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Webb and home runs carry Giants to 5-2 over Rangers in series opener in Texas

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San Francisco Giants Michael Conforto circles the bases after connecting for a two run home run in the top of the seventh inning against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Stadium in Arlington on Fri Jun 7, 2024 (AP News photo)

Friday, June 7, 2024

Globe Life Field

Arlington, Texas

San Francisco Giants 5 (31-33)

Texas Rangers 2 (30-33)

Win: Logan Webb (5-5)

Loss: David Robertson (2-3)

Save: Camilo Doval (10)

Time: 2:37

Attendance: 35,868

By Stephen Ruderman

The Giants have won two-straight, as a strong start from Logan Webb, three home runs—two from Wilmer Flores—and a three-hit day from Heliot Ramos carried the Giants to a series-opening 5-2 win over old pal Bruce Brochy and the defending world champion Texas Rangers.

The Giants left the hot desert in Arizona for the hot and flat prairie lands of Arlington, Texas to start the second leg of this all-2023 World Series road trip. The Giants enjoyed a day off in Arlington yesterday after they snapped their unfortunate six-game losing streak on Wednesday in Arizona. Friday night, they looked to build on that against Bochy and the Rangers.

The Giants sent their ace, Logan Webb, to the hill, to open the series. The Rangers went with the veteran right-hander, Michael Lorenzen. Both pitchers pitched scoreless innings out of the gate, and Webb pitched a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of first.

Wilmer Flores, who hit a grand slam in the third inning on Wednesday in Arizona, kept his power going, as he hit a home run to left-center field with one out in the top of the second. Webb then pitched another 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the second.

Heliot Ramos led off the top of the third with a base-hit, and Matt Chapman walked with one out. However, Michael Conforto flew out to center, and Jorge Soler’s struggles in key RBI situations continued, as he grounded into a force play to end the inning.

With one out in the bottom of the third, Ezequiel Duran singled on a ground ball up the middle for the Rangers’ first hit of the game. However, Webb pitched another scoreless inning regardless.

Flores led off the top of the fourth with his second home run of the game, as he now had three home runs in two games.

“When Flo gets hot, he gets hot,” said Webb. “He hasn’t changed one bit since I’ve met him. Everyday, he does the same exact thing. I think when you’re pretty consistent in what you do, I think good things happen…I feel like the same thing’s happened since he’s been here. He maybe doesn’t play as much early on, then [as] he starts to play more, and the ‘Flo’ comes out. He’s just a professional hitter. I think pitchers that have faced him before will probably say the exact same thing. He lets me know about the one time I faced him, which I think he went 3-for-3 off me [in] my debut.”

Webb pitched another 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the fourth.

Ramos led off the fifth by lining a base-hit the other way to right. Patrick Bailey flew out, but Matt Chapman singled on a ground ball to right, and Conforto walked to load the bases with one out.

Bochy pulled Lorenzen for Jonathan Hernandez. Soler and Flores both struck out swinging with the bases loaded, and the Giants wasted yet another opportunity.

Webb had kept the Rangers at bay over the first four innings, but the bottom of the fifth would be very different. Nathaniel Lowe led off the inning with a single to left, and Wyatt Langford hit a double to put runners at second and third with nobody out. Robbie Grossman put the Rangers on the board with a sacrifice fly to just shy of the warning track out to Mike Yastrzemski in right-center, which scored Lowe and moved Langford over to third.

Bob Melvin then did something very uncommon, and had the Giants’ infield play in to keep the tying run from scoring. It backfired, however, as Duran singled on a ground ball to left-center that very well could have been fielded by Brett Wisely at short had the infield been playing at normal depth.

The game was now tied 2-2. Leody Tavares to left, but Marcus Semien singled Duran over to third. With the Rangers 90 feet away from their first lead of the day, Webb was able to get Josh Smith to end the inning.

Yastrzemski drew a walk to start the top of the sixth, but Hernandez retired the side in order afterwards. Webb then settled back down to throw a 1-2-3 bottom of the sixth.

Right-hanger David Robertson, now one of the longest-tenured players in Baseball, came in to pitch for the Rangers in the top of the seventh. Bailey grounded out to third to start the inning, but Chapman walked, and Conforto hit a two-run home run out to right-center to put the Giants back ahead.

“Earlier in the at-bat, I think I just took a bad swing on a cutter…..I just had a feeling [Robertson] was going to go back to it, and I took a better swing late in the at-bat,” said Conforto. “[I] always have to try and remember less is more, especially with cutter guys.

Logan Webb ended his night with a 1-2-3 bottom of the seventh. Webb is an innings eater, which made it a bit surprising that he didn’t go out for one more inning, but he did appear to have a grimace on his face as he walked off the field.

