#1 For the Cal Bears, getting a victory on opening day last Saturday was an important way to start the 2019 season with a win over UC Davis at Memorial Stadium and what a way to start with running back Christopher Brown Jr. rushing for 197 yards to help lead the team to a 27-13 win.
#2 The Stanford Cardinal defeated Northwestern, but the Cardinal lost their starting quarterback during the game when KJ Costello took a forearm to the head. The Cardinal hung onto win it 17-7. Costello could muster only one strong drive before the injury. The Cardinal are on the road next week to face the USC Trojans next Saturday.
#3 The San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo took Thursday Night Football off last week and the 49ers went with three quarterbacks: Nick Mullins, CJ Beathard, and Nick Speight. Speight and Beathard both saw the most time in the game with Mullens resting. Is that an indication that Nick Mullens, who saw limited time will be the backup, and head coach Kyle Shanahan wants to see if Beathard or Speight will fill the third-string spot?
#4 The Oakland Raiders look as if they had a very solid preseason winning three of their four games. Raider head coach Jon Gruden said he’s happy with the progress of backup quarterbacks Nathan Peterman (out with elbow injury) and Mike Glennon who he’ll really depend on if starting quarterback Derek Carr ever needs a rest.
#5 The Oakland A’s are hosting the LA Angels and Detroit Tigers this week at the Oakland Coliseum. The A’s are 1/2 game back in the AL wild card behind second place Cleveland. It could go right down to the wire for a chance of a wild card birth.
Marcell Ozuna gave the St. Louis Cardinals the only run that they needed on one swing of the bat.
Ozuna launched a Dereck Rodriguez pitch into Big Mac Land that was measured at 393 feet, helping the Cardinals to a 1-0 victory over the San Francisco Giants at Busch Stadium.
The Ozuna home run made a winner out of Jack Flaherty, who improved to 9-7 on the season, as he went eight innings, allowing just one hit, walking one and striking out eight.
Rodriguez was the hard luck losing pitcher, as he went seven innings, giving up one run on five hits, walking just one and striking out seven and saw his record fall to 5-8 on the season.
Mike Yastrzemski picked up both hits for the Giants, as he broke up the no-hitter with two out in the top of the sixth inning and then added his second and final hit of the night in the top of the ninth inning, as he singled off of Cardinals closer Carlos Martinez with one out in the inning.
Martinez was able to regroup to get Brandon Belt to line out to right field for the second out, and then ended the game, when he struck out Evan Longoria for his 18th save of the season.
With the loss, the Giants have lost four in a row and are eight and a half games behind the Chicago Cubs for the second Wild Card spot in the National League.
NOTES: Corban Joseph was claimed on waivers by the Giants from the Oakland As and will report to the team in St. Louis. To make room for Joseph on the roster, Pablo Sandoval was placed on the 60-day disabled list.
UP NEXT: Madison Bumgarner will take the mound on Wednesday afternoon, as he looks for his 10th win of the season, while the Cardinals will send Michael Wacha, as he looks for his seventh win for the home standing Cardinals.
#1 A’s pitcher Sean Manaea had all his stuff working in New York on Sunday after taking more than a year off he looked sharp in his first start back.
#2 Although it would not be permitted because of the pitch count, did Manaea have enough in the tank to pitch a complete game?
#3 The bullpen faltered in the ninth inning and the New York Yankees came back from being down 4-0 and won it 5-4.
#4 Going into the postseason and the wild card, you’ve seen the A’s in the past struggle with the one-game wild card. Do you see that happening to this team again?
#5 The A’s open a three-game series with the Angels on Tuesday night. The Angels will start Jamie Barria (4-7, 6.10 ERA) against the A’s Mike Fiers (13-3, 3.40 ERA).
#1 The Kansas City Royals challenged the A’s when they were at Kaufman Stadium and so did the New York Yankees to conclude the road trip. Even through the pit falls, the A’s are only a 1/2 game out for a wild card berth. This thing could go right down to the end of the season?
#2 Pablo Sandoval, the man that San Francisco fans call the Panda, took a curtain call hitting for as a pinch-hitter on Sunday in the seventh inning in what can be considered the Panda’s last game in San Francisco. Sandoval played numerous positions for the Giants and will be having Tommy John surgery.
