Oakland A’s podcast with Charlie O : A’s on 4-game win streak and 1 1/2 games back for a wild card

Photo credit: @Athletics

On the A’s podcast with Charlie O:

#1 The A’s are on a tear. They are winners of their last seven of eight games and on a four-game win streak.

#2 The A’s are getting some key and timely hitting to name of few of the key hitters of late in the lineup like Marcus Semien .272, Matt Chapman .274, Matt Olson .254, returning back from the IL Khris Davis .235, and Mark Canha .254.

#3 The A’s are just a 1 1/2 out of first place behind the Tampa Bay Rays and tied with Cleveland for second place in the AL Wild Card chase.

#4 The A’s even capitalized on an error to win Sunday’s game at the Coliseum on a ground ball and Chad Pinder running at first for the A’s. The White Sox Shortstop Jose Rondon fielded the ball, but threw past second baseman Yolmer Sanchez to allow Pinder to score all the way from first base.

#5 The A’s open a two-game series on Tuesday and Wednesday at the Coliseum against the Seattle Mariners. Starting for the M’s, Marco Gonzalez (10-7, 4.24 ERA), and for the A’s, Daniel Mengden (4-1, 4.73 ERA).

Charlie O does the A’s podcasts each Tuesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Record 79 San Jose State student-athletes receive Spring Academic All-MW Honors

Photo credit: sjsuspartans.com

By: Ana Kieu

A record-number 79 San José State University student-athletes from 10 Spartan spring sports teams earned 2019 Academic All-Mountain West honors.

The women’s swimming and diving team had the most award winners for the fourth consecutive year with 22, followed by softball and men’s and women’s track and field teams, who each had nine student-athletes honored.

Six San José State student-athletes earned Academic All-MW honors for each of their four years at the school — Zach Wallace (BASE) Andrea Kohlhaas (WBB); Megan Au, Brenna Bushey, Eri Tamada (WSWIM); Miyo Kobayashi (WTN).

They join five student-athletes from the fall who received four recognitions — Luiza Andrade (volleyball), Darriell Franklin (women’s soccer), Craig Huff (men’s cross country), Josh Oliver (football), and Jeanette Zambrano (women’s cross country).

“Our Spartans continue to maintain high standards in academic excellence and are being recognized once again by the Mountain West,” said Eileen Daley, senior associate athletics director for academics and student services.

“We continue to emphasize that hard work and perseverance will result in degree completion and personal growth. Our coaches and academic team work together to provide opportunities for our student-athletes to learn and grown academically by providing tutoring, peer mentoring and a learning environment that is tailored for each student-athlete.”

For the 2018-19 academic year, 167 Spartans earned academic all-conference recognition from the Mountain West, Western Athletic Conference, Mountain Pacific Sports Federation or the Golden Coast Conference.

To qualify, a student-athlete must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 or better on a 4.00 scale, be enrolled at the conference institution at least one year and participate in at least 50 percent of the team’s contests.

In all, a league-record 1,021 student-athletes have been named to the spring 2019 Academic All-MW teams. Sports recognized include baseball, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s golf, softball, women’s swimming and diving, men’s and women’s tennis and men’s and women’s indoor and outdoor track and field.

San José State University Academic All-Mountain West Award winners — Spring 2019 Baseball (8)
#Santiago Cantu, Sophomore, Communication Studies
Jonathan Clark, Freshman, Kinesiology
#Wesley Clawson, Sophomore, Kinesiology
Jack Colette, Sophomore, Communication Studies
Anders Davidson, Junior, Business Administration/Corporate Accounting & Finance
#Connor Konishi, Sophomore, Communication Studies
Ben Polack, Freshman, Undeclared
#&^Zach Wallace, Senior, Justice Studies

Men’s Basketball (4)
Christian Anigwe, Freshman, Biological Sciences/Physiology
Zach Chappell, Freshman, Philosophy
Craig LeCesne, Junior, Communication Studies
Trey Smith, Freshman, Computer Science

Women’s Basketball (5)
#Megan Anderson, Sophomore, Public Health
#^ Fieme’a Hafoka, Junior, Child & Adolescent Development
#&^Andrea Kohlhaas, Senior, Business Administration/International Business
#Cydni Lewis, Sophomore, Public Health
#Danae Marquez, Sophomore, Psychology

