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Oakland A’s podcast with Jeremiah Salmonson: A’s getting the pitching hoping it overlaps against Baltimore tonight

Published on July 5, 2024 by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Oakland A’s starter JP Sears delivers to the Los Angeles Angels line up in the top of the first inning at the Oakland Coliseum on Thu Jul 4, 2024 (AP News photo)

Oakland A’s podcast with Jeremiah Salmonson:

#1 The Oakland A’s are getting great pitching out of their starter at least during the Los Angeles Angels series getting back to back shut outs by the same score of 5-0 to sweep the Angels at the Oakland Coliseum.

#2 A’s starter JP Sears pitched five innings allowing 2 hits and striking out six batters after his departure the A’s used four relievers to combine for the four hit shutout.

#3 On offense the A’s Miguel Andujar and Brent Rooker hit back to back RBI singles, also Tyler Soderstrom hit a sacrifice fly to add another run. The A’s were able to put together three runs in the bottom of the third inning and they all stood up in the 5-0 win.

#4 After scoring five or more runs in seven straight games the Angels have cooled off in getting swept by the A’s. They couldn’t figure out A’s starter Joey Estes on Wednesday night and Sears and four different pitchers on Thursday afternoon.

#5 The Baltimore Orioles who are a tough customer come calling Friday night to open a three game series against the A’s at the Coliseum. Starting pitcher for the O’s RHP Albert Saurez (2-4, ERA 2.43) LHP Hogan Harris (1-2, ERA 3.18). The A’s are going to have their hands full as the Orioles are first in the AL East winning six of their last ten games and lead two games over the New York Yankees.

Jeremiah Salmonson does the Oakland A’s podcasts each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Strong start from Webb leads Giants to series win over Braves with 4-2 win

Published on July 4, 2024 by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

San Francisco Giants starter Logan Webb deals to the Atlanta Braves line up in the bottom of the first inning at Truist Field in Atlanta on Thu Jul 4, 2024 (AP News photo)

Thursday, July 4, 2024

Truist Park

Cumberland, Georgia

San Francisco Giants 4 (43-45)

Atlanta Braves 2 (47-38)

Win: Logan Webb (7-6)

Loss: Charlie Morton (5-5)

Save: Camilo Doval (16)

Time: 2:24

Attendance: 40,672

By Stephen Ruderman

The Giants beat the Braves 4-2 at Truist Park behind another strong start from their ace, Logan Webb, to take the series on Thursday night.

The Giants won the series opener 5-3 on Tuesday night, but they were stymied by Chris Sale and the Braves’ bullpen in a 3-1 loss Wednesday night. Thursday night, they had a chance to take the series on a warm and muggy overcast night in Cobb County.

40-year-old Charlie Morton, who took the ball for Atlanta Thursday night, has seen it all. Morton first came up with the Braves in 2008, and has since bounced around with the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Houston Astros, the Tampa Bay Rays and now back with the Braves.

Morton closed out the Astros’ first world championship back in 2017, as he pitched the final four innings of Game 7 of the World Series at Dodger Stadium. Morton was the starting pitcher and took the loss for the Rays in Game 3 of the 2020 neutral site World Series against the Dodgers in Arlington, Texas; and he broke his right fibula making the start in Game 1 of the 2021 World Series as a member of the Braves against his old team, the Astros, in Houston.

Morton came into tonight 5-4 this season with a 3.89 ERA, and he got off to a solid start Thursday night with a scoreless top of the first inning. Giants’ ace Logan Webb took the mound for San Francisco, and immediately ran into trouble in the bottom of the first.

Jarred Kelenic singled on a ground ball up the middle and into center field to lead off the inning, and Ozzie Albies doubled off the top of the wall in right to score Kelenic and give the Braves an early 1-0 lead. Matt Olson lined a one-out base-hit to move Albies to third, and Autin Riley got him in with a sacrifice fly to left to make it 2-0.

Both teams went down scoreless in the second, and both pitchers threw 1-2-3 innings in the third.

LaMonte Wade singled to center to lead off the top of the fourth, and Heliot Ramos stayed hot with a two-run home run to straightaway center to tie it at 2-2. Patrick Bailey struck out looking for the first out, and then Matt Chapman hit a solo home run to the first row out in left-center to give the Giants a 3-2 lead.

