Month: April 2022

Sharks Fall 5-4 in OT to Oilers, Gregor Scores 2 Goals 26 Seconds Apart

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San Jose Sharks goalie James Reimer (47) makes a save against Edmonton Oilers’ Jesse Puljujarvi (13) at Rogers Centre in Edmonton Thu Apr 28, 2022 (Canadian Press via AP News photo)

By Mary Walsh

The San Jose Sharks lost 5-4 in overtime to the Oilers in Edmonton. Ryan McLeod, Kailer Yamamoto, Derek Ryan, Philip Broberg and Zach Hyman scored for the Oilers. Mikko Koskinen made 40 saves for the win. Noah Gregor, Scott Reedy and Nick Bonino scored for the Sharks, with Gregor scoring twice. James Reimer made 26 saves in the loss.

After the game, Sharks Head Coach Bob Boughner said: “We ran into some penalty trouble, killed some penalties at the end of the game. It seemed like every time we got a lead, we squandered it. You know, and three on three is a dangerous game to play with that team.” On the other hand, he also mentioned some positives: “One of our better games offensively, you know, on the cycle, generating chances.”

Sharks Captain Logan Couture said: “Played in their end for the majority of the game, would have liked to score on a few more of the chances that we got but, yeah, tough one to lose.”

Noah Gregor scored his first of the game at 2:42 of the first period with a wrist shot from the circle. An assist went to Sasha Chmelevski.

Gregor scored again at 3:08. Gregor was trying to center the puck for Rudolfs Balcers, who was in front of the net. Instead, the puck went off of a defender’s skate and into the net. An assist went to Thomas Bordeleau.

Ryan McLeod got the Oilers on the board at 9:17 of the second period with a power play goal. Kailer Yamamoto redirected a shot from Evan Bouchard that did not hit the mark. McLeod was on hand to collect the rebound and put it away.

Yamamoto tied the game 2-2 at 12:52. Leon Draisaitl carried the puck in and then dropped it to Yamamoto for the shot. The puck squeezed through between Reimer and the post. Assists went to Leon Draisaitl and Zach Hyman.

Scott Reedy gave the Sharks their second lead of the game at 15:35, redirecting a shot from Brent Burns on the power play. Assists went to Burns and Logan Couture.

Derek Ryan tied the game 3-3 at 9:37 of the third period. Tyson Barrie sent the puck to the net and it was redirected by Ryan high in the slot. The puck then hit Jayson Megna’s skate and went pin-balling into the blue paint before slipping over the line.

Nick Bonino gave the Sharks their third lead of the game at 10:40 with a neat shot from low in the slot. He caught Couture’s pass from below the goal line. Assists went to Couture and Matt Nieto.

Philip Broberg tied the game 4-4 at 11:45 with a wrist shot from the circle. It was his first NHL goal. Connor McDavid set him up with a pass from all the way down by the post. Assists went to McDavid and Jesse Puljujarvi.

Zach Hyman scored the game winner 1:37 into overtime. He trailed Ryan-Nugent Hopkins into the zone. Nugent-Hopkins passed the puck to Hyman behind the Sharks defenders. Reimer could not get across in time to stop the shot om his stick side. Assists went to Nugent-Hopkins and Brett Kulak.

The Sharks out-shot the Oilers in every period except overtime. In the first, the count was 8-1 by the midpoint. In the face-off circle, the Sharks won 58% of the draws, with rookie Thomas Bordeleau winning 60% of his draws. The Sharks had one power play and scored with one shot. They had three penalties to kill, one a double-minor. They penalty kill gave up one goal and eight shots.

The Sharks will play their final game of the season on Friday in Seattle against the Kraken at 7:00 PM PT.

Preview of A’s series with Cleveland Guardians; Oakland coming off two game split with San Francisco

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Oakland A’s second baseman Tony Kemp (5) completes a double play after retiring the sliding San Francisco Giant Brandon Crawford (35) at second base in the bottom of the second inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco Wed Apr 27, 2022 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

OAKLAND–The Oakland A’s return home to face the Cleveland Guardians for three games. The A’s split the two-game set with the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park. Chad Pinder’s leadoff home run was the only run scored in the game. The A’s hope their offense wakes up as the team has had a hard time putting runs on the board in their last five games.

