Month: July 2023

MLB podcast with Stephen Ruderman: Yanks German gets touched up in first start after perfect game; Met’s Alfonso knows its going to be competitive at home run derby; plus more news

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New York Yankees pitcher Domingo German couldn’t get out of the fifth inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx on Mon Jul 3, 2023 his first start since pitching a perfect game on Wed Jun 28, 2023 in Oakland (AP News photo)

On the MLB podcast with Stephen:

#1 Last Wed Jun 28th the New York Yankees pitcher Domingo German became baseball’s 24th pitcher to throw a perfect game on Monday night against the Baltimore Orioles. German couldn’t get out of the fifth inning as the Baltimore Orioles touched him up for two runs and nine hits after 4 1/3 innings at Yankee Stadium.

#2 Stephen there’s a growing field of competitiveness when it comes to the MLB home run derby at the All Star Game in Seattle and the New York Mets Pete Alfonso the former 2 time derby champ will know he’s going up against some big bets next Monday night to the like of the Los Angeles Angels Shohei Ohtani (31) and the Atlanta Braves Matt Olson (28).

#3 The Atlanta Braves will have a huge contingent representing them at the All Star game their entire infield has been invited to come to the All Star game, starting with All Star representative outfielder Ronald Acuna, infielders Ozzie Albies, Matt Olson, Austin Riley, Orlando Arcia, and catcher Sean Murphy. The Braves are loaded during the regular season but they will also be loaded at the All Star game.

#4 It’s the Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw’s misfortune to have to be placed on the 15 day IL due to a shoulder injury and will miss the All Star game. Kershaw experienced shoulder soreness during his previous start on Jun 27th against the Colorado Rockies.

#5 Former San Francisco Giants pitcher Carlos Rodon will finally make his 2023 debut with the New York Yankees. Rodon who had been out with various injuries is ready to make his first start of the season against the Chicago Cubs on Friday at Yankee Stadium. Rodon signed with the Yankees for six years at $162 million.

Stpehen Ruderman does the MLB podcasts each Tuesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Oakland A’s podcast with Daniel Dullum: Nevada voters could vote down public funding for new A’s Vegas ballpark; If MLB owners vote yes Vegas voters could vote no

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This rendering seen here shows home plate facing Las Vegas Boulevard on the strip but reportedly the plate faces Las Vegas Airport and faces the landing and departing runways. The lighting and location of the park might be issue with the FAA. Daniel talks about Nevada voters and public financing of the ballpark in today’s podcast (renderings from the Oakland Athletics)

On the Oakland A’s podcast with Daniel Dullum:

#1 Daniel, in Las Vegas a drive called “Schools over Stadiums” with the Nevada State Education Association as they have filed for a PAC (political action committee). NSEA is committed to stopping the spending of public funds for spending billions for a new ballpark.

#2 An NSEA spokesperson Dawn Etcheverry said that they are using every possible avenue to stop the use of public funds and to pay for a billionaires new ballpark. This is a move by NSEA to give Nevadans “the opportunity to vote to stop this misguided project” said the spokesperson.

#3 Daniel, how effective and helpful is it for those opposed to the A’s moving to Las Vegas to have a vote to stop the Tropicana Park from being built in Vegas and how crucial is it for voters to get this measure on the ballot when considering school funding versus ballpark funding?

#4 To get a ballot measure in favor of SB1 the measure to fund the ballpark 140,777 signatures are needed and 35,195 valid signatures are needed from the four petition districts. A poll during the special session on would Nevadans support a new ballpark via public funding 87% of voters opposed the measure. Can this election sink a new publicly funded Las Vegas ballpark for the A’s?

#5 Also it was mentioned in the Nevada Independent report that Nevadans would prefer to have an expansion team rather than have the A’s who are coming in with hat in hand asking for public money. An expansion team would have an owner paying with private money to build a new stadium without using public funds.

Join Daniel Dullum for the Oakland A’s podcasts each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Oakland A’s podcast with Jeremiah Salmonson: A review of A’s last homestand; A’s open series in Detroit tonight

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Connor Capel of the Oakland A’s (21) strikes out in the bottom of the sixth against the New York Yankees at the Oakland Coliseum on Thu Jun 30, 2023 (AP News photo)

On the A’s podcast with Jeremiah:

#1 Well, the Yankees found their offense again on Thursday as they erupted in the sixth inning to score eight times to break open the game and coast to an easy 10-4 win over the hapless A’s.

