Author: Sports Radio Service

San Jose Barracuda podcast with Marko Ukalovic: It gets tougher after sweeping Grand Rapids, Cuda face off against Gulls in San Diego tonight

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sjbarracuda.com photo: San Jose Barracuda defenseman Nick DeSimone (57) speaks with goaltender Antoine Bibeau (34) during a recent home game against the Grand Rapids Griffins. The Barracuda prepare to face the San Diego Gulls tonight.

On the Barracuda podcast with Marko:

#1 Marko, how important was it for the Barracuda (36-21-3) to come back on a team like the Grand Rapid Griffins (36-24-6) one goal down and come up with a win 5-4 in the home stretch before the postseason?

#2 The Rapids are one of the AHL’s toughest customers. This was the same team the Barracuda had to face when they went deep in the postseason last year.

#3 Luaks Radil, who scored the game-winner for San Jose, said that it was important to get the two wins over Grand Rapids this past weekend and important for the team to keep working like this.

#4 The Cuda line of Gambrell, Hensick and Chekhovich was the best offensive line this weekend as they were involved in three of the eight goals scored against Grand Rapids.

#5 Regular season isn’t over yet. The Barracuda are on the road tonight in San Diego, and the last time they met, the Gulls edged the Barracuda 4-3.

Marko Ukalovic is a San Jose Barracuda beat writer and does the Barracuda podcasts each Wednesday and through the AHL playoffs at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Holland and Pillar come up big in Giants’ 7-2 win over Padres

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Photo credit: @SFGiants

By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO — On back-to-back nights, the San Francisco Giants jumped out to a big lead on the lead; however, this time they won the game.

The first five Giants in the second inning got on base, and Evan Longoria drove in Buster Posey and Yangervis Solarte doubled in Brandon Crawford, Gerardo Parra then singled and after a Derek Holland strikeout, Kevin Pillar cleared the bases with a double, then newly acquired rounded out the scoring in the frame, as he singled in Pillar and the Giants would go on to defeat the San Diego Padres 7-2 before a crowd of just 28,506 at Oracle Park.

Holland took advantage of the run support, as he went seven innings, allowing one runs on five hits, walking two and striking out nine, as he won for the first time this season.

The nine strikeouts for Holland are his most since he struck out 11 for the Texas Rangers in a shutout against the Baltimore Orioles on August 30, 2015. The 11 strikeouts in that game tied a career high, Holland also struck out 11 on September 7, 2012 against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field.

Despite allowing two singles and a walk in the top of the first inning, Holland received help from his defense.

Wil Myers singled with one out, but was thrown out trying to steal second base by Posey and then after a Manny Machado walk, Franmil Reyes singled off the left field wall; however, Brandon Belt made a perfect throw to Crawford, who threw to Solarte to end the inning and the Padres failed to score.

“You know, I was thinking about that when I was out there: I’m quickly becoming one of the best outfielders in the game,” said Belt.

Joey Lucchesi was shelled in his second start of the season against the Giants, as he went just four innings, allowing seven runs on seven hits, walking two and striking out four and lost for the first time this season after opening the season with two straight wins.

Pillar drove in his fourth run of the game in the bottom of the fourth inning, as he hit a sacrifice fly that scored Parra, who doubled to lead off the inning.

He is the first Giants player to have four runs batted in back-to-back games since Barry Bonds on April 2 and 3, 2002. During that two-game stretch, Bonds drove in nine runs against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Parra picked up hits in his first two at-bats, and scored both times before grounding out in the bottom of the sixth inning.

The Padres finally got on the board in the top of the seventh inning, as Hunter Renfroe smashed a solo home run that landed approximately ¾ of the way into the left field bleachers and was measured at 423 feet.

Myers drove in the second run of the game for the Padres in the top of the eighth inning, as he hit a long double off of Trevor Gott to Greg Garcia.

The lone downfall to the game was the fact that the Giants in the first inning could not get it going, as they went down in order and are now 2-for-38 (.052) thru their first 12 games of the season in the opening frame.

NOTES: With the victory, the Giants have a chance to win the series on Wednesday. The last time the Giants lost their first four series of a season was in 1983, when they lost series to the Padres, the Philadelphia Phillies, at the Padres and the Cincinnati Reds.

Despite the no-decision on Monday night, Madison Bumgarner did move up on the all-time San Francisco Giants strikeout list, as he passed Gaylord Perry for fourth place on the San Francisco Giants list and is now seventh all-time in Giants history. In his career, Bumgarner has 1,607 strikeouts.

Posey tied Will Clark for fourth place on the San Francisco Giants list in doubles with 249 career doubles. He trails only Barry Bonds, Willie Mays and Willie McCovey.