The Guardians, managed by Terry Francona, got off to a good start starting the season at 7-5. However, the team has lost six in a row and are playing the Los Angeles Angels Thursday afternoon in Anaheim. With a record of 7-11, the Guardians are in fourth place in the A.L. Central Division. Francona is hoping to get a win over the Angels before heading to Oakland this weekend.

The pitching probables for the series will see the A’s sending their ace, Frankie Montas, to the mound. Montas is 2-2 for the year with an ERA of 3.28. Montas pitched well against the Texas Rangers last week, but the A’s offense failed to give him any support.

Aaron Civale will go for Cleveland. Civale is 0-2 with an ERA of 9.58. For his career, Civale is 19-17 and has a career ERA of 3.99. On Saturday, Lefty Cole Irvin will be seeking his third win of the season. Irvin is 2-1 with a 3.52 ERA.

Irvin has pitched well in his last two starts. 2020’s Cy Young award winner, Shane Bieber, will go for Cleveland. Bieber is 1-1 with an ERA of 3.27. Bieber is 42-19 lifetime and has a career ERA of 3.27. Neither team has announced their starting pitcher for Sunday’s game.

Key players on Cleveland’s roster are first baseman Owen Miller, second baseman Andres Gimenez, third baseman Jose Ramirez, left fielder Steven Kwan, center fielder Myles Straw, right fielder Josh Naylor, and designated hitter Franmill Reyes. Miller, Gimenez, Ramirez, Kwan, and Naylor are all hitting over .300.

The A’s offense has gone south in the last five games. The A’s have scored just six runs in these five games. Cole Irvin beat the Rangers 2-0 last Sunday, and Paul Blackburn and the A’s bullpen shut out the Giants 1-0 on Wednesday.

A’s manager Mark Kotsay has to be pleased with the bullpen’s work. Dany Jimenz has recorded four saves. Domingo Aceveda, A.J.Puk, Kirby Snead, Sam Moll, Zach Jackson, and Justin Grimm performed well.

The series will see two teams that do not have a lot of familiar names. It will be an opportunity for the fans to see how the new A’s roster performs against many new Cleveland players.

The A’s would like to win at least two of the three games before meeting the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday. On Saturday, the A’s will have their work cut out for them as they face Shane Bieber. It should be a fun series.

San Francisco Giants podcast with Michael Duca: It’s falling into place Rodon lights out; Pederson and Slater turning on the ball

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San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Carlos Rondon delivers against the Oakland A’s in the first inning at Oracle Park on Tue Apr 26, 2022 to open a brief two game series between the two teams (AP News photo)

On the Giants podcast with Michael:

#1 Michael we can’t get the show started without asking you about the fine handy work of San Francisco Giant (13-5) starter Carlos Rodon. Rodon on Tuesday night against the Oakland A’s (9-9) struck out nine hitters and has 38 strikeouts in his first four starts.

#2 Rodon is getting to be in the Christy Matthewson league when he struck out 35 batter in those four starts he surpassed former Giant pitcher who was know as the franchise Tim Lincecum who had 35 strikeouts in four straight games in 2009.

#3 Joc Pederson on that last road trip is all the rage hitting his first six home runs in his first 14 games with the Giants. Pederson on Sunday hit two home runs against the Washington Nationals and hit a two run home run that tied up the game on Monday in Milwaukee against the Brewers.

#4 Austin Slater is hitting for average at .455 with two home runs and eight RBIs over his last five games before Wednesday night’s game against the A’s will Slater and Pederson be platooning between right handed and left handed pitchers?

#5 The Washington Nationals (6-13) are up next for the Giants on Friday night. The last time these two teams met the Giants swept the Nats in three games and Washington were in a six game losing streak. How much are the Nationals a different team being two seasons removed since Bryce Harper left the team?

Join Michael Duca for the Giants podcasts Thursdays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Oakland A’s podcast with Jerry Feitelberg: Pinder home run; Blackburn, bullpen pitch A’s into 1-0 split with Giants

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Oakland Athletics pitcher Paul Blackburn (58) reacts after a double play hit into by San Francisco Giants’ Brandon Belt at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Thu Apr 28, 2022 (AP News photo)

On the A’s podcast with Jerry F:

#1 Jerry Oakland A’s pitching was the rule of day at Oracle Park, after the A’s Chad Pinder started the game with a lead off home run in the left field seats things settled down from their as A’s starter Paul Blackburn kept the Giants hitters off balance for five innings, three hits, one walk and four strikeouts.