#3 The Houston Astros continued to prove their a force to be reckoned with after their starter Justin Verlander threw his third career no-hitter against the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday. It was the second time that Verlander threw a no-hitter at the Rogers Centre in Toronto.
#4. The Oakland Raiders get to open the season at the Coliseum against the Denver Broncos for Monday Night Football. The Raiders had a successful preseason and head coach Jon Gruden is confident about the team going into week 1.
#5 This is the Raiders’ last season at the Coliseum. Gruden certainly wants it to be a great send off for the Raiders and wants to drive them to a postseason that could get them to the AFC Championship to the finally the Super Bowl. He would love to bring a trophy to Oakland for the final year there.
Amaury Pi-Gonzalez is the Oakland A’s Spanish play-by-play announcer heard on KIQI 1010 San Francisco. Also, join Amaury for That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary each Tuesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com
The Giants proved to be battlers again Monday in St. Louis, but the Cardinals handed them a first hand lesson on how the art form works.
By winning 3-1, the Cardinals improved to a National League-best 33-16 since the All-Star break, and this one came under difficult circumstances, their fifth game in a little more than 48 hours.
Somehow the Cardinals captured four of five in the stretch, without looking like baseball wizards, but by simply maintaining focus, according to manager Mike Shildt.
“Guys were grinding every single pitch, all five games and they were rewarded for it,” said Shildt.
Adam Wainwright projected to be a centerpiece in the process of wearing down the Giants, and he was, tossing seven, scoreless innings and successfully giving the St. Louis bullpen a break.
The 38-year old did so in 90 degree heat, and preparation was the key, in his estimation.
“That attacking mentality that I used to have,” Wainwright said. “I’ve sort of gotten away from that the last couple starts.”
The veteran started for the 311th time in his career, winning 158 of those. Seemingly, he’s always been good, but rarely great, winning at least 10 games in ten, different seasons, but only as many as 20 wins twice.
“He’s always got the gas pedal down,” Shildt said. “He’s got a ferocious mindset.”
The Giants weren’t much off what the Cardinals produced offensively, but thanks to Wainwright, they had to wait until the eighth inning to cross the plate. Mauricio Dubon came up with his first career home run off Giovanny Gallegos to break up the shutout. Dubon doubled earlier in the game, producing two of the Giants five hits.
The Cardinals have won 10 of 12, and maintained their three-game cushion over the Cubs in the NL Central. The Giants have lost six of seven, virtually falling out of the wild card chase in the process.
Tyler Beede pitched four innings, taking the loss and falling to 3-9 on the season. Kolten Wong’s run-scoring triple was the big blow off Beede, who hasn’t won a game in nearly six weeks.
By Daniel Dullum
Sports Radio Service
Monday, September 2, 2019
The recent road trip didn’t end well for the Oakland Athletics, who head home for yet another crucial series.
The A’s dropped a heartbreaker in New York on Sunday. After leading 4-0 going into the bottom of the eighth, the Yankees rallied in the ninth to walk off a 5-4 win. Oakland lost 4-3 the day before.
After taking Labor Day off, the A’s will host a three-game set with the Los Angeles Angels with a chance to make progress in the American League Wild Card race. Going in to Tuesday, Oakland trails Cleveland by one game and Tampa Bay by 1 ½.
On Tuesday, a pitching matchup of right-handers features Mike Fiers (13-3, 3.40 ERA) for the A’s against the Angels’ Jaime Barria (4-7, 6.10 ERA).
A challenge for the A’s pitching staff will be shutting down Angels DH Shohei Ohtani, who is a full-time designated hitter this season while recovering from Tommy John surgery. Ohtani has been in a power slump with four home runs over the last two months.
With rosters expanding on Sept. 1, the A’s added five players to the 40-man roster. The A’s recalled right-handed pitcher Paul Blackburn and infielder Franklin Barreto from Triple-A Las Vegas, selected catcher Sean Murphy from Las Vegas, reinstated left-handed pitcher Sean Manaea from the 60-day injured list, and reinstated designated hitter Khris Davis from the paternity list.
To clear space on the 40-man roster, the A’s designated infielder Corban Joseph and right-handed pitcher Tanner Anderson for assignment.