Men’s Golf (2)
#Ben Campbell, Senior, Psychology
Matt Heitel, Sophomore, Business Administration/General Business

Women’s Golf (6)
#^Abegail Arevalo, Senior, Psychology
#Alexandra Cooper, Senior, Kinesiology
#^Franziska Friedrich, Senior, Business Administration/International Business
Antonia Malate, Freshman, Communication Studies
Natasha Andrea Oon, Freshman, Business
Maddie White, Freshman, Communication Studies

Softball (9)
#^Kaelin Amrein, Junior, Psychology
#^Madison Aurin, Senior, Health Science
Caroline Bowman, Sophomore, Mechanical Engineering
#^Cassidy Clark, Junior, Health Science
#^Makayla Englestad, Junior, Business Administration/General Business
Alyssa Graham, Freshman, Kinesiology
Chrys Hildebrand, Freshman, Undeclared
Carley Morfey, Freshman, Pre-Nursing
#Jacey Phipps, Sophomore, Liberal Studies

Women’s Swimming & Diving (22)
#&^Megan Au, Senior, Kinesiology
#^Violani Auva’a, Junior, Business Administration/Entrepreneurship
#&^Brenna Bushey, Senior, Public Relations
Daria Cocol, Freshman, Business Administration/Corporate Accounting & Finance
Jamie Dodd, Junior, Hospitality, Tourism & Event Management
Kimberlee Giggey, Senior, Psychology
Madison Grimes, Sophomore, Liberal Studies
#Kendal Guy, Senior, Hospitality, Tourism & Event Management
#^Kate Hanf, Junior, Psychology
#^Gabby Heng, Junior, Anthropology
Taylor Lehr, Senior, Applied Mathematics
#^Antoinette Loya, Junior, Business Administration/Management Information Systems
Makenna Mathieson, Freshman, Pre-Nursing
#Katie McIntee, Junior, Psychology
Shelby Mullendore, Freshman, Economics
#^Jacqueline Nisson, Junior, Environmental Science
#^Maleah Schmidt, Junior, Sociology
#Katrina Slivkoff, Sophomore, Computer Science
#^Natasha Sondeno, Junior, Kinesiology
#&^Eri Tamada, Senior, Art/Design Studies
Gabriela Vieira, Junior, Art/Design Studies
#^Erin Wayman, Junior, Liberal Studies

Women’s Tennis (5)
#^Tamara Culibrk, Junior, Civil Engineering
#&^Miyo Kobayashi, Senior, Business Administration/International Business
#Laura Malsert, Sophomore, Hospitality, Tourism & Event Management
Alba Pedrero Galindo, Freshman, Business Administration/Management
#Savannah Sendar, Sophomore, Business Administration/Finance

Men’s Track & Field (9)
Luis Chavez, Freshman, Kinesiology
Chris Gerlach, Freshman, Mathematics
Peter Handy, Freshman, Engineering
Craig Huff, Senior, Computer Science
Brendan Manigo, Freshman, Biomedical Engineering
Evaristo Mateo, Junior, Justice Studies
Jose Pina, Junior, Health Science
Matthew Porter, Freshman, Kinesiology
Cannon Yates, Freshman, Biomedical Engineering

Women’s Track & Field (9)
Kai Bohannon, Freshman, Business
#^Breya Carter, Sophomore, Kinesiology
#^Carmen Contreras, Junior, Psychology
Camilla Hanson, Junior, Biomedical Engineering
Evalina Maas-Espinosa, Freshman, Music
Evelin Meza, Freshman, Political Science
#^Jennifer Sandoval, Junior, Communicative Disorders
Briana Valencia, Junior, Communication Studies
#^Jeanette Zambrano, Junior, Mathematics

# — 2018 award winner
^ — 2017 award winner
& — 2016 award winner
$ — 2015 award winner

San Francisco Giants podcast with Morris Phillips: Longoria expected back tonight in Giants-Rockies doubleheader; Beede pitched the game of his career

photo from sfgate.com: San Francisco Giants starter Tyler Beede throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers Sunday, July 14, 2019, in Milwaukee.

#1 Giants pitcher Tyler Beede has a great outing on Sunday, going 6.2 innings, seven hits, three runs all earned, and seven strikeouts.

#2 Sunday was Beede’s best outing of his career. He pitched well enough to complete the game he was going that well.