#2 The A’s had had trouble with starting pitching but Blackburn set the tone Wednesday night and the bullpen that followed continued to not allow a Giants run.

#3 Classic pitching duel for most of the way with A’s relievers Domingo Acevedo, Sam Moll, Zach Jackson, and Kirby Snead.

#4 The A’s continue not to get runs in bunches and really hoped that the Pinder home run would stand up to get the A’s a split against the Giants.

#5 The Cleveland Guardians are opening up a three game series at the Oakland Coliseum on Friday night as the A’s have tonight off the Guardians are starting right hander Aaron Civale (0-2 ERA 9.58) the A’s will start Frankie Montas (2-2 ERA 3.28)

Join Jerry for the A’s podcasts Thursdays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Cold Snap: Giants shut down, lose 1-0 ending 5-game win streak

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By Morris Phillips

SAN FRANCISCO–Just six pitches in, Chad Pinder put the Giants’ win streak on notice.

Pinder’s line drive, first inning home run off Sam Long not only made a statement, it soon became the statement. The A’s and starter Paul Blackburn made it stand up in the A’s 1-0 win that gained them a split of the two-game series.

The Giants failed to score, but they also missed an opportunity to gain first place in the NL West and take full advantage of a rare, second consecutive loss by the Dodgers. Instead the Giants’ limped through a meager evening of just three hits, along with seeing offensive leader Joc Pederson suffer a troubling groin injury.

Already without Mike Yastrzemski, Steven Duggar and Lamonte Wade Jr., Pederson’s potential absence thins their outfield considerably. But if that’s what a team off to a flying start must experience, then so be it.

“I don’t really want to miss any games, but those games are always more fun,” Pederson said. “I think I have to look at the bigger picture. You see our team and it’s a playoff-caliber, World Series-caliber team. So the game matters now but you don’t want to put yourself risk of an injury that might cause you not to be able to play down the road.”

Jakob Junis, the length man in support of opener Long, kept the Giants within range by pitching five, scoreless innings while allowing four hits and striking out six. Jake McGee, Tyler Rogers and Camillo Doval followed with scoreless innings to boost the hosts hopes for a tying run at some point. But that run never materialized.

Paul Blackburn picked up the win by limiting the Giants to three hits over his five innings of work. Blackburn induced Brandon Belt’s double play, ground ball with the bases loaded that ended the third inning.

The Giants’ other threat came in the fifth when Luis Gonzalez leadoff with a double. But the outfielder was left stranded as Thairo Estrada, Jason Vosler and Curt Casali recorded outs.

Oakland A’s post game wrap: Pinder’s homer stands up; Blackburn and bullpen shuts out Giants hitting 1-0

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Oakland Athletics’ Chad Pinder (10) is congratulated by teammates after hitting a home run against the San Francisco Giants in the top of the first inning at SAP Park in San Francisco on Wed Apr 27, 2022 (AP News photo)

Oakland. 1. 7. 2

San Francisco. 0. 3. 1

Wednesday, April 27, 2022

By Lewis Rubman

SAN FRANCISCO–The good news for A’s fans is that before tonight’s game, Chad Pinder returned to the active roster. Pinder, who had been batting .237 in ten games before being placed on the Covid list, was as versatile as former A Mark Canha, although he was not the human bull’s eye at the plate that old teammate and current Met, had been. .237 is not much, but neither are ten games, and it’s certainly better than the .206 team batting average that Athletics brought with them to Oracle Park this evening.

With Pinder’s return, Christian Lopes, who had been with the big team as a substitute player, was returned to Sacramento. Lopes had gone 0 for 9 in four gamesas an Athletic and suffered the further indignity of my having named him as the player for whom Seth Brown pinch hit in the top of the seventh last night.

For the record, the correct, ungarbled account of Oakland’s last scoring frame was 1) Andrus grounded out to short; 2) Pache singled to center; 3) Lopes struck out swinging; 4) García relieved Leone; 5) Brown, pinch hitting for Nick Allen, doubled to right center, driving in Pache; 6) Kemp was called out on a disputed third strike. You read it here last.

