Month: March 2025

San Francisco Wins Series Opener Against Houston 7-2

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San Francisco Giants Wilmer Flores right celebrates his three home run with Patrick Bailey (14) at Daikin Park in Houston on Mon Mar 31, 2025 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

The San Francisco Giants (3-1) had a great start to their three game series with the Houston Astros (2-2) winning the opener 7-2. They outhit the Astros 9-3 scoring in four innings. Unlike last season they are not leaving runners stranded when in scoring position.

They are getting on base via hits, steals and walks so they are getting the job done. Wilmer Flores had his second home run of the season with four RBI’s and Jung Hoo Lee continues to impress with two more runs scored.

Game recap: San Francisco was first up on the scoreboard in the second inning taking a 1-0 lead. Wilmer Flores singled Heliot Ramos home and the Giants were off and running. They would strike again in the fifth inning scoring a single run extending their lead to 2-0. LaMonte Wade Jr. hit a sacrifice fly sending Mike Yastrzemski home for their second run of the game.

After Astros starting pitcher Ronel Blanco allowed the two runs in the second and fifth innings he was relieved by Luis Contreras on the mound. He went five innings allowing three hits, two runs with six strikeouts.

The Giants really piled it on in the sixth inning scoring three runs. Wilmer Flores hit a three-run home run with Jung Hoo Lee and Patrick Bailey on base and San Francisco took a 5-0 lead going into the seventh inning.

The Giants had seven hits in the game while the Astros had only one hit. After the sixth inning Astros relief pitcher Luis Contreras was finished allowing three hits and three runs. Ryan Gusto would take over on the mound.

The Astros stepped it up in the eighth inning scoring two runs trailing 2-5. Isaac Paredes doubled driving both Jose Altuve and Cam Smith home. The Giants lead prevailed going into the ninth inning.

The Giants threatened in the ninth with runners on second and third, two outs and Matt Chapman at the plate. Chapman singled and two more San Francisco runners crossed home plate for a 7-2 lead.

Willy Adames and Jung Hoo Lee both scored on the Chapman single. San Francisco had nine hits in this game. The Astros had one last chance in the bottom of the ninth inning. Ryan Walker took the mound to try and close this game out for the Giants.

Ryan was perfect closing out the game for the win. He did have one walk in the inning. San Francisco had won the first game of this three game series 7-2.

Jordan Hicks set the stage for this win. He went six innings, allowing one hit with six strikeouts in a great showing tonight. San Francisco has had more success scoring with runners in scoring position which so far this season has been a nice improvement.

Matt Chapman has been a huge offensive and defensive weapon with stellar play at third base. Wilmer Flores hit his second home run of the season and the team came away with nine hits in the game. The Giants stole three bases in this game, two of which resulted in runs so this team is getting on base whether it be through hits, walks or steals. They are getting the job done.

Game notes: After winning their series with the Cincinnati Reds this past weekend, the Giants took on the Astros in Houston to open a three game series on Monday night. Jordan Hicks took the mound for the Giants Monday night and pitched one hit ball for six innings before being lifted. Starter for Houston was Ronel Blanco went three innings and gave up of three hits and three runs.

Tuesday night the Giants and Astros will clash in game two of this series. First pitch is scheduled for 5:10 PM. Probable pitchers for Tuesday’s game are slated to be Logan Webb for the Giants with a 5.40 ERA and for Houston Hayden Wesneski will take the mound.

Kings Drop a Heartbreaker to Pacers 111-109

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Indiana Pacers forward Aaron Nesmith (23) takes a foul as he take a shot in between the Sacramento Kings guard Zach LaVine (8) and forward Keegan Murray (13) in the second half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on Mon Mar 31, 2025 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

The Sacramento Kings (36-39) had every opportunity to beat the Indiana Pacers (44-31) Monday night but when push came to shove they collapsed in the final minutes of the game losing 111-109.

They made some critical mistakes in the fourth quarter but did lead going into the final two minutes. The Pacers had not led the entire second half until Tyrese Haliburton hit a three to take a one-point lead 100-98 with 1:17 left in the game.

