Author: Sports Radio Service

Headline Sports podcast with London Marq: Native American groups glad Cleveland removed offensive logo from uniforms and caps; After domestic violence charges, Osuna settling in at Astros; plus more

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On Headline Sports with London:

The Cleveland Indians have removed the offensive Chief Wahoo logo from their caps and uniforms and replaced the logo with the block C. Native American Nations are relieved and glad that the racist logo had been removed. Cleveland said the removal was because the team wants to go in different direction in their marketing.

The Houston Astros’ controversial acquisition of pitcher Roberto Osuna has raised questions about his domestic violence charges and what impact it will have on the Astros clubhouse? Apparently whatever clubhouse issue that might have been was resolved after Osuna recorded his first win Monday night against the San Francisco Giants.

The NBA schedule is ready and has added LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers to play the Golden State Warriors on Christmas day.

The Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has thrown his support in for LeBron after Trump questioned LeBron’s intelligence. The story was national headlines last week and Rodgers said he’s all behind LeBron for his interview with CNN’s Don Lemon.

The WNBA doesn’t get too much national headlines, but they did this week when the Las Vegas Aces canceled their game against the Washington Mystics. The Aces tried flying to Dallas to get a plane to Washington, but were delayed at both Vegas and Dallas. The trip took them some 26 hours to get to Washington. The Aces got to their hotel some four hours before tipoff and said it wasn’t safe to play with no sleep and decided against playing the game. The WNBA ruled that it was a forfeit and a loss in the loss column for the Aces.

Headline Sports podcasts can be heard with London Marq each Wednesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: Bartolo Colón–Número Uno in Latin America

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By: Amaury Pi-Gonzalez

History was made at Arlington, Texas on Tuesday, August 7th as Bartolo Colón from the Dominican Republic and with his Texas Rangers team won his 246th game and became the #1 pitcher in total wins born in Latin America. His Texas Rangers routed the Seattle Mariners 11-4, Colón pitched seven innings. His last out was his 94th pitch of the game as he retired Dee Gordon. The “Big Sexy” gave up four runs and eight hits in seven innings of work.

“It was a long journey, but it finally came and it feels good” Colón said. “I always give thanks to God and to my family and the support that I have from them.”

Colón began his career in 1997 with the Cleveland Indians, and has pitched for a total of 21 years with 10 different teams. He won over 20 games in two occasions. In 2005 with the Angels, he ended with a 21-8 record and a 3.48 ERA, earning the American League Cy Young Award. A master of control, when he began he was a power pitcher with a fastball from 95-100 MPH. He pitched with the Oakland A’s in 2012 and 2013. I remember in A’s Spring Training, he tutored a Cuban-born newcomer, Yoenis Céspedes, to the Major Leagues. They became good friends.

With his 246th win, Colón passed his compatriot Juan “The Dominican Dandy” Marichal and then Nicaragua’s Dennis “El Presidente” Martínez among the top pitchers with most wins born in Latin America. Colón in Spanish means Columbus (like Christopher Columbus) and like the man who discovered the DR in the 1400’s, this Colón is in a class all by himself.

In case you did not know; there are 28 pitchers in the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York with less wins than Colón’s 246.

San Jose Earthquakes podcast with Ana Kieu: Quakes prepare to wrap up homestand vs. Colorado Rapids; plus San Jose State football updates

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Photo credit: @luisfelipe_7

On the San Jose Earthquakes podcast with Ana:

1. The Quakes will wrap up their brief, two-game homestand Saturday night at 6 pm PDT. They’ll welcome the Colorado Rapids to Avaya Stadium.

2. Tell us more about Vako’s creative play and how it has been helping the Quakes as of late.

3. The MLS showed some love to San Jose after their match vs. Colorado.

4. The Quakes publicized the America Frias’ hat trick Tuesday morning.

5. Speaking of noteworthy moments, Vako was also named as the MLS’ Player of the Week.

6. Quakes defender Joel Qwiberg will be at the SoccerKraze in Campbell next Thursday, August 16 from 2 pm PDT to 3:30 pm PDT.

7. College football is just around the corner, and the San Jose State Spartans have already started their Fall Camp last Wednesday. What’s the lowdown on the August schedule prior to the Spartans’ kickoff vs. UC Davis on the 30th?

