Author: Jeremiah Salmonson

Kings Struggle on Both Ends of the Floor in 121-96 Season-Opening Loss to Clippers

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Darius Acuff Jr. #5 of the Sacramento Kings looks on before the game against the LA Clippers on October 21, 2026 at Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, California. (Mandatory photo credit: Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

LOS ANGELES–The Sacramento Kings opened the 2026-27 season on Wednesday night at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood as they took on the Clippers.

The Kings were coming off a forgettable 22-60 year last season that saw them go through long losing stretches. The Kings were the victims of a number of injuries last season, and they would look to have a better year with even a little bit more luck in the health department. The Kings sent a starting lineup of De’Andre Hunter, Keegan Murray, Domantas Sabonis, Zach LaVine and Darius Acuff Jr. to the floor to open up the season.

The Clippers had their way with the Kings on opening night as they defeated Sacramento 121-96.

In the first quarter, the Kings’ perimeter defense struggled mightily against the Clippers. The Clippers shot 70% from behind the arc as they tormented the Kings for 41 points in the opening quarter. On the offensive side, the Kings managed to put up 29 points as Zach LaVine scored eight in the opening quarter to give the Kings a spark.

In the second quarter, it was more of the same from LaVine as he put up another solid quarter, scoring 10 points to keep the Kings in it. The Kings managed to outscore the Clippers 25-20 in the second to cut into the Clippers’ first-quarter lead and go into halftime trailing 61-54. The Kings’ defense stepped up in the second quarter while the offense managed to keep pace. Zach LaVine finished the first half with 18 points, and Domantas Sabonis had a 10-point, 12-rebound double-double.

In the third quarter, things began to spiral again for the Kings as the second unit struggled to score. The Kings fell further behind as they were outscored by the Clippers 32-16 in the third en route to a 93-70 deficit heading into the final quarter of the game. Darius Acuff Jr. struggled in the first three quarters as he went 3-for-21 with eight points in his NBA debut. The Kings’ scattered defense and inconsistent offense needed to be cleaned up in a hurry to try and mount a comeback in the final quarter of the game.

In the fourth quarter, the Kings weren’t able to mount any such comeback. The fourth was more competitive, but it proved meaningless as the game was already mostly decided heading into it. Doug Christie emptied his bench and got the likes of Nique Clifford, Alex Karaban, Daeqwon Plowden and company some extended run late in the game. The Clippers outscored the Kings 28-26 as they defeated them 121-96 in the first game of the season.

Zach LaVine led the Kings in the defeat with 28 points on 19 shots. Domantas Sabonis added a 14-point, 18-rebound and eight-assist double-double in his first game of the season.

Doug Christie spoke to the media after the game about the slow start the team got off to on Wednesday in the loss.

“Got to be able to keep people in front of you. They were knocking down shots at a high clip, but it comes from the pride of defensive intensity and keeping the ball in front of you. We cut it to five, 56-61, and just not enough. Sometimes we’re just letting our offense affect our defense, and it just can’t happen.”

As for the positives, Zach LaVine had an impressive showing on Wednesday to start the season.

“Yeah, it feels good. It’s part of my job. I’ve been doing this for a long time. Hopefully I can help and relieve some pressure, but, you guys know, that’s what I do. I felt good, and obviously I wish we could have carried that over into the third quarter.”

As for Kings rookie Darius Acuff Jr., Kings head coach Doug Christie isn’t worried about his shooting struggles in his debut as he went 5-for-24.

“We’ll go back and look at the film, but he’s young, learning when to shoot, when to pass, time and score, all those different things. He’s one that I don’t worry about. He’ll be fine. He takes this absolutely personally, so he’ll be in the gym, he’ll do his thing. I’m not worried about him. Plus, he wants to win more than anything. So when you show him what it takes to win, and how to digest it and how to go about it, he’s going to do that.”

The Kings will go back to the drawing board as they prepare for their home opener on Friday night against the Portland Trail Blazers at 7 p.m. PDT. The Blazers beat the Suns by 41 points on Wednesday and are poised with confidence as they come to Sacramento.

Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.

⚡Craft cocktails? Check.
🔥Game-day bites? Oh yeah.
🏟️Steps from Golden 1 Center? You bet.

Open daily, Cyprus Grille is serving up local flavor with a front-row seat to the action. Stop by before or after the game—or make it your new downtown hangout.

Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.

📍Located inside the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena @ 300 J Street

Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm

Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in.

