Month: May 2024

San Francisco Giants podcast with Stephen Ruderman: Giants open three game series in Colorado tonight

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On the SF Giants podcast with Stephen:

#1 Stephen, The San Francisco Giants were swept in four games at Citizens Bank in Philadelphia by the Philadelphia Phillies Monday and it wasn’t close in a a five run 6-1 loss for San Francisco.

#2 The Phillies got some offense as superstar slugger Bryce Harper took Giants pitching deep with a three run home run off Giants rookie pitcher Mason Black in the bottom of the fifth inning to extend Harper’s hit streak to 19.

#3 The Phillies got some pitching as well from Zack Wheeler who sat down 11 Giant hitters on strike outs in seven innings of work. When your dealing like that and keeping guys off balance it’s difficult to get some kind of rhythm going and for the Giants line up Wheeler was just a mystery.

#4 For Black he made his big league appearance in front of family and friends who come from the Philadelphia area was able to get a 1-2-3 inning against the Phils in the first inning which included striking out Harper on a 88 MPH change up but that all changed later when the Phillies touched up Black for eight hits and five runs in 4.1 innings of work.

#5 The Giants continue their road trip and head to the Rocky Mountains to battle the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday night at Coors Field in Denver for the first of a three game series. Starting pitcher for the Giants LHP Kyle Harrison (2-1, ERA 3.79) and for the Rockies RHP Dakota Hudson (0-5, ERA 5.93) first pitch 5:40pm PDT.

Stephen Ruderman is a staff beat writer for http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Rangers Seagar 8th inning three run bomb passes up A’s in 4-2 win at Coliseum

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The Texas Rangers Corey Seagar watches the flight of his three run homer against the Oakland A’s in the top of the eighth inning at the Oakland Coliseum on Mon May 6, 2024 (AP News photo)

Texas (20-16). 000 000 031. 4. 5. 2

Athletics (17-19). 010 010 000. 2. 7. 1

Time: 2:26

Attendance: 2,895

Monday, May 6, 2024

By Lewis Rubman

OAKLAND–The Athletics hoped to rebound from the drubbing they received at the fins of the Miami Marlins on Sunday afternoon, and they came within a few hare’s breaths of pulling it off, but they fell short, succumbing 4-2 in a game that featured strong pitching and crucial error by both squads.

11 year veteran Alex Wood didn’t bring impressive credentials to his eighth start of the season. His ERA of 6.32 was the fifth highest of big league hurlers who’d thrown 30 frames or more, and it was accompanied by a won and lost balance of 1-2.

This was consonant with his performance for the Giants last year, when he went 5-5. 4.33 with an opponents’ batting average. But he was sharp tonight, throwing six innings of two hit, shutout baseball. He allowed only one free pass. His pitch count was an economical 78, and only 24 were balls. He had to settle for a no decision but improved his earned run average, 5.30. Austin Adams took over mound duties for the seventh and put the Rangers down, 1,2,3.

The Rangers also went with a veteran lefty. Andrew Heany broke into the show with the Marlins in 2014 and has pitched for them, both Los Angeles teams, the Yankees, and the Rangers, for whom he went 10-4, 4.15 last year. He pitched almost as well as Wood, also going six frames, but allowing seven hits and two runs, one of them earned, striking out five, and also getting a no decision. He threw 97 pitches 71 for strikes, leaving with an ERA of 4.50.

The Athletics were the first to score. JD Davis led off the bottom of the second with a single to left and moved up a notch on Abraham Toro’s single to right. Shea Langeliers’ fly to right was deep enough for Davis to advance another 90 feet. Toro scored on Darell Hernaiz’s sacrifice fly to left, and Hernaiz took second on left fielder Ezequiel Durán’s errant throw home but was stranded when JJ Bleday’s pop up to first closed the door on the green and gold.

Durán played a pivotal role in the Athletics’ doubling their lead in the bottom of the fifth. With one out, JJ Bleday lifted a fly to left that Durán dropped. Bleday stopped at first, although if he had been running at full speed he probably could have reached second. He made to third on Brett Harris’s single to right center and came home on Esteury Ruíz’s sac fly to the center field warning track.