#3 Beede’s outing saved the bullpen and gave them some rest with relievers Derek Holland and Mark Melancon pitching an inning each to close the door

#4 Evan Longoria, who suffered a left foot injury and was replaced at third by Pablo Sandoval, is expected back tonight in Colorado for the second game of tonight’s doubleheader.

#5 Starting pitchers for tonight in the first game. For the Giants, Jeff Samardzija (6-7). For the Rockies, German Marquez (8-4), and in the second game — for the Giants, Dereck Rodriquez (3-5, 5.27 ERA), and for Colorado, to be announced.

Morris does the Giants podcasts each Monday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Beede Comes Up Big on the Mound and at the Plate in Giants Win 8-3

Photo: @SFGiants

By Jeremy Kahn

Tyler Beede rejoined the San Francisco Giants just in time to start the series finale against the Milwaukee Brewers.

Beede went 6.2 innings, allowing three runs, giving up seven hits, and striking out seven as the Giants defeated the Brewers 8-3 at Miller Park.

Not only did Beede pitch a great game, but he came up with the hit that won the game for the Giants, who have now won eight out of their last 10 games.

Beede drove in the eventual game-winning run on a single which scored Donovan Solano in a decisive six-run seventh inning.

Brandon Belt ended the series with a big day, as he hit his 11th home run of the season and then added a single in the seventh inning.

Stephen Vogt continued to show promise since joining the Giants, as he doubled against his former team which scored Beede and send Belt to third base.

Brewer’s pitcher, Corbin Burnes, gave up four runs on four hits, as the former St. Marys pitcher lost for the fifth time this season.

Matt Albers, who replaced Burnes, was able to get the first out of the inning, as he struck out Austin Slater, then intentionally walked Pablo Sandoval to get to Brandon Crawford, who walked to lengthen the lead.

Kevin Pillar then got in on the act, as he beat out a dribbler that scored Vogt from third base. It looked like the Brewers ended the inning, when Mike Yastrzemski grounded into a double play; however, Bruce Bochy challenged the call and it was reversed, meaning that Sandoval’s score counted as the fifth run of the inning.

Solano, who led off the inning with a double off of Burnes, then singled off of Albers to drive in Crawford. Beede finally ended the inning, when he grounded into a fielders choice to retire Yastrzemski at third base.

In all, the Giants scored six runs and sent 11 batters to the plate in the inning.

Beede and Jhoulys Chacin were in a pitchers duel until the top of the fifth inning, when Belt broke a 1-1 tie when hit his 11th home run of the season.
Yelich tied up the game, as he launched his 32nd home run of the season off of Beede in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Yasmani Grandal got the Brewers on the board in the bottom of the first inning, as he grounded into a fielders choice that scored Lorenzo Cain from third base. Cain led off the inning with a single and went to third on a Yelich single.

Once again, it was Solano, who got the Giants into the game, as he hit a sacrifice fly that drove in Crawford from third base in the top of the second inning.

Crawford led off the inning with a walk and advanced to third on an Eric Thames error on a ball hit by Yastrzemski.

The Giants looked to take the lead in the top of the second inning, as Beede singled to center, but Yastrzemski was thrown out at home to end the inning.

NOTES: Evan Longoria was forced to leave the game in the fifth inning with what was diagnosed as plantar fasciitis in his left foot, and the x-rays came out negative.

Alex Dickerson missed his second straight game, as he still suffering from back tightness that he developed on Friday night.

Slater, who sat Saturday’s game until coming into a game as a pinch hitter in the seventh inning and showed up to Miller Park with a fever struck out in the top of the fifth inning and remained in the game, when Belt moved to first from first, Sandoval to third, Yastrzemski to left and Slater went to right.

To make room for Beede on the roster, the Giants optioned Ray Black to Triple-A Sacramento.

UP NEXT: Jeff Samardzija will take the ball in the opener of the doubleheader at Coors Field against the Colorado Rockies, and Dereck Rodriguez will pitch the nightcap after he will be recalled from Sacramento.

Overall, the Giants have lost 19 out of their last 22 games against the Rockies at Coors Field.