Last night the A’s performed as poorly as my malfunctioning ipad and I did. Tonight, they weren’t perfect in the field, but their pitching was outstanding with six moundsmen holding the Giants to three hits in a 1-0 shutout, that brought the green and golds’ record back over .500 to 10-9. San Francisco slipped to 13-6.

Sam Long, a southpaw who’d allowed three hits and a walk while striking out five over the 5-2/3 innings he’d thrown in his five appearances before today, was the Giants’ opener. The returning Pinder sent Long’s sixth pitch, an 83 mph changeup, 372 feet, into the left field bleachers It was Pinder third homer of the year, his career first leading off a game.

Sheldon Nuese reached first on Brandon Crawford’s throwing error and was erased when Sean Murphy hit into an around the horn double play, the prelude to Stephen Piscotty’s going down swinging. And Long had completed his assignment, replaced by Jacob Junis, who. set the A’s down in order.

Paul Blackburn, who started for Oakland at (2-0,1.80), escaped unscathed in the first two innings of his performance, with a little help from a pitcher’s best friend in each of those frames. but it looked as though the third would be different.

The A’s righthander retired Thairo Estrada on a ground out to second. but then issued a full count walk to Jason Vosler.

Number nine batter reached on Neuse’s second error of the evening, bringing the top of the order to bat with two on and one down. Murphy kicked Joc Pederson’s little nubber in front of the plate for a bases loaded infield single. But, marvelous to tell!, Brandon Belt hit into a beautifully executed twin killing, Brown at first, to Andrus at short, back to Blackburn, covering first.

Three double plays in three innings, ‘dtaint bad. Austin Slater replaced Pederson in the top of the fourth, playing in center field, while Luis Gonález moved from center to right. The reason given was right groin tightness.

Junis and Blackburn matched goose eggs until the latter was lifted in favor of Domingo Acevedo to start the bottom of the sixth. In his five innings of work, Blackburn allowed three hits and a walk. He threw 84 pitches, only 30 of which were balls. He struck out four, reducing his ERA down to 1.35.

Junis left the game after retiring Bethancourt to end the visitor´s sixth. Like Blackburn, he hurled five shutout innings. He struck out eight, allowing four hits and a walk. Of his 64 offerings, 46 were strikes.

Junis´s replacement, Jake McGee, allowed a two out triple that Cristian Pache slashed to right center before retiring Kemp. on a line drive to Slater in center field.

It was Sam Moll on the mound to face the Giants after the seventh inning stretch. He lasted the required three batters, the first two of whom he retired but left after walking the third, González, giving way to Zach Jackson, who had to deal with Estrada. He got him swinging on an 85mph full. count slider.

Tyler Rogers rode San Francisco’s bullpen merry-go-round in the eighth. He got his three men out with no trouble, fanning two of them, Pinder and Murphy.

Jackson came out to face Jason Vosler in the Giants eighth. The third sacker walked on a 3-2 change up that caught the lower outside corner of the strike zone, but home plate umpire Carlos Torres didn’t see it that way. Casali went down swinging on another full count, bringing the top of the order to the forefront.

Andrus made a sterling grab and behind the back toss on Slater’s grounder up the middle to force Vosler out at second for the second out of the inning. This paved the way for Kirby Snead to face off against Brandon Belt. Slater stole second, increasing the tension, but Snead stayed calm and got the Giants’ first baseman to fly out to medium left field.

Camilo Doval entered the fray to try to maintain San Francisco’s deficit to a single tally. He got Piscotty on a three pitch strikeout and then surrendered a a solid double to right to pinch hitter Billy McKinney, batting for Bethancourt. Following an intentional walk to Brown, Doval. dodged a couple of bullets to strike Andrus out swinging and induce a fly out to center from Pache.

Danny Jiménez was called on to act as the closer. He pitched well to lead off man Flores, who hit a grounder wide of first to Brown. Jiménez admired the play rather than going to first to cover the bag. Crew Chief Martiy Foster called Flores safe, but his call was overruled on review. Crawford grounded out to Kemp, and Ruf popped out to first, and that was it.

The win went to Blackburn, leaving him undefeated at 3–0. Jiménez earned the save, his forth in four attempts. Long took the loss.

The first play of the game decided iit.

Both teams have tomorrow off. The A’s will send Frankie Montás against the Cleveland Guardians´ Aaron Civales at the Coliseum on Friday evening, the 19th, while the Giants will play host to the Washington Nationals at Oracle Park at 7:15 that same evening. The probables are Aaron Sánchez for the Nats and Alex Wood for the Gints.