#2 A’s starter, lefty Hogan Harris, was pitching relatively well heading into the sixth. Harris had held the Yankees to just two runs in his first five innings.

#3 The A’s scored one in the first, two in the third, and led 3-2 heading into the fateful sixth inning. The Yankees sent 13 men to the plate in the sixth, scoring eight times.

#4The A’s have lost 12 of the last 14 games played. Their record is now a dismal 21-62. The Yankees improved to 45-36.

#5 The Chicago White Sox (36-47) and A’s open up a three game series starting tonight at the Oakland Coliseum. The Sox have not announced a starter as of yet and the A’s will go with Luis Medina (1-7 ERA 6.84) a 6:40pm first pitch.

Mariners 4 run ninth edges out Giants 6-5 at Oracle Park on Fireworks night

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San Francisco Giants Blake Sabol circles the bases after clouting a bottom of the fourth inning home run at Oracle Park in San Francisco against the Seattle Mariners on Mon Jul 3, 2023 (AP News photo)

Seattle (41-42). 001 001 046. – 6 10. 0

San Francisco (46-39). 002 000 003 – 5. 7. 0

Time: 2:34

Attendance: 40,691

Monday, July 3, 2023

By Lewis Rubman

SAN FRANCISCO–Here we go again. Just as the Giants were about to move into serious contention, they found themselves––beaten up, on a losing streak, playing a game in New York one night and another in San Francisco the next, suffering from injuries, the aging process, and the learning curve of youth–back home, trying to re-establish their credibility as a possible post season contender.

On the positive side, the orange and black reinstated Mike Yastrzemski from the injured list and inserted him in the fifth slot of the batting order, playing his best position, right field.

That was, roughly speaking, the situation of the third place Giants, 3-1/2 games behind the Arizona Diamondbacks for the NL West lead, and at the start of the opening battle of a three game series against the Seattle Mariners.

The M’s are not an overwhelmingly good team, but they’re no pushover either. Especially in a series that features a day game after a night game smack dab in the middle of it. And don’t let the clichés about the virtues of home cooking fool you; coming home after midnight and having your kids up and about at dawn is not the recipe for a good night’s sleep.

Maybe that explains the Giants’ disintegration in the top of the ninth that lead to a heart wrenching 6-5 loss. The home team almost mounted a storybook comeback in the last half inning, but it was not to be.

The home team sent its ace, Logan Webb (7-7, 3.43 at game time) to the mound. He threw a horrendous first frame in his last outing, which came on June 28, allowing five Blue Jays to score. He recovered to throw four scoreless innings and get the win.

He threw 6-2/3 strong innings tonight, allowing two runs, both earned and striking out 11 Mariners. He surrendered seven hits and two bases on balls plus a wild pitch. His pitch count was an even 100, with 68 of them counting as strikes. Webb wasn’t involved in the decision, but his ERA dropped to 3.38.

Oakland native Bryan Woo, a right handed rookie with a 1-1, 4.37 slate started for Seattle. It was his sixth major league start. He went five frames in his previous one, allowing two runs, both earned , on six hits and. a walk while striking out seven Nationals on June 27.

He allowed two runs, earned, again tonight, but this time he went six innings before leaving the game He allowed three hits, one of which left the park, and walked two, striking out seven. Like Webb, he got a no decision but lowered his ERA, which now stands at 4:08.

A swinging bunt single by Teoscar Hernández in the top of the fourth, followed, an out later, by a Texas League single by Eugenio Suárez set up the Mariners’ – and the game’s – first run, which came on a passed ball by Blake Sabol with Mike Ford at the plate and the wild pitch Webb unleashed with Dylan Moore at the plate.

Sabol atoned for his passed ball by driving a 497 foot home run over the fence and into the patio in center field with Mike Conforto on base and two down in the bottom half of the inning. It was his fifth round tripper of the year, and it put the Giants up, 2-1. It was a preview of the fireworks scheduled to follow the game.