The Braves almost re-tied the game off Webb in the bottom of the fourth. Olson walked to start the inning, and then he was thrown out at the plate trying to score all the way from first base on a double by Riley. Webb proceeded to get out of the inning unscathed.

Both pitchers threw 1-2-3 innings in the fifth, and the Giants would extend their lead off Morton in the top of the sixth. Ramos singled to start the inning, and was out at second when Patrick Bailey hit into a fielder’s choice.

Chapman, who put the Giants ahead with his home run in the fourth, hit a check swing chopper for a weird double down the right-field line that scored Bailey to make it 4-2.

Webb pitched a scoreless inning in the bottom of the sixth, as did Grant Holmes for Atlanta’s in the top of the seventh. Webb pitched another scoreless inning to cap off his night in the bottom of the seventh. Webb provided the Giants with another big outing, as he gave up two runs and struck out six over seven innings.

Holmes was assisted by a great diving catch from left-fielder Forrest Wall in a scoreless top of the eighth, and the much-underappreciated Tyler Rogers did his job with a nine-pitch 1-2-3 bottom of the eighth.

Aaron Bummer came in to throw a scoreless inning in the top of the ninth for Atlanta, and Camilo Doval came in to try and convert the save in the bottom of the ninth. Marcell Ozuna reached on an infield hit to third to start the inning, but Doval retired the side in order, and the Giants held on 4-2 to win the series.

Logan Webb got the win; Charlie Morton took the loss; and Camilo Doval picked up his 16th save.

Funny thing: The Giants had six hits Thursday night, and they all came on two-hit nights by LaMonte Wade, Heliot Ramos and Matt Chapman.

In addition to winning another series against the strong team, the Giants have now won seven of their last 10 to improve to 43-45.

They will now head to Cleveland to take on a very powerful young Guardians’ team in a three game series that will start at Progressive Field Friday night. Tanner Bibee (7-2, 3.47 ERA) will make the start for Cleveland, and the Giants will go with a bullpen game. First pitch will be at 7:10 p.m. in Cleveland, 4:10 p.m. back home in San Francisco.

Giants News and Notes:

Blake Snell pitched five-no hit innings against the Reno Aces in his rehab start for the Sacramento River Cats Wednesday night at Sutter Health Park. Snell allowed just one base-runner, a walk, while striking out nine. Snell could feasibly return to the Giants’ rotation when they come back home next week.

Mike Yastrzemski left Thursday night’s game in the fifth after getting hit in the right elbow by a pitch from Charlie Morton an inning earlier in the top of the fourth. Yastrzemski’s elbow was swollen, but x-rays came back negative, and he is listed as day-to-day.

San Francisco Giants podcast with Michael Duca: Giants-Braves battle for rubber game tonight in Atlanta

Published on July 4, 2024 by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

San Francisco Giants catcher Chris Casali (18) puts the tag out on the sliding Atlanta Braves Austin Riley (27) in the bottom of the fifth inning at Truist Field in Cobb County GA on Wed Jul 3, 2024 (AP News photo)

On the San Francisco Giants podcast with Michael Duca:

On the SF Giants podcast with Michael:

#1 The Atlanta Braves Chris Sale allowed only three hits in six innings of work picking up his 11th win of the season as the Braves evened the three game series with the San Francisco Giants at 1-1. The Braves with a two run 3-1 win at Truist Field on Wednesday night.

#2 Michael with the win Sale moved into a tie with the Kansas City Royals Seth Lugo for the most wins with 11. Sale in 2018 had a win total of 12-4.

#3 The Giants had a tough time trying to solve Sale who held them to four hits with the help of four relievers.

#4 Giants starter Jordan Hicks threw a good ball game Wednesday night but the team absorbed the loss. Hicks went five inning, allowed eight hits, three earned runs, and struck out six. Well pitched game but tough game to lose.

#5 Giants try it again they’ll start RHP Logan Webb 6-6 ERA 3.12) and for the Braves RHP Charlie Morton (5-4, ERA 3.89) first pitch 4:20pm PT Thursday night at Truist Park in Cobb County.