8. Terry Malley began his 64th birthday Tuesday with another morning of San Jose State football.

9. Senior Jake Colman is doing whatever it takes to be the Spartans’ starting left guard for the 2018 season.

Catch Ana on the Quakes and SJSU podcast each Wednesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

San Francisco Giants podcast with Marko Ukalovic: After running into brick wall Astros, Giants hope to win series with Bucs

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On the Giants podcast with Marko:

The San Francisco Giants know after winning two out of four in Arizona. They’d have their work cut out for them with the Astros dropping in and the Giants got swept in a two-game series losing 2-1 on Tuesday. The Giants’ reliever Will Smith on Monday night gave up a three-run homer to Marwin Gonzalez and Giants reliever Ray Black gave up a home run to the Astros their back to give the Astros a one-run lead.

The Astros own the Giants the sweep on Monday and Tuesday makes it four in a row as Houston beat San Francisco back in May at Minute Maid Park. The Giants’ Chase d’Arnaud got the Giants only run with a single in the second inning to score Brandon Crawford.

The Giants open a four game series with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Starting pitchers for Thursday night at AT&T Park for the Pirates Ivan Nova (6-6) and for the Giants Andrew Saurez (4-7).

Marko Ukalovic does the Giants podcasts each Wednesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

Oakland A’s podcast with Charlie O: Fiers and Kelly for a song can help launch A’s even further

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Photo credit: Photo collage of Mike Fiers (left) and Shawn Kelley (right) from @AthleticsPR.

On the A’s podcasts with Charlie O:

1. We said the MLB trade deadline would not be the end of the trading season from the A’s and we were right! They’ve added two new pitchers. What kind of impact will Mike Fiers and Shawn Kelley make on the A’s?

2. The A’s made a flurry of roster moves Tuesday. What do we need to know about those transactions?

3. Oakland has won six straight games and moved into second place in the AL West and Wild Card. Can they sustain their position?

4. It’s an all LA rest of the week. Two with the Dodgers and three in Anaheim. How important are these games?

5). You say August 10-22 may be the most important 12 days of the season for the A’s. Why?

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

Giants experience another close finish in 2-1 loss to Astros

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Photo credit: @SFGiants

By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO — It seems that the San Francisco Giants starters have been snake bitten over the past two games versus the Houston Astros at AT&T Park.

Giants’ closer Will Smith was unable to hold on to a 1-0 lead on Monday night, and then Ray Black did the same in the series finale.

Black gave up his first hit since July 8 to Monday’s hero Marwin Gonzalez and then after striking out Yuli Gurriel, Tyler White hit a Black pitch into the left field seats and the Astros came back for the second straight day to defeat the Giants 2-1 before a sellout crowd of 41,613 at AT&T Park on Tuesday.

The win by the Astros gave them the season sweep four games to zero, as they also swept the Giants in May at Minute Maid Park.

This was the seventh loss in the last eight home games for the Giants, who are now 32-24 at AT&T Park this season.

One pitch prior to the White home run, Black threw a 96-mph high and tight, but then White hit the next pitch clocked at 99-mph into the seats.

Madison Bumgarner went seven innings, allowing zero runs on five hits, while walking three and striking out seven.

Chase d’Arnaud supplied the only offense that Bumgarner would get, as he lashed an opposite field single to right field to score Brandon Crawford from second base in the bottom of the second inning. Crawford led off the inning with a long double, and was able to score the early run, as he made a great headfirst slide around Astros catcher Max Stassi.

The day did not end well for d’Arnaud, as he was forced to leave the game in the bottom of the fourth inning, as he took a foul ball off the knee. d’Arnaud attempted to stay in the game, but the pain in his left leg was too painful, and Alen Hanson came to bat for d’Arnaud and struck out; however, the at-bat was charged to d’Arnaud instead of Hanson.

d’Arnaud suffered a left knee contusion on the foul ball, and Hanson eventually replaced d’Arnaud at second base.

Dallas Keuchel went six innings, allowing just one run on three hits, walked two and struck out five, as he did not fare in the decision.

The defensive plays of the game came in the top of the sixth inning, as White tripled to lead off the inning, but then on a ground ball hit by Josh Reddick down to Buster Posey at first base, Posey threw home to get White at the plate for the first out of the inning.

With Max Stassi at the plate, Reddick went to second on a Bumgarner wild pitch and then stole third base and then the bigger play than the force out at home came when Bumgarner’s pitch got away from Nick Hundley, but he was able to regroup and throw to Bumgarner, who tagged Reddick for the third out of the inning.

NOTES: Despite the fact that the Giants are one game under the .500 mark, they have spent 67 days either one game below .500, even at .500, or one game over .500, the most by any team in the major leagues this season. This is the third most days by the team since they moved to San Francisco in 1958, this according to STATS, LLC., and it is the most by the team since they spent 81 days hovering around that mark in 2006.