Warriors head into second round playoff beating Denver 102-98 at Chase

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Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) is defended by Golden State Warriors’ Draymond Green (23), Andrew Wiggins, left, and Kevon Looney (5) during the first half of Game 5 at the Chase Center in San Francisco on Wed Apr 26, 2022 (AP News photo)

Warriors Head Into the Second Round of Playoffs Beating Denver 102-98

By Barbara Mason

The Golden State Warriors were primed and ready to put an end to the first round of the playoffs at the expense of the Denver Nuggets 102-98. Leading the series 3-1 the Warriors closed this out at Chase Center tonight. The Nuggets were playing for their playoff lives.

The starting lineup for Golden State included Stephen Curry for the first time since he was sidelined at the end of the season. Draymond Green, Andrew Wiggins, Klay Thompson and Jordan Poole round out the starting lineup.The Warriors were focused on the slow footed Nuggets namely Nikola Jokic and DeMarcus Cousins.

Game 5 recap: As the first quarter came to an end the Warriors held a 30-25 lead. Nikola Jokic finished the first quarter three of eight with six points which was a win for the Warriors. Aaron Gordon was having a great start with 12 points to start the game and the Warriors would have to contain him somehow.

Curry had eight points to start the game and Wiggins, Poole and Thompson had six points apiece.

The Warriors ball movement to start the second quarter was keeping the Nuggets off balance. Poole was having a far better game than Game four shooting at 50% through the first and into the early minutes of the second. Mid-way through the quarter it was Denver’s Gordon that was keeping the Nuggets in the game. So far Jokic had not even factored in this game.

With under two minutes left in the half, the Nuggets took their first lead since early in the first quarter 46-45. The Nugget defense had gotten the Warriors off their game and Golden State was struggling offensively.

It was tied at 48-48 after two quarters of less than optimal basketball. In reality both teams struggled offensively in the first half and it was downright ugly at times. Denver and Golden State were shooting at 40%. Whichever team could get on track offensively would win this game. Close out games are never easy. The Nuggets dictated the pace of this game and the Warriors needed to disrupt this in the second half.

It was a slow start in the third quarter for the Warriors and Golden State was in deep trouble trailing by ten points. The Nuggets were executing their game plan to perfection and continued to dictate play. In the middle of the quarter the tables turned and the Warriors went on an 11-2 run and trailed the Nuggets by a single point 68-67.

Jokic had to sit out because of foul trouble and the Warriors were trying to take full advantage with him on the bench. As the third quarter came to an end the Nuggets had repelled the Warriors run and taken a 78-70 lead.

DeMarcus Cousins made a whole lot of noise in the fourth quarter. With Jokic on the bench to start the final quarter Cousins came in late in the third quarter and scored 19 points in 13 minutes. With 7:43 left in the game Jokic had five fouls.

The Chase crowd that had been relatively quiet for most of the game came to life in the final six minutes of this game with the Warriors leading 88-84. With two minutes left in the game the score was tied at 90.

The Nuggets would throw the ball away and Golden State would cash in courtesy of who else Steph Curry with a two point shot. It was crunch time at Chase. At 1:06 Gary Payton II hit a three and Curry the closer followed it up with a two point shot and the 99-94 lead.

Curry would hit three free throws for a final of 102-98. It was on to the second round of the playoffs, the Warriors the first in the Western Conference to advance . They will now get some much needed rest

“It’s the best time of year. I love this time of the year. It’s what we all go for. It’s physical, the referees let you bump a little more and that’s right in my wheel house,” said Green after the game. He finished with 11 points and quarterbacked his team to the win. “People are watching all over world and I cherish that and am looking forward to going on to the next round,” said Green.

Curry finished with 30 points. Gary Payton II was a huge part of this win with 15 points off the bench hitting a 27-foot three point jumper with 1-06 left in the game.

The Warriors await either Memphis or Minnesota and we can only hope for a seven game series in that one.