This series against the Angels, along with all other homestands in September, can be viewed by children age 12 and under for free in a special promotion by the A’s.
As the A’s continue their push to the postseason, kids 12 and younger can attend every September regular season home game for free. For every regularly priced individual ticket purchased, adults can receive two additional kids’ tickets.
The A’s have two homestands and a number of family-friendly promotions during the 12 home games in September: Star Wars Fireworks presented by Chevron (Sept. 7); Bert “Campy” Campaneris Bobblehead presented by Chevrolet (Sept. 8); Mike Fiers No-Hitter Bobblehead presented by Chevron (Sept. 20); Evolution of Pop Fireworks presented by Lagunitas (Sept. 21); and on Kid Appreciation Day, a Ramón “Laser” Laureano Bobblehead presented by Call 811 (Sept. 22).
Plus, kids can run the bases following every Sunday game (Sept. 8 and Sept. 22).
To receive two complimentary kids’ tickets with the purchase of one adult ticket, visit athletics.com/family or the Oakland A’s Box Office.
With last season’s top receivers JJ Arcega-Whiteside, Trenton Irwin and Kaden Smith departed, Stanford needs youngsters such as Connor Wedington, Michael Wilson and Colby Parkinson to step up.
They did Saturday in No. 25 Stanford’s season-opening 17-7 victory against Northwestern at Stanford Stadium.
Wedington secured a team-high seven receptions, Wilson had six and Parkinson had four. Wedington and Wilson showcased their quickness and athletic ability on quick sideline throws from K.J. Costello and Davis Mills, breaking tackles against single coverage.
“We wanted to take the pressure off the quarterbacks,” said David Shaw, the Bradford M. Freeman Director of Football. “We have to take advantage of their off-coverage and give those guys a chance. It was probably the most tackles we’ve broken since Ty Montgomery and Doug Baldwin and those guys.”
The 6-foot Wedington, a junior, is a former running back and appeared in only four games last year due to injury. Wilson, a 6-foot-2-inch sophomore who Shaw calls “a complete receiver,” demonstrated his potential a year ago by grabbing 14 passes in 13 games.
“We have threats all over the field,” said fifth-year senior running back Cameron Scarlett.
Wilson scored the first Cardinal touchdown on a four-yard pass from Costello late in the second quarter. The play was installed earlier in the week, with Costello faking a handoff to Scarlett running left, then rolling right and finding Wilson in the flat.
“Coach said there is going to be one man you have to beat or it’s going to be a race to the pylon,” said Wilson.
It turned out to be the latter — Wilson stretching the ball over the goal line.
He said the extra work the receivers and quarterbacks put in during the offseason is paying off.
“We’ve got guys that can go,” Wilson said. “Brycen (Tremayne), Connor, Simi (Fehoko), Osiris (St. Brown). “We’re all going to play a big role and I’m really excited about this year.”
A liiiittle extra effort goes a long way. Just ask @michaelgwilson1.
Getting defensive: Stanford suffocated Northwestern in the first half, limiting the Wildcats to 79 yards on 21 plays and only seven minutes in time of possession. Northwestern didn’t reach the Stanford side of the field until late in the second quarter.
With that said Stanford out-gained Northwestern, 365-210, and finished with a nearly 17-minute time of possession advantage.
“It was a lot of fun out there flying around with the guys,” said senior inside linebacker Andrew Pryts, who intercepted his first pass in his first start. “We had great energy and can feed off that all year.”
The unit produced four takeaways and sealed the game with 20 seconds remaining when fifth-year senior outside linebacker Casey Toohill and senior outside linebacker Jordan Fox blasted Wildcat quarterback Hunter Johnson, who fumbled. Fox recovered in the end zone for a touchdown.
“We knew they were trying to go down the field to pick up something,” Fox said. “We pinned our ears back and just let it go. Casey made a great first hit on him. I just tried to find the ball. It was a great way to finish the game on the defensive side of the ball. It was high effort all day.”
On its first possession of the third quarter, Northwestern drove to the Cardinal five-yard line, but Robinson and sophomore strong safety Kendall Williamson sacked quarterback TJ Green and forced a fumble, and Williamson recovered at the nine-yard line.