A’s Shut Out 9-0 by Astros in Season Finale as Houston Clinches AL West

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Mandatory photo credit: Mauricio Segura (Golden Bay Times)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — 162 starting pitchers, 162 lineup cards, 162 first pitches, it all came to a close on Sunday afternoon as the A’s hosted the Astros for the final game of the 2026 regular season. The A’s had one last chance to play spoiler on Sunday as the Astros needed a win or a Rangers loss to clinch the AL West.

In the end, it didn’t matter if the Astros won or lost as the Rangers were unable to defeat the Twins. However, the Astros defeated the A’s 9-0 to claim the AL West crown.

The A’s went with a bullpen game for the final game of the season. Mark Kotsay elected to go with the right-hander Seth Johnson for the shortened start. Johnson breezed through the first inning but ran into issues trying to get out of the second inning as two walks would ultimately finish his outing. Brady Basso came in with two outs in the second inning to try and clean things up with the bases loaded, which he did, striking out the only batter he faced. Johnson’s final line was one and two-thirds innings while giving up no runs on one hit while walking two and striking out two.

Basso went back out to pitch the third inning for the A’s and struggled. Basso was only able to get two outs in the inning before being lifted. Similarly to Basso, Elvis Alvarado came on and cleaned up the inning, striking out the only batter he faced. However, the damage was already done against Basso. All in, Basso tossed one inning of relief while giving up four runs on three hits while walking one and striking out one.

Alvarado, having finished the third inning, came back out to pitch the fourth for the A’s. Alvarado pitched a clean fourth inning where he struck out two of the three batters he faced and didn’t allow a hit or a walk. All in, Alvarado struck out three of the four hitters he faced and didn’t allow any baserunners in his one and a third innings of work.

In the fifth inning, it was Scott Blewett who came in to pitch. Blewett pitched a strong fifth inning, retiring all three of the batters he faced by way of the groundball. However, he was only able to record one out in the sixth before being lifted. All in, Blewett tossed one and a third innings and gave up two runs on two hits while issuing no walks and not recording any strikeouts.

Chris Roycroft came in to pitch the rest of the sixth and part of the seventh inning. Roycroft also struggled for the A’s as he pitched one inning total and gave up two runs on three hits while walking four and striking out two.

The sixth pitcher of the day for the A’s was Geoff Hartlieb. Hartlieb came in to finish the seventh and also pitched the eighth inning. Hartlieb, like most of the bullpen, struggled to get outs. Hartlieb was able to finish the eighth inning, but he gave up one run on three hits while issuing one free pass and striking out one.

In the ninth, Mark Kotsay turned to Drew Rom. Rom came in and pitched a three-up-three-down ninth inning, allowing no baserunners.

On the offensive side of the ball, the A’s really struggled against the Astros pitching. The A’s weren’t able to score any runs as they were shut out in the game. The A’s hitters managed only five hits and three walks in the game to finish off the season.

The A’s missed out on their goals in the 2026 season, which is something A’s manager Mark Kotsay has reiterated many times over the past few seasons here in Sacramento.

“A tough season,” the A’s manager said after the game. “There’s no way around that. As a group, we feel obviously very disappointed in the results. As I talked about, the greatest lessons of learning are failures, and this season was one of those that I think we have a lot to learn from.”

Injuries didn’t do the A’s any favors in 2026. On the final day of the season, the likes of Tyler Soderstrom, Brent Rooker, Nick Kurtz, Luis Severino and others were all hurt.

Shea Langeliers, who himself spent time on the injured list during the 2026 season before coming back a couple of weeks before the end of the season, spoke to the media about how injuries impacted the season.

“I think all encompassing, just kind of a crazy year, the injuries we had to deal with as a team, just kind of battling through that,” Langeliers said after the game.

There’s certainly going to be even more change around the Athletics organization in 2027. Kotsay himself acknowledged that after the game.

“There’s been a lot of change. There’s going to be more change. It’s been a really tough year for everyone in the organization.”

A’s Fall to Astros 13-2 as AL West Race Heads to Game 162

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Jack Perkins #50 of the Athletics pitches against the Houston Astros during the first inning at Sutter Health Park on September 26, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Mandatory photo credit: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Sacramento Athletics were back in action on Saturday night for their final night game of the 2026 season as they faced off against the Houston Astros at 6:40 p.m. PDT. The A’s tried to play spoiler again as the Astros and Rangers were tied at the top of the division. Whoever lost the division would miss out on the 2026 MLB postseason.

The A’s weren’t able to spoil the Astros’ hopes as they wanted, as Houston had its way with them, defeating them 13-2.