Michael Duca does the San Francisco Giants podcasts each Thursday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

A’s sweep Angels and win three-straight for first time in two months; Sears and Oakland blank LA 5-0

Published on July 4, 2024July 4, 2024 by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Oakland A’s catcher Kyle McCann (left) throws to first base to put out the Los Angeles Angels Kevin Pillar in the top of the fifth inning at the Oakland Coliseum on Thu Jul 4, 2024 (AP News photo)

Thursday, July 4, 2024

Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum

Oakland, California

Los Angeles Angels 0 (36-50)

Oakland Athletics 5 (33-56)

Win: JP Sears (5-7)

Loss: Roansy Contreras (1-1)

Time: 2:38

Attendance: 11,956

By Stephen Ruderman

OAKLAND–The A’s have finally won three in a row for the first time in two months, as JP Sears pitched five shutout innings, and the A’s completed their sweep of the Los Angeles Angels with a 5-0 win.

Coming into Thursday, the A’s had not won three in a row since they won six-straight at the beginning of May. Today, on this warm and beautiful Fourth of July at the Oakland Coliseum, the A’s had a chance at their first three-game winning streak in two months.

The left-handed finesser JP Sears made the start for Oakland. Sears got off to a decent start in April and May, but he struggled through a brutal June, 0-3 with an ERA of 7.94. Thursday, he was going against the fourth-place Angels in his first start of a new month, which gave him a chance to reset.

Sears started off the afternoon with a 1-2-3 top of the first inning, and Angels’ starter Roansy Contreras pitched a scoreless bottom of the first. Contreras did get some help from Angels’ center-fielder Kevin Pillar, who leapt over the fence in right-center field to take away a home run from JJ Bleday for the first out. Both pitchers then threw 1-2-3 innings in the second.

Sears had retired the first six men he faced, but he ran into trouble in the top of the third. Zach Neto singled to right to start the inning, and Jo Adell walked with one out. Neto advanced to third base when Nolan Schanuel lined out to right for the second out, and Kevin Pillar was hit by a pitch to load the bases. That brought up Taylor Ward, who flew out to center to end the inning.

Brett Harris walked to lead off the bottom of the third for Oakland. Bleday walked with one out, and that brought up Miguel Andujar, who flared a single to left to knock in Harris and get the A’s on the board. Angels’ left-fielder Taylor Ward overran the ball, and that allowed the back runners to reach second and third.

Brent Rooker grounded a base-hit to left field to score Bleday and make it 2-0, and Tyler Soderstrom made it 3-0 with a sacrifice fly to center.

Sears had himself a 3-0 lead going to the fourth, where he pitched a scoreless inning. Hunter Strickland, who came in to finish the bottom of the third for the Angels, also pitched a scoreless inning. Sears pitched another scoreless inning in the top of the fifth, as did Hans Course in the bottom of the fifth.

Sears would be done after five shutout innings. He gave up just two hits and a walk, while striking out six. However, his pitch count of 95 got to him

Osvaldo Bido ran into a bit of trouble in the top of the sixth after hitting Miguel Sano with one out, and walking Willie Calhoun with two away. However, Sears got Neto to pop up to first-baseball Tyler Soderstrom, who ran along the line to make a nice sliding catch in foul territory to end the inning.

Zack Gelof drew a walk off left-hander Matt Moore to start the bottom of the sixth. Gelof then stole second and advanced to third on a passed ball. Lawrence Butler walked, but Brett Harris flew out to shallow center, and Gelof was unable to score.

Max Schuemann then laid down a safety squeeze, and Harris scored to make it 4-0. Schuemann was originally called safe by First Base Umpire Andy Fletcher, as Angels’ first-baseman Nolan Schanuel came in and left the bag uncovered, and second-baseman Brandon Drury had to take the throw at first. The call ended up getting overturned.

Austin Adams pitched a scoreless top of the seventh for the A’s, as did Jose Marte for the Angels in the bottom of the inning. Lucas Erceg pitched a scoreless inning in the top of the eighth, and Lawrence Butler homered out to left-center in the bottom of the eighth to make it 5-0.

Tyler Ferguson took the ball in the top of the ninth for Oakland, and he closed this one out with a 1-2-3 inning.