After Webb had struck out the side in the sixth and notched his fourth consecutive K in the seventh for a total of 11, he surrendered back to back singles to Kolten Wong and JP Crawford. Julio Rodríguez sent a grounder to Schmitt at short, and it looked as if Webb might have escaped damage, but Crawford beat Brett Wisely’s relay to first, and the game was tied at two.

That ended the evening for Webb, replaced by Taylor Rogers, the left handed brother, who got Kelenic to pop out to short and end the inning. The right handed Rogers, Tyler, retired the side in the eighth.

Woo also was through for the evening; Ty Adcock came out in the bottom of the seventh to put the Giants down in order.

Andrés Muñoz retired a pinch hitting Brandon Crawford, who led off the bottom of the eighth, and went on to set San Francisco down, 1-2-3

That brought us to the top of the ninth and Camilo Doval to the mound in a game still tied at two all. Ford led off with a single to right. José Caballero ran for him, and Ty France pinch hit for Moore. Caballero stole second. France was hit by a pitch.

San Francisco challenged the call. San Francisco lost the appeal. Wong hit a soft grounder to first that Wade threw to Davis at third. Too late. JP Crawford’s sac fly to to right brought Caballero in with the tie breaking run, and France moved on to third. Rodríguez doubled to left, bringing in France and Wong.

He also stole third. Doval fanned Kelenic. Rodríguez scored on a single by Hernández, who went to second on a wild pitch. Raleigh finally flew out to the warning track in right. In all, four runs scored in the inning.

Paul Sewald got the nod in the bottom of the ninth for Seattle. Davis doubled down the line to left. Conforto flew out to right. Yastrzemski singled to right, just over the glove of Wong, leaping at second. Davis stopped at third.

Matos couldn’t check his swing in time to keep from fanning for the second out. Sewald got ahead of Sabol, 0-2, who worked the count to 3-2 before blasting a home run over the fence in center field, his second of the night.

The Giants still were behind, 6-5, with two outs, but anything seemed possible now. Wisely’s grounder to short slipped into left for a single. Brandon Crawford now was at the plate. He went down swinging.

Muñoz got the win, making him 2-1, 2.57. Camilo Doval, June’s Reliever of the Month, took the loss. His record now stands at 2-3, 2.77.

The weary Mariners and the even wearier Giants will play at 1:35 tomorrow afternoon in a July 4 celebration of endurance. The Giants haven’t announced their starter, which means he probably will be an opener. Logan Gilbert (5-5, 4.19) will pitch for the team from the Puget Sound.

Oakland A’s Preview: A’s six-game road trip starting in Detroit on July 4th

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Oakland A’s rookie Brent Rooker is the lone selected A’s player representative at the 2023 All Star Game in Seattle. Rooker is seen here taking his hacks against the Kansas City Royals on Fri May 5, 2023 (AP News file photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Oakland A’s are heading to Detroit to start a six-game road trip and open a series on Tuesday night against the Detroit Tigers (37-49) at Comerica Park in Detroit. The A’s finished their last homestand against the New York Yankees and Chicago White Sox with three wins and three losses. The most intriguing game during the homestand was the Yankees’ Domingo German’s perfect game last Wednesday night.

The A’s will play three against the Tigers starting Tuesday night. They finish the road trip with three against the Boston Red Sox in historic Fenway Park. The A’s will then be off until July 14th due to the annual All-Star game that will be held in Seattle this year. Brent Rooker will be the sole Oakland Athletic named to the AL All-Star team.

Let’s take a look at this year’s Tiger team. The Tigers last had success several years ago. Their last World Series appearance was in 2012, and that team was swept four straight by the San Francisco Giants. The Tigers and A’s, two iconic franchises, have been playing against each other since 1901. Like the A’s, the Tigers are not stockpiled with well-known names.

Their best player, Miguel Cabrera, is in his final season. In his 20th season, Cabrera broke into baseball with the then-Florida Marlins in 2003. Cabrera was instrumental in the Marlins’ stunning upset of the New York Yankees in the World Series.

The Marlins traded Cabrera to the Tigers a few years later, and Cabrera has posted numbers that will take him to baseball’s Hall of Fame. Cabrera is a lifetime .307 hitter. He has recorded 3,127 hits, 508 home runs, and 1,859 RBIs. He owns a lifetime .904 OPS(on-base plus slugging percentage.) Cabrera has yet to play much this year. If he does play, he will be the DH.