Bleday didn’t stop at first when he led off the “home” seventh with a line drive that bounced off the center field wall, just missing Leody Taveras’s glove, for a leadoff double that drove Heaney from the mound, replaced by José Leclerc. Both teams now had replaced their left handed starter with a right handed reliever. Leclerc was the agent of The Curse of the Leadoff Double, and the score remained 2-0, A’s, after seven.

Kotsay and Company called on Lucas Erceg to be the A’s setup man in the eighth. He walked a pinch hitting Josh Smith and fanned the pinch hitting Travis Jankowski but allowed a single to right by Taveras. There was a moment of calm after Marcus Semien lined out to second, but Corey Seager smacked a 92 mph changeup way deep, 422 feet deep, into the center field stands, over the Xfinity sign. The Athletics’ 2-0 lead had turned into a 3-2 deficit. The Rangers fans, who seemed to comprise a large portion of the 2,895 people in the stands, cheered loudly.

David Robertson set the A’s down in order in the bottom half of the frame.

Dany Jiménez pitched the top of the ninth and couldn’t contain the Texans, although it wasn’t entirely his fault. He issued a one out walk to Evan Carter, who batted for Carter two innings earlier. Josh Smith’s single to right put runners on first and second, bringing up Jankowski.

He hit a bouncer to Nevin, who had moved from right to first base. It might have become a rally killing double play, but we’ll never know Nevin couldn’t handle the ball, and Carter ran all the way home with the Rangers’ fourth tally while Smith made it to third. Jiménez walked Taveras to load the bases but wiggled out of trouble by retiring Semien and Seager.

There was a glimmer of hope when Bleday worked a one out walk against Ranger closer Kirby Yates, but Nathaniel Lowe nabbed Harris’s hard line drive to first and stepped on the bag to double off Bleday and put an end to the incipient rally.

Leclerc got the win for his 19 pitch effort and now is 3-2, 5.14. Yates earned his sixth save. Erceg was tagged with the loss and now has a record of 1-2, 3.60. It was his second blown save of the season.

These two well matched teams will meet each other again Tuesday, afternoon at 12:37, with Ross Stripling (1-5,4.24) facing a pitcher to be named later. The series will be wrapped up on Wednesday in a double header, with the first game also scheduled for a 12:37 start and 4:07pm for the night cap.

Oakland A’s podcast with Barbara Mason: A’s open four game series with Rangers tonight

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Oakland A’s pitcher Alex Wood deals against the Texas Rangers to open the four game series at the Oakland Coliseum on Mon May 6, 2024 (AP file photo)

On the Oakland A’s podcast with Barbara:

#1 The Miami Marlins Nick Gordon contributed big to the Marlins offense with four hits which one of them was a home run that helped the Marlins broadside the Oakland A’s at the Oakland Coliseum on Sunday afternoon.

#2 The A’s had a six game winning streak going into Sunday’s game but A’s starter Joe Boyle gave up four runs in the first inning. Boyle didn’t even get out of the first pitching one inning giving the hit that was the home run and a total of four runs. He was relieved by Mitch Spence.

#3 Josh Bell hit for two RBI singles and Marlins teammate and former Oakland A Jonah Bride had an two RBI single. The Marlins picked up their third win in 12 games.

#4 The A’s Brent Rooker who hit two home runs in the bottom of the third inning on Saturday got two hits on Sunday and is hitting .240.

#5 The A’s drew 12,212 on Sunday their largest crowd since opening day when they hosted the Cleveland Guardians.

#6 The first place Texas Rangers come calling at the Oakland Coliseum for a four game series starting Monday night. The Rangers starting left hander pitcher Andrew Heaney (0-5 ERA 5.10) against LHP Alex Wood (1-2 ERA 6.32) first pitch at 6:40pm PDT.

Join Barbara Mason for the Oakland A’s podcasts Mondays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Bryce Harper and Phillies Handle San Francisco 6-1; Giants swept in four games in Philadelphia

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Philadelphia Phillies second baseman Whit Merrifield (9) throws to first base for a double play after retiring San Francisco Giants runner LaMonte Wade Jr (31) in the top of the first inning at Citizens Bank Ballpark in Philadelphia (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

The Philadelphia Phillies (25-11) took another one from the San Francisco Giants (15-21) Monday afternoon 6-1. The Phillies handed the Giants four loses sweeping San Francisco this past weekend and took it to San Francisco again adding a fourth win Monday afternoon in as many games in Philadelphia.