JP Sears gets his first win since May 25, and Roansy Contreras takes the loss. The A’s have indeed won three in a row for the first time since the beginning of May, as they improve to 33-56.

Friday night, the A’s will welcome in a much more formidable foe to the Coliseum in the Baltimore Orioles to start a three game series. Left-hander Hogan Harris (1-2, 3.18 ERA) will take the ball for Oakland, and he will be opposed by the journeyman, Albert Suarez (4-2, 2.43 ERA), who has had himself quite a bounce back season pitching in the major leagues for the first time since 2017.

First pitch at the Coliseum will be at 6:40 p.m.

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Orioles Masters of the Draft visit Oakland. Drafted better than Anybody–

Published on July 4, 2024 by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Baltimore Orioles Ryan Hearn (left) and Anthony Santander (right) flex muscles after Hearns solo home run in the top of the fifth inning against the Seattle Mariners at T Mobile Field in Seattle on Wed Jul 3, 2024. The first place Orioles open a three game series against the Oakland A’s on Fri Jul 5, 2024 (AP News photo)

Orioles Masters of the Draft visit Oakland. Drafted better than Anybody–

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

OAKLAND–Before this 2024 season started, the Baltimore Orioles were among the few considered favorites to win the World Series. As they open the season this week at Oakland, they are in first place in the powerful American League West. After losing over 100 games in 2018-2019-2021, they have the strength to be an elite team in recent years, especially this 2024 season. How have they done it?

Some of the best players in baseball who are now playing for the powerhouse Orioles were drafted by this organization, and those years of 100-plus games in the lost column are just a thing of the past. Unlike their biggest rivals, the New York Yankees, the Orioles are not known for signing players to multi-year contracts for hundreds of millions of dollars. Today, the Baltimore Orioles are indeed the masters of the Draft.

These stars were all drafted and are playing for the Orioles, as well as their names and years.

(SS) Gunnar Henderson 2019 (2024 All-Star-starting lineup)

(1B) Ryan Mountcastle 2015

(3B) Jordan Westburg 2020

(OF) Colton Cowser, 2021

(OF) Austin Hayes 2016

(OF) Heston Kjerstad 2020

(OF) Cedric Mullins 2015

(OF) Anthony Santander 2017

(P) Lee Keegan Aikin 2016

(P) Grayson Rodríguez 2018

The A’s open a three-game weekend series against the Orioles this Friday night, Saturday, and Sunday afternoon at the Coliseum. After Sunday’s game, they go on the road again and will return to Oakland after the All-Star Game recess on July 19 to play the LA Angels again.

A’s Estes gets complete game shutout over Halos 5-0 at Coliseum

Published on July 4, 2024 by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Oakland A’s starter Joey Estes (right) is excited after completing a shutout against the Los Angeles Angels at the Oakland Coliseum on Wed Jul 3, 2024 (AP News photo)

Los Angeles (36-49) 000 000 000 0 5 1

Athletics (32-56) 020 012 00x 5 10 0

Time: 2:14

Attendance:14,837

Wednesday, July 3, 2024

Oakland, CA

By Lewis Rubman

OAKLAND–The A’s made it two in a row this balmy Wednesday evening on the eve of the fourth of July, with their 5-0 victory over the Los Angeles Angels behind the strong—to say this least—pitching of Joey Estes, who went the route for the first complete game by an Athletics hurler since June 1, 2021.

He was supported by a variegated offense that included two home runs and in which the only member of the lineup who didn’t get at least one hit was JJ Bleday, who was due up after Max Schuemann made the team’s last out.

Estes had come within a questionable ball-strike call and a decent follow up reliever of, at the minimum, a no decision in his most recent previous start last Wednesday at the Big A. He ended up being the losing pitcher in a 5-2 defeat, which brought him to this balmy evening’s midweek, pre holiday contest at 2-3, 5.24. Tonight he turned what might have been into what was the outstanding A’s pitching performance of the year.

The 22 year old righty threw 92 pitches, only 24 of which were balls, to 30 batters and held them to five hits, all of them singles, and a walk while striking out four and inducing three twin killings.

Davis Daniel, who started for the team previously known as the Los Angeles Angels, the California Angels, the Anaheim Angels, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, before coming, weary at heart, back where they started from, once more the Los Angeles Angels was drafted by the Halos in the June 2019 draft but didn’t play that year because he had undergone Tommy John surgery in April.