With the Kings fighting for a playoff spot this loss is a killer for Sacramento. DeMar DeRozan had the game high with 31 points and Domantas Sabonis had another double double with 16 rebounds and 25 points. Malik Monk missed numerous shots finishing with only five points in 29 minutes of play.

Game recap: The Kings led Indiana after the first 12 minutes of play in a tight match-up 28-27 and at the half had a 60-54 lead. Sacramento outscored the Pacers in the second quarter 32-27. This had been a hotly contested game and going into the second half it was up for grabs.

The Pacers won the third quarter 27-26 but continued to trail in the game 86-81. They had not led since late in the second quarter as the Kings continued to fight to keep the lead. Going into the fourth quarter, the Kings had a fight on their hands.

Throughout the final quarter neither team was able to hit very many shots. It was a very sloppy fourth quarter for both teams. The Kings had the lead in this game with 1:27 left in the game. The Pacers had missed a slew of three’s in the final minutes of the quarter but at 1:17 Tyrese Haliburton hit the three that got Indiana their first lead of the second half 100-98.

The Kings lost this game with some very ineffective offense. They missed five shots in the final two minutes of play and committed five fouls. What is so disappointing is that the Kings had a 16 point lead at one time in the second half.

They were not at all good at the line shooting 64% while the Pacers were perfect at the free throw line. This game was a nail-biter from start to finish but the Kings could not hit the shots that would have made the difference in this game losing it to the Pacers 111-109.

DeMar DeRozan had the game high scoring 31 points and Domantas Sabonis had a double double with 16 rebounds and 25 points. Zach LaVine also had a good game with 20 points. Malik Monk had a sub-par game only scoring five points in 29 minutes of play but he was very good defensively with seven rebounds along with starter Keegan Murray who also had seven rebounds. In this final countdown none of these players can letdown and there was a real letdown Monday night for Sacramento. The fourth quarter was especially sloppy at times.

Game notes: With seven games left on the season, the Sacramento Kings (36-39) took a tough loss the Indiana Pacers (44-31) in a crunch situation. The Pacers are sitting in fourth place in the Eastern Conference while the Kings are hanging on for dear life in tenth place in the Western Conference.

The Kings have to win most of these upcoming seven games. They were blindsided by the Orlando Magic Saturday night to the tune of 121-91. They were due for a productive game and couldn’t get the win over Indiana to start this seven game stretch. It is crunch-time for the Sacramento Kings if they want to get back in this.

Wednesday night the Kings will take on the 16-59 Washington Wizards. This is a must-win for Sacramento despite being on the road. Tipoff for this game is scheduled for 4:00 PMPDT at he Capital One Center in DC as Sacramento will be looking to put on end to this horrible nine game losing streak on the road.

Sportstalk remote podcast: UNI Pizzeria and Grill 1234 Polk Street San Francisco/Mon Mar 31, 2025

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UNI Pizzeria 1234 Polk Street San Francisco podcast (left going up) Daisy Amaya (advertising), David Zizmor (Golden State Warriors analyst), Michael Duca (ESPN), Lee Leonard (producer), (right side back going down) Amaury Pi Gonzalez (That’s Amaury News and Commentary), Daniel Gonzalez (owner UNI Pizzeria), and Maureen Guevearra (owner UNI Pizzeria). (photo by Daisy Amaya)

Welcome to another podcast remote of Sportstalk with your host Michael Duca (ESPN the Worldwide Leader in Sports), Morris Phillips (San Francisco Giants analyst), and David Zizmor (Golden State Warriors analyst) and Amaury Pi Gonzalez (That’s Amaury News and Commentary).

Were podcasting from UNI Pizzeria at 1234 Polk Street in San Francisco’s Polk Gulch neighborhood. UNI Pizzeria and Grill serves up some of the most fantastic pizzas and pastas made to order. Other favorites on UNI’s menu nachos, guacamole bites, curly fries, chicken pot stickers, mozzarella sticks, bacon flavored mac and cheese bits plus many more favorites.

So if your in a hurry pick up to go, order by phone, or by Uber Eats, Post Mates or Amazon for delivery, or dine in at UNI Pizzeria 1234 Polk Street in San Francisco’s Polk Gulch neighborhood. Our thanks to owners Maureen Guevearra and Daniel Gonzalez.

