a player that can make shots. He is another big guard at 6-foot-4,” says Prioleau, who is entering his second season at San Jose State. “Christian is very athletic. We needed another athletic big guy in the front line who is active.”

The three Spartan newcomers are coming from programs that won at least 44 games the last two seasons and have high-level athletic family bloodlines.

Knight was a first-team Class 4A all-state and first-team All-District 4-4A honoree as a senior for Northside High. Ranked by Gulf Coast Basketball as the No. 16 overall prospect and the No.1 scoring forward in state, Knight averaged 25.0 points a game his senior season. His dad, Seneca Knight, played college football at Grambling and professionally for the Arena League’s Grand Rapids (Michigan) team.

Hammonds was a two-time first-team selection by the Colorado High School Athletic Association. In his junior and senior seasons, ThunderRidge had a 49-5 win-loss record in the 5A/4A Continental League. He averaged 14.4 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.6 assists as a junior and 15.7 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.1 assists as a senior. His dad, Tom Hammonds, starred at Georgia Tech and played 11 NBA seasons (1990-2001) for four teams.

Anigwe averaged 10.7 points and 5.7 rebounds a game and shot 64.5 percent from the field last season at Desert Vista High. D1Nation.com ranked him as the No. 15 high school prospect in the state. His sister, Kristine Anigwe, a three-time honorable mention All-America basketball player and the 2016 USBWA National Freshman of the Year, will be a senior at the University of California in the 2018-19 season.

Knight, Hammonds and Anigwe now give Prioleau eight new players for the 2018-19 San Jose State team. Earlier, guard Zach Chappell of Capital Christian High in Sacramento; guard Brae Ivey, from Riverside City College; 6-foot-9 forward Craig LeCesne, a San Bernardino Valley College transfer who played as a freshman at Pepperdine University; 6-foot-10 Michael Steadman from City College of San Francisco; and 6-foot-11 Samuel Japhet-Mathias, a transfer from Wake Forest University, signed with the Spartans.

With one of the largest signing classes in recent San Jose State men’s basketball history, Prioleau expressed his appreciation for the teamwork by many campus departments and units throughout the recruiting process.

“As a new coaching staff, we leaned heavily on and learned quickly how much San Jose State department heads and staff members want to see us recruit the best possible players to be a part of our university and succeed in all aspects of college life and beyond. It all starts with Dr. (Mary A.) Papazian, our President, and Athletics Director Marie Tuite and their vision for our program,” concluded Prioleau.

A’s Swing Away on Former Teammate Gray, Beat Yankees 10-5

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Photo credit: @Athletics

By Matthew Harrington

In a night of reunions in the Big Apple, a quartet of Green and Gold homers proved the difference-maker in a 10-5 A’s win over the red-hot New York Yankees. Kendall Graveman returned to the A’s major league rotation after a demotion to Triple-A in late April, firing six innings while coughing up one earned run. Meanwhile, former A’s ace Sonny Gray made his first appearance against the A’s since being traded July 31st of last season for a trio prospects. Gray (2-3, 6.39 ERA) got tagged with the loss after giving up five runs over five innings while Graveman(1-5, 7.60) picked up his first win since September 22nd of last season.

Khris Davis tagged Gray for a solo shot, his 10th long ball of the season in the top of the second and Matt Chapman launched a two-run shot just two batters later for a 3-0 Oakland lead. Jed Lowrie singled in a run off Gray in the top of the third.

Graveman struggled mightily to open the season in his first six starts but looked more locked in Friday until he gave up a solo homerun to top Yankees prospect Gleyber Torres in the bottom of the third inning for a 4-1 A’s lead. Shortstop Marcus Semien added to the lead with a fielder’s choice RBI in the top of the fifth, which wound up being a pivotal run.

An inning later, Semien would open the inning by booting a ball to Miguel Andujar. Graveman rallied back, striking out Austin Romine and inducing a groundout from Torres that moved Andujar to second. Graveman then issued a free pass to Brett Gardner. Aaron Judge lifted the first pitch he saw from Graveman to right field for his 10th homer, cutting the A’s Edge to 5-4.

Jed Lowrie hit the A’s third homer of the game  off reliever David Hale, putting Oakland up 6-4. Ryan Dull entered the game in the seventh for the Yankees, giving up back-to-back singles to Andujar and Romine before Torres moved both runners over on a sacrifice bunt. Dull got the hook for Lou Trivino who issued four straight balls to Gardner to load the bases. He’d issue a full-count walk to plate a run, but got Didi Gregorious to fly out too shallow to score Romine from third and finished off the inning with an infield fly from the dangerous Giancarlo Stanton.