“Our rush was really getting there, and he was just trying to get out of the pocket,” said Williamson. “I saw him spin off a couple guys and just went and pursued it. I really wish I would have scooped and scored, but it was a turnover.”
Many players received their first extended playing time and made it count.
“It was great being out there,” Williamson said. “I got to play with a lot of people in my class who redshirted last year and came up big. I just loved how we were attacking.”
Photo credit: gostanford.com
Mills steps in: After settling into a nice rhythm, a sliding Costello sustained a blow to the head by Northwestern defensive end Earnest Brown IV on a scramble with two seconds remaining in the half. Brown was called for a personal foul, and Costello walked to the locker room and didn’t return, completing 16-of-20 passes for 152 yards.
Shaw declined to comment when asked if targeting should have been called. “I didn’t see it live,” Shaw said.
Mills, a junior who redshirted in 2017 and saw brief action in one game last season, played the rest of the way and finished 7-of-14 for 81 yards.
“It was a dogfight for most of the game and our defense played extremely well to keep us on top,” said Mills.
After a strong fall camp, Mills was excited to contribute to the win.
“It definitely builds confidence,” Mills said.
Said Shaw, “He can make all the throws and is athletic enough to get out in scrambles for positive yards. If K.J. is healthy, he’ll go back out there (Saturday against USC). He’s our leader and captain. And if he’s not healthy, we have all the faith and confidence that Davis can go out there and win the game.”
Photo credit: gostanford.com
Big rush: Shaw was especially pleased with the Cardinal running game, led by Scarlett’s career-high 97 yards on 22 carries.
“Give Cam Scarlett the credit,” said Shaw. “We challenged him after the bowl game last year. Multiple times today we had a running back one-on-one with a guy in space.”
Stanford rushed 39 times for 132 yards.
“We can’t block everything perfectly, especially against a really good, big, physical defense,” Shaw said. “I thought our running backs ran through the trash.”
Early contributions: Seven freshmen saw action for Stanford — running backs Austin Jones and Nathaniel Peat, wide receiver Elijah Higgins, cornerback Kyu Blu Kelly, safety Jonathan McGill, punter Ryan Sanborn and offensive tackle Walter Rouse.
Photo credit: gostanford.com
Extra motivation: Chris Marinelli, an All-American offensive tackle in 2009, served as Stanford’s honorary captain. His father, Jim, was a member of the Local 88, Tunnel Workers Union in Braintree, Massachusetts, for more than 30 years. Chris and his fellow offensive linemen nicknamed themselves the Tunnel Workers Union and the nickname remains in tact.
“It’s an analogy that fits perfectly for the offensive line because we need to open holes and grind no matter how we feel,” said Chris, who made 41 starts during his Cardinal career. “It’s just about having that blue-collar attitude.”
Marinelli gave a stirring motivational speech to the team on Friday night and it carried over Saturday. His father passed away on June 30 at age 60 from cancer.
“It was super impactful for us,” said junior center Drew Dalman. “We still kind of live by the Tunnel Workers Union credo and hopefully for many years to come. We just wanted to make him proud and show him what we could do.”
Shaw heard players talking about the Tunnel Workers Union in the fourth quarter.
“They were running it and being physical,” Shaw said. “Chris put something in their heads and we really started churning.”
Photo credit: gostanford.com
Up next: Stanford begins Pac-12 play on Saturday when it travels to Los Angeles to tackle the USC Trojans at 7:30 p.m. in a contest that will be broadcast by ESPN. Stanford prevailed at home last year, 17-3, and has won four of the last six meetings.
The Trojans opened the season by beating Fresno State on Saturday night, 31-23.
Shaw’s teams have swept USC, UCLA and Cal three of the last four years and six of the last nine.
Notes: Starting offensive tackle Walker Little sustained a late injury and his status in unknown … Toohill led the Cardinal with six tackles, including one sack, two tackles for loss and forced a fumble … Seven Stanford players recorded four or more stops … Stanford has won 12 straight home openers and 21 consecutive non-conference games on home turf … All-American cornerback Paulson Adebo pilfered his first pass of the season … Jet Toner booted a career-best 51-yard field goal to end the first half. The last Stanford kicker to convert from 50-plus yards was Conrad Ukropina, who hit from 52 against Oregon State in 2016 … Former Cardinal standout Richard Sherman, now a starting cornerback for the San Francisco 49ers, attended the game and was recognized as Stanford celebrates its 125th season of football … The next home game for the Cardinal is September 21 against Oregon, time TBD. The 2019 Stanford Athletics Hall of Fame Class, which includes running back/linebacker Bill Tarr ’55, will be recognized.