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary Q &A: Mid-season Chat with the Athletics President

photo from TK Sports and sportsblogs.com: Oakland A’s president David Kaval is Amaury Pi Gonzalez’ guest for this week’s That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary

Mid-season Chat with the Athletics President

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

Amaury Pi-González

OAKLAND–The All-Star Game has come and gone. The American League continues to show its superiority over the National League. It doesn’t matter if the games counts or are only exhibitions, the American League keeps winning, extending their winning streak to seven-in-a-row. Talking about winning, the Oakland Athletics are on a roll again, with almost the same record as they had last season at this time of the year when they took-off with a sensational second half, advancing to the postseason.

There is nobody more enthusiastic about the A’s success that Mr. Dave Kaval, their President, and why not. There is great news all overcoming from this organization as we entered the second half of this season. I had basically two questions in mind for Mr. Kaval.

APG: How do you feel about the 1st half of the season for the A’s?

DK: “How can you not love this team?! Fiers’ lights-out no-hitter; Ramon Laureano’s laser arm in centerfield; Josh Phegley’s emergence at the plate and the amazing defense of Matt Chapman and Matt Olson at the corners. They’re an exciting”

APG. What is the latest on the proposal for the stadium at Howard Terminal?

DK: “We’ve had a very busy few months working on our plans for a waterfront ballpark at Jack London Square. In May, the Board of Port Commissioners voted 7-0 to approve a term sheet between the Port of Oakland and the Oakland Athletics”

A big test for the club is coming, as they embark on a road trip that takes the young A’s to Minnesota and Houston, two first-place teams. The Minnesota Twins are one of the great surprises this season as they have owned the Central Division (once dominated by the Cleveland Indians) during the first half of the season. They will play a four-game series at Minnesota 18th to the 21st, the next day they are in Texas, against the Houston Astros for a three-game series.

While a lot of discussions is focused on the Wild Card already, the A’s have a total of 11 games left against Houston, seven at Houston and four at Oakland. Not to overlook Minnesota, but Houston is getting healthier and they are a formidable team when they have Springer, Altuve, Bregman, and Company, plus a very good pitching staff headed by All-Star Justin Verlander. It should be fun, because the A’S are not afraid of anybody these days, and they also had their share of injuries.

We thank Dave Kaval, as we share his enthusiasm, with the largest minority in the Bay Area, that of Latinos (around 2 million people) many more during the next Census and, many who have been supporting the Athletics for many years, are also excited about the possibility of a new ballpark.

Amaury Pi-González is a pioneer in establishing Spanish baseball radio play by play in the Bay Area that dates back to 1970s.The Spanish broadcast for 72 games are heard on KIQI 1010A/990AM with studios in San Francisco, serving also the Sacramento/Stockton market.

Oakland A’s podcast with Joey Friedman: No stopping the Swinging A’s now Oakland wins 8 out 10 games

sfgate photo: Oakland Athletics’ Franklin Barreto swings for a three-run home run off Chicago White Sox pitcher Ross Detwiler in the first inning of a baseball game Saturday, July 13, 2019, in Oakland, Calif.

Oakland A’s podcast with Charlie O:

#1 The A’s crushed the Chicago White Sox 13-2 as the A’s got plenty of offense on Saturday at the Oakland Coliseum.

#2 The A’s Franklin Baretto got things going in the bottom of the first crushing a 1-1 pitch for a three run homer .

#3 The A’s in the first inning sent ten hitters to the plate and scored seven runs it was game over.

#4 The A’s continued their hitting derby with five consecutive hits in the fourth inning

#5 Joey takes a look at Sunday’s pitchers for the Chicago White Sox Reynaldo Lopez (4-8 ERA 6.34) and for the A’s Brett Anderson (9-5 ERA 3.86)

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

MLB podcast The Show with Daniel Dullum: Halos throw no-no in honoring Skaggs; Gooden in jail for coke possession; plus more

photo from latimes.com: Angel players place their Tyler Skaggs jerseys at the pitchers mound after no-hitting the Mariners. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

On the MLB The Show podcast with Daniel:

1 Angels throw combined no-hitter while honoring Tyler Skaggs

2 Dwight Gooden reportedly arrested for cocaine possession

3 Former All-Star Matt Kemp released by Mets

4 Pirates’ catcher Francisco Cervelli denies saying career is over following sixth concussion

Daniel Dullum does the MLB The Show podcasts each Sunday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Gamel wins it in a pinch 5-4

Photo from @SFGiants

By Jeremy Kahn

Ben Gamel came up with the hit of the game at the most opportune time for the Milwaukee Brewers.