The Tigers infielder will feature Spencer Torkelson at first base, Zach McKinstry at Second, the veteran Javier Baez at shortstop, and Andy Ibanez at third base. Baez starred with the Chicago Cubs for seven years and won a World Series ring with the Cubs in 2016 when the Cubs ended a 108-year drought.

The outfield will have Akil Baddoo in left, Jake Marisnick, a former Oakland Athletic, in center, and Matt Vierling in right. Backups are Tyler Nevin and Kerry Carpenter. Carpenter will also be seen as the Tigers’ DH.

The A’s will have JP Sears on the hill Tuesday night. Sears will be looking for his second win of the year. The Tigers will counter with lefty Tark Skubal. Skubal has no record, and it will be his first appearance this season.

The A’s have not announced their starters for the Wednesday and Thursday games. The Tigers will have another lefty, Eduardo Rodriguez (4-4, 2.13 ERA), handling the pitching chores. Michael Lorenzon will start for the Tigers on Thursday.

The Tigers’ are four games behind the AL Central leaders, the Minnesota Twins. The Twins are in first place with a record of 42-43. There is no team in the Central Division with a winning record. The A’s are now 23-63 for the year. The A’s do not want to set the record for most losses in a season. Oakland has some bright spots in their lineup.

Brent Rooker leads the team with 14 home runs. Rooker will represent Oakland a week from Tuesday at the All-Star game. Another bright spot has been the play of Esteury Ruiz. Ruiz is leading all of baseball with 41 steals. He had played well defensively in center field. He is hitting about. 260 has been able to hit in the clutch with men in scoring position. Ryan Noda has shown potential at first base. Noda has a great eye at the plate. He has walked 57 times and has an OPS of .374.

The Tigers’ pitching staff is better than the A’s on paper. The Tigers’ run differential is minus 76. That means the Tigers’ pitching has allowed 74 more runs than the runs provided by the Tigers’ offense. The A’s run differential is a staggering -237.

The A’s rotation has been a disaster for most of the season. The A’s Paul Blackburn returned to action after a stint on the IL. Blackburn, an All-Star in 2022, pitched well for his first three or four starts. The White Sox sent him to an early shower on Sunday as they beat the A’s 8-7.

Blackburn lost his first game this year. The A’s bullpen has also been an arson squad. The A’s have been shuttling pitchers back and forth from their minor league team in Las Vegas.

After the three games with the Tigers, the A’s face the Red Sox in Boston. A’s manager Mark Kotsay would love to win both series. Players and fans alike know that anything can happen in a short series. No one would have ever expected Domingo German to throw a perfect game. The A’s could win all six games. They could lose all six. Baseball is so unpredictable. That’s why people love the game.

Jerry Feitelberg is an Oakland A’s beat writer for http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Cuban Players in the All Star Game-No Embargo or Blockade here

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Tampa Bay Rays Yandy Diaz has been selected to the 2023 American League All Star Team in Seattle (Tampa Bay Times photo file)

Cuban Players in the All Star Game — No Embargo or Blockade here-

That’s Amaury News and Commenatary

By Amaury Pi-González

In 1960 de US government placed an embargo on Cuba’s communist regime after the government nationalized US-owned companies and offered zero compensation. Later Fidel Castro’s government also nationalized Cuban citizens-owned businesses.

Castro declared himself and his government a Marxist-Leninist. The great exodus of Cubans began around that time. Cuba is the leader in baseball in Latin America even before Castro (crazy about baseball) was even born.

Because he eradicated all professional sports in the island, including baseball, he did not make baseball more popular as the government sponsored all sports, as the Soviet Union was doing, but most of the Cuban players that were playing then in the Major Leagues and also in Cuba, like Luis Tiant, Octavio (Cookie) Rojas, Camilo Pascual, Pedro Ramos, and Tony Taylor.

Mike Fornieles and many others who love the game of baseball left in the next few years. Castro forgot that these Cuban players although they loved the game they also loved the freedom to play in the Major League. That freedom was denied by the Cuban dictatorship.