The pitching from the Phillies Zack Wheeler really turned the tide in this game. He struck out 11 in seven innings allowing four hits and the one run. San Francisco really struggled at the plate against Wheeler. This was the sixth straight win for Philadelphia, winning 17 of their last 20 games. These guys are rolling. The Giants came away with only five hits in this game. Mason Black had a rough one on the mound for San Francisco going 4.1 innings allowing eight hits and five runs with four strikeouts.

Again it was Bryce Harper who spear-headed the assault with a homer and two hits. Kyle Schwarber added another home run in the eighth inning, a solo shot to complete the sweep.

Neither team was able to score through the first three innings but in the fourth Philadelphia got rolling scoring once in the fourth and adding four runs in the fifth taking a 5-1 lead. Whit Merrifield singled Nick Castellano home and a Bryce Harper 3-run home run in the fifth gave the Phillies a nice lead going into the sixth inning. A fifth run came in the fifth inning when Castellano doubled bringing Brandon Marsh home.

The single run in the game from the Giants came in the sixth inning off a Wilmer Flores sacrifice fly allowing Thairo Estrada to cross home plate but that would be all for San Francisco. Another home run off the bat of Kyle Schwarber in the eighth inning gave the Phillies the 6-1 final and the sweep.

Post game notes: Monday afternoon the Giants met the Phillies in game four of their series and couldn’t avoid a sweep. The Phillies hammered them in game two 14-3 but games 1 and 3 were one run affairs and the Giants lost in a five run decision 6-1 in this fourth and final game of this wrap around series at Citizens Bank. The Giants are now six games below .500.

The Giants will remain on the road for their next series taking on the Colorado Rockies for a three game series before heading home to take on the Reds next weekend. The Rockies are struggling with an 8-26 record taking up residence in the basement of the National League West.

The Giants are holding down fourth place in the same division eight games out of first place. The Rockies are 14 games out of the top spot and are tied for the worst record in baseball with the White Sox.

San Francisco will be looking to hand them another loss Tuesday with first pitch scheduled for 5:40 PM. Probable assignment on the mound for the Giants will be Kyle Harrison 2-1 with a 3.70 ERA and for the Rockies Dakota Hudson 0-5 with 5.93 ERA.

San Francisco Giants podcast with Marko Ukalovic: Phils Harper on tear homers and extends hit streak to 19; Wheeler K’s 11; Giants swept in 4 games Philadelphia

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San Francisco Giants pitcher Mason Black pitched in his Major League debut against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Ballpark in Philadelphia on Mon May 6, 2024 (AP News photo)

On the SF Giants podcast with Marko:

#1 Marko, The San Francisco Giants were swept in four games at Citizens Bank in Philadelphia by the Philadelphia Phillies Monday and it wasn’t close in a a five run 6-1 loss for San Francisco.

#2 The Phillies got some offense as superstar slugger Bryce Harper took Giants pitching deep with a three run home run off Giants rookie pitcher Mason Black in the bottom of the fifth inning to extend Harper’s hit streak to 19.

#3 The Phillies got some pitching as well from Zack Wheeler who sat down 11 Giant hitters on strike outs in seven innings of work. When your dealing like that and keeping guys off balance it’s difficult to get some kind of rhythm going and for the Giants line up Wheeler was just a mystery.

#4 For Black he made his big league appearance in front of family and friends who come from the Philadelphia area was able to get a 1-2-3 inning against the Phils in the first inning which included striking out Harper on a 88 MPH change up but that all changed later when the Phillies touched up Black for eight hits and five run in 4.1 innings of work.

#5 The Giants continue their road trip and head to the Rocky Mountains to battle the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday night at Coors Field in Denver for the first of a three game series. Starting pitcher for the Giants LHP Kyle Harrison (2-1, ERA 3.79) and for the Rockies RHP Dakota Hudson (0-5, ERA 5.93) first pitch 5:40pm PDT.