Listen to the audio on Spotify SRS Sports Radio Service

Kings Pulverize Sharks 8-1, SJ’s Lund Scores Again

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San Jose Sharks goaltender Alexander Georgiev had a busy evening trying to stop Los Angeles Kings shots. Here the Kings Adrian Kempe scores on Georgiev in the second period at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Sun Mar 30, 2025 (AP News photo)

By Mary Walsh

The San Jose Sharks fell 8-1 on Sunday night, losing to the NHL’s best home team at this point in the season: the Los Angeles Kings. Phillip Danault, Adrian Kempe (2), Trevor Moore, Warren Foegele (2), Andrei Kuzmenko and Trevor Lewis scored for the Kings.

David Rittich made 22 saves in the win for LA. Cam Lund scored for the Sharks, his second in his third NHL game. It was also the second time Lund scored the Sharks’ only goal in a loss. Georgi Romanov made 28 saves in the loss.

While the Kings held a significant advantage in the standings over the Sharks, they had incentive to win. First, the Sharks were leading the series due to some wins early in the season. Secondly, the Kings are racing the Oilers for home ice in the playoffs. They were not likely to drop this game.

The Kings scored first, just at the expiration of a power play at 5:35 of the first period. Quinton Byfield caught Trevor Moore’s pass from below the goal line and sent it across the ice to Phillip Danault for a slap shot goal.

The Sharks had a two man advantage for over 90 seconds at 10:37 but could not convert. They were hampered by missed shots and failure to keep the puck in Los Angeles got a power play shortly after the Sharks’ one expired.

Adrian Kempe scored during the final seconds of that power play, making it 2-0 at 15:13. Anze Kopitar set Kempe up by carrying the puck to the net and then passing it back out to Kempe for a snap shot. Drew Doughty also earned an assist.

At the end of the first period, the shots were 8-7 Los Angeles.

The Sharks were back in the penalty box less than three minutes into the second period, after Cam Lund tripped Quinton Byfield. This time, the Sharks killed the penalty and pushed back hard enough to score.

Cam Lund came out of the box and gathered up the puck by the Sharks blue line, then went the other way. He dropped it to Ferraro just inside the zone and went to the net. There, he caught the rebound created by Ferraro’s shot and put it away.

Three minutes later, Trevor Moore made it 3-1 with a wrist shot. Assists went to Kopitar and Andrei Kuzmenko.

Less than three minutes later, the Kings were back on the power play with Ferraro in the box for hooking Kempe. The Sharks killed that off and, 12 seconds later, Ferraro went back to the box for tripping Kevin Fiala.

Late in that power play, Warren Foegele made it 4-1 with a third power play goal. Assists went to Brandt Clarke and Byfield.

In the last minute of the second period, Foegele scored his second of the night with a redirected shot that trickled under Romanov. Mikey Anderson and Drew Doughty got the assists.

With just 23 seconds left in the period, Kempe scored his second of the night. Vladislav Gavrikov and Andrei Kuzmenko got the assists.

The shots were 17-8 Kings during the second period.

Almost four minutes into the third period, a fight resulted in multiple penalties, giving the Sharks a power play. They could not convert but they had a chance to stem the bleeding.

At 14:49 of the third, Andrei Kuzmenko scored with a wrist shot from high in the slot, shooting through two Sharks defenders and over Romanov’s shoulder. Assists went to Kopitar and Gavrikov.

At 15:22, Trevor Lewis made it 8-1 with a wrist shot. Assists went to Jacob Moverare and Jordan Spence.

A giveaway by the Sharks gave Romanov a chance to stop a breakaway by Jeff Malott, one-on-one. He did so.

Roster notes: Jimmy Schuldt unavailable to play, but Marc-Edouard Vlasic returned to the lineup for his 18th game of the season on his 38th birthday. This game was Romanov’s second career NHL start and his fifth NHL appearance.

The Sharks next play on Tuesday at 7:00 PM PT in Anaheim against the Ducks.