Esteban Bellán, born in La Habana, Cuba, was the first Latin American baseball player to play in a North American professional league when it was formed in 1871 with the Troy Haymakers. Today, 63 years after the US-Cuban embargo, which also affected Cuban players because the Cuban government prohibited them from traveling outside and playing in the US, a total of at least five Cuban players have been selected for this 2023 MLB All-Star Game on July 11 at Seattle’s T-Mobile Park.

These are those Cuban players, Yandy Díaz (Tampa Bay), Yordan Alvarez (Houston Astros) who should be back from the injured list, Randy Arozarena (Tampa Bay), Adolis García (Miami Marlins), Lourdes Gourriel (Arizona Diamondbacks, Luis Robert Jr. (Chicago White Sox). Others like, Yonnier Cano (Baltimore Orioles) could be in Seattle as well the possibility of Jorge Soler of the Miami Marlins.

In 1968 a total of six Cuban players went to the All Star Game at the Astrodome in Houston, Texas. In 2014 at Target Field, Minneapolis, Minnesota four Cubans were selected. Today there are over 20 Cuban-born players in the major leagues.

They have suffered along with the Cuban people the lack of freedom in their country of birth. The great majority had to escape the island in very dangerous circumstances. Some when playing outside of Cuba, defected and asked for political exile, like Oakland A’s Aledmys Díaz.

Many had no choice but to leave their families behind as they chose their dream, like the majority of baseball players all over the world, to play in the Major Leagues. All-Star Game: This July 11th at T-Mobile Park in Seattle. A’s outfielder-DH Brent Rooker was selected to represent the Oakland A’s.

Rooker had an excellent first half of the season, however anybody that follows the A’s, for this whole first half knows that rookie Esteury Ruíz has been the most productive and exciting player for Mark Kotsay’s team. Brent Rooker has played in72 games, average of .243 with a team leading 14 Home runs and 41 runs batted-in.

Esteury Ruíz is the A’s everyday center fielder and makes all the plays, and then some, he has played 83 games with 33 RBI, top in doubles for the team with 19 and has stolen 42 bases which is #1 in the major leagues.

Rooker has played for Minnesota and Kansas City prior to arriving with the A’s, he is not a rookie. Ruíz playing, in his very first season in the major, he is a rookie and could be a serious candidate for Rookie of The Year.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the lead play by play voice for Oakland A’s baseball on the A’s Spanish radio network 1010 KIQI San Francisco and 990 KATD Pittsburg and does News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Alonso two run homer puts Mets over the top defeat Giants 8-4

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San Francisco Giants Thario Estrada takes a swing at a New York Mets pitch in the top of the seventh inning at Citi Park in New York on Sun Jul 2, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Jessica Kwong

NEW YORK. — The San Francisco Giants fell 8-4 to the struggling New York Mets and allowed them to win their first series in a month at Citi Field on Sunday night.

San Francisco won game 1, but fell in the last two of the three-game series as they continue what has arguably been their toughest travel schedule this season.

The Giants got the first run, in the third inning when Thairo Estrada grounded into a forced out and Bryce Johnson scored.

New York had the bases loaded and Pete Alonso walked and Francisco Alvarez scored, tying the game at 1-1. Then Jeff McNeil singled on a ground ball to second base and Brandon Nimmo and Tommy Pham scored due to a fielding error by shortstop Brandon Crawford, boosting the Mets up 3-1.

In the fourth inning, Mark Canha hit a home run to left center field and put the Mets up 4-1. Pham hit a fly ball to second base and Minno scored, making it 5-1 Mets.

After game 2, Giants manager Gabe Kapler said that the team recently has not been able to score runs early on, while putting together “pretty good at-bats later in the game”. That continued to be the case on Sunday.

In the seventh inning, Blake Sabol hit a homer to center field and Joc Pederson scored, cutting the Mets’ lead to 5-3. It was Sabol’s third at-bat against right-handed pitcher Jeff Brigham this year, and he got his revenge after being struck out twice.

“Was able to hold up on the sweeper down and in and I think he was thinking the same thing like, I think I can get him again up and away and was able to get the barrell there,” said Sabol. “So definitely a confidence boost and at that point it was a big one for the team, kind of got things going you know, we’re right there, one more swing away from taking the lead.”

Then J.D. Davis hit a line drive to right field and Estrada scored, making it 5-4. But the Mets fought back. Starling Marte hit a fly ball to left field and Alonso scored, lifting New York up 6-4.