Join Marko for the Giants podcasts each Monday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Harper belts 3 run homer extends hit streak to 18 games as Phils edge Giants 5-4 at Citizens Bank

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Philadelphia Phillies slugger Bryce Harper acknowledges the Citizens Bank crowd in Philadelphia after hitting a third inning home run off San Francisco Giants pitcher Logan Webb that landed in the Phillies bullpen on Sun May 5, 2024 (AP News photo)

Sunday, May 5, 2024

Citizens Bank Park

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

San Francisco Giants 4 (15-20)

Philadelphia Phillies 5 (24-11)

Win: Taijuan Walker (2-0)

Loss: Logan Webb (3-3)

Save: Jose Alvarado (7)

Time: 2:45

Attendance: 41,058

By Stephen Ruderman

The Phillies beat the Giants for the third-straight night, as they got to Logan Webb for four runs in the bottom of the third inning, and while the Giants got back into it to make it a close game, the Phillies held on to win it by a final of 5-4.

After the Giants wasted a couple of golden opportunities and lost the opener of the series Friday night, the Phillies absolutely annihilated them Saturday night 14-3. Saturday night, the Giants sent their ace, Logan Webb to the mound on ESPN Sunday Night Baseball to try and get their first win of this series.

Following a rocky spring and a so-so start to his season, Webb had a pair of dominant outings on the Giants’ homestand and seemed to finally be in a groove. However, he struggled in his start this past Tuesday night at Fenway Park against the Boston Red Sox, as he gave up four runs and nine hits over just three and two-thirds innings of work.

The Phillies went with Taijun Walker, whom the Giants got to for a run in the top of the first inning. With two outs and LaMonte Wade on first base, Michael Conforto hit an opposite-field double to left field to put the Giants on the board. Webb responded with a 1-2-3 bottom of the first.

The second inning would prove to be the opposite of the first. Walker set the Giants down 1-2-3 in the top of the second, and Logan Webb ran into trouble in the bottom of the second after Alec Bohm reached and advanced to second base on a throwing shortstop Nick Ahmed to start the inning.

Brandon Marsh got Bohm to third on a ground out to second, and Nick Castellanos struck out swinging, as Webb had a chance to get out of the inning unscathed. However, Webb walked Bryson Stott, who ended up stealing second, and Edmundo Sosa reached on a broken-bat single to second, which knocked in Bohm to tie the game.

The Giants went down scoreless in the top of the third, and the Phillies were right back at it in the bottom of the third with the top of the order up. Kyle Schwarber walked; J.T. Realmuto lined a single up the middle and into center field; and Bryce Harper hit a three-run home run that just cleared the wall in right-center to put the Phillies up 4-1.

Webb retired the next two batters, but Nick Castellanos lined a base-hit to left and stole second. That brought up Bryson Stott, who lined a double to left to knock in Castellanos, and that extended the Phillies’ lead to 5-1.

The Giants’ offense, who had been held to three runs or less in nine-straight games coming into tonight, had their work cut out for them, but they continued to flounder, as Walker set them down 1-2-3 in the top of the fourth.

Webb set down the first two men he faced in the bottom of the fourth, but he ran into more trouble after Realmuto reached on an infield hit and Michael Conforto dropped a fly ball in left off the bat of Harper. Webb struck Bohm out swinging, but that would be all for the Giants’ ace.

Other than the four-run bottom of the third inning, Webb was actually fine, as he dealt with a couple bad breaks. He would’ve had a 1-2-3 inning in the second had it not been for the error by Ahmed, he got screwed in the fourth with the bad-luck broken bat single and the dropped fly ball by Conforto.

Walker hit Thairo Estrada to start the fifth, but then retired the side in order. Sean Hjelle came in for Webb and survived a leadoff base-hit by Brandon Marsh.

Both pitchers pitched scoreless innings again in the sixth, but the Giants finally had some action against Walker in the top of the seventh. Mike Yastrzemski reached on an infield hit with one out, and then Thairo Estrada, who was hit by a pitch his last time up, hit a two-run bomb to left to cut the Giants’ deficit to 5-3.

Estrada’s home run ended the night for Taijuan Walker, who was replaced by Gregory Soto. Soto hit Austin Slater and then walked Nick Ahmed to put runners at first and second with one out. The Giants had another golden opportunity, but they once again wasted it, as Jung-hoo lee popped out to second, and Wade grounded to third for a fielder’s choice to end the inning.

