Author: Sports Radio Service

Pomeranz, Giants bitten by Diamondbacks 18-2

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Photo credit: @Dbacks

By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO — If you thought allowing another first inning run to an opponent was nothing new for the San Francisco Giants, just wait to see what happened over the next five innings.

After taking a 1-0 lead in the first inning on a Ildemaro Vargas home run, the Arizona Diamondbacks quickly relinquished that lead, when Austin Slater smashed a two-run home run to give the Giants a 2-1 lead.

Unfortunately, that Giants lead would last only one-half inning, as the Diamondbacks scored 17 runs over the next six innings on their way to a 18-2 victory over the Giants before a crowd of 31,777 at Oracle Park.

The win by the Diamondbacks stopped their five-losing streak.

Ketel Marte tied up the game in the top of the second inning, as he singled in Nick Ahmed, who singled to lead off the frame.

Vargas then picked up his second run batted in of the game, as he singled to right field that scored Carson Kelly, who walked after Ahmed singled.

Robbie Ray helped out his own cause in the top of the third inning, as he hit a two-run single that scored Adam Jones and Ahmed.

That third inning would be the end of the line for Drew Pomeranz, as he went 2.2 innings, allowing five runs on eight hits, while walking just one and striking out six and lost for the fifth time in six decisions this season.

It was a huge night for Jones, who went 4-for-5 with three runs and three runs batted in before being replaced by Blake Swihart in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Not only was a huge night for Jones, but Ray pitched a good game as well. Ray went 5.1 innings, allowing two runs, five hits, walking two and striking out and won for the fourth time in five decisions.

Ahmed got in on the run batted in parade in the top of the fourth inning, as he walked to Eduardo Escobar; however, the big hit in the inning was a two-run single by Tim Locastro.

The quartet of Marte, Vargas, Escobar and Jones racked up 14 of the 21 Diamondbacks hits on the evening.

Marte ended the night with three hits, Vargas with five, Escobar with two and Jones with four.

Escobar joined the home run parade in the top of the sixth inning, as he smashed a Nick Vincent offering onto the arcade for a three-run home run.

All in all, Vincent went 2.2 innings, allowing six runs on seven hits, and striking out two.

Derek Holland was cruising in the top of the seventh inning, as he got the first two outs; however, then the wheels fell off, as he gave up a single to Kelly, then hit Locastro, then Swihart grounded into a fielders choice that saw Donovan Solano throw the ball into right for another Diamondbacks run.

Marte then got in on the home run derby, as he smashed a Holland pitch into the left field bleachers.

The biggest applause of the night came in the bottom of the seventh inning, as Pablo Sandoval came into the game to pinch hit and promptly singled to right field.

Following the Marte home run, the fans began to chant Let Pablo Pitch, but it did not come to fruition and Holland returned to the mound, much to the chagrin of the remaining fans that hung around.

Zach Godley pitched the final three innings to pick up his second save of the season for the Diamondbacks.

On the other side of things, the usually stellar Giants bullpen was anything but that, as they 13 runs (nine earned) on 13 hits, walked two and struck out six. They also gave up three home runs over the final seven and one-thirds innings.

NOTES: The 18 runs scored by the Diamondbacks are the most by a visiting team in the history of Oracle Park breaking the record of 17 that was set by the Colorado Rockies on May 5, 2016.

Also, the 18 runs scored by the Diamondbacks tied for the second most in team history, and the most ever on the road.

Their 21 hits are also the second most in team history, one shy of the team record that was set on August 24, 2013, when they smashed 22 hits against the Philadelphia Phillies.

UP NEXT: Andrew Suarez makes his second start of the season, as he takes the mound for the Giants on Saturday afternoon. Right-hander Tyler Clarke will toe the rubber for the Diamondbacks, as he looks for that elusive first win of the season

San Francisco Giants podcast with Michael Duca: Giants’ Williamson and company lacking the hits

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Photo credit: @NBCSGiants

On the Giants podcast with Miguel:

#1 What’s off with the Giants’ Mac Williamson swing? He was striking out five times on Thursday afternoon against the Atlanta Braves

#2 Five times they needed that bat of Williamson to make hay in a one-run loss that went 13 innings.

#3 Williamson is trying to make this club and be a main stay. We ask Michael is this a temporary hang up or something that needs a quick fix?

#4 Another bat out of the Giants’ lineup: shortstop Brandon Crawford, who missed Thursday night’s contest due to pink eye.