Alonso hit a homer in the eighth inning and Pham scored, expanding the Mets’ lead to 8-4.

Giants right-handed pitcher Ross Stripling allowed no runs in two innings pitched in his first start since May 17. Alex Wood followed him and allowed five runs, four of them earned, in 1 2/3 innings pitched.

“I just had a hard time getting the grip,” said Stripling, explaining that his hand felt “sticky with the humidity”. He said not being able to strike his speed “was the main culprit here”.

The Giants arrived in New York early morning Friday after a three-game series in Toronto and fly back home Sunday night and go straight into a three-game series against the Seattle Mariners.

Asked if the travel schedule may be a factor in the team’s performance, Kapler said, “I think it’s a good opportunity for us to show some toughness here, right?”

“Certainly the travel has not been easy and thinking this leg of travel is going to be equally challenging and just like, a really good opportunity for us to step up and be tough through it and then be together through it,” Kapler said.

“We gotta go get rest on the plane as much as we possibly can and these guys got to rest up and get back to the ballpark.”

The Giants (46-38) return home to host the Seattle Mariners (40-42) for a three-game series starting on Monday. First pitch is at 6:45 p.m. PT.

A’s can’t come back or sweep Chisox at Coliseum in 8-7 loss

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The Chicago White Sox Zach Remillard slides into third base under the glove of Oakland A’s third baseman Jace Pederson in the top of the sixth inning at the Oakland Coliseum on Sun Jul 2, 2023 (AP News photo)

Chicago (37-49). 005 002 100. – 8. 12. 0

Oakland (23-63). 002 010 022. – 7. 10 2

Time: 2:56

Attendance: 12,107

Sunday, July 2, 2023

By Lewis Rubman

OAKLAND–The 2023 Oakland Athletics, in their never ending struggle to attain mediocrity, lost an 8-7 squeaker against the Chicago White Sox this afternoon before a gathering of 12,107 fans whose numbers were augmented by the youngsters whose parents took advantage of the kids get in free Sunday. That tipped the balance of cheering in favor of the for now home team.

The visitors didn’t announce who their starting pitcher would be until well after 11:00 o’clock, when they gave the nod to Touki Toussaint, Arizona’s first round draft pick in 2014. Chicago claimed him off waivers from Cleveland on June 20. He had been 0-1, 4.91 for the Guardians and 0-0, 2.84 for the Chisox for an overall record of 0-1, 3.60.

Touissant lasted 3-2/3 innings on the mound for the Chisox today. The A’s scored two runs, both earned, against him He allowed three hits, walked four batters, hit one with a pitch, of which he threw 8r5, 46 for strikes. He wasn’t involved in the decision and saw his season long ERA rise to 3.95.

Paul Blackburn, the A’s best hurler in 2022 (which is damning him with faint praise, although he really is a good pitcher), was back on the mound, making his seventh start since returning from the IL on May. 29. He picked up his first win in his last start before today, allowing the only run (it was earned) in the A’s 2-1 triumph against the Yankees.

He went 5-1/3 innings then. Today, he threw five innings and gave up an equal number of runs, all of them earned, on six hits, four walks, and a hit batter. He struck out five. His pitch count was 97, 40 of them balls. Blackburn took the loss, and his record now is 1-1, 4.50.

Chicago batted around in the top of the first on a lead off walk to Seby Zavala, who eventually scored Tim Anderson’s sacrifice fly, and a single by Eloy Jiménez, who drove in Andrew Benintendi, who’d singled and gone to second on a passed ball. (Shea Langliers already had made a throwing error).

They picked up another tally when Blackburn hit Gavin Sheets with a pitch with the bases loaded. Zach Remillard followed that with a two RBI single to left before Blackburn finally fanned Zabala to end the onslaught.. He had thrown 69 pitches in three innings, and the A’s were behind, 5-1,

The Athletics got back a couple of runs in their half of the frame, but they ran themselves out scoring more. When Tony Kemp hit a one out single to left, he drove in Conner Capel, who had opened the inning with a walk.

Tyler Wade, who had reached on a bunt single, got thrown out by a mile trying for third. A walk to Noda, Bledays’s getting hit by a pitch, and another walk to Brown brought Kemp across the plate and left the sacks still filled with A’s. But Jace. Peterson grounded out to short, and Oakland still trailed, 5-1.