The A’s sent Jack Perkins to the hill to start Game 161 for the team as he was making his 37th appearance of the year and his 17th start. Perkins pitched OK, but the fifth inning unraveled for the right-hander to tank his outing. Perkins was pitching to a 3-1 deficit as he came out for the fifth inning, and it was a three-run home run that ultimately did him in. Perkins finished the fifth inning, but his outing was over after he gave up six runs on five hits while walking three and striking out nine (ties a season high).

First out of the bullpen for the A’s was Scott Blewett, who came in to pitch the sixth inning. Blewett struggled, but he managed to bear down and leave without allowing a run. Blewett gave up two hits followed by two strikeouts before being lifted with two outs in favor of Drew Rom. Rom got the final out of the inning on one pitch to give Blewett a final line of two-thirds of an inning, allowing no runs and two hits while striking out two.

For Rom, he got that final out of the sixth inning before coming back out to pitch the seventh inning. Rom struggled mightily in the seventh as he was only able to record two outs before being lifted. Rom tossed a total of one inning during his outing and gave up three runs on five hits while walking none and striking out none.

It was Yunior Tur who came in to finish off the seventh inning as he recorded a strikeout against the only batter he faced. Like Rom, Tur came out again in the eighth inning. In the eighth, Tur struggled to throw strikes, and it cost him as he gave up three runs on three hits while walking one and striking out one. Tur also pitched the ninth inning, where he gave up a solo home run but nothing more. Yunior’s final line was two and a third innings of four-run, four-hit baseball while walking one and striking out two.

On the offensive side of things, the A’s managed only two runs on six hits while walking twice.

The A’s got their first run of the game in the fourth inning on an odd play. Zack Gelof grounded a ball to shortstop, where Jeremy Peña stepped on second for the out before making an errant throw to first base. Gelof performed some shape-shifting acrobatics to avoid the tag and was safe at first. Gelof was credited with his 55th RBI of the year on the play as Lawrence Butler crossed home and scored from third base.

The A’s second run came in the seventh inning when Tommy White singled home Zack Gelof from second base, who reached earlier on a single of his own. It was the 10th RBI of the season for White with the A’s and made it a 9-2 game at the time.

That was all the A’s could muster on the offensive end as they couldn’t mount any late-game comeback.

With the win, the Astros set up a Game 162 showdown with the Rangers on Sunday. Since Houston holds the tiebreaker over Texas, an Astros win would secure the AL West. The Rangers would need a win of their own, coupled with an Astros loss, to claim the division.

The A’s and Astros will play the final game of the regular season on Sunday at 12:05 p.m. PDT at Sutter Health Park. Neither team has announced a starting pitcher for the game. However, A’s manager Mark Kotsay did confirm it will be a bullpen game for the series finale.

A’s Play Spoiler, Stun Astros 6-5 With Six-Run Sixth Inning

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Jacob Lopez #57 of the Athletics pitches in the top of the first inning against the Houston Astros at Sutter Health Park on September 25, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Mandatory photo credit: Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The A’s and Astros were back in action on the final Friday night of the regular season at 6:40 p.m. PDT at Sutter Health Park. After the Astros’ win over the A’s on Thursday night, Houston was tied for the AL West lead with the Texas Rangers entering play on Friday and desperately needing a win.

The A’s continued to play spoiler in the American League on Friday as they defeated the Astros, 6-5.

Jacob Lopez took the ball for the A’s in his final start of the 2026 season. It was Lopez’s 27th appearance for the A’s and his 24th start of the 2026 season. Lopez pitched masterfully as he turned in one of his best starts of the year. Lopez went six innings of one-run baseball as he allowed only two hits and walked two while striking out four. The only real blemish for Lopez was a fourth-inning solo home run he gave up to Christian Walker. Otherwise, Lopez turned in an outing he would certainly be happy to end the season with.

In the seventh inning, the A’s went with right-hander Seth Johnson to be first out of the bullpen in relief of Lopez. Johnson pitched a solid inning, but he was bitten by the home run bug as he gave up a solo home run to Cam Smith with two outs. However, that was all he gave up in an otherwise clean inning in which he struck out one.

In the eighth inning, it was Geoff Hartlieb who came in for the A’s in hopes of keeping the game where it was. Hartlieb ran into trouble in the eighth as he gave up two hits to the first three batters he faced, followed by a walk. That was all Mark Kotsay needed to see as he went to his bullpen again with the bases loaded.