#5 The Giants opened a three-game series on Friday night against the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Diamondbacks started Robbie Ray (3-1) and the Giants went with Drew Pomeranz (1-4)

Michael does the Giants podcasts each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

NHL Stanley Cup Final podcast with Joe Lami: Joe talks Sharks free agency plus Bruins-Blues, who’s the best?

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photo from wbur.org: Boston Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask stops a penalty shot by Columbus Blue Jackets forward Boone Jenner during Game 4 of their second-round series.

On the Stanley Cup Final podcast with Joe:

#1 The San Jose Sharks’ season ended last week as the players cleaned out their lockers the discussion of free agency was turned up as the Sharks might shop or drop free agents, forwards, Joe Pavelski, Joe Thornton, Joonas Donskoi, Michael Healy, and Gus Nyquist.

#2 The Sharks are also looking at their defensemen free agents who may not return next season — Erik Karlsson and Tim Heed

#3 Will restricted free agents Timo Meier and Kevin LaBanc be back?

#4 The Boston Bruins swept through the Stanley Cup Playoffs and made it look easy. Joe takes a look how easy it will be against the St. Louis Blues in the Final.

#5 The Bruins have home ice and had plenty much of a flawless postseason, going almost error free.

Listen for Joe Lami on the NHL Stanley Cup Finals podcasts each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

San Francisco Giants podcast with Morris Phillips and Michael Duca: By trade deadline, you can expect a lot of changes to come to the Giants

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photo from nbcsports.com: San Francisco Giants pitcher Shaun Anderson during his second major league outing last Tuesday at Oracle Park. Anderson pitched five innings and gave up eight hits and two runs.

On the San Francisco Giants podcast with Morris Phillips and Michael Duca:

The San Francisco Giants are everything you would have expected them to be the way the pitching staff has been going were not sure if manager Bruce Bochy could name the five man starting rotation. The Giants are playing to the trade deadline, you can expect a lot of changes to come to this team.

On Tuesday night, for the 27th time in their entire history, they came from behind for a win in the ninth inning and there were 12,000 more people in the ballpark than usual. The Giants were 21-27 after their loss on Wednesday night at Oracle Park. The Giants are desperate for runs they have won eight of their last 10 wins by one run and 13 of 21 wins of one run.

Michael and Morris do the Giants podcasts weekly at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Headline Sports podcast with Tony Renteria: Bucks now find themselves tied with mighty Raptors; Blues-Bruins to battle in final; plus more

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Photo credit: @BleacherReport

On Headline Sports podcast with Tony:

#1 The tables have turned on the Milwaukee Bucks. After winning the first two games, the Toronto Raptors have won Games 3 and 4 to tie up the series 2-2.

#2 The Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo led all Bucks scorers with 25 points, but it wasn’t enough in Game 4 as the Raptors took care of business 120-102. It’s a brand new series.

#3 The San Jose Sharks, who won Game 3 on a glove-handled puck 5-4, set the St. Louis Blues on fire. The Blues came back to win three straight and win the series to move on against the Boston Bruins for the NHL Final.

#4 The New York Yankees had nearly 17 starters or key players out with injuries so the Yanks called up the reserves and they came through. The one player to admire is the Yankees’ Gleyber Torres, who has hit 10 homers in 11 games against the Baltimore Orioles.

#5 The Oakland A’s are one of the big league’s hottest teams, winning their sixth straight game and a four-game sweep over Cleveland as they head back to Oakland for a Friday night contest with the Seattle Mariners.

Tony Renteria does Headline Sports each Thursday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Stanford MBB’s Bryce Wills selected to participate in USA Basketball U19 Training Camp

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Photo credit: gostanford.com

By: Ana Kieu

Rising Stanford Cardinal men’s basketball sophomore Bryce Wills has been invited to participate in the USA Basketball U19 World Cup Team Training Camp.

Wills, a regular starter for the Cardinal as a freshman, is one of 34 athletes selected for the training camp, set for June 15-18 at the United States Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Following training camp, a 12-member roster for the 2019 USA Basketball U19 World Cup Team will be selected by the USA Basketball Men’s Junior National Team Committee. The USA Basketball U19 World Cup Team will compete in the FIBA World Cup in Greece in June.

Wills, the youngest player in the Pac-12 and seventh youngest player in Division I this past season, started 23 of 30 games in his first year on The Farm. He averaged 6.0 points and 3.5 rebounds per game overall, increasing those averages to 7.6 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists from the guard spot during Pac-12 action. He scored in double figures in seven Pac-12 games. He scored four of his 11 points in the final 14 seconds, including the go-ahead basket in the final seconds, in Stanford’s 79-76 win over USC at Maples Pavilion. A couple days later, he scored 10 points in 17 minutes in the win over UCLA to complete the home sweep of the Los Angeles schools. Following the season, he was the recipient of Stanford’s Roy Young Toughness Award, recognizing an individual for giving the extra effort on both ends of the floor.

As the recognized governing body for basketball in the US by the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) and the United States Olympic Committee (USOC), USA Basketball is responsible for the selection, training and fielding of USA national teams that compete in FIBA-sponsored 5-on-5 and 3×3 international competitions, as well as for some national competitions along with the development of youth basketball.

Oakland A’s podcast with Jerry Feitelberg: A’s flip the script, this is a road trip you want in a bottle; Team has now won 6 straight

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Photo credit: @Athletics

On the A’s podcast with Jerry:

#1 With the 7-2 win over Cleveland on Wednesday night, the Oakland A’s hit the .500 mark after sweeping Cleveland and taking three straight from Detroit, going 7-2 thus far on the road trip.

#2 A’s starter Frankie Montas improved his record as the A’s got a 7-2 win over Cleveland, Montas (5-2, ERA 2.67) pitching six innings, five hits, no runs, struck out nine and walked two.

#3 Mark Canha is proving to be the right choice as designated hitter, hitting a home run, a double and three RBIs.

#4 A’s catcher Nick Hundley is also hitting the ball, going 3-4 with a home run, double and single.

#5 The A’s open a three-game series on Friday night, pitching for Oakland Daniel Mengden (1-1, 3.65 ERA), and for the Seattle Mariners, Wade LeBlanc (2-1 ERA 7.36) at the Oakland Coliseum.

Jerry does the A’s podcasts each Thursday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

SJSU assistant men’s basketball coach Will Kimble shares his story

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Photo credit: sjsuspartans.com

By: Ana Kieu

SAN JOSE, Calif. — When Jean Prioleau was hired as the head coach of the San Jose State men’s basketball program, one of the first things he was tasked with was assembling a coaching staff. Knowing how important it would be to have someone on staff that is familiar with the area, one of the first names he went after was Will Kimble, an up-and-coming assistant coach at UC Riverside.

“It has to do with the locale at the job that you take,” Prioleau said on why he went after Kimble. “We are in California. San Jose is in Northern California and I needed California guys on my staff. Will is well-known in California, knows a lot of people and has really helped us close out a lot of guys in the state recently. He also has connections outside of the state too, and I’ve actually tried to push him to broaden his horizons in the recruiting world to try to reach outside of California, because we are going to have to do that here. That’s what I wanted in an assistant coach and that’s what I went after and got.”

Kimble joined the program with Prioleau at the start of the 2017-18 season and has just wrapped up his second season as an assistant on Prioleau’s staff. Tasked with coaching the bigs (forwards and centers), Kimble has thrived in his role because he has first-hand experience at what it takes to play the position. He started his college career at Pepperdine as a center and led the team to the NIT in his first year and the NCAA Tournament in his second year.

“I think he’s done a great job at developing and working the guys out,” Prioleau said. “He shows them different paths in terms of what they need to be looking for during the game and runs individual workouts to help them become better players. He really just helps them mentally as well, because he was a big guy in college, so I think that helps as well.”

When a new coach and coaching staff are brought in, there are some kinks to work out at the beginning, but Prioleau feels that Kimble is the type of person that was able to grasp the system early on and help make the transition as smooth as possible.

“A large part of it was just getting used to the system,” Prioleau said. “Every assistant coach has a system or a way they’d like to do things when they become a head coach. Some assistants go around to different programs and bounce around, and don’t know or haven’t absorbed all the information that they needed to going from one coach to another, but I think Will has grasped what we are trying to do and that’s a sign that he knows where we are trying to go with this program. He also has his own thoughts on that as well and brings good thoughts to the table.

“I think the first year everyone was just learning me,” Prioleau continued. “What I want, what I’m trying to do, and what we are trying to do as a whole. I think Will has done a great job of trying to be the best that he can be for me and the program.”

After two years as Prioleau’s lead assistant, Kimble will be tasked with an even bigger role moving forward as he has taken over the role of lead recruiter. He has done well in that role so far. He landed two 2019 recruits in just a few days in forwards Eduardo Lane and Ralph Agee. Both players will join recruits Omari Moore and Richard Washington.

“He’s taken on some more responsibilities in scheduling and recruiting. He’s really spearheaded the recruiting,” Prioleau said. “The last two years, I’ve kind of let everyone get involved with recruiting and have a say, but now he’s really taken control of it and has a say, and he’s going to be the head guy in terms of recruiting – who we are going for and where we need to go see them and stuff like that. Obviously I have enough confidence in him for him to be able to do that, and he’s earned that right.”

Overall, Prioleau is very pleased with the work that Kimble has put in in his two-plus years with the program. Kimble’s work ethic, natural ability to form relationships with players and ability to develop players on and off the court leads Prioleau to believe that Kimble is well on his way to becoming a head coach in the near future.

“Will has done a great job for us,” Prioleau said. “A lot of people don’t realize the things that he does. He’s got a great relationship with the players and understands the x’s and o’s of the game as well as the flow of the game, which helps me out a lot. I’m really pleased with his development. I want to develop him to become a head coach one day. He has the capability of doing that. I think all assistants aspire to do that, and I want that for all of my assistants. I think Will has tried to embrace all the qualities that it takes to try to be a head coach.”

Make sure heck out the video below to hear more about Kimble’s story in his own words.

ICYMI: Stanford men’s basketball unveiled 2019 recruiting class

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Photo credit: gostanford.com

By: Ana Kieu

In case you missed it, Stanford men’s basketball unveiled its 2019 recruiting class, which includes four standouts from California, Minnesota and Kansas. Those standouts are point guard Tyrell Terry (Minneapolis) and forwards Spencer Jones (Roeland Park, Ks), James Keefe (Los Angeles) and Neal Begovich (San Francisco).

“This group of four represents everything that is right about college athletics,” Jerod Haase, the Anne and Tony Joseph Director of Men’s Basketball, said. “They are true scholar-athletes that come to Stanford with a plan to help the Cardinal win at the highest level.”

Terry, a 6-1, 160-lb point guard out of DeLaSalle High School in Minneapolis, is a consensus four-star prospect and one of the top point guard’s in the class of 2019. He led DeLaSalle to the Minnesota Class 3A state championship in 2019, capping his stellar scholastic career with 19 points and 10 assists in the title game victory over Waseca.

Terry, who was named to the all-tournament team in 2019, completed his decorated high school career with three state championships in four seasons. The Islanders finished 21-5 this past season.

Terry was a finalist for Minnesota’s Mr. Basketball, the state’s player of the year award. He was also a finalist for the McDonald Award, honoring the senior player of the year by the Minnesota State High School Coaches Association.

Terry was an Associated Press First Team All-State selection, as well as a First Team ALL-USA Today Minnesota Basketball Team pick. He collected First Team All-Metro honors by the Minnesota Star Tribune and was a three-time Tri-Metro All-Conference selection.

Terry finished among the state’s scoring leaders with a 22.6 scoring average, while recording 7.1 assists per contest. He averaged 17 points and seven assists per game as a junior, guiding the Islanders to a 21-4 record in 2017-18. He also competed with the USA Select Team at the Albert Schweitzer Tournament in Germany and was a standout for D1 Minnesota on the AAU circuit.

Terry is ranked No. 75 by Rivals and No. 82 by ESPN. He’s the third-ranked prospect in the state of Minnesota by Rivals, ESPN and 247Sports. He’s rated as the ninth-best point guard in the class by 247Sports, while Rivals ranks him No. 11 at his position and ESPN has him at No. 19 in their positional rankings.

“Tyrell is the consummate point guard,” Haase said. “He is an elite shooter and, more importantly, a leader and a playmaker on the floor. Tyrell continues to build his strength and quickness, which will enable him to compete at this level when he steps on campus. He is a true Stanford student-athlete, a high character person who is extremely intelligent. I believe he will thrive in this environment.”

Jones, who starred at Bishop Miege High School in Shawnee Mission, Ks., is a 6-7, 195-lb forward. He had a breakout senior season for the Stags, where he was a finalist for the Greater Kansas City Basketball Coaches Association DiRenna Award, recognizing the most outstanding basketball player in the Greater Kansas City area.

He was also a Sports In Kansas First Team Class 4A All-State selection, First Team All-Eastern Kansas League pick and a Second Team Class 4A selection by the Kansas City Star. He led Bishop Miege in scoring (18.8 ppg), rebounding (8.0 rpg), steals (3.0 spg) and blocks (2.5 bpg), as the Stags finished 19-3 with an appearance in the Kansas sub-state finals.

As a junior, Jones helped guide Bishop Miege to a 20-2 record and the 2018 Class 4A state championship, earning Sports In Kansas Most Outstanding Player honors in the state tournament. The Stags won three state titles during his four seasons at Bishop Miege.

Rated one of the best prospects in the state of Kansas, Jones is a top-40 prospect at his position in the 2019 class by both Rivals (31) and 247Sports (39).

“Spencer fits in so well to our plans,” Haase said. “He is a tremendous scholar-athlete that has really blossomed late in his high school career. He is another member of our program that joins us after winning championships in high school. Spencer’s shooting, ball skills and versatility will be an immediate asset for our team.”

Keefe is a 6-9, 200-lb standout forward out of Loyola High School in LA. He was a First Team All-CIF Southern Section Division I pick and a First Team All-Mission League selection as a senior this past season. He guided the Cubs to the regular-season Mission League championship. Loyola reached the quarterfinals of the CIF tournament, finishing 23-7 this past season. Keefe averaged a double-double with 15.6 points and 10.8 rebounds his senior season.

A force on both ends of the court, Keefe also averaged 1.4 blocks. He ranked third in the Mission League in rebounding, eighth in scoring and led the league in offensive rebounds (93). The forward posted 16 double-doubles for the Cubs as a senior. He’s among the top prospects in the state of California and a top-100 forward nationally.

Keefe’s the son of Stanford Athletics Hall of Fame inductees Adam and Kristin Keefe.

Adam Keefe was a consensus All-America selection during his standout Cardinal career from 1988-92. He’s Stanford’s career rebounding leader (1,119) and ranks third in program history in career scoring (2,319). Adam Keefe was the 10th overall pick by the Atlanta Hawks in the 1992 NBA draft.

Kristin Keefe (nee Klein) was a four-time All-American volleyball player at Stanford (1988-92) and a member of the 1996 US Olympic Team. Both were inducted into the Stanford Athletics Hall of Fame in 2000. James Keefe joins sisters Caitlin and Michaela, who are in their fourth year on the Stanford women’s volleyball team. The program captured the NCAA Championship in 2016 and 2018, respectively.

“James will add a spirit that is contagious for our program,” Haase said. “He competes at a high level and his body is developing quickly, adding versatility to his skillset. While his family’s imprint at Stanford is certainly legendary, I know James will make his own presence felt in a unique and important manner.”

Begovich, a 6-9, 220-lb forward out of St. Ignatius College Prep in SF, was the 2019 San Francisco Examiner Senior of the Year. The standout was also a San Francisco Chronicle All-Metro selection, a Bay Area News Group All-Area pick and a San Francisco Examiner All-City selection this past season. He was named Most Valuable Player of the San Francisco City Basketball All-Star Game and was selected to the Bay Area team for the All-NorCal Games.

Begovich, who helped lead St. Ignatius to the West Coast Athletic League title as a junior, earned All-West Catholic Athletic League honors his senior season, averaging a double-double. The Wildcats reached the CIF Central Coast Section quarterfinals this past season. Begovich was the recipient of the Hank Luisetti Scholar-Athlete Trophy at the San Francisco High School Awards Banquet in May. He played for the Oakland Soldiers on the AAU circuit.

Neal Begovich joins his older brothers, Daniel and Joseph, at Stanford. Daniel is also a member of the men’s basketball program. Their late father, Dan, played college basketball at Cal in the 1970s.

“Neal’s combination of size and shooting ability will be welcomed in our program,” Haase said. “His achievements in basketball and in the classroom continue to be recognized, as he was recently presented with the Hank Luisetti Scholar-Athlete Trophy at the San Francisco awards banquet.”

The four-member Class of 2019 follows consecutive top-20 recruiting classes for the Cardinal in 2017 and 2018, respectively.

Headline Sports podcast with London Marq: Warriors get some rest, wait for next opponent; Will Thornton and Karlsson stay with Sharks?; plus more

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Photo credit: @warriors

On Headline Sports podcast with London:

#1 The Golden State Warriors are now waiting to see who their next opponent will be after defeating the Portland Trail Blazers in a sweep.

#2 Does a sweep by Golden State in four games over the Blazers and doing it without Kevin Durant pretty much tell the power of this team?

#3 The San Jose Sharks’ loss to the St. Louis Blues in Game 6 on Tuesday — is that a testament that after the hand pass win by the Sharks in Game 4 fired up the Blues towards a common goal?

#4 What would it mean for the Sharks if Joe Thornton and Erik Karlsson were to leave the team?

#5 The San Jose Earthquakes are headed to Toronto this Sunday. The Quakes’ Chris Wondolowski scored four goals against the Chicago Fire last Saturday.

London Marq does Headline Sports podcasts each Wednesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com