Capel’s walk and a single by Wade sandwiched between a couple of outs in the A’s fourth to Aaron Bummer being brought in to face, and retire, Kemp to maintain Chicago’s three run margin.

The green and gold resumed their attack in the fifth frame, Noda touched him for a leadoff broken bat single to left and scored on Bleday’s authoritative double to center.

Richard Lovelady, reinstated from the 15 day injured list this morning, relieved Blackburn to start the top of the sixth. He gave up a run on a leadoff double to left by Remillard, who advanced to third on Bleday’s fielding error, and scored on Benintendi’s sac fly to center.

Tim Anderson’s single to center made that run count as earned and heralded Lovelady’s replacement by Rico García. He walked Luis Robert, Jr. before giving up an RBI single to Jímenez that made it, 7-3, Chicago. Both runs were charged to Lovelady.

Jake Burger’s 18th home run of 2023 led off the top of the seventh. That run was charged to García’s account. But he retired the next three White Sox he faced. It now was 8-3 in favor of the pale hose.

Tony Kemp led off the home seventh against Kenyan Middleton. He and the two A’s that followed him returned to the dugout without reaching base. Bryan Shaw retired Brown and Peterson in the home eighth before surrendering a double to Langlliers and a 441 foot round tripper to center field by the A’s courtesy all star, Brent Rooker, his 14th of the year, that closed the gap to 8-5.

That set the scene for Sam Long to try to keep the A’s within striking distance of the Chisox in the ninth, which he did, ending the inning with a pick off-caught stealing of Clint Frazier, who had entered the game as a defensive replacement in the seventh.

Gregory Santos let the A’s get close in the bottom of the ninth. A one out single by Kemp. A two out double by Bleday to make it 8-6. A single to right by Brown. 8-7. And then Peterson flew out to right, and that was it.

Aaron Bummer was the winning pitcher and now has a record of 3-1, 3.65. Santos was credited with hi first save.

The Athletics, at 23-63, .267 still have a better won-post percentage than the 1899 Cleveland Spiders, who finished that year at 20-134, .130 and were 12-49, .197 on July 2. The 1962 New York Mets, who hold the modern record for worst season, wound up at 40-120, .333 and were 21-54, 280 at the end of play on July 2.

The Royals defeated the Dodgers this afternoon, 9-1. KC now is 25-59, 298. At least for the time being, the team that’s been rooted in Oakland since 1968 still owns the worst record in the history of major league baseball.

The Athletics will be on the road from now until the end of the all star break. They’ll play Detroit in the motor city on July 4. JP Sears (1-6, 4.43) will face a pitcher to be decided. The contest is scheduled for 3:40 PDT.

Espinoza’s late equalizer saves Earthquakes in 2-2 draw with Galaxy in California Classico

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San Jose Earthquake and Los Angeles Galaxy players battle during a corner kick during their 2-2 draw at Stanford Stadium on Saturday July 1, 2023. (San Jose Earthquakes)

by Marko Ukalovic and Titus Wilkinson

PALO ALTO, Calif. — If there is one to describe the California Classico, it’s drama.

So was the case in the 97th installment of the Classico as the San Jose Earthquakes battled to a 2-2 draw with the Los Angeles Galaxy on Saturday evening before an announced crowd of 42,823 at Stanford Stadium.

San Jose is winless in its past four matches. Los Angeles is unbeaten in its past five matches including four straight ties.

San Jose (7-7-7-28 points) had a few quality scoring chances in the first 10 minutes of the match but weren’t able to finish any of them past Galaxy goalkeeper Jonathan Bond.

The ‘Quakes controlled possession for most of the first half but it was the Galaxy that struck for the match’s first goal.

Los Angeles (3-9-7-16 points) drew first blood in the 31st minute off a set piece. Douglas Costa’s corner kick was headed into the back corner of the net by an unmarked Raheem Edwards for his first goal of the season.

“We created more danger (than LA did),” said ‘Quakes head coach Luchi Gonzales. “The sloppiness was in the first five to 10 minutes of the second half and they took advantage of that. And we were chasing the game twice.”