Luis Medina was next out of the A’s bullpen, hoping to come in and clean up Hartlieb’s mess. Medina couldn’t get that job done as he allowed all three of his inherited runners to score before getting out of the inning. So, Medina’s line looks okay, but it doesn’t tell the whole story. Medina went two-thirds of an inning and gave up one hit, one walk, and struck out one. No runs were charged to Medina. Hartlieb’s final line wasn’t so kind as he went one-third of an inning while allowing three runs on one hit, walking two and striking out one.

With the A’s lead down to one run, Mark Kotsay called on Hogan Harris for the save in the ninth inning. Harris gave up a one-out walk, but faced the minimum as he induced a double play and struck out the only other batter he faced. With the save, Harris recorded his 17th save of the season, which marked only the second time a left-handed pitcher has recorded 17 saves for the A’s.

On the offensive side of the ball, the A’s scored a total of six runs on eight hits while being gifted four free passes from the Astros’ pitching.

The A’s scored their first runs of the game in the sixth inning as pinch hitter Michael Stefanic came up big with a two-run single. The single drove in Jeff McNeil and Zack Gelof, who reached base prior, and gave the A’s their first lead of the ballgame.

Two batters later, it was Jonah Heim who added to the lead with an RBI single to left field. Heim’s single scored pinch runner Denzel Clarke and gave Heim his 43rd RBI of the year.

As the sixth inning continued, the A’s offense also continued to damage the Astros and their playoff chances. Henry Bolte laced a two-RBI triple to right field to pile on and give the A’s their fourth and fifth runs of the inning. It was the second triple of the year for Bolte and RBIs 37 and 38.

Lawrence Butler decided to get in on the action next as he drove in Henry Bolte from third on a fielder’s choice that Bolte beat out at the plate. It was the 62nd RBI of the year for Butler and the A’s sixth run of the inning.

The A’s and Astros will play game three of their four-game series on Saturday at 6:40 p.m. PDT. The A’s will send Jack Perkins (3-12, 5.90 ERA) to the mound to start the game as the Astros will counter with Hayden Wesneski (5-2, 3.50 ERA). The Astros and Rangers remain tied for the AL West crown with just two games remaining for both teams.

Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.

⚡Craft cocktails? Check.
🔥Game-day bites? Oh yeah.
🏟️Steps from Golden 1 Center? You bet.

Open daily, Cyprus Grille is serving up local flavor with a front-row seat to the action. Stop by before or after the game—or make it your new downtown hangout.

Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.

📍Located inside the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena @ 300 J Street

Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm

Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in. 

Gelof Homers Twice as A’s Fall to Astros 7-5 in Series Opener

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Mason Barnett #63 of the Athletics pitches against the Houston Astros in the top of the second inning at Sutter Health Park on September 24, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Mandatory photo credit: Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The A’s welcomed the Houston Astros to Sacramento on Thursday for the first of a four-game series to wrap up the 2026 season. For the A’s, there’s very little to play for as they have been firmly out of the playoff picture for months. On the other hand, the Astros are fighting for their playoff lives as they must win the AL West to make it in, as they entered play a half-game back of the Texas Rangers on Thursday.

The A’s fell to the Astros in game one, 7-5.

Mason Barnett got the ball for the A’s on Thursday in what was his 20th appearance and sixth start for the club in 2026. Barnett held his own in the game and was able to provide some length for the A’s, but he didn’t pitch well enough to be in line for the win. The home run proved to be the main struggle for Barnett on Thursday, as he gave up a three-run home run in the second inning and a solo shot in the sixth. All in, Barnett tossed six innings of four-run, four-hit baseball while striking out eight (a career high) and walking two hitters.

First out of the bullpen for the A’s was Scott Blewett as he came in to pitch the seventh inning for Mark Kotsay in relief of Mason Barnett. Blewett struggled in his inning, giving up a home run and two other hits, but he managed to limit the damage and keep the Astros to just one run during his inning.

In the eighth inning, the A’s turned to Chris Roycroft to keep the game where it was as they trailed 5-4. Unfortunately for the A’s, Roycroft, like Barnett and Blewett before him, was also bitten by the home run bug. Roycroft gave up a solo home run but nothing more in his inning of work while also striking out two.

In the ninth inning, it was Elvis Alvarado for the second night in a row to finish things off for the A’s on the pitching side. Like all the A’s pitchers in the game, Elvis also gave up a home run. Alvarado started his appearance by giving up a solo home run, but was effective after as he didn’t give up anything else in his outing, other than one more inconsequential hit.