“I think he [was] just kinda off balanced [when he threw his last pitch],” said Melvin. “We’ll see how he feels tomorrow. Hopefully, it’s just a little bit of a stinger.”

Webb gave up four runs in what was still a mostly-solid outing against the Yankees last Saturday. While the numbers didn’t reflect that in his last start, the numbers were undeniable in his start Friday night. Two runs and five hits over seven innings with six strikeouts and not a single walk, not bad.

“I thought to start the game, that was probably the best stuff I’ve had all year,” said Webb. “The days you get the mechanics and the feel, usually good things happen, and today was one of those days where I felt good. I thought my mechanics were better…..I kinda got away from it [in the fifth], and then I felt like I got to it towards the end.”

Grant Anderson, who finished the top of the seventh for Texas, was back out for the top of the eighth. Thairo Estrada lined a base-hit up the middle to start the inning, and Wisely walked. Ramos then came up and grounded a base-hit up the middle into center field for his third hit of the game to knock in Estrada and make it 5-2.

Bochy pulled Anderson for Jesus Tinoco, who retired the side in order to end the inning. Submariner Tyler Rogers followed that up with a shutdown 1-2-3 bottom of the eighth.

Gerson Garabito pitched a 1-2-3 top of the ninth for the Rangers, and Melvin brought in his closer, Camilo Doval, for the first duke since the latter gave up four runs on a career-high four hits in what was a brutal blown save and loss on Sunday. It was a big outing for Doval, and responded nicely by shutting down the Rangers 1-2-3 in the bottom of the ninth to close it out.

Logan Webb got the win; David Robertson took the loss; and Camilo Doval picked up his 10th save of the year.

The Giants improve to 31-33, and they’ll try and make it three in a row in a late-afternoon affair Saturday. Left-hander Kyle Harrison (4-3, ERA 4.18) will go for San Francisco for Texas Andrew Heaney (2-6, ERA 3.99). First pitch will be at 3:05 p.m. in Arlington, 1:05 p.m in San Francisco

Oakland A’s podcast with Jeremiah Salmonson: A’s just not getting run support; Blue Jays-A’s open 3 game series tonight at Coliseum

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Oakland A’s starting pitcher JP Sears and other starters are just not getting the run support in low scoring games. Sears pitched on Thu Jun 6, 2024 at the Oakland Coliseum and lost 2-0 to the Seattle Mariners. (AP News photo)

On the A’s podcast with Jeremiah:

#1 Seattle Mariners Bryan Woo had his mix of pitches working for him so did relievers Austin Voth, Mike Baumann, and Ryne Stanek in shutting out the Oakland A’s on Thursday 2-0.

#2 Woo who is local to Oakland and grew up just ten minutes from the Coliseum threw for six inning giving up two hits and struck out six batters.

#3Jeremiah, the A’s have been getting the pitching but the run production is suffering. They won on Wednesday night only because starter Joey Estes had to pitch a perfect game up until the seventh inning and ace closer Mason Miller had to come in to shut the door with the 2-1 win over the Mariners in game two of the series.

#4 The A’s have now dropped six of their last eight games with Thursday’s defeat and were shutout for the fifth time this season. The A’s line up simply have to start stroking or this will be the A’s downfall all season. They are getting the good pitching.

#5 The A’s open up a three game series on Friday night against the Toronto Blue Jays at the Oakland Coliseum first pitch is slated for 6:40pm PT .Starting pitcher for Toronto Chris Bassitt (6-6, ERA 4.43) for Oakland LHP Logan Harris (0-0, ERA 3.14).

Join Jeremiah for the A’s podcasts Fridays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Oakland A’s Relocation podcast with Daniel Dullum: Nevada may not sit still for A’s barnstorming ideas

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Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce CEO/President Mary Beth Sewald and Oakland A’s owner John Fisher at a preview regarding the A’s move to Las Vegas on Wed Jan 24, 2024. Sewald might be in for a disappointment after it was learned the A’s plan to play 10% of their home games away from Las Vegas (file photo by the Nevada Independent)

On the Oakland A’s Relocaton podcast with Daniel:

#1 Not only are the Oakland A’s relocating after this season to Sacramento in 2025 and Las Vegas in 2028 once they land in Vegas they plan to play ten percent of their home games in different locations for the purpose of marketing the team.

#2 Daniel, this idea is not go over too well with Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority CEO Steven Hill who pushed for the A’s move to Vegas now only to learn that 10% of the scheduled home games will be played elsewhere and take away that revenue from the City of Las Vegas?

#3 How much of this idea can infuriate not only Hill but also the Nevada State Legislature who is giving the A’s and Bally’s $380 million in public funds to help pay for the Tropicana ballpark?

#4 The A’s could very well be liking the idea of making Sacramento their permanent home. A’s owner John Fisher