SAN JOSE, Calif. — San Jose State opened the 2019 season with a 35-18 victory over Northern Colorado at CEFCU Stadium last Thursday. In addition, fifth-year linebacker Ethan Aguayo ranked second in the nation with 20 total tackles and one sack. But can the Spartans keep up in Saturday’s home game vs. Tulsa Golden Hurricane? We’ll see.
Here’s the SJSU football weekly press release!
Game #2
SJSU vs. Tulsa
Saturday, September 7, 2019
CEFCU Stadium, 6:00 p.m. PT, ESPN3
SJSU record: 1-0, 0-0 Mountain West. The Spartans opened the season with a 35-18 win over Northern Colorado.
Tulsa record: 0-1, 0-0 American Athletic Conference. The Golden Hurricane lost at Michigan State, 28-7, in their season opener.
Series history: Tulsa leads the series, 4-3. This game is the back-end of a two-game, home-and-home agreement. Most recently, Tulsa downed SJSU, 45-10, in the 2016 season opener for both teams.
Previously, the two squads faced each other annually between 1999 and 2004 when both schools were members of the Western Athletic Conference.
SJSU’s last win in the series was a 49-38 victory in Tulsa on November 16, 2002. The Spartans’ last victory against Tulsa at home was a 63-27 triumph on October 27, 2001.
Play-by-play radio coverage: KKSF (910 AM, Oakland), RealTalk 910, is the new flagship radio station for SJSU football. Justin Allegri calls the play-by-play. Kevin Richardson provides commentary. The Tulsa broadcast begins at 6:30 p.m. PT with a pregame show.
The SJSU-Tulsa broadcast with Justin Allegri and Kevin Richardson calling the action also will be carried on www.siriusxm.com Channel 991.
KSJS (90.5 FM, San Jose) also will broadcast the SJSU-Tulsa game starting at 5:45 p.m. PT.
Television: ESPN3 will provide broadcast coverage of the SJSU-Tulsa game. Trey Bender provides the play-by-play coverage. Al Groh offers analysis and commentary. The ESPN3 coverage begins at 6:00 p.m. (PT).
Weekly press conference: This week only, the weekly SJSU football press conference is in the Simpkins Stadium Center Gold Room on Tuesday, September 3, at 1:00 p.m. PT.
Brent Brennan on KRTY FM: SJSU head coach Brent Brennan is heard weekly on KRTY (95.3 FM, San José), Tuesdays at 6:30 a.m. PT during home game weeks. Gary Scott Thomas and Julie Stevens serve as co-hosts.
Brent Brennan Show on Facebook Live: The Brent Brennan Show is available weekly on Facebook. The next show is Wednesday, September 4, at 5:30 p.m. All Brent Brennan Shows originate from the Hukilau restaurant located at 230 Jackson Street in San Jose’s Japantown district.
Game promotions: The Tulsa game is First Responders’ & Band Night. Pacific Gas & Electric will be providing free tickets to “first responders.” There will be a t-shirt giveaway to the first 1,000 SJSU students at the game courtesy of the Mountain West. Band Night will consist of local high school bands joining the Spartan Marching Band for a halftime performance.
Season-opening win: SJSU’s 35-18 triumph over Northern Colorado was its first season-opening victory since defeating New Hampshire, 43-13, to open the 2015 season.
Potential 2-0 start: SJSU has an opportunity to begin a season with a 2-0 record for the first time since 1987 as a result of its 35-18 victory over Northern Colorado. In 1987, the Spartans opened the season with a home win over Eastern Illinois, 24-3, and won the following week at California, 27-25, on a 20-yard field goal by Sergio Olivarez on the final play of the game.
Since 1987, SJSU had nine opportunities to be 2-0, but ended up 1-1. The Spartans now are 42-53-4 in season-opening games since 1898.