Gamel, who came off the bench hit a double off of Reyes Moronta in the bottom of the ninth inning, helping the Brewers to a 5-4 victory over the San Francisco Giants at Miller Park.

The walk-off pinch hit double by Gamel scored Ryan Braun, who led off the inning, when Brandon Crawford was unable to field the grounder.

Moronta then regrouped to strikeout both Mike Moustakas and Jesus Aguliar, then Keston Hiura walked and then Gamel lined a Moronta pitch into the right field corner to send the Miller Park and the Brewers into celebration mode.

The Giants tied up the game in the top of the ninth inning, as they scored two runs off of Brewers reliever Jeremy Jeffress. Crawford got the rally started, as he walked off of Jeffress, then went to second on an Austin Slater single. Stephen Vogt singled in Crawford with a single to centerfield and then Slater scored the tying run, when Lorenzo Cain overran the ball.

Slater gave the Giants a 2-1 in the top of the seventh inning, as came off the bench to pick up a pinch-hit double off of reliever Alex Claudio.

Unfortunately, the lights out Giants bullpen was unable to hold onto the lead, as Sam Dyson gave up three straight doubles to give the Brewers the lead in the bottom of the eighth inning.

Moustakas, Aguilar and Hiura began the eighth with those doubles. Eric Thames then came off the back to single Hiura up to third base and that was it for Dyson.

Derek Holland came on to replace Dyson and promptly walked Yasmani Grandal to load the bases, and then Orlando Arcia hit a sacrifice fly to score Hiura from third base.

Madison Bumgarner, who left his last start after just two innings when he was hit on the left elbow on a ball hit by Jose Martinez of the St. Louis Cardinals showed effects from it, as he went five innings, allowing one (unearned) run, on seven hits, walking one and striking out seven.

The Giants took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning, as Brandon Belt reached on a fielding error by Zach Davies, then Buster Posey singled to left and after a Pablo Sandoval ground out that advanced Belt and Posey up an additional 90 feet. Evan Longoria then walked to load the bases, and Mike Yastrzemski hit a sacrifice fly that scored Belt from third base.

Davies got the Brewers back into the game in the bottom of the fifth inning, as he doubled with one out off of Bumgarner. After Cain flew out to right field for the second out of the inning, Christian Yelich then hit a ball up the middle that Joe Panik was unable to field and Davies scored the tying run from second base.

Like Bumgarner, Davies did not fare in the decision, as he went six innings, allowing one (unearned) run on just two hits, walking two and striking out five.

NOTES: In honor of the 14th annual Cerveceros Night, both the Brewers and Giants wore Spanish jerseys. The Brewers wore Cerveceros jerseys, and the Giants wore their Gigantes jerseys.

Alex Dickerson was not in the starting lineup, as he experienced tightness in his back in Fridays game. He was available to pinch hit if needed.

UP NEXT: Tyler Beede will make his first ever start against the Brewers on Sunday, while the Brewers will send Jhoulys Chacin will make his 22nd career start against the Giants and is 9-7 with a 3.11 earned run average.

MLB podcast with Matt Harrington: Posey’s slam paces Giants for win over Brew Crew; A’s Fiers pitches to a 5-1 win over Chisox; plus more

photo from sfgate.com: San Francisco Giants’ Buster Posey hits a grand slam during the 10th inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers Friday, July 12, 2019, in Milwaukee

On the MLB podcast with Matt:

#1 A grand time to be had by all San Francisco catcher Buster Posey whose been hitting below .300 or near it all season which is unusual for him hit a grand slam in the 10th inning to help launch the Giants to a 10-7 win over the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park on Friday night.

#2 Oakland A’s pitcher Mik Fiers pitched 7.2 innings of shutout ball against the visiting Chicago White Sox as the A’s held a 5-0 lead and eventually won it 5-1.

#3 Red Sox were back to their old ways again with some home run help from Xander Bogaerts with a three run homer, and solo homers from Rafael Devers and Christian Vazquez as the one hour rain delayed game was worth the wait as the Sox crushed the LA Dodgers 8-1.

#4 The hot Minneosta Twins continue to roll with a 5-3 win over Cleveland Jorge Polanco knocked a two run double in the seventh inning that ended Cleveland’s six game win streak.