Left-hander Taylor Rogers was summoned for the bottom of the seventh and was able to escape a leadoff double by Alec Bohm unharmed.

Jeff Hoffman came in for the Phillies in the eighth, and Michael Conforto tripled with one out on a ball that went off the glove of center-fielder John Rojas. The Giants once again had a golden opportunity, but of course, the Giants once again wasted a golden opportunity, as Matt Chapman and Yastrzemski both struck out swinging to end the inning.

Ryan Walker threw a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the eighth for the Giants, and the Phillies brought in their closer, Jose Alvarado, for the ninth. Catcher Jakson Reetz, whom the Giants called up prior to the game, blasted one out to left with one out to make it 5-4.

Sunday night was the first time since April 23 that the Giants had scored four runs in a game. The Giants were hoping it would spark something, but it didn’t. Nick Ahmed struck out swinging, and Lee flew out to right to end it.

Taijuan Walker got the win; Webb got he Loss; and Alvarado picked up his seventh save. With this loss, the Giants have now dropped five of their last six, and they fall to a new season-high—or shall I say low—five games under .500 at 15-20.

The Giants were able to salvage a game in Boston, and they will hope to do the same Monday. The Giants will send young right-hander Mason Black to the mound to make his major league debut, and he will be opposed by former Giants’ farmhand Zack Wheeler. First pitch will be at 4:05 p.m. in Philadelphia, 1:05 p.m. back home in San Francisco.

News and Notes:

Tom Murphy was indeed placed on the 10-Day Injured List with a left knee sprain after he hurt himself chasing a wild pitch by Mitch White last night.

Jakson Reetz, who was called up to replace Murphy on the roster, and who hit the home run in the ninth had an interesting story.

Reetz was drafted by the Washington Nationals in the third round in 2014, but it took him seven years to reach the majors. He finally made his major league debut for the Nationals on July 10, 2021 against the Giants in San Francisco. He doubled in his first major league at-bat in the ninth inning of that game against John Brebbia, and then flew out to left in the seventh inning the next day.

However, Reetz was sent back down to the minors, and he bounced around in the Brewers’ and Royals’ farm systems before signing a minor league deal with the Giants last season. Reetz finally got the call back up tonight, and going 2-for-3 with a double and a home run in three major league games over three seasons, not too shabby.

Mitch White was designated for assignment, and Daulton Jefferies was called back up.

Bay FC drop fourth straight game to Chicago 2-1 at Pay Pal Park

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Bay FC fell short to the Chicago Red Stars at Pay Pal Park in San Jose on Sun May 5, 2024 (Bay FC X photo)

By William Espy

SAN JOSE–Bay FC finished off their hectic three-game week on Sunday when they hosted the Chicago Red Stars for the first time. Due to the intense workload, the Bay saw a massively different lineup once again with quite a few first-time players coming off the bench or in the case of Asisat Oshoala, out of the lineup altogether due to an injury.

Kayla Sharples was back in the starting eleven to face off against her former club and hometown team. The Bay once again failed to get in the win column losing their fourth straight game 2-1 to the Red Stars at Pay Pal Park in San Jose.

Bay FC Starting XI: Rowland, King, Dydasco, Beattie, Sharples, Shepherd, Conti, Anderson, Boade, Princess, Camberos 

Chicago Starting XI: Naeher, Rall, Staab, Kuikka, Milazzo, Roccaro, Nesbeth, Swanson, Schlegel, Joseph, Hocking

Bay started the game off with an instant attack but were unable to convert despite some early pressure. In the fifth minute, Ally Schlegel of the Red Stars took a bit of a knock inside the box while they led an attack when a slide tackle left her in some clear discomfort however she would remain in the match.

Tess Boade gave Bay the lead in the eighth minute under very strange circumstances. The goalkeeper received a pass from the centerback and attempted to clear it out, but it bounced directly off of Boade’s head and she had her second goal of the season.

Chicago attempted to go the other way and tie it up, however Mallory Swanson was stopped by Katelyn Rowland. Entering the night, Chicago was 0-3-1 on the season when conceding the first goal of the night. According to the broadcast, it had been 28 matches since they’d found a way to win after giving up the first goal. In the 18th minute, Jen Beattie went down and received medical attention.