At the plate, the A’s picked up where they left off against the Angels early in the game. In total, the A’s had five runs, 11 hits and walked three times.

Jeff McNeil got the scoring going for the A’s in the third inning when he launched a game-tying three-run home run over the wall in right-center field. It was McNeil’s ninth home run of the season and RBIs 53, 54 and 55. The momentum-shifting home run left the bat at 98.4 MPH and landed 379 feet away in the visitors’ bullpen.

Keeping the party going, Zack Gelof decided to get in on the action as he launched a back-to-back home run with McNeil, which was the 21st of the season for him. Gelof’s home run left the bat at 101.8 MPH and came to rest 413 feet away in straightaway center field to give the A’s the 4-3 lead. It was Gelof’s 53rd RBI of the season.

The A’s didn’t score again until the eighth inning, but it was Gelof again for the A’s. Zack Gelof made it a 6-5 game and got the A’s to within one run as he sent his second home run of the game over the left-center-field wall. It was Gelof’s 22nd of the season and gave him his 54th RBI of the campaign.

That would be all the A’s could get on the offensive end as they fell to the Astros 7-5 on Thursday.

The A’s and Astros will play game two of the four-game series on Friday at 6:40 p.m. PDT. As of this writing, the Astros have not announced a starter while the A’s will go with Jacob Lopez (6-5, 5.68 ERA).

A’s Sweep Angels With 7-3 Win in Final Meeting of Season

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Jeffrey Springs #59 of the Athletics pitches against the Los Angeles Angels in the top of the second inning at Sutter Health Park on September 23, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The A’s and Angels played their final game against each other this season on Wednesday as they wrapped up a brief two-game series at Sutter Health Park. The A’s, having defeated the Angels in comeback fashion on Tuesday, looked to complete the quick sweep against the Halos with Jeffrey Springs on the hill.

The A’s managed the two-game sweep as they defeated the Angels 7-3 on Wednesday night.

Jeffrey Springs, in what was his final start for the A’s and his 29th of the season, pitched OK, but not to the quality that Springs would have preferred. Springs went four and a third innings for the A’s while allowing three runs on five hits and surrendering two home runs and two walks. Springs breezed through his first three innings before running into home run issues in the fourth inning. In the fifth, Mark Kotsay appeared to have a short leash on Springs and pulled the left-hander after a one-out hit by pitch.

First out of the bullpen for the A’s was Geoff Hartlieb, making his 16th relief appearance for the A’s in 2026. Hartlieb wasn’t able to get out of the inning without allowing the inherited runner from Springs to score, but he did manage to escape the inning without allowing any other runs. Hartlieb went back out for the sixth inning and pitched a clean, three-up, three-down inning while finishing with one and two-thirds innings of no-run, one-hit baseball.

Luis Medina was next out of the bullpen for the A’s to pitch the seventh inning. Medina wasn’t perfect, but he tossed a scoreless frame while allowing just one hit and one walk while striking out one.

Hogan Harris came in and pitched the eighth inning and allowed no runs and one hit while striking out one Angels hitter to keep the game at 7-3.

In the ninth inning, Mark Kotsay went with Elvis Alvarado to close the game, albeit not in a save situation with a four-run lead. Alvarado dominated in the ninth inning, striking out two and getting a weak ground ball to end the game.

On the offensive side of the ball, the A’s tallied seven runs on 13 hits while walking three times.

The A’s got going early as they scored four runs in the first inning to jump out to a quick lead over the Angels.

It was Lawrence Butler who got the A’s on the board first with a hot-shot RBI single to left field that glanced off the Angels shortstop en route to the outfield. Henry Bolte scored on the play to give Butler his 61st RBI of the year.

Later in the first inning, the A’s got three more courtesy of a three-run homer from Donovan Walton that just managed to fly over the right-field wall in the corner. It was RBIs 30, 31 and 32 for Walton and his ninth long ball of the season. The home run left the bat at 89.8 mph and landed 322 feet away from home plate.

The A’s offense continued to rally in the second inning, when they expanded their lead to 5-0 over the Angels. This time, it was Henry Bolte who doubled home Alika Williams to give the A’s their run, Bolte’s 15th double of the year and his 36th RBI.

The A’s next runs came in the sixth inning when Shea Langeliers added two more runs with a two-RBI double. It was the 21st double for Langeliers and his 57th and 58th RBIs, giving the A’s a 7-3 lead at the time.