The six run second inning by the Giants was their season high, and the most they have scored in an inning since also scoring six in the bottom of the eighth inning against the New York Mets on August 31, 2018.

UP NEXT: Dereck Rodriguez makes his second start of the homestand on Wednesday night, while Nick Margevicius takes the mound for the Padres.

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary podcast with Barbara Mason: Do the Giants have a shot at being viable this season?; Puig tries to take on the whole Pirates team in brawl; plus more

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Photo credit: @BruceBochy

Barbara Mason is filling in for Amaury Pi Gonzalez:

#1 It’s early in the season, but do the San Francisco Giants (4-8) have the players it takes to get out of the cellar and make this a viable season?

#2 The Cincinnati Reds’ Yasiel Puig wasted no time making things happen between himself and the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday. After Chris Archer Pirates pitcher hit the Reds’ Derek Dietrich in the backside, Dietrich took exception to getting hit and started jawing at Archer at that point both benches emptied and Reds star Yasiel Puig tried to take on the entire Pirates team.

#3 Talk about the Kyrie Irving-Kevin Durant paring at the New York Knicks for next season. How will this important would a tandem like this be for the Knicks and how will it impact Golden State?

#4 The Oakland A’s, who won three of four from the Boston Red Sox, went out on the road and got swept in three games from the Houston Astros. The A’s still made the third game competitive with a one run loss. The Astros played catch up ball in order to win. The A’s lost the first game 12-4 of the four game series in Baltimore. In game two the A’s got a 13-2 win on Tuesday night.

#5 Oracle Arena is the home of many memories for fans, reporters, players and coaches Sunday. Was the last regular season game for Golden State what did you take away from 47 years of sports events at the arena in Oakland?

Barbara Mason is filling in for Amaury Pi Gonzalez, who does News and Commentary podcasts each Tuesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Middle infield powers A’s past Orioles 13-2

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Photo credit: @Athletics

By Daniel Dullum
Sports Radio Service
Tuesday, April 09, 2019

Oakland’s middle infield was responsible for driving in nine of its runs on Tuesday, as the Athletics hammered Baltimore 13-2 at Camden Yards. It was the A’s first road win of the season and ended a four-game losing streak.

Second baseman Jurickson Profar was 4-for-5 with a home run and a career-high five runs batted in, and shortstop Marcus Semien contributed a three-run home run in the second inning, his second of the season. Semien also drove in a run with a sacrifice fly.

Brett Anderson (3-0) picked up the win, working 6 2/3 innings. He struck out four, walked one and gave up two earned runs on seven hits.

Lou Trivino and Liam Hendriks threw the final 2 1/3 scoreless innings.

John Means (1-1), making his first career start for the Orioles, gave up five runs in three innings – one earned. After Evan Phillips threw three scoreless innings for Baltimore, O’s relievers Richard Bleier and Miguel Castro were each rung up for four earned runs each over the final three innings.

Baltimore has lost five of its last six games.

Notably absent from the Orioles lineup was slumping slugger Chris Davis, who sat out Tuesday’s game a day after establishing the MLB record for longest hitless streak by a position player – 0-for-49, going back to last season.

Orioles first baseman Trey Mancini singled in the first inning to extend his season-opening hitting streak to 11 games.

On Wednesday, the A’s will start right-hander Frankie Montas (1-1, 2.45), while Orioles manager Brandon Hyde has yet to name a starter. Right-hander Alex Cobb was supposed to start for Baltimore on Wednesday, but was placed on the 10-day IL retroactive to April 6 (lumbar strain).

Team effort a factor in Warriors’ 112-103 win over Pelicans

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Photo credit: @warriors

By: Ana Kieu

The Golden State Warriors had hoped to make it six wins in a row just moments before their game against the New Orleans Pelicans at the Smoothie King Center on Tuesday night. They did just that.

The Warriors’ starting five featured Stephen Curry, Jacob Evans, Draymond Green, Alfonzo McKinnie, and DeMarcus Cousins. The Warriors were well-aware that it was go time in the Big Easy.

It was a low scoring first quarter. The Pelicans were up 6-5 with 5:50 left in the first. However, DeMarcus Cousins threw down a dunk to score two points and lift the Warriors to a 7-5 lead with 5:47 left in the first. Both teams battled it out in the first, but New Orleans held a 19-18 lead at the end of the first. Meanwhile, Golden State received bad news as Steph Curry suffered a mild right foot sprain and didn’t return to the hardwood Tuesday.

Both teams proceeded to battle it out in the second quarter. Jacob Evans made a notable steal and ran down the court to make a layup, but it was unsuccessful. Though, Jonas Jerebko was at the right place at the right time and finished around the basket for a sweet layup with 7:33 left in the second. The Warriors outscored the Pelicans 38-37 in the second and tied the game 56-56 at the end of the first half.