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Seattle Mariners own the Pacific Northwest

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The author Amaury Pi Gonzalez is paid a tribute being on the Seattle Mariners Wall of Fame as a former Mariners broadcaster (photo from Amaury Pi Gonzalez)

The Seattle Mariners own the Pacific Northwest

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

The ATH of Sacramento opened the 2025 season in Seattle, winning two of the three games in Seattle. The Seattle Mariners have been a regional team since 1977, when they were born. Before the Oakland Athletics moved, they were the closest team to the Mariners. But today, since the Athletics departed Oakland, the Mariners’ “closest”Major League rival are the San Francisco Giants, 800 miles away to the south, across two and a half States.

The Mariners draw from the Seattle/Tacoma area, eastern Washington, Vancouver, Canada, Idaho, Oregon, and northern California. Especially during weekend games, many people travel from all these areas to visit Seattle.

The Seattle Mariners have one of the most extensive radio coverage with affiliates not only in Washington State, Idaho, and British Columbia, Canada, but also all the way up to Alaska, and in the middle of the Pacific in Hawaii. In all those places, you can hear their games on the Mariners radio network and watch them on their Root TV Network, including as far east as Montana.

Nintendo owned a stake in the Mariners until 2016, when it sold most of its shares to First Avenue Entertainment, retaining a 10% ownership stake. Mr.Joh W. Stanton, an American businessman, is currently the owner of the Seattle Mariners.

T-Mobile Park in Seattle is their home; previously, it was called Safeco Field.

Of all the indoor stadiums in baseball, this is my favorite. A retractable roof can be closed or opened in 10 to 20 minutes, depending on the climate conditions. If there is a city in MLB that needs a roof to play baseball, it is Seattle. Here it rains for a good 9 months of the year., So, during the baseball season, fans do not worry about the rain because with a retractable roof, “rain or shine,” they will always see Mariners baseball.

Seattle is one of my favorite cities in the country, and in baseball especially, I had the good fortune of broadcasting their games. However, I first discovered Seattle when I was stationed in Ft Lewis, a US Army active service base about 45 miles north of Emerald City. This area is beautiful and green all year round.

Mariners fans are loyal and enthusiastic. Beginning this season, they have never appeared in a World Series. They were also riding the longest playoff drought in any of the four major sports, at 20 seasons, before snapping that in 2022. A very famous quote is attributed to Benjamin Franklin: “In this world, nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” I believe Mr.Franklin, so maybe the Mariners can make it all the way to 2025. Good luck to them.

Amaury Pi-Gonzalez – Cuban-born Pi-González is one of the pioneers of Spanish-language baseball play-by-play in America. Began as Oakland A’s Spanish-language voice in 1977 ending in 2024 (interrupted by stops with the Giants, Mariners and Angels). Voice of the Golden State Warriors from 1992 through 1998. 2010 inducted in the Bay Area Radio Hall of fame

M’s just get by A’s 2-1 to take three game set; Athletics home opener Monday in Sacramento vs. Cubs

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Sacramento A’s baserunner Miguel Andujar (22) slides underneath Seattle Mariner shortstop JP Crawford who throws to first to complete a double play in top sixth inning at T Mobile Park in Seattle on Sun Mar 30, 2025 (AP News photo)

Mariners Edge Athletics in Tense Pitchers’ Duel, 2-1

By Mauricio Segura

Under a chilly March sky at T-Mobile Park, the Seattle Mariners narrowly secured a 2-1 victory over the Sacramento Athletics, bringing their early-season record to 2-2. Julio Rodríguez delivered the decisive hit: a pivotal two-run homer in the sixth inning, his first longball of the season, electrifying the Seattle faithful and providing just enough offense for a resilient Mariners squad.

For most of the game, pitching controlled the tempo. Athletics left-hander JP Sears practically matched Mariners starter Bryan Woo pitch-for-pitch, both hurlers maneuvering through five innings without surrendering a run. Sears held Seattle hitters in check until Rodríguez changed the momentum of the game with his towering shot to left field, scoring Victor Robles and putting Seattle ahead for good.

The green and gold got on the board first, thanks to first baseman Tyler Soderstrom. Continuing his scorching start to the season, Soderstrom launched his third home run: a solo blast in the fourth inning, highlighting his early-season .467 batting average and team-leading four RBIs. Despite Soderstrom’s valiant effort, the Athletics struggled offensively, stranding multiple runners in scoring position throughout the game.