Opening a season with two home games: Since 1946, it has been the rare occasion for SJSU to begin a season with at least two home games. In 1947, the Spartans played their first three games at home and would finish with a 9-3 win-loss record.
mercurynews.com photo: San Francisco Giants’ Pablo Sandoval said he tried to hold back his emotions as he stands for the national anthem before his last game as a Giant on Sunday at Oracle Park. Giant second baseman Maurcio Dubon stands behind Sandoval.
On the Giants podcast with Morris:
#1. How much did that four-run inning hurt Giants starter Jeff Samardzija to set back the Giants?
#2 Samardzija threw for 92 pitches and walked three batters. He did have respective command until the sixth inning when the Padres scored the four runs.
#3 Padres starter Eric Lauer gave up three earned runs and two home runs. His effort was good enough to hold off the Giants by runs for the 8-4 win.
#4 Acknowledgements during the game going to Giants manager Bruce Bochy, who had a design tribute unveiled during the game recognizing his work as Giants manager, including three World Series championships. Pablo Sandoval made what is considered his last at-bat as a Giant in the seventh inning to a standing ovation.
#5 With the loss, the Giants are now seven games back in the NL Wild Card. At one time, the Giants were down just a game and a half.
In New York, the subway is ever active, and a train is always coming. In the Bronx, that same certainty exists at Yankee Stadium: Murderers Row is now a nine-man cycle with a home run off a Yankees’ bat every 21 plate appearances.
Yes, a Yankees’ home run is always coming, and that’s how the A’s found themselves in the cross hairs on Sunday, clinging to a 4-3 lead in the ninth with the Yankees somehow 32 plate appearances into their muggy afternoon without a homer.
Liam Hendricks was tabbed by Bob Melvin to complete a five-out save, entering with the bases jammed and Gary Sanchez–the ring leader of the high-scoring New York attack–at the plate in the eighth. But after Sanchez popped out, Didi Gregorius lined a two-run single up the middle to trim the A’s lead to 4-3.
Now, in the ninth, Hendricks would face the bottom of the Yankees’ order, a welcome break with a caveat: in 2019, Murderers’ Row provides no breaks, and the A’s closer would see Brett Gardner first–the number seven hitter–more than capable with 18 home runs coming in.
Afterwards, Hendricks would complain that on this occasion he was a little off, missing several pitches off the plate. Ahead in the count, 2-1, Gardner would pounce, sending the next pitch into the right bleachers to tie it, 4-4.
“We believe in ourselves right down to the very end even if we’re down by a few runs,” said Gardner. “Our fans, I feel like, feel the same way. So we feel that, we feed off that.”
Manager Aaron Boone elected to lift Clint Frazier for pinch hitter Mike Ford with the game tied. Boone, awash in options with the September 1st roster expansion, chose a career minor leaguer who had hit 10 home runs in his first 36 major league games after receiving his first promotion at age 27, over Frazier, not a bad option with 11 home runs in 53 games this season.
Boone’s decision paid off when Ford smashed Hendricks’ offering on a 3-2 count, the ball landing in the bullpen beyond the right centerfield fence. Afterwards, Ford said the moment was a blur.
“I didn’t hear anything, which is crazy,” Ford said. “Just a whole rush of emotion.”
The Yankees became the first club to reach 90 wins on the season, and they found a response to the challenge put forth by the A’s, who won the first four contests in the season series.
The A’s get to erase the disappointment of consecutive, walk-off losses with a cross country flight home before facing the Rangers on Tuesday at the Coliseum.
Sean Manaea made his season debut in the contest, and pitched beautifully, shutting out the Bombers for five innings, allowing just one hit. Manaea gives the A’s tremendous flexibility as a sixth starter in the season’s final month.
Relievers Jake Diekman and Yusmeiro Petit also pitched effectively before Lou Trivino and Hendricks ran into trouble.
Sheldon Neuse’s first major league hit drove in a pair of runs in the seventh to break the scoreless stalemate. Neuse had 58 extra base-hits at Triple-A Las Vegas, forcing himself into the A’s crowded but underwhelming situation at second base. Ironically, Neuse’s double came off Ryan Dull, the former Athletic making his Yankees’ debut.
Sports Radio Service 