The game shifted in favor of the Warriors in the third quarter. Jacob Evans went coast to coast in his first career start as a shooting guard. Evans was drafted 28th overall by the Warriors in the 2018 NBA Draft. Evans played college basketball at Cincinnati from 2015-18.

Anyways, DeMarcus Cousins scored his 12,000th career point. Cousins made a two-point bucket to help the Warriors get out of a tie and move ahead 71-69 with 5:47 left in the third. Cousins has been playing pro basketball since 2010.

The Warriors got their first double digit lead of the game 95-85 with 9:50 left in the fourth quarter. Also, Damion Lee hit a three-pointer and upped his season point total to 17 with 8:25 left in the fourth.

Quinn Cook caught the attention of a lot of folks when he threw a shot that went off the window. Cook expanded the Warriors’ lead to 107-94 with 4:12 left in the fourth.

Both teams scored 24 points apiece in the fourth, but the Warriors came out on top for the 112-103 win.

DeMarcus Cousins led the Warrriors with 21 points, 12 rebounds, six assists, one steal, and one block. Damion Lee had 20 points, seven rebounds, and one steal. Quinn Cook had 19 points, three assists, and two rebounds. Jacob Evans had 11 points, five rebounds, three steals, two assists, and two blocks. Alfonzo McKinnie had 10 points, seven rebounds, and two steals. Jordan Bell had 10 points, six rebounds, and four assists. Jonas Jerebko had seven points, three assists, and two rebounds. Marcus Derrickson had five points and three rebounds. Steph Curry had five points. Kevon Looney had four points, four rebounds, two assists, and one steal. Draymond Green had six rebounds and two assists. Shaun Livingston added 3 rebounds.

The Warriors wrap up the regular season against the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday. Tipoff is set for 5:00 pm PT.

Sacramento Kings podcast with Charlie O: Will Joerger return to Kings next season?; Kings have improved over last season

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Photo credit: @James_HamNBCS

On the Kings podcast with Charlie O:

#1 Charlie, what’s your biggest takeaway from this season as the Kings finish below .500 (39-42)?

#2 The Kings head coach Dave Joerger had been the subject of discussion. There had been talk that he will be back next season and also talk that the Minnesota Timberwolves are interested in his handy work as well. After Sunday’s game, Joerger said that while he’s a Minnesota kid, his focus is with the Kings.

#3 There is that great feel the Kings had taking 12 more wins than what they finished with from last season. Although the playoffs alluded them, they are a couple players away from the postseason next year.

#4  The Kings owner Vivek Ranadive and team general manager Vlade Divak are noted friends with Los Angeles Lakers coach Luke Walton would he be a possibility.

#5 The Kings De’Aaron Fox finished Sunday’s game with 24 points, six rebounds and 11 assists. Charlie talks about the kind of season that Fox had.

Charlie O did the Kings podcasts each week throughout the 2018-19 season join for the Oakland A’s podcasts each Tuesday starting next week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Golden State Warriors podcast with David Zizmor: Warriors sow up the top seed throughout playoffs; Also, a virtual audio review of Dave’s Oracle experiences

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Photo credit: nba.com/warriors

On the Warriors podcast with David:

#1 With the win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday, the Golden State Warriors assured themselves the number one seed in the Western Conference Playoffs.

#2 Dave talks about his own personal experience attending games at the Oracle Arena. Oracle was the site of the Warriors home from 1967-2019. The Warriors open up at their new arena Chase Center next season, where the cheapest ticket for a walk up is said to be $300.

David Zizmor does the Warriors podcasts each Tuesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: US Government cancels MLB deal with Cuba

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Photo credit: seattletimes.com

By: Amaury Pi-Gonzalez

The Trump administration on Monday declared a December deal between Major League Baseball and the Cuban Baseball Federation illegal. That would have allowed Cuban athletes to play in this country without having to defect the island. This was intended to prevent Cuban players from risky escapes. Kendrys Morales, now playing with the A’s, unsuccessfully tried for nine times before he finally could escape to the US. Cuban players are sometimes with paid smugglers, and at other times on their own in home-made crafts. The deal was similar to those countries in the Major Leagues with foreign players, like Japan and other countries. The American baseball clubs would pay to those countries for the rights to acquire their players.

I believe this was the right decision because the Cuban government was trying to make money using their players as chips in a country with no freedom of movement. This deal would have only benefited the Cuban government, who for over half century has ruled the Cuban people, under a dictatorship. It was Cuba who abolished professional sports, including baseball, in 1961 when communist dictator Fidel Castro gave the order.