Outstanding defensive plays from both teams ensured the game remained close. Mariners left fielder Randy Arozarena was particularly active, including a key catch on JJ Bleday’s sharp line drive in the sixth, helping stall a potential Athletics rally. Meanwhile, Athletics right fielder Lawrence Butler consistently covered significant ground, notably catching multiple sharp flyouts from Mariners hitters Mitch Garver and Donovan Solano to keep the score tight.

The game reached a tense peak in the ninth inning when Mariners reliever Andrés Muñoz took the mound to close things out. After Athletics catcher Tyler Soderstrom singled to spark a flicker of hope, Muñoz quickly shut the door by striking out Gio Urshela, sealing the win for Seattle.

With the loss, the Athletics are even at 2-2, mirroring their rivals’ tight early-season competition. While their offense struggled overall, collecting just four hits, the Sacramento squad has bright spots to build on, notably Soderstrom’s standout performance.

Next up, the A’s will make their long-awaited debut in Sacramento with their home opener at Sutter Health Park. They’ll host the Chicago Cubs on Monday night, with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 p.m. The newly upgraded ballpark, now the smallest in Major League Baseball by capacity, will offer fans an up-close look at the team’s next chapter, as excitement builds for big-league baseball in California’s capital.

Costa Rican-born Mauricio Segura has been covering sports in the Bay Area since 2001 for a variety of publications as well as his own, Golden Bay Times, and is honored to provide A’s away coverage to Sports Radio Service for the 2025 season.

Giants Win Season Opening Series Over Cincinnati Reds 6-3

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Heliot Ramos (left), Jung Hoo Lee (center), and Mike Yastrzemski (right) celebrate the San Francisco Giants win over the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Park in Cincinnati on Sun Mar 30, 2025 (San Francisco Giants X)

By Barbara Mason

The San Francisco Giants (2-1) finished up their opening series of the season beating the Cincinnati Reds (1-2) 6-3.

The Giants played a very clean while the Reds had a couple of errors en-route to the loss. Both Matt Chapmand and Heliot Ramos had home runs in the win. San Francisco had seven hits and displayed some great defense. They won this game on the road to open the season which is a great confidence builder as the team moves on to their next series.

Game recap: The game had a sluggish start with both teams going hitless through the first four innings. It was a pitcher’s dual until it wasn’t. The first hit of the game came in the fifth inning off the bat of San Francisco’s Heliot Ramos, a solo shot to left field, and the Giants were on the board with the early 1-0 lead.

The Ramos hit opened the flood gates as San Francisco scored three more runs in the sixth inning taking a 4-0 lead. Jung Hoo Lee doubled Tyler Fitzgerald home extending their lead to 2-0. The Giants were not finished as Matt Chapman knocked one out of the park with Lee onboard and San Francisco had established a comfortable lead 4-0.

The lead was not quite as comfortable as thought. In the bottom of the sixth inning, the Reds made a lot of noise scoring three runs very nearly catching San Francisco. Austin Wynns got the inning going with a home run to left with Gavin Lux on base and the Reds had cut the Giants lead in half 4-2.

Matt McLain followed the Wynns homer with one of his own, a solo shot and Cincinnati was within a run of the Giants 4-3. After such a quiet start for both teams, this game became really competitive. Each team had scored three runs in the sixth inning. After a rough inning for Giants pitcher Robbie Ray there was a pitching change as Erik Miller took the mound for the remainder of the sixth inning.

San Francisco pitcher Lou Trevino pitched the seventh inning dismissing the Reds, three up and three down hanging onto the slim 4-3 lead. The Reds Ian Gibaut also went three up and three out in quick succession and it was on to the eighth inning.

San Francisco would add to their lead in the eighth inning taking a 5-3 advantage giving them a little breathing room. Willy Adames sacrificed and the throw from deep center field was well off the mark as Tyler Fitzgerald easily crossed home plate to extend the Giants lead.