He missed the next season because the minor leagues didn’t operate in 2020. From 2021 through ’23 he had a minor league record of 11-16, 3.95. He went 1-1, 2.29 for the in three games for the Angels last year and was 1-0, 0.00 for them when he toed the rubber Wednesday night.

The 27 year old righty lasted 5-1/3 innings before yielding to Matt Moore with runners on first and second with two outs and the carpetbagger A’s ahead, 4-0. Daniel was charged with a post humus run for a total of five.

One run was unearned, but Daniel himself committed the second inning error that led to its being scored. Moore allowed Brett Harris the single that drove in the inherited runner but didn’t allow any runs of his own. Carson Fulmer pitched the last two innings for the Anaheim nine, allowing two hits but no walks or runs while striking out three.

Matt Shuemann’s 376 foot round tripper to left put the A’s ahead in the bottom of the second. Brett Rooker’s 389 foot blast, also to right, in the sixth was their other four base hit. The A’s also played small ball. Lawrence Butler singled in the second and went to third on Daniel’s throwing error on a comebacker by Brett Harris. Then, with Schuermann at the plate, Harris was picked off, but Butler scored in the run down for the A’s second tally.

The Athletics’ fielding was sharp, as shown by their trio of double plays. Also noteworthy was Harris’s eye catching grab at third of Luis Rengifo’s scorching line drive in the top of the first.

The A’s will—dare I say this?—go for the sweep in a fourth of July day game Thursday at 1:07pm PT. They’ll sent southpaw JP Sears (4-7, 5.00) against right hander Roansy Contreras (3-0, 3.82).

Headline Sports podcast with Jessica Kwong: How Thompson will fit in Mavericks line up; Ex-49er Gipson suspended six games; plus more news

Published on July 3, 2024 by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Former Golden State Warrior Klay Thompson will be joining the Dallas Mavericks for the 2024-25 season. Thompson joins the Mavericks in a three year $50 million deal. (AP News photo)

On Headline Sports podcast with Jessica:

#1 Jessica, former Golden State Warrior Klay Thompson who is joining the Dallas Mavericks next season as a breaking story on Monday. Thompson joins Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, and Derrick Lively II. The Mavericks got to the Finals last season but lost to the Boston Celtics in five games. The Mavericks with Thompson joining them aim to finish the job next season.

#2 Thompson’s father Mychal Thompson said he was disappointed that his son Klay didn’t sign with the Los Angeles Lakers. It came down to the Lakers and Mavericks and Klay got the 3 year $50 million offer and it was just too good to pass up. Still Mychal the former Laker would have loved to see Klay finish up his career with the Lakers.

#3 Former San Francisco 49ers safety Tashaun Gipson has been suspended six games by the NFL for PED use. Gipson was a big help for the 49ers in his two seasons helping the younger defensive backs and helped with tips for the defense. Gipson had a good year in 2023 with 60 tackles, had one sack, one interceptions. In 2022 Gipson had 61 tackles and five interceptions.

#4 Jessica, on Monday the New York Mets outfielder Brandon Mimmo around 5 in the morning in his hotel room in Washington DC fell and cut his head. He wasn’t feeling well and was cramping, fainted and fell. When he came to he didn’t know why he was on the floor with a bloody forehead and called Mets trainer who looked him over and took him for tests. Mimmo had tests done he was negative for a concussion, he had a CT scan done and had a bandage on his head it was reported he got a pretty big cut. He spoke to reporters before Monday’s game and said he was sitting out the game as a precaution.

#5 The 2024 Home Run Derby at Globe Life has some rule changes. The hitter will get 40 pitches to try and convert the ball for home runs. The Derby has been a timed tournament since the 2015 All Star Home Run Derby. So it’s up to the pitcher to get pitch to the hitter to as many times possible. Last season at the Seattle All Star Game the hitter got 43 pitches. The participants have complained in past derbies that they could be injured taking hard swings while trying to rush themselves against the clock. Hitters in this year’s derby will have three minutes in the first two rounds and and two minutes in the championship rounds.