Golden State Warriors podcast with David Zizmor: Warriors with a great chance to put it away tonight at Chase Center

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In first half action in game four the Golden State guard Warriors Stephen Curry drives the lane against the Denver Nuggets guard Austin Rivers on Sun Apr 24, 2022 at Ball Arena in Denver (AP News photo)

On the Warriors podcast with David:

#1 David, the Golden State Warriors take a 3-1 lead going into game five tonight at Ball Arena in Denver. The Nuggets lead from start to finish in game four in last Sunday’s game. The Nuggets came away with a five point 126-121 win.

#2 The Warriors for much of the season have depended on Stephen Curry but since Curry ended the season with a foot injury Jordan Poole and Andrew Wiggins had stepped up and sealed some key games.

#3 The Warriors can close up this series tonight at Chase Center in game five with the Warriors up 3-1. The Nuggets have had a tough time trying to win games on the Warriors home floor.

Join David through out the Warriors post season for the Warriors podcasts Wednesdays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

San Jose Sharks podcast with Mary Lisa: Sharks embark on final road trip of season; Face Kane and Oilers Thursday night

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San Jose Sharks center Tomas Hertl (48) is checked into the boards by Anaheim Ducks center Zach Aston-Reese (16) at the SAP Center in San Jose on Wed Apr 27, 2022 (AP News photo)

On the SJ Sharks podcast with Mary Lisa:

#1The San Jose Sharks fell 5-2 to the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday. The Ducks got goals from Trevor Zegras, Max Comtois, Josh Mahura, and Zach Aston-Reese. Anthony Stolarz made 31 saves for the win.

#2 Scott Reedy has now played 33 games with the Sharks and has six goals. He scored four of those since April 14, showing major improvement at the NHL level. 

#3 Trevor Zegras gave the Ducks an early lead with a power play goal at 4:05. His shot went over Sharks goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen’s shoulder on the short side and lodged between the net and the camera, so hardly anyone realized he had scored until they could not find the puck out on the ice. 

#4 Brent Burns got the Sharks on the board at 15:32 with a power play goal. It was his second shot from the middle of the blue line in just a few seconds. You know things were tough for the Sharks offense when Burns a defenseman had to provide part of the offense.

#5 The Sharks will play next on Thursday in Edmonton against the Oilers at 6:00 PM PT. Oilers are rolling they have won five of their last six games and won their last game convincingly against the Pittsburgh Penguins last night at the Igloo 5-1. How do you see the match up Thursday night in Edmonton.

Join Mary Lisa did the Sharks podcasts throughout the 2021-22 season at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Oakland A’s game report: Mark Kingwell writes in Fail Better Why Baseball Matters

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Home plate umpire Chris Conroy (98) talks over a strike three call on Oakland A’s hitter Tony Kemp (5) in the top of the seventh inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Tue Apr 26, 2022 (AP News photo)

Oakland. 2. 5. 1

San Francisco. 8. 7. 1

Tuesday, April 26, 2022

By Lewis Rubman

Oakland A’s game report: Mark Kingwell writes in Fail Better Why Baseball Matters

SAN FRANCISCO–We know, with part of our rational minds, that it does not matter who wins a baseball game. And yet, it matters—-sometimes so deeply as to generate much genuine emotion. And if we wonder how non-real things can arouse real emotions, we need only recall Aristotle’s analysis of catharsis, the psychologically beneficial venting of painful feelings under controlled conditions such as the theatre.

If this is the case–and I think it is–it is even more so in the Bay Bridge Series. The final score of a ball game may not amount to a hill of beans in the grand scheme of things (if there is such a thing), and it means even less in the pretend world to which Kingwell refers.

When play began (the “controlled conditions such as the theatre”), Oakland, refreshed after their first day of rest since completing a season opening 17 consecutive days of arduous labor, occupied third place in the AL West standings, at 9-8, a game and a half behind the division leading Mariners and one game behind the second place Angels.

The Giants had just flown over half the continent after spending three hours of their lightening visit to Milwaukee, where they completed a 11 game swing through the east and Midwest by coming from behind to defeat the talented Brew Crew 4-2, scoring two runs in each of the eighth and ninth innings.

That win put San Francisco’s record at 12-5, a half game behind the Dodgers for the lead in the NL. In a season of 162 games followed by nearly all-inclusive playoffs, tonight and tomorrow’s contests fade into insignificance.

Yet we care.

My wife likes to say that we’re Athletics fans but the Giants are mishpokhe, a Yiddish word for extended family. I usually add that families fight. They did in classical Greek drama, and they do in Major League Baseball.