The eighth inning was a productive one for San Francisco as they tacked on yet another run. Heliot Ramos singled baserunner Jung Hoo Lee home and the Giants had scored twice in the inning for a 6-3 lead. Giants pitcher Tyler Rogers brought his nasty spinning dropping pitch to the bottom of the eighth and San Francisco got out of the inning with a double play.

The Reds retired the Giants in the top of the ninth and Cincinnati was looking at one last chance to salvage the game. San Francisco finished off the Reds in the ninth with a three up and three down inning and that was the ball game with the Giants winning their opening series of the season 6-3.

Game notes: Sunday afternoon the San Francisco Giants (2-1) clashed with the Cincinnati Reds (1-2) in game three of their series and took the series with a third game win. With the threat of rain, lightning and thunder forecast for later in the day, this game got underway on time under cloudy skies with a balmy temperature in the low 70s for the Reds fans to enjoy.

San Francisco was looking to come out on the right side of this series after winning the opening game and dropping yesterday’s game to the Reds 3-2. The Giants Robbie Ray took the mound and for the Reds, Nick Martinez was the starter.

San Francisco will continue on the road next taking on the Houston Astros in a Monday opener for a three game series. Probable pitchers for game one will be Jordan Hicks for San Francisco with 4:10 ERA. On the mound for Houston will be Ronel Blanco with a 2.80 ERA. First pitch for this game is scheduled for 5:10 PM.

Langeliers Leads A’s Past Mariners, 4-2, With Power and Poise

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Sacramento A’s Shea Langeliers (23) crosses the plate to the congratulations of teammate Brent Rooker (25) as Seattle M’s catcher Cal Raleigh (right) tries to set up for the next batter at T Mobile Field in Seattle on Sat Mar 29, 2025 (AP News photo)

By Mauricio Segura

Baseball fans often whisper about the magic hiding in spring evenings at T-Mobile Park, but Saturday night, it was Sacramento Athletics catcher Shea Langeliers who conjured something special, powering his team to a gritty 4-2 win over the Seattle Mariners.

After a quiet start, the Mariners scratched out an early run in the second inning, sparked by a single from the always-imposing Rowdy Tellez, who eventually came home after a stolen base and throwing error by Langeliers himself. Unfazed, the A’s catcher redeemed himself quickly and dramatically in the fourth inning.

With two outs and Brent Rooker perched on second after a crisp single, Langeliers stepped into the batter’s box and unleashed a towering two-run homer to left field, stunning the home crowd and flipping the momentum decisively in Sacramento’s favor. The Mariners, previously in control, now found themselves trailing.

The Athletics added insurance in the sixth when Miguel Andujar knocked in JJ Bleday, widening the lead to 3-1. But Seattle wasn’t ready to concede. A resilient Jorge Polanco delivered an RBI single in the bottom half of the inning, closing the gap to a tense 3-2.

Clinging to that narrow lead, the Athletics manufactured another crucial run in the seventh when Brent Rooker’s sharp grounder eluded Mariners third baseman Polanco, allowing Jacob Wilson to cross home plate and extend their lead to 4-2.

On the mound, Athletics starter Osvaldo Bido showed resilience, overcoming early traffic to limit the Mariners to two runs. His steady composure was vital, especially following a challenging spring where he struggled with a 7.02 ERA. Saturday night, he proved those statistics don’t always predict the future.

Seattle’s Bryce Miller was similarly gutsy but less fortunate, victimized by timely A’s hits and his defense’s shaky moments. Miller, who allowed three earned runs through five-plus innings, demonstrated flashes of brilliance overshadowed by costly missteps.

The Mariners mounted a late threat in the ninth with J.P. Crawford’s single igniting hopes of a comeback. However, A’s closer Mason Miller extinguished Seattle’s rally with authority, striking out Victor Robles and Julio Rodríguez in succession, earning his first save of 2025 and securing the green and gold’s second consecutive victory.

Saturday night’s win was the A’s small but meaningful revenge after losing their season opener to Seattle. They are now 2-1, have notably turned a page in their history by opening this season with youthful energy; their Opening Day roster features three infielders under the age of 24, a first since 1965. Max Muncy, just 22, underscored this youthful renaissance by turning an impressive unassisted double play in the first inning, a highlight that set the game’s defensive tone.