She left the most recent game on Wednesday with a knock, but she jogged off and remained in the match on this occasion. Princess nearly added to the lead in the 17th minute when a cross from Caprice Dydasco found her inside the box, however the header went just wide-left.

Rowland got caught out of position when a ball over the top found Penelope Hocking and Bay’s goalkeeper was just outside of the box making it so she couldn’t play it with her hands, as a result, an easy shot allowed Hocking to tie it up at one in the 31st minute.

A couple of moments later, Tatumn Milazzo went down in considerable pain following a challenge on Scarlett Camberos. She was holding the back of her leg while down on the pitch as the result of an awkward fall following the collision.

After a short delay, she remained in the game. A few minutes later, Camberos found herself in another physical battle this time with Lelanni Nesbeth. It was a similar situation as the collision with Milazzo, however following two physical plays in a row the official gave Camberos a short talking to.

Swanson tried to get her team in the lead in stoppage time, but her shot went wide. She was likely looking for a pass to Jameese Joseph, but she had wandered offside forcing Swanson to go for the goal. The half would end with a corner kick by Chicago, but it would go directly to Rowland and the whistle would immediately blow.

It was 1-1 heading into the break, in a game that Bay could have been winning at this point. They led possession with 53% and were by far the more aggressive team, but it was even where it mattered most. 

To start the second half, Milazzo was substituted out for Chicago with Taylor Malham coming on in her place. The momentum was in Chicago’s favor to start the second half, as Bay was struggling to get it out of their defensive third for more than a few moments.

A throw-in from Staab in the 54th minute gave Chicago a great opportunity, after a header deflected the ball near the goal, an attacker missed a follow-up chance and it went directly to the goalkeeper. In the 56th minute, Beatty came out of the match with Emily Menges coming in off the bench for the first time this season, having started every prior game.

Swanson got medical attention for her knee in the 58th minute, she was able to walk off under her own power and came back on the field. The first yellow card of the game was given to Hocking in the 61st minute following a challenge on Camberos.

In the 63rd, A giveaway from Princess led to a scoring opportunity and Schlegel ended up capitalizing to give the Red Stars a 2-1 lead. In the 66th, Dorian Bailey, Alyssa Malonson, and Deyna Castellanos came in for Princess, Caroline Conti and Jamie Shepherd.

Moments later, Camberos got run into by Nesbeth and went down in some pain but got back up quickly. In the 77th minute, a collision between Hocking and Sharples inside the box was under view as a potential penalty, however, it was difficult to tell if she was onside and if she had possession of the ball.

The penalty was eventually awarded and Sharples was given a yellow card for the play as well. Rowland made the save on a shot to the right side of the net, keeping Bay FC’s hopes of a point alive. In the 90th minute, Dydasco crossed into the box, but the shot from Castellanos went just wide. After a total of ten minutes of stoppage time, the final whistle was blown with a 2-1 scoreline and Bay FC lost their fourth straight game. 

Marlin’s Gordon slugs homer and gets four hits in 12-3 laugher over A’s at Coliseum; Loss snaps Oakland’s six game win streak

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Miami Marlins Nick Gordon (1) slugs a single against the Oakland A’s in the top of the ninth inning at the Oakland Coliseum on Sun May 5, 2024 (AP News photo)

Sunday, May 5, 2024

Miami (10-26). 410 003 004. 12 14. 2

Athletics (17-18). 002 000 010. 3. 5. 0

Time: 2:52

Attendance: 12,212

By Lewis Rubman

OAKLAND–It had to happen some time. The Athletics’ six game winning streak came to an end this afternoon when the lowly Miami Marlins wiped them out 12-3 on five hits.

Joe Boyle, who. had held the Pirates to one run, earned, and one hit over five innings in his previous start, a 5-1 win in Pittsburgh on April 29, started for the A’s. The 24 year old righty got himself in trouble from the very beginning.

By the time he had thrown 14 pitches, he’d given up three walks and two stolen bases. By the time he reached 27, he’d also given up four runs because Nick Gordon had driven a 95 mph four seamer 408 deep, over the right center field fence for his fourth home run and 13th, 14th, and 15th RBI of the season. The Athletics were four runs down before they went to bat.