The rivals’ starting pitchers took the mound with almost identical earned run averages. The visitors sent right hander Daulton Jefferies, who had posted an almost unbeatable ERA of 1.17 but still had come out on the short end of two out of his three decision, while the home team entrusted its fortunes to left handed Carlos Rodón, whose 1.16 was paired with a 2-0 won-lost record. That says a lot about the teams’ relative strength at bat and on the field.

Neither team was at full strength. Drew Jackson, Jed Lowrie, Chad Pinder, and Lou Trivino were on Oakland’s Covid list, Sky Bolt, James Kaprielian, Kevin Smith, and Stephen Vogt were on the 10 day list, and Deolis Guerra and Brent Hnneywell were out for 60 days. Ramón Laureano still was serving his suspension, doing rehab in the minors.

San Francisco had to manage without the services of Alex Cobb, Anthony DeSclafani, Tommy La Stella, Evan Longoria, and LaMonte Wade, Jr., all on the 10 day IL; Mike Yatrzemski, on the Covid list; Matthew Boyd, on the 60 day list; John Brebbia, on bereavement leave; and Tyler Rogers, on paternity leave.

The Giants took an early lead when Brandon Crawford led off the second with a walk and advanced to second on a wild pitch to DH Wilmer Flores, who proceeded to jump all over a hanging curve, driving Jefferies´offering of the left centerfield wall and bringing Crawford home with the initial tally.

Flores moved up a base on a single to center by Luis González. Both Thairo Estrada and Jason Vosler hit grounders to Nick Allen at second, whose tosses retired the lead runner. Elvis Andrus, however, didn’t get his relay over to first on time, allowing Flores to score on Estrada’s force out. Joey Bart grounded out to Andrus to end the inning with the Giants ahead, 1-0.

A wild pitch from Rodón in the top of the third allowed Nick Allen, who. had walked, to take second with one down. After Tony Kemp struck out, Sheldon Neuse’s single to left center drove him home, cutting San Francisco’s lead in half. Murphy went down swinging, and that was it for Oakland’s rally.

That close score was short lived. The home team came roaring back with Belt’s single to right center and a walk to Crawford, followed by Flores’s 389 foot blast over the left field wall on a 93 mph sinker that didn’t sink enough. Just like that, it was 5-1, San Francisco after three.

Jefferies didn’t come out for the bottom of the fifth. He left the game, having thrown 72 pitches, 43 for strikes. All five of the runs he allowed were earned. He gave up four hits, one of which went the distance and a pair of walks. He also unleashed a wild pitch. His slim ERA ballooned to 3.26. AJ Puk replaced him on the mound, and Austin Slater replaced Joc Pederson in the San Fran line up.

Rodón’s night was over after six innings of work, in which he allowed just that single, earned, run in the third. He gave up two walks and a costly wild pitch. His pitch count was 107, 74 for strikes. His ERA crept up to 1.17.

Rodón gave way to Dominic Leone, who faced four batters in the seventh, two of whom touched him hits; Cristián Pache, a one out single and Seth Brown, pinch hitting for Christian Lopes, a two out double to right center that drove in Andrus and brought Jarín García to strike out Nick Allen on a disputed, and very disputable, called third strike.

After pitching two three-up. three down frames, Puk gave way to Jacob Lemoine in the home half of the seventh. Again, a three run Giant homer was the counterweight to a lone Oakland tally.

This one was a towering fly that travelled 345 feet before smacking against the right field wall. Lemoine then surrendered a single to Belt and struck out Darin Ruf before turning mound duties over to Adam Kokarek.

The Athletics’ southpaw side armer who walked Crawford but retired Flores on a grounder to third to close out the inning with Oakland on the short end of an 8-2 score.

It was Yunior Marte’s turn to face the A’s in the visitors’ eighth. He set them down in order. The Giants entrusted their six run lead to Kervin Castro, recalled today from Sacramento, in Oakland’s last chance top of the ninth. He allowed a two out walk to Pache, but struck out the three other batters he faced,

The win went to Rodón and the loss to Jefferies.

The trans bay rivals go at it again tomorrow, Wednesday, night at 6:45. The probable starters will be Paul Blackburn (2-1,1.80) for the Athletics and for the Giants they will go with left hander Sam Long (0-0 ERA 0.00) at Oracle Park in San Francisco.