White’s home run was the 106th allowed by Giants’ pitchers, the second fewest of any team this season, with 44 coming at AT&T Park. The Cardinals’ pitching staff have allowed the fewest with 102 home runs.

The Giants’ first-round pick in the 2018 Amateur Draft, Joey Bart was named the Northwest League Player of the Month for July, as he hit .333 and led the NWL with nine home runs and 24 RBIs. Bart also picked up 18 extra base hits, 65 total bases, a slugging percentage of .747, an on-base percentage of 1.126 and also added a 10-game hitting streak from July 8-19.

This was the first time that the Giants lost consecutive games to the Astros since May 14 and 15, 2008.

Bumgarner allowed two triples for the first time in his career. Josh Reddick was the first left-handed batter to get a triple off of Bumgarner since Ender Inciarte of the Atlanta Braves on August 28, 2016.

UP NEXT: After a much-needed day off on Wednesday, the Giants begin a four-game series with the Pittsburgh Pirates, as Giants’ Andrew Suarez will take the mound in the opener and the Pirates will send Ivan Nova to the hill. Game one is set for Thursday at 7:15 pm PDT.

San Francisco 49ers podcast with David Zizmor: Game one of the preseason kicks off Thursday with Cowboys; Dallas’ Prescott will be asked about his anthem remarks

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On the 49ers podcast with David Zizmor:

Game one of the preseason kicks off this Thursday for the Dallas Cowboys and the San Francisco 49ers. The Cowboys’ quarterback Dak Prescott has been a central focus this last week on NFL talk shows. Prescott spoke out against players taking a knee during the national anthem and has got a lot of national flak for his comments, saying “it takes away from the joy and the love that football brings to a lot of people.”

Will the statements of Prescott bring divisiveness to the Cowboys’ dressing room? Will there be resentment for what Prescott said? Will there be even more players taking a knee on the Cowboys? Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said he has warned his players against taking a knee and Prescott could have fueled the players to take a knee even more. Ironically, if some of the Cowboys players take a knee on Thursday night, it will be in the stadium where it all got started–Levi’s Stadium, where former 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick founded the movement.

David Zizmor who does the 49ers podcasts each Tuesday and Joe is the 49ers beat writer at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

 

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary podcast: A’s proving to be buyers, getting Kelly and Fiers; Halos’ Trout out day-to-day with wrist injury; Willie Mac takes the plunge at 80

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Photo credit: @SFGiants

On That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary:

#1 The Oakland A’s are loading up proving that their buyers and they’re trying to seal the deal for the post season as they acquired pitchers from the Washington Nationals, Sean Kelly, and from the Detroit Tigers, Mike Fiers, this past week.

#2 The Los Angeles Angels’ outfielder Mike Trout is suffering from a right wrist contusion after an awkward slide last Wednesday to avoid a tag from the Tampa Bay Rays’ third baseman Matt Duffy. Trout will be day-to-day, according to Angels’ manager Mike Scioscia.

#3 Former San Francisco Giant first baseman and Hall of Fame legend Willie McCovey got married for the second time–his first marriage in the 1960s–with his longtime girlfriend Estela last week. McCovey had a great career and he was the other fence buster with his former teammate Willie Mays during the great ’60s.

#4 The Chicago Cubs’ Javier Baez hit a curve ball in the sixth inning in Monday night’s game against the Kansas City Royals for his 25th home run of the season. Baez now has three home runs in his last four games.

#5 The Houston Astros are on pace to win 100 games as they came back in the top of the ninth down 1-0 and got a three-run home run from Marwin Gonzalez for the 3-1 win at AT&T Park over the San Francisco Giants. There are three teams in MLB on the 100-win pace: the Boston Red Sox (113 wins), the New York Yankees (100 wins), and the Astros (101 wins).

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the Oakland A’s Spanish play-by-play announcer, the vice president of the MLB Hispanic Heritage Museum Hall of Fame, and does News and Commentary each Tuesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

San Francisco Giants podcast with Morris Phillips: Coming off a split with the Diamondbacks, the chase is on for first place as Giants open series with Astros at AT&T tonight

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photo by mercurynews.com: Giants third baseman Evan Longoria (10) gets a pat on the helmet from his teammates on Sunday at Chase Field after hitting the go ahead home run in the eventual win for San Francisco 3-2 over the Arizona Diamondbacks

On the San Francisco Giants podcast with Morris:

The Giants come back tonight at AT&T Park after winning five out seven games. In Arizona, they got a split against the Arizona Diamondbacks, so keeping pace to climb in the standings continues in their chase to catch the two first place teams the D-backs and the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Big fly helps the Giants get the win in Arizona on Sunday as Giants’ third baseman Evan Longoria hit an eighth inning home run to break a 2-2 deadlock for the 3-2 win. The Giants’ first baseman Buster Posey returned after passing concussion tests and played at first on Sunday. Posey will be assuming his catching duties during this current homestand.