Matt Joyce took Hale deep for the final A’s homer in the top of the eighth inning for his third jack of the season. Oakland added three runs in the top of the ninth on a bases-loaded double by Semien off David Robertson. Blake Treinen worked around a one-out Gardner single, getting Judge to bounce into a double play to end the game for his sixth save of the year.

Saturday’s game in the Bronx will feature Andrew Triggs scaring off against the Yankees Domingo German. Triggs is coming off his best performance of the year, pitching seven innings against the Baltimore Orioles May 6th, giving up just the one run on a Pedro Alvarez dinger in a 2-1 A’s win. German, likewise is coming off a breakthrough performance after punching out nine Indians in a 7-4 Yankees win.

NHL Stanley Cup Western Conference Playoff podcast with Joe Lami: Winnipeg Jets win on youth to face Vegas expansion team who knows no bounds

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photo google.com photo: Western Conference Final offers contrasting goaltending styles in Vegas goalie Marc-Andre Fleury and Winnipeg Jet goalie Conner Hellebuyck

On the Stanley Cup Western Conference Playoff podcast:

#1 Our broadcast colleague Matt Harrington said at the start the Winnipeg Jets were going to win the series against the Nashville Predators what do you think of Matt’s prediction?

#2 The Jets are a young team and in game 7 they got scoring help from Tyler Myers and Paul Statsny in the Jets four goal win over Nashville 5-1 on Thursday night.

#3 Jets head coach Paul Maurice said that they won four games in Nashville in regulation his only concern was winning with young players against a physical experienced Predator team.

#4 Preds goalie Pekka Rinne gave up two goals on seven shots and lasted only 10:47 in the fastest pull of any goalie in a game 7 playoff.

#5 Finally this is a big series coming up for the Jets who will play a well rested Vegas team. How big will this series be for Canada and two of the best teams in the Western Conference

Joe Lami does the NHL Stanley Cup Playoff podcasts each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

San Francisco Giants podcast with Michael Duca: Glad to get out of Philly, Giants try to turn things around in Pittsburgh

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Photo credit: @mega_webnetwork

On the SF Giants podcast with Michael:

The San Francisco Giants who are on a four-game losing streak after dropping four straight to the Philadelphia Phillies after sweeping the Atlanta Braves in three games in Atlanta. What is wrong with the Giants? They’re thus far 3-4 on this road trip with three more games to go as they open tonight in Pittsburgh and they’re a .500 ball club.

Four loses on the road is not outside of what you would expect if they had gone 2-1 or 1-3, you might feel a little bit better about that, you might think the Giants flip flopped after winning a sweep then getting swept in four.

What is a surprise in this series in Philadelphia, the Giants, who were hitting well at home and who had been tearing it up in Atlanta, got into one of the top offensive ball parks in the National League, Philadelphia, and they didn’t hit. They didn’t hit at all. They got a couple home runs on Thursday. They jumped off to a 3-0 lead, but the Phillies’ pitching bore down and the Giants couldn’t add any more runs and the Phillies came back and won the game.

Michael Duca does the Giants podcasts each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Phillies complete sweep of Giants with 6-3 win

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Photo credit: @SFGiants

By Jeremy Harness

For the Giants, it’s on to the next one.

They could not possibly get out of Philadelphia fast enough to satisfy them, especially after a 6-3 loss at Citizens Bank Park that completed a four-game sweep at the hands of the Philadelphia Phillies.

In case you were wondering, the game was not aired on local television. In fact, the game was broadcast on Facebook Live. This certainly did not help the Giants.

They, however, got off to a promising start to Thursday’s game, as Gregor Blanco hit a solo home run to lead off the game off Phillies starter Vince Velazquez. In the next inning, Alen Hansen hot a two-run shot off Velazquez to give the Giants a 3-0 lead.

However, all that momentum went right out the window in the fourth inning, when Carlos Santana launched a three-run homer off lefty starter Ty Blach to give Philadelphia a one-run lead.

Odubel Herrera gave the Phillies a pair of insurance runs in the fifth and seventh innings with run-scoring singles. Herrera went 3-for-4 on Thursday and boosted his average to .353.

Meanwhile, Velazquez helped his own cause at the plate, as he went 2-for-2 and got his batting average up to .462, while Cesar Hernandez also had a pair of hits for the Phillies.

The Giants will now head to Pittsburgh to face the Pirates for a three-game series that starts Friday night at PNC Park. Like the Phillies, the Pirates have a winning record, so the Giants will have their work cut out for them.