Join Jessica Kwong for Headline Sports podcasts every other Wednesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

St Louis City’s Kijima and Lowen scores goals in 2-0 shutout of Earthquakes

Published on July 3, 2024July 3, 2024 by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

The 12th and 14th place teams in the Western Conference faced off on Wednesday night, as the San Jose Earthquakes visited Saint Louis City SC. Neither team has lived up to expectations to start the season and both have already made a manager chance this season.

For the Quakes, Ian Russell took over for Luchi Gonzalez on June 24. Meanwhile on July 1, Saint Louis fired Bradley Carnell who was replaced by John Hackworth on an interim basis. The change of coaches for St Louis must have worked Hackworth coached St Louis City SC to a 2-0 shutout of the Earthquakes.

Earthquakes Starting XI: Yarbrough, Costa, Beason, Rodrigues, Munie, Tsakiris, Skahan, Yueill, Kikanovic, Judd, Espinoza

Saint Louis Starting XI: Burki, Totland, Durkin, Parker, Reid, Blom, Klein, Lowen, Kijima, Vassilev, Thorisson

Saint Louis came out with a lot of pressure early, getting a couple shots in the first few minutes and dominating possession right out of the gate. San Jose got their first quality chance in the 9th minute when a counterattacking opportunity by Preston Judd forced Roman Burki to make his first save of the night.

The ensuing corner led to Burki punching the ball away before the play was ultimately called offside, ending the attack. In the 15th a Saint Louis cross found Nokkvi Thorisson right in front of the net, but he kicked it over the goal.

A shot from John Klein in the 20th minute nearly gave the home team an early lead but William Yarbrough was able to get a hand on it and tip it wide. Off of the corner Tim Parker had an attempt off of a header which went wide right of the goal.

Saint Louis broke the deadlock in the 28th minute when Yabrough misjudged a bouncing ball which went into the back of the net following a soft shot from Eduard Lowen. In the 41st minute, Saint Louis added a second goal off of a free kick.

The cross landed right in front of the goal, and Hosei Kijima tapped it into the netting. Tanner Beason prevented Saint Louis from making it 3-0 in the 45th with a fantastic goal line clearance after the ball was tipped by Yarbrough.

Despite the fact that the home team had a two goal lead heading into halftime, that score line didn’t fully show just how dominant of a performance it had been for Saint Louis. They were undoubtedly the 12th and 14th place teams in the Western Conference faced off on Wednesday night, as the San Jose Earthquakes visited Saint Louis City SC.

Neither team has lived up to expectations to start the season and both have already made a manager chance this season. For the Quakes, Ian Russell took over for Luchi Gonzalez on June 24. Meanwhile on July 1, Saint Louis fired Bradley Carnell who was replaced by John Hackworth on an interim basis.

Earthquakes Starting XI: Yarbrough, Costa, Beason, Rodrigues, Munie, Tsakiris, Skahan, Yueill, Kikanovic, Judd, Espinoza

Saint Louis Starting XI: Burki, Totland, Durkin, Parker, Reid, Blom, Klein, Lowen, Kijima, Vassilev, Thorisson

Saint Louis came out with a lot of pressure early, getting a couple shots in the first few minutes and dominating possession right out of the gate. San Jose got their first quality chance in the ninth minute when a counterattacking opportunity by Preston Judd forced Roman Burki to make his first save of the night.

Despite the fact that the home team had a two goal lead heading into halftime, that score line didn’t fully show just how dominant of a performance it had been for Saint Louis. They were undoubtedly the better team, and looked to be taking advantage of the boost that typically comes with a coaching change.

Heading into the second half neither team made any changes, which was surprising for the Earthquakes. The first booking of the match came in the 56th minute when Jayden Reid tripped up Benjamin Kikanovic.

After the ensuing free kick, two members of Saint Louis went down for a short period of time before getting back up to their feet. Paul Marie, Hernan Lopez, Jeremy Ebobisse and Alfredo Moralesentered the match for Cristian Espinoza, Judd, Rodrigues and Niko Tsakiris in the 62nd minute.

For Saint Louis’s first substitution of the night, Sam Adeniran came on for Thorisson in the 64th. Adeniran nearly made an instant impact when he found himself inside the box with the ball and some space, but the shot went directly to Yarbrough.