The A’s will stay home to take on the Houston Astros in their final series of 2026, a four-game set beginning Thursday at 6:40 p.m. PDT. Houston will send Peter Lambert (8-10, 3.70 ERA) to the hill, while the A’s have yet to announce a starter.

A’s Rally Late to Defeat Angels 9-7 in Final Homestand Opener of 2026

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Brady Basso #66 of the Athletics throws a pitch during the first inning of the Los Angeles Angels and Athletics game at Sutter Health Park on September 22, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Heather Diehl/Getty Images)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The A’s returned home to Sacramento on Tuesday for the first of two games against the Los Angeles Angels. The A’s, who went 0-6 on their six-game road trip, were limping to the finish line after what has been a disappointing 2026 season.

The A’s, thanks to late-game heroics, defeated the Angels 9-7 to open the final homestand of the season at Sutter Health Park.

Brady Basso got the start for the A’s in what was his 25th appearance and seventh start of the 2026 campaign. Basso, who was looking to build on his last home start, wasn’t able to replicate his success. Basso struggled early and often as he was only able to go two innings while surrendering five runs on six hits. In addition, Basso gave up two walks and a home run while striking out two during his outing.

First out of the bullpen for the A’s was Scott Blewett, who came in and pitched the third inning. Blewett was solid in his appearance as he gave up just one hit while striking out two in the frame.

Seth Johnson was next out of the bullpen for Mark Kotsay as he called on the right-hander for the fourth, fifth and part of the sixth inning. Johnson was solid, but he did give up one run on four hits in his two and two-thirds innings of work. Johnson also walked one and struck out one during his appearance.

Drew Rom came on next for the Athletics to record the final out of the sixth inning. Rom went back out and continued pitching for the A’s as he tossed the seventh inning without giving up anything. All in, Rom tossed one and a third innings of work, allowing nothing and striking out no one.

Luis Medina came in for the A’s in the eighth inning as he looked to keep things close after the A’s mounted a rally in the seventh. It wasn’t the cleanest of innings for Medina, but he managed to navigate through it, allowing only one hit and a walk but no runs.

In the ninth inning, it was Hogan Harris on for the A’s to close things out. Harris walked the first batter of the inning, but it was immediately erased by a twin killing from the A’s defense. Harris gave up two more singles, directly followed by an unlucky RBI hit off Harris to make things tighter at a 9-7 score. However, Harris was able to escape the inning allowing nothing else and secured the win for the A’s, 9-7. Harris allowed three hits and a run in his one inning of work while striking out one and walking one. 

On the offensive side of the ball, the A’s scored nine runs while compiling 14 hits and walking three times in the game.

Lawrence Butler got the A’s on the board with their first run of the game in the bottom of the sixth inning. Butler launched a ball deep to the wall in right-center field that banged off the wall and gave Butler time to get to third on the play. It was the second triple for Butler this season, and the run that scored was his 60th RBI of the year.

Later that inning, the A’s got their second run of the game. Jeff McNeil reached on a fielder’s choice and error by the first baseman on a play that scored Lawrence Butler from third base. It was the A’s second run and, at the time, kept their rally going.

In the seventh inning, the A’s scored their third run of the game on yet another triple. This time, it was Carlos Cortes who drilled a ball to right field that the Angels couldn’t handle, and it went all the way to the wall. Cortes ended up at third base with his second triple of the year, and Alika Williams crossed the plate to give Cortes the RBI.

Later that inning, the A’s would get their fourth run of the game on an RBI single from Shea Langeliers. Carlos Cortes scored on the play to give Langeliers his 56th RBI of the year.

In what turned into a nightmare inning for the Angels, the A’s scored again on an RBI walk from Jeff McNeil that saw Henry Bolte cross the dish. It was the fifth run of the game and third of the inning for the A’s as they continued their comeback, making it a 6-5 game.

In what was a perfect bookend to the offensive night, the A’s scored four more runs in the eighth inning to complete the comeback against the Angels. Carlos Cortes, who wasn’t even in the starting lineup, launched a two-run home run over the wall in right field to give the A’s a 7-6 lead in the eighth inning. It was the 10th home run of the year for Cortes and gave him three RBIs on the night. The home run left the bat at 103.4 mph and landed on the bullpen roof 386 feet away from home plate.

However, the A’s weren’t done yet. Later in the inning, Zach Gelof launched his own two-run homer to give the A’s a 9-6 lead and position themselves firmly in the driver’s seat. It was the 20th home run of the year for Gelof and his 51st and 52nd RBIs of the year. The ball left Gelof’s bat at 101.9 mph and landed 411 feet away on top of the visitors’ clubhouse.