The Giants open against a tough customer, the Houston Astros, on Monday night. The Astros can hear the Oakland A’s footsteps as the A’s are now just four games behind the Astros in the AL West standings. So the Astros will be battling to keep pace as well as the Giants, who are in the hunt for first place.

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

Longoria, bullpen lifts Giants past D-backs 3-2 to earn series split

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By Daniel Dullum

PHOENIX, Ariz. – Evan Longoria’s tie-breaking solo home run in the top of the eighth inning lifted the San Francisco Giants to a 3-2 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field Sunday, salvaging a split of the four-game weekend series.

While San Francisco remains five games back in the NL West race, Arizona fell into a tie with the Los Angeles Dodgers for first place. The Colorado Rockies are in third place, two games behind.

The win gives the Giants a 4-2 road trip mark as they head home to host the Houston Astros in a two-game interleague series starting Monday.

“It was a well-pitched game by us,” Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. “(Derek) Holland did a great job, the bullpen did a great job, and it made for a good road trip. It’s been a while for us to have some success on the road.”

Longoria was 3-for-4 with two runs scored and a double while extending his hitting streak to eight games. Andrew McCutchen was 1-for-2 with two walks.

“Cutch had a great series, Buster is swinging the bat well,” Bochy said. “That’s what it’s going to take. We scored enough runs, but (D-Backs starter Robbie Ray) was tough too. We found a way to get some runs.”

On Longoria’s recent success, Bochy said, “He seems more balanced up there. It looks like he’s seeing the ball well. … He’s a good hitter and it’s good to see him come back off the rehab and find his swing.”

The reconstituted bullpen got the job done for San Francisco. Ray Black (1-0) threw a 1-2-3 seventh and picked up the win. Tony Watson and Sam Dyson each logged a scoreless inning, and closer Will Smith struck out two of the three hitters he faced in the ninth to earn his seventh save.

“(The bullpen) all did a great job,” Bochy said. “Dyson came in with a tough situation and found a way to get out of it. Our pitching was there and we needed it.”

“We were sitting pretty good with the bullpen today. Those guys got some needed rest after getting worked pretty hard in that San Diego series. They were all fresh.

With one out in the eighth, Longoria sent a 2-ball, 2-strike delivery from Archie Bradley (3-3) over the left-center field fence near the 413-foot marker for his 12th home run of the season, breaking the 2-2 deadlock.

In the bottom of the eighth, the D-backs loaded the bases on a single by pinch-hitter Daniel Descalso, a walk to Paul Goldschmidt and Steven Souza was hit by Dyson pitch. With two out, Ketel Marte flied out to left, ending the D-Backs’ rally.

Steven Souza’s third home run of the season opened the scoring for Arizona in the second inning. San Francisco tied the game at 1-1 in the third when Andrew McCutchen singled with two out and scored on Evan Longoria’s single to center.

Arizona took a 2-1 lead in the fourth when Eduardo Escobar hit a leadoff double and scored on Marte’s base hit. But the Giants tied the game at 2-2 in the sixth when Longoria doubled and scored when Nick Hundley tried to stretch a single and was thrown out at second.

Both starters went 5 1/3 innings. The Giants’ Derek Holland struck out six, walked two and gave up two earned runs on three hits in 5 1/3 innings. Robbie Ray struck out eight and walked four while giving up seven hits.

“This is a tight race and we have to get things going,” Holland said. “It’s a great division and this is going to be a great race.

“But we really have to focus on ourselves. We’re playing great ball right now and keep playing our game every day from here on out.”

GIANTS JOTTINGS: The Athletic reports that the Astros will be without Jose Altuve, who will not be activated from the 10-day disabled list (sore right knee). … Attendance on Sunday was 27,884.

UP NEXT: The Giants will return home to host the Astros Monday night at 7:15 pm PDT.

San Francisco will start right-hander Dereck Rodriguez (5-1, 2.59) against Houston’s Charlie Morton (12-2, 2.90) on Monday, and left-hander Madison Bumgarner (4-4, 2.97) on Tuesday against Astros lefty Dallas Keuchel (9-9, 3.61).