San Jose’s substitutions weren’t doing quite as well, in the 66th minute Lopez picked up an almost instant yellow card. Vitor Costa got called for a foul and shown a yellow card during the 72nd minute. As the game seemed to be a lock for the home side by this point, Saint Louis made a couple of more substitutions in the 80th.

Although San Jose played better in the second half, they were unable to break the shutout and Saint Louis walked away with a 2-0 win. better team, and looked to be taking advantage of the boost that typically comes with a coaching change.

As the game seemed to be a lock for the home side by this point, Saint Louis made a couple of more substitutions in the 80th. Although San Jose played better in the second half, they were unable to break the shutout and Saint Louis walked away with a 2-0 win.

Chris Sale shuts down Giants’ offense as Braves win middle game 3-1

Published on July 3, 2024 by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Atlanta Braves pitcher Chris Sale pitches against the San Francisco Giants line up in the top of the first inning at Truist Field in Atlanta on Wed Jul 3, 2024 (AP News photo)

Wednesday, July 3, 2024

Truist Park

Cumberland, Georgia

San Francisco Giants 1 (42-45)

Atlanta Braves 3 (47-37)

Win: Chris Sale (11-3)

Loss: Jordan Hicks (4-5)

Save: Raisel Iglesias (21)

Time: 2:27

Attendance: 38,834

By Stephen Ruderman

The Giants’ offense was shut down and limited to just a run by Chris Sale and the strong Braves’ bullpen, as the Braves won the second game of this series 3-1 on another warm and muggy night in Cobb County.

Following a 5-2 homestand for the Giants, which was capped off by a series win against the Dodgers over the weekend, the Giants opened up this challenging road trip with a 5-3 win over the Braves last night. Wednesday night, the two teams would be right back at it at Truist Park.

Veteran all-star left-hander Chris Sale took the ball for Atlanta. Sale, a seven-time all-star, still has it at the age of 35. He came into Wednesday night 10-3 with a 2.70 ERA in his 14th major league season. Sale has done and seen it all, too. He’s gone to seven all-star games, cut the sleeves off jerseys he didn’t like and closed out the Red Sox World Series win over the Dodgers in 2018.

Sale promptly began the night with a 1-2-3 top of the first inning. Jordan Hicks, who has had quite an impressive first season as a starter, took the mound for the Giants in the bottom of the first. Hicks got off to a great start back in April, but he has struggled as of late, giving up a combined eight runs in his last two starts.

Wednesday night, Hicks would have to neutralize a powerful Braves’ offense in a live Truist Park. His night started off nicely with a scoreless inning in the bottom of the first.

Matt Chapman walked to start the top of the second, but Sale then retired the side in order. Austin Riley singled off Hicks to lead off the bottom of the second, and veteran catcher Travis d’Arnaud singled Riley over to second base. That brought up Adam Duvall, who put the Braves on the board with a double to left field.

The Braves had a 1-0 lead, and a chance to quickly add on to it with runners at second and third and still nobody out. Bob Melvin had the infield come in, and it paid dividends, as Forrest Wall and Zack Short both grounded out and weren’t able to get d’Arnaud in from third. Jarred Kelenic struck out swinging, and Hicks escaped any further damage.

Hicks was able to keep the deficit to 1-0, but the Giants went down 1-2-3 in the top of the third. Hicks then settled down to throw a scoreless bottom of the third.

Sale pitched another scoreless inning in the top of the fourth. Wall walked with two outs in the bottom of the fourth and stole third, but Short lined out to Austin Slater in right to end the inning.

The score stayed 1-0 going to the fifth. David Villar and Nick Ahmed both struck out swinging for the first two outs of the top of the fifth, but just as Giants TV broadcasters Dave Flemming and Javier Lopez made note of the Giants being no-hit, Curt Casali singled to right-center to indeed get the Giants their first hit. However, the Giants wouldn’t be able to further make anything of it.