The A’s and Angels will play the second and final game of their brief two-game series on Wednesday at 6:40 p.m. PDT. The A’s will send Jeffrey Springs (4-14, 6.18 ERA) to the hill as the Angels counter with Walbert Ureña (9-10, 2.74 ERA).

Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.

⚡Craft cocktails? Check.
🔥Game-day bites? Oh yeah.
🏟️Steps from Golden 1 Center? You bet.

Open daily, Cyprus Grille is serving up local flavor with a front-row seat to the action. Stop by before or after the game—or make it your new downtown hangout.

Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.

📍Located inside the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena @ 300 J Street

Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm

Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in. 

Blue Jays Even Series With A’s Behind 4-2 Win in Sacramento

Published on by Jeremiah SalmonsonLeave a comment

Jack Perkins #50 of the Athletics pitches against the Toronto Blue Jays during the first inning at Sutter Health Park on September 08, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Mandatory photo credit: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — As the first fake fall in Sacramento came to a screeching halt on Tuesday with the return of near-100-degree temperatures, the A’s and Blue Jays engaged in game two of their three-game series at Sutter Health Park at 6:40 p.m. PDT. The A’s, having won the first game of the series in walk-off fashion on Monday, sent Jack Perkins to the hill to start the ballgame as they looked to secure the series win.

The Blue Jays spoiled the night for the A’s and evened the series as they took game two, 4-2.

As mentioned earlier, it was Jack Perkins taking the ball for the A’s in what was his 34th appearance for the club this season (his 14th start). Perkins got off to a bit of a rough start, allowing two home runs in the second inning, but he settled in nicely until he was eventually chased in the sixth inning. Perkins allowed the first two batters of the sixth to reach base via singles, and that prompted Mark Kotsay to come and get him. When it was all said and done, Perkins allowed four runs on seven hits across five-plus innings of work while striking out three and allowing no walks.

“Honestly, this is probably the first one this year that I can really say that I feel like I took a good step in the right direction,” Perkins said to the media after the game. “Obviously the no walks was huge, but I think the way my pitches were working off of each other, getting the sinker involved more… the way the other pitches performed, I thought I did really well.”

A’s manager Mark Kotsay was also pleased with the way Perkins performed.

“Command was better and for him to get into the sixth inning after the last start… tonight was a different guy.”

Chris Roycroft was first out of the bullpen for the A’s in the sixth inning, taking over for Perkins. Roycroft was unable to help Perkins out and keep any inherited runners from scoring, but he limited the damage to keep the A’s in the game. Roycroft pitched two innings of no-run, three-hit baseball while walking none and striking out one during his outing.

In the eighth inning, the A’s turned to Geoff Hartlieb. Hartlieb allowed no runs, one hit and one walk and managed two strikeouts across his two innings of work, allowing Mark Kotsay to save the rest of the bullpen as he finished the game.

At the plate, the A’s totaled two runs on six hits while walking only once.

The A’s first run of the game came in the fourth inning when Carlos Cortes sent a booming home run over the wall in right-center field. It was the ninth home run of the season for Cortes and his 40th RBI, which pulled the A’s to within a run, 2-1, at the time. The home run left the bat of Cortes at 99.4 mph and landed 388 feet from home plate.

The A’s second run of the game came later, in the seventh inning, when Donovan Walton went yard to get the A’s back on the board. It was the sixth homer of the year for Walton and his 23rd RBI. The homer left Walton’s bat at 104.9 mph and landed 369 feet away from home plate over the wall in right field.

That would be all the offense the A’s could muster in the game.

With the win, the Blue Jays are back at the .500 mark at 73-73, while the A’s fell to 59-88. Jack Perkins was charged with the loss for the A’s (3-11), while José Soriano was credited with the win (12-7).

The A’s and Blue Jays will play the rubber game of the three-game series on Wednesday at 12:05 p.m. PDT at Sutter Health Park. On Wednesday, the Blue Jays will send Braydon Fisher (3-4, 3.20 ERA) to the hill while the A’s will go with Brady Basso (1-2, 4.32 ERA) to start the game.

Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.

⚡Craft cocktails? Check.
🔥Game-day bites? Oh yeah.
🏟️Steps from Golden 1 Center? You bet.

Open daily, Cyprus Grille is serving up local flavor with a front-row seat to the action. Stop by before or after the game—or make it your new downtown hangout.

Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.