As these AL West rivals gear up for another clash tomorrow afternoon, with JP Sears taking on Seattle’s Bryan Woo, the series promises more excitement. The Athletics, rejuvenated by tonight’s triumph, aim to carry forward their fresh energy and youthful swagger. Meanwhile, the Mariners seek redemption, hoping to recapture their opening-night spark.

  • Costa Rican-born Mauricio Segura has been covering sports in the Bay Area since 2001 for a variety of publications as well as his own, Golden Bay Times, and is honored to provide A’s away coverage to Sports Radio Service for the 2025 season.

Kings Implode Against Magic Losing 121-91

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Sacramento Kings center Domantas Sabonis (11) looks up to the basket as he defended by the Orlando Magic’s forward Franz Wagner (22) at the Kia Center in Orlando on Sat Mar 29, 2025 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

This had to be one of the craziest games the Sacramento Kings had played all season. They had the game in control in second and fourth quarters but fell apart in the opening and third quarters. They lost each of those quarters by 17 points for a combined 34 points.

The quarters they won was a combined four points. The Kings is fighting for a play-in spot and this loss did nothing to further that goal. The biggest question now remains; how will the Kings respond after this embarrassing beat down and will they get any help from the Phoenix Suns or the Dallas Mavericks? They remain a game ahead of the Suns and are deadlocked with the Mavericks in ninth place in the Western Conference.

Game recap: The Kings had a miserable start in the opening quarter of the game trailing after the first twelve minutes of play 38-21. This game had a very sinister tone for Sacramento who did not want to fall behind significantly as the second quarter got underway.

The Kings did outscore the Magic in the second quarter but did not make up a lot of ground. They won the quarter by a basket 25-23 trailing 46-61 at the half. With an entire half of basketball still to be played the 15 point deficit was still very much manageable for the Kings. They had to get a productive start in the third quarter if they wanted to win this game.

There was no way that Sacramento could start the second half in the same manner that they had started the first quarter of this game. Unfortunately for the Kings they did exactly that. The Magic outscored them in the third quarter 37-20 leading after three quarters 98-66 in this unbelievable meltdown by Sacramento who looked nothing like a team fighting for a playoff spot.

The Kings outscored the Magic in the fourth quarter; another 25-23 tally and this disaster had finally come to an end with the Magic winning the game 121-91.

Sacramento played two good quarters of basketball in the second and fourth but fell apart in the first and third quarters losing each of those quarters by 17 points. They were awful from beyond the arc shooting at 25% while the Magic were on a 46 % clip.

The Kings were good at the line shooting at 80%. They never led once in this game while the Magic’s largest lead of the game was 35 points. The Kings made more points in the paint than the Magic 44 to 36, but it was their failure to hit from beyond the arc, only making seven, that killed Sacramento and their inability to defend the Orlando long ball (the Magic hit 18).

The Kings bench finished the fourth quarter of the game when the writing on the wall became painfully apparent. Domantas Sabonis finished the game with a double double, 13 rebounds and 14 points.

DeMar DeRozan was the team high with 21 points. The rest of the starting roster just didn’t have much in the tank. The defense struggled and both teams had a lot of turnovers, Sacramento with 16. Going forward the Kings have got to put this game in their rear view because they are now looking at eight games left in the season and they will to win a good majority of them with some tough ones coming up. A little help from Phoenix and Dallas wouldn’t hurt either.

Game notes: As the Sacramento Kings (36-38) continue to hang onto ninth place in the Western Conference every game going forward is critical. Saturday afternoon the Kings traveled to Orlando taking on the Magic (36-39).

The Kings have a five game road losing streak after their loss to the Magic. They are coming off a win over the Portland Trail Blazers 128-107 in Sacramento Thursday night tying up their season series with Portland at two apiece. The Kings were looking to end their road game losing streak with nine games left in the season but just couldn’t get it done. The Magic lost to the Mavericks 101-92 Thursday night at home.

While this is not a deal breaker as far as a place in the playoffs, the team is making things awfully hard on themselves. They now face a tough Pacer’s team next Monday on the road. Tipoff for that game is scheduled for 4:00 PM.