That was it for Boyle for the day. He left the game between innings with lower back pain. Mitch Spence was on the mound when the Marlins came up in the second. He lasted 4-2/3 innings and surrendered four runs, all earned but one posthumous, on six hits and a walk. He was charged with the loss and now has a record of 2-5, 7.16. He had come to work at 2-4, 6.08).

Sixto Sánchez made his third start of 2024 for the visitors. In his most recent appearance, he had as bad a first inning as Boyle had today. The 25 year old native of San Cristóbal, Dominican Republic, gave up five runs on six hits to the Rockies.

But, unlike the Athletics’ starter, Sánchez remained in the game for another couple of innings and kept the Rox off the board, allowing only one more hit. He left after four innings this afternoon and allowed two runs, both earned, on three hits and an equal number of walks, striking out two. Sánchez didn’t last long enough to be involved in the decision but did bring his ERA down to 7.50.

For a while, Spence fared better than Boyle. He allowed only one run in the second, on a walk and two singles, one of which, Josh Bell’s, drove in Christian Bethancourt, who had hit the other safety. But a spectacular grab and dash of Jesús Sánchez’s bounder down the first base line by Trevor Nevin saved Spence’s bacon.

The A’ were down 5-0 before the green and gold got back in the game in their half of the fourth. Brent Rooker smacked a clean single to right center. After Seth Brown grounded out to first, Lawrence Butler drew a walk.

He moved up two bases when Darell Herraiz singled to left center putting runners on the corners. Then Kyle McCann sent a bouncing ball to Jonah Bride at first. Bride threw to second for what could have been the start of an inning ending double play, but he overthrew the bag, and, when the dust had cleared, Rooker and Butler had crossed the plate, and we had a 5-2 game on our hands. Burch Smith replaced Sánchez and retired the A’s in order in the fifth.

The fish padded their lead in their half of the sixth on doubles by Nick Gordon, Bride, and Bethancourt, the last of which drove Spence from the box. Michael Kelly relieved him and gave up a single to Jazz Chisholm, Jr., that brought Bethancourt home with the Marlins’ eighth run.

Andrew Nardi preserved their six run lead in the A’s half of the frame , followed by Anthony Bender, who pitched a scoreless seventh. Calvin Faucher hopped on Miami’s merry-go-round in the eighth and allowed their hosts to draw slightly closer on a Rooker double and a single to center by Max Schuemann, who had pinch hit for Seth Brown in the fifth.

TJ McFarland coughed up that run and three more in the Marlins’ last go round in ways too numerous to mention. When the inning mercefully ended, Miami led 12-3, and McFarland’s ERA had ballooned from 3.75 to 6.23.

Burch Smith was awarded the win on a scorer’s decision. He’s now (2-0, 3.12).

The A’s will take on Texas Monday, evening at 6:40 when they open a three day, four game series against the Rangers in a battle of left handers. Alex Wood (1-2, 6.32) will try to right the Athletics’ ship. Andrew Heaney (0-4, 5.10) will try to sink it

Headline Sports podcast with Charlie O: Orioles Gunnar Henderson key to team success; Yankees Judge ejected for first time in career; plus more news

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After 869 consecutive games without an ejection New York Yankees Aaron Judge (99) was ejected by home plate umpire Ryan Blakney (center) and manager Aaron Boone trying to keep them separated in the bottom of the seventh inning against the Detroit Tigers at Yankee Stadium on Sat May 4, 2024 (AP News photo)

Headline Sports podcast with Charlie O:

#1 Talk is the Gunnar Henderson is one of the big reasons why the Baltimore Orioles are a half game ahead just ahead of second place New York Yankees. Henderson hitting .279, 25 runs, 24 RBIs and ten home runs.

#2 Charlie, New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge was ejected for verbalizing his displeasure on being called out on a strike call by home plate umpire Ryan Blakney which Aaron disapproved of saying the pitch was outside and got tossed out for the first time in his career. What was surprising about it it was the first ejection for Judge in 869 games. Judge said he’s said worse things when he struck out so he was surprised when he got the heave ho.