#5 The New York Yankees blanked the Toronto Blue Jays 6-0 as pitcher Domingo German pitched six innings of shutout ball and Edwin Encarnacion belted a three run double to contribute to the run total.

Matt Harrington does the MLB podcasts each Saturday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

A’s off to a great start in the second half, rout the White Sox 5-1

Photo credit: @Athletics

By: Lewis Rubman

Chicago White Sox: 1 | 10 | 1
Oakland Athletics: 5 |13 | 0

OAKLAND — For the third time this year, Mike Fiers took the mound for the A’s to open a segment of the season. He was trounced by Seattle in Tokyo in the season opener but came back eight days later to get the win against the Angels in Oakland’s first game of the campaign on American soil, although his performance on that occassion didn’t even rate as a quality start. His pitching picked up in May, including a no-hitter on the seventh, and, when Frankie Montás was suspended on June 21 for violating MLB’s drug policies, Fiers became the undisputed ace of the A’s pitching staff, a distinction he in any case deserved by dint of his own efforts. The A’s starter went into tonight’s contest with an ERA of 2.87 in May, 2.30 in June, and 1.50 for his one start in July. He faced the task of getting the third portion of the season, the long haul between the All=Star Game and the final stretch drive, off to a successful start.

Facing him for the White Sox was Iván Nova, a right-hander much given to throwing sinker balls and having a 4-7, 5.88 ERA record to show for it.

The A’s opened the scoring in the top of the first, when, with one out, Matt Chapman’s line drive ate up Leury García at short and ended up as a single to left. Matt Olson promptly moved Chapman to third with a single to right. The A’s third baseman then scored on Khris Davis’s clean single to center. Nova escaped further damage by inducing Mark Canha to hit into an inning ending double play, short to second to first.

Ramón Laureano extended the A’s lead by blasting a 2-2 pitch into the second deck left field seats for his seventeenth home run of the season. Not to be outdone, Jurickson Profar, batting left-handed, the switch-hitting second sacker’s weak side, followed with a homer, his eleventh, into the Budweiser seats in right, putting the home team in front by a score of 3-0.

The Pale Hose threatened in the top of the third when Ryan Cordell and García, the number nine and one hitters, laced back to back one out singles. But Oakland’s Fiers put out the Chicago fire, striking out Yoán Moncada and José Abreu, both of them swinging.

Fiers kept on shutting out the Sox, and Nova settled down, not allowing the A’s any more runs until with one down in the bottom of the sixth Canha shot his 13th round tripper of the season over the center field fence, just to the right of the 400 foot sign. On the next pitch, Robbie Grossman lined a double off the left center field wall. But Nova got Laureano to ground out to third and Profar to first to keep the A’s from posting a crooked number.

But Nova had thrown 104 pitches, and that finished his work for the night. Josh Phegley greeeted his replacement, Juan Minaya, by hitting a solid single to left on his first offering in the home half of the seventh. Three pitches later, Semien plated Phegley with a triple to left center. Minaya got two quick outs on Chapman and Olson but then issued back-to-back walks to Davis and Canha to load the bases. Rick Rentería sent lefty Josh Osich in to face Grossman, who would have batted from his weak, right, side if Bob Melvin hadn’t sent Chad Pinder in to hit for him. Osich got his man on a called third strike. But, by now, the A’s held a 5-0 advantage over Chicago.

When Fiers walked John McCann with two down and a man on base in the top the eighth, the A’s starter had thrown 111 pitches over seven and two-thirds, innings, more pitches over more innings than in any game since his early season no-hitter. Oh, yes, his replacement, Yusmeiro Petit, retired the side by getting John Jay to ground out to Profar at second.

Joakim Soria came in to mop up in the ninth. He wasn’t quite up to the job. García’s two-out single on a 3-2 count brought in Eloy Jiménez who had led off the frame with a single to spoil the shutout. Oakland’s all star closer, Liam Hendricks, the Pride of Perth, came in and struck out Moncada on three pitches.

The win went to Fiers; the loss to Nova. Hendrick got the save, his sixth in eight opportunities.

Oakland’s win puts them at 51-41, a half a game behind Cleveland for the second wild card spot.

Tomorrow afternoon’s contest will feature righty Chris Bassitt (5-4, 4.29 ERA) on the bump for the A’s. His opposing number is as yet unnamed, making it likely that he will be an opener.