The Earthquakes answered in the 42nd minute. Carlos Akapo intercepted a Galaxy clearing attempt inside the box. Akapo centered the ball back into the middle where Jack Skahan one-timed the ball past Bond for his first goal of the season.

The Galaxy regained the lead at the start of the second half. Costa set up Preston Judd in the middle of the box thanks to some lax defense by San Jose. Judd got in behind the defense and beat Quakes’ goalkeeper Daniel with a right footed shot to the left corner of the net for his third goal of the season in the 47th minute.

“That’s a heck of a midfield. It’s probably one of the best midfields in the league. I’m proud of our guys to respond. To not give up, push the game till the end. We would’ve liked to have gotten that third goal. So, I’m proud of my guys in terms of fighting and responding. And showing our fans we don’t give up,” Gonzales said.

It was a sloppy start to the second half for San Jose as they weren’t sharp with their passes that led to counter attacks for Los Angeles.

San Jose scored the equalizer in the 81st minute. Jackson Yueill sent a pass up to Christian Espinoza who shot the ball from just outside the box and it deflected off of the shoulder of Chris Mavinga and past an outstretched Bond for Espinoza’s team leading ninth goal of the season.

“I think it shows that we’re a resilient team,” said ‘Quakes captain Yueill. “We’re a team that doesn’t want to put our heads down. I’m proud of the guys for the effort, the attitude, the response. Overall, we’ll take this (point) and learn from it and get ready for next week.”

The drama happened near the end of the match as a controversial penalty was called in the 89th minute by referee Ramy Touchan when Daniel Aguirre was knocked down inside the box. However, after a VAR review Touchan overturned the call and San Jose escaped a potential disastrous ending.

“I saw it live, I saw it up on the large screen in the stadium and then on the replay after,” said Galaxy head coach Greg Vanney. “Once you make the call, there’s an extraordinary threshold that it takes to change that call back once you made that call. The reality is a player with his first leg fouls the player and his knee catches a little bit of the ball after he fouls the player. I just don’t understand it.”

Gonzalez substituted “energy guys” late in the second half with Benji Kikanovic and Ousseni Bouda. They subs brought fresh legs in a final attempt to get the game winning goal in stoppage to no avail.

Bond finished with two saves on four shots on target. Daniel made four saves on six shots in earning the draw along with Bond.

GAME NOTES: San Jose finished with seven corner kicks. Los Angeles had five.

Los Angeles leads the all-time series against San Jose 42-33-18. San Jose is 5-2-3 against Los Angeles at Stanford Stadium.

Tonight’s attendance marked the 8th most attended match this season in MLS. San Jose has played in two of the top 10 most attended matches in the league. The other was when they visited Atlanta and played in front of a crowd of 67,538.

UP NEXT: San Jose visits LAFC on Saturday 7/8 at 7:30pm at BMO Stadium.

Oakland A’s podcast with Jeremiah Salmonson: Medina gets win and run support against White Sox at Coliseum

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Aledmys Diaz (12) the Oakland A’s shortstop throws to first base after forcing the Chicago White Sox Zach Remillard (left) at second base at the Oakland Coliseum on Fri Jun 30, 2023 (AP News photo)

On the A’s podcast with Jeremiah:

#1 Even though the Sox got a run on A’s starter Luis Medina in the first inning, the rest of his outing was a shutout where even when Chicago would load the bases, Medina would escape the inning and still have the calmness and confidence to keep going.

#2 On the other side of the coin for the A’s, five innings resulted in five runs. In the second inning Oakland put up four of those five runs.

#3 Jace Peterson hit a sac fly to left field and Aledmys Diaz scored off that to take the lead, 2-1. A Tony Kemp triple would then score Langeliers, 3-1 and then finally Esteury Ruiz hit a sac fly that scored Kemp, 4-1.

#4 It was a bullpen game for the A’s from the sixth inning to the end and they held the White Sox off, but Chicago tried to make it interesting with three runs, including a solo home run by Luis Robert Jr.

#5 Saturday afternoon the White Sox will start Dylan Cease (3-3 ERA 4.04) the A’s have yet to determine a starter. A 1:07pm PT first pitch at the Oakland Coliseum.

Join Jeremiah for the A’s podcasts each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

https://soundcloud.com/sports-radio-service/oakland-as-podcast-with-jeremiah-salmonson-fri-jun-30-2023