#3 For the first time since March Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole threw off the mound as Cole shoots to get back on the hill. Cole had been suffering from a elbow injury. Cole came in hours before the Detroit Tigers and Yankees match at Yankee Stadium on Saturday at 10:40 AM. Cole said ” It was exciting, this was a good day for me. I was fired up.”

#4 The Giants lost four of their last five games they faced the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday. The Phillies scored five runs in the first inning and four runs in the second and beat up on Giants pitching for a 14-3 laugher. Plus Giants catcher Patrick Bailey is on the 7 day IL after taking a ball off the mask on Friday. Giants back up catcher Tom Murphy has taken Bailey’s place.

#5 The Oakland A’s have been rolling they won their seventh straight game they crushed the Florida Marlins 20-4 on Saturday. The A’s have been getting clutch hitting and have been getting great relief pitching to close out games from closer Mason Miller.

Join Charlie O for the Headline Sports podcasts each Sunday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

#5

The Force of wind and rain doesn’t stop A’s who crush Marlins 20-4 on Stars Wars day at Coliseum; Win is Oakland’s sixth in a row

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Oakland A’s Brent Rooker (25) is greeted at the plate after hitting a two run home run in the bottom of the third by teammates Abraham Toro(31) and Tyler Nevin (26) against the visiting Miami Marlins at the Oakland Coliseum on Sat May 4, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Troy Ewers

Oakland A’s Brent Rooker slugged two home run in the third inning during a 10 run rout of the Miami Marlins for a 20-4 win at the Oakland Coliseum on Saturday on Star Wars day. The game delayed three hours and 30 minutes by windy and rainy conditions. The game was supposed to have started at 1:07 but got underway at 4:30pm.

It didn’t matter much as the A’s were ready to swing the bats at the visiting Marlins expense. Rooker who hit the two home runs in the third inning became the first A’s player in 30 years to do it. Rooker took Marlins pitcher Trevor Rogers deep with a two run home run and later in the inning Marlins pitcher Darren McCaughan coughed up a three run homer to Rooker.

A’s manager Mark Kotsay said that Rooker delivered last season that’s why he was the A’s team representative at the 2023 All Star game. Kotsay said that Rooker got hot and capitalized on mistakes and he wound up hitting a couple of them today.

The A’s reached a season high in runs with 20 and hits with 21. They simply just teed off on Marlins starter Rogers 2.1 innings, eight hits and three runs, then McCaughan 4.2 innings, nine hits and eight earned runs, and Emmanuel Rivera one inning pitched four runs and four hits.

Rooker was seeing the ball as big as maybe a softball added a base hit for good measure in the bottom of the sixth inning. Rooker became the 60th player in big league history to hit two home runs in the same inning. The last player to do it was the Philadelphia Phillies Trea Turner and the last A’s player to hit a pair in the same inning was former first baseman Mark McGwire when he did it against the Seattle Mariners on Sep 22, 1996.

“I grew up in Memphis a big (St. Louis) Cardinals fan so he was kind of one of the first players I remember watching during his time there,” Rooker said. “Being able to do anything the same as him is a huge accomplishment and something that’s really cool for me.” Rooker also wears McGwire’s old number 25.

Post game notes: The Marlins and A’s go at it again Sunday at 1:07pm PDT to conclude the three game series. The A’s are looking for their seventh straight win and second series sweep in a row. The Marlins who came to Oakland after sweeping the Colorado Rockies are looking to get back in the win column after dropping the first two games of the series. Starting pitcher for the Marlins on Sunday RHP Sixto Sanchez (0-1 ERA 8.36) and for the A’s RHP Joe Boyle (2-4 ERA 6.08).

Former Marlins lead off hitter Luis Arraez who was traded to the San Diego Padres on Friday night for three minor leaguers and one big league reliever got off to a quick start going 4-6 which included two runs and an RBI against the Los Angeles Angels at Anaheim Stadium on Saturday. The Arraez trade must have had an impact on the Marlins he was traded just before Friday’s game as he was scheduled to lead off. The shock must have impacted the Marlins who lost 3-1 and then on Saturday night getting crushed 20-4.

Troy Ewers is a beat writer for http://www.sportsradioservice.com