Earthquakes salvage 1-1 draw after late Sounders equalizer

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by Marko Ukalovic

San Jose Earthquakes midfielder Beau Leroux attempts a shot on net that deflected off of Seattle Sounder defender Jackson Regan for his first career MLS goal at Pay Pal Park on Saturday MAR 29, 2025. (San Jose Earthquakes)

SAN JOSE — Albert Rusnak’s late match heroics allowed the Seattle Sounders to earn a point against the San Jose Earthquakes in a 1-1 draw in the first installment of the 2025 edition of the Heritage Cup on Saturday evening at Pay Pal Park.

San Jose snapped its three-match pointless streak with the draw. Seattle has points in three out of its past four MLS contests after bowing out from the CONCACAF Champions Cup by Liga MX’s Cruz Azul in a 4-1 loss back on March 11th.

Earthquakes head coach Bruce Arena made changes to his backline and formation after losing to Charlotte FC last week by a score of 4-1. Out were Nick Lima and Jamar Ricketts and in was Rodrigues. Arena went with a 3-5-2 formation as opposed to the 4-2-3-1 he employed in Charlotte.

Seattle (1-2-3) had the match’s first quality scoring chance in the 18th minute. Alex Roldan headed the ball from the center of the box but a leaping save by Quakes goalkeeper Daniel to knock the ball over the cross bar kept the game scoreless.

San Jose (2-3-1) responded six minutes later with its first descent scoring chance. Beau Leroux’s diving header attempt from three yards out was easily saved by Sounders goalkeeper Stefan Frei in the 24th minute.

“The first half we played well, but the second half we did not. Give Seattle a lot of credit; they have a good team. [They’ve] been together a long time, very experienced and obviously put on a lot of pressure. To get a point is a fair result,” Arena said.

The Earthquakes broke through and drew first blood in the 32nd minute thanks to a turnover by the Sounders. Leroux intercepted a pass from Roldan and his shot deflected off of Jackson Regan up into the air, past the outstretched reach of Frei and into the back of the net for his first goal of the season.

“I kissed the badge,” said the San Jose native Leroux. “This club means everything to me. You know they took a chance on me. I just love this club. I love San Jose and the people. I definitely feel some weight off my shoulders but still have a lot to work on. So, we still have a lot to do to get these results and go for three points.”

San Jose kept the pressure on in the final 5 minutes of the opening 45 minutes. Leroux nearly had a brace when his shot was saved by Frei the center of the box in the 41st minute. Then two minutes later Preston Judd’s right footed shot from a similar spot inside the box sailed just wide.

The Sounders regained the momentum earlier in the second half with back-to-back scoring chances on the same possession. Pressure inside the Quakes box forced Daniel to make two big saves with both shots by Nouhou Tolo in a 15 second span in the 51st minute.

A bit of controversary ensued in the 75th minute when there was an apparent foul inside the box committed by Ragen against Josef Martinez was uncalled by referee Guido Gonzales Jr. despite Martinez beating Ragen to the ball with Ragen impeding Martinez’s progress and knocking him to the ground.

Seattle scored the equalizer in the 80th minute when Cristian Roldan crossed the ball from left to right over to Rusnak. The left winger dribbled in before firing a shot past Daniel into the lower left corner for Rusnak’s second goal of the season in the 80th minute.

“It’s certainly something that we know has to get better. Against this team tonight, they’re a good team. I think they scored five or six goals a couple weeks ago. We have to get [Josef] Martínez and [Chicho] Arango on the field together. We had to be careful with Josef tonight because of his traveling [due to international duty]. I think we really need to see our team through the first half of the season to really be able to analyze correctly where we’re at and where we need to go,” Arena said.

Daniel had a great night in between the pipes as he stopped nine of the 10 shots on goal, with the majority of those coming in the second half. Frei made two saves on three shots to earn his side of the draw.

GAME NOTES: San Jose finished with four corner kicks. Seattle had 12.

Espinoza extended his consecutive game streak to 115, the longest active run in MLS.

San Jose is 5-0-3 vs Seattle in all competitions since 2021 and are 3-0-1 at home during that stretch.

UP NEXT: San Jose hosts D.C. United on Sunday April 6th at 2:00pm at Pay Pal Park.