📍Located inside the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena @ 300 J Street

Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm

Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in. 

A’s Walk Off Blue Jays in 6-5 Thriller at Sutter Health Park

Published on by Jeremiah SalmonsonLeave a comment

(L-R) Tommy White #47, Jeff McNeil #22 and Carlos Cortes #26 of the Athletics celebrate McNeil’ walk-off infield single scoring Donovan Walton to defeat the Toronto Blue Jays 6-5 at Sutter Health Park on September 07, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Mandatory photo credit: Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The A’s returned home to Sacramento on Labor Day Monday after a successful series up north in Seattle. After losing two of three to the Texas Rangers, the A’s went to Seattle and took three of four from the struggling Mariners to come home with a winning 4-3 trip. Monday, the A’s welcomed our friends from the North, the Toronto Blue Jays, to town for the first of a three-game series at 7:05 p.m. PDT.

The A’s defeated the Blue Jays in a walk-off thriller on Monday night, 6-5, to take the first game of the three-game set.

Jacob Lopez took the ball for the A’s to start Monday’s series opener. Lopez, who has spent time in Triple-A Las Vegas and with the big league club this season, made his 24th appearance of the year and his 21st start for the A’s this season in game one. Lopez pitched lights out, but the seventh inning would soil his otherwise fantastic performance. Lopez tossed six innings of three-hit, one-run baseball, but it was in the seventh inning where he allowed four hits and three runs that did him in. Lopez was pulled after not being able to get an out in the seventh inning with a final line of six innings, allowing four runs on seven hits while allowing one walk and striking out one.

Mark Kotsay was happy with Lopez after the game, saying they got “another solid six” from the left-hander.

Lopez was also happy after the game, mostly because the A’s won the game, but also with his first six innings of work.

“We won, so that’s the priority,” Lopez told reporters after the game. “The first six innings were great. Just the seventh inning [I] made some bad pitches, obviously. And I think I just ran out of gas.”

Luis Medina was the first man out of the bullpen for the A’s, coming in for Lopez as he unraveled in the seventh. Medina pitched the seventh inning and two outs of the eighth, allowing no runs, one hit, a walk and two strikeouts in his inning and two-thirds of work.

Mark Kotsay called on Hogan Harris to try to get the four-out save. Harris got the final out of the eighth and pitched the ninth inning, where he ran into trouble. Harris wasn’t able to complete the save as he gave up a game-tying home run to Andrés Giménez in the ninth to tie the game. Harris managed to get out of the rest of the inning, allowing no more runs and finishing his inning and a third of work allowing one run on one hit while walking one and striking out one.

On the offensive side of the ball, the A’s managed to score early and often to get out to an early lead against the Blue Jays. The A’s totaled six runs on six hits while walking four times (three from Henry Bolte) against the Blue Jays pitching staff.

The A’s first run came in the first inning when Zack Gelof hit an RBI ground-rule double over the wall in left field to score Henry Bolte. It was Gelof’s 15th double of the year and his 43rd RBI.

Later that inning, the A’s got their second run of the game when Zack Gelof scored on a caught-stealing throwing error. The third baseman for the Blue Jays made two errors on the play that allowed Gelof to score.

In the third inning, the A’s scored their third and fourth runs of the game. The third run came when Henry Bolte scored on a fielder’s choice off the bat of Zack Gelof. It allowed the diving Bolte to score before the tag could be applied. Later in that inning, Carlos Cortes singled home Zack Gelof to give the A’s their fourth run of the game and the 39th RBI of the year for Cortes.

In the fifth inning, it was Henry Bolte again, this time doing it all himself as he sent a fly ball over the right-field wall for a solo home run. The home run was Bolte’s ninth of the year and it was his 32nd RBI as the ball traveled 341 feet from home plate.

The A’s final run came in the bottom of the ninth inning to walk off the Blue Jays. Jeff McNeil beat out an infield single to shortstop that scored Donovan Walton from third base to secure the win for the A’s. It was McNeil’s 53rd RBI of the season and his first hit of the game.

With the win, the A’s improved to 58-87 while the Blue Jays fell to 72-73. Hogan Harris got the win (his fourth), while Louis Varland of the Blue Jays got the loss (his fifth).

The A’s will take on the Blue Jays in game two of the series on Tuesday at 6:40 p.m. PDT at Sutter Health Park. Jack Perkins (3-10, 6.50 ERA) is scheduled to start for the A’s, while José Soriano (11-7, 3.52 ERA) is set to start for the Jays.