Hicks, meanwhile, retired the first two men he faced in the bottom of the fifth, but Marcell Ozuna lined an opposite-field base-hit to right, and Matt Olsen lined a single up the middle to center to put runners at first and second with two outs. Riley then came to the plate, and he doubled to right to score both runners and expand the Braves’ lead to 3-0.

d’Arnaud came up, and he lined a base-hit the other way to right. Braves Third Base Coach Matt Tuiasosopo waved Riley in from third, and the throw from Slater in right was right on the money, but Riley was called safe by Home Plate Umpire Ryan Additon.

The Giants challenged the play, and while we didn’t see it on the telecast, the umpires in the Major League Baseball Command Center in New York saw Casali tag Riley on the helmet before his hand touched home plate. The call was overturned, the scored stayed 3-0 Braves going to the sixth.

Perhaps, it would be a change in the fortunes for the Giants. The now-red-hot Jorge Soler led off the top of the sixth with a double to right. Soler moved over to third when Slater grounded out back to Sale for the first out of the inning. Heliot Ramos struck out looking, but Matt Chapman doubled to left to put the Giants on the board.

Former Brave Luke Jackson, who was part of the Braves’ Night Shift Bullpen when they won the World Series in 2021, came in for the Giants in the bottom of the sixth. An infield hit by Dovall, and a throwing error by Jackson on a chopper back to the mound by Wall put runners at the corners for Atlanta with nobody out.

Just as Hicks had to work out of a runner-at-third, no-one out jam in the bottom of the second, Jackson would have to pull off that same Houdini act in the bottom of the sixth. Jackson was given some help when Wall was caught trying to steal second.

With a drawn-in infield, Duvall was thrown out at home for the second out when Short reached on a fielder’s choice to short. Kelenic then struck out swinging to end the inning, and Jackson was able to keep the deficit at two going to the seventh.

Sale was done after giving up just a run and three hits while striking out nine over six innings A.J. Minter then came in for Atlanta and threw a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the seventh, and Sean Hjelle did the same for the Giants in the bottom of the seventh.

Joe Jimenez pitched a 1-2-3 top of the eighth for the Braves, and Hjelle came back out for his second inning of work to throw a scoreless inning in the bottom of the eighth. Matt Chapman singled off Braves’ closer Raisel Iglesias with one out in the top of the ninth, but Iglasias pitched a scoreless inning, regardless, to close out the Braves’ 3-1 win.

Plain and simply, the Giants were limited to only one run, because they ran into some really good pitching tonight. You can’t blame the offense for this one.

Chris Sale got the win; Jordan Hicks took the loss; and Raisel Iglesias picked up the save. The Giants fall to 42-45, and they will have another chance to take the series in the rubber match Thursday night.

Giants’ ace Logan Webb (6-6, 3.12 ERA) will take the mound Thursday night, and he will be opposed by the longtime veteran, Charlie Morton (5-4, 3.89 ERA). First pitch will be at 7:20 p.m. in Cobb County, and another stoner-friendly 4:20 p.m. start for Giants’ fans who want to get high back home in San Francisco.

San Francisco Giants podcast with Morris Phillips: Braves Sale picks up league leading 11th win defeat Giants 3-1

Published on July 3, 2024July 3, 2024 by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Atlanta Braves starter Chris Sale delivers to the San Francisco Giants line up in the top of the first inning at Truist Field in Atlanta on Wed Jul 3, 2024 (AP News photo)

On the SF Giants podcast with Morris:

#1 The Atlanta Braves Chris Sale allowed only three runs in six innings of work picking up his 11th win of the season as the Braves evened the three game series with the San Francisco Giants at 1-1 with two run 3-1 win at Truist Field on Wednesday night.

#2 Morris with the win Sale moved into a tie with the Kansas City Royals Seth Lugo for the most wins with 11. Sale in 2018 had a win total of 12-4.

#3 The Giants had a tough time trying to solve Sale who held them to four hits with the help of four relievers.

#4 Giants starter Jordan Hicks threw a good ball game Wednesday night but the team absolved the loss. Hicks went five inning, allowed eight hits, three earned runs, and struck out six. Well pitched game but tough game to lose.

#5 Giants try it again they’ll start RHP Logan Webb 6-6 ERA 3.12) and for the Braves RHP Charlie Morton (5-4, ERA 3.89) first pitch 4:20pm PT Thursday night at Truist Park in Cobb County.

Morris Phillips is a podcast contributor for http://www.sportsradioservice.com