To this day, the average Cuban citizen still risk their life to defect the island. The deal that was abolished gave preference just to Cuban baseball players and not the regular non-baseball Cuban citizen. This is the hypocrisy of the Cuban dictatorship that was willing to use Cuban players to leave the island legally while making money from MLB, while the average Cuban citizen could not take advantage of such a thing. The difference here is that although the US has similar deals with Japan and other baseball-playing countries, these are all countries with friendly relations and commerce with the US. Cuba does not. The Cuban government still maintain the line of the old Russian/Soviet Union communist system of hostility towards the US.

As recently as late last year, US diplomats at the US Embassy in Havana were mysteriously getting sick — at least 25 of them were ill. I do not believe that government should interfere with sports, but in the case of what Cuba has been trying to do with their baseball players, I agree with the new policy. I am sure that Cuban baseball players will continue arriving in the US, because like any pro baseball player, their goal and dream is to make it to the MLB.

I never forgot the last time I sat and talk with Cuban baseball star Orestes “Minnie” Minoso in Chicago in 2007. He sat with me on the radio broadcast, as I was doing the LA Angels’ play-by-play in Spanish and when I asked him about the first time he arrived from Cuba to play in the MLB, he told me: “When I first arrived in the US in 1949 I would have played for free just for the privilege to be in the Major Leagues” Years later(in the 1950’s) Minoso signed a $25,000 contract with the Chicago White Sox, at that time one of the most lucrative contracts for a Hispanic player in baseball.

Note: In 1958 the average salary in the US was $10,000 per year, a new car $1,900 to $3,000, gas was .24 cents per gallon, bread was 0.19 cents a loaf, and a first-class postage stamp was 0.4 cents.

The dream of all Cuban baseball players is that someday their country can truly be free and allow their people to travel freely in and out of the island — therefore, giving them the opportunity to come to the US to play baseball. Minoso and many others had that opportunity, but today, Cuban players have been denied the freedom of travel since 1960. That was a law established by the Cuban dictatorship and not by an US administration.

For most of us who are spoiled with technology, it was until 2018 that the Cuban government allowed internet access via cell phones to their 11.2 million citizens.

San Francisco Giants podcast with Morris Phillips: Giants getting the pitching, but hitting stays quiet

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photo from sfgate.com: Tampa Bay Rays’ Kevin Kiermaier, center, scores a run past San Francisco Giants catcher Erik Kratz, left, as umpire Tripp Gibson, right, watches during the fourth inning of a baseball game in San Francisco, Sunday, April 7, 2019.

On the Giants podcast with Morris:

#1 Giants pitching have kept what some say the Giants in some games from being a blowout.

#2 Giants pitcher Derek Rodriguez gave up two home runs early in this last start. Was this a matter of just having a rough start or do you think the hitters have picked up on how to hit him?

#3 The Giants have lost seven of their last ten games this hasn’t been much of a surprise knowing their offense average would be down.

#4 Giants first baseman Brandon Belt says the offense hasn’t clicked yet, but it’s a good opportunity for the offense to click and to look forward to.

#5 Giants starter Drew Pomeranz gave up six hits, two runs, three walks, and five strikeouts in the 3-0 loss to Tampa Bay Sunday,

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

Kings fall to Pelicans 133-129

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Photo credit: @SacramentoKings

By: London Marq

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — It has been a unique season this year for the Sacramento Kings. For the first time in a long time, there is the sense that the Kings have taken a major step forward. Going into the last home game of the season, the Kings have 12 more wins than last year and a great group of young developing talent. Although the playoffs elude the team, again, there is confidence that the Kings will get back to the postseason.

Th Kings had the New Orleans Pelicans on tap for the final game of the season. Opening the game, the Kings came out with a strong first quarter that ended with the Kings leading 39-32. De’Aaron Fox made a impact early, including an impact steal for the breakaway score, Fox would end the game with a hearty 24 points, 6 rebounds and 11 assists.

The second quarter was where the Kings had some defensive woes. The Pelicans were able to capitalize and outscore the Kings 34-29 in the second, but the Kings still held a 2-point advantage going into halftime.

Unfortunately for the Kings, the defense failed to improve and they would be outscored in the both second half quarters as well. Pelicans guard Ian Clark led all scorers with 31 points. Harrison Barnes was the Kings’ leading scorer with 29 points.

The Kings wrapped up the final home game with a 4-point 133-129 loss, which was indicative of their competitive season that came up just short of the playoffs.

The Kings are looking forward to the future. They missed the playoffs this year, but next season, we will hopefully see the franchise end their playoff drought and bring the Kings back to relevance.

Final: New Orleans defeated Sacramento 133-129.

Up Next: Sacramento wraps up the 2019 season at Portland on Wednesday, April 10. Game time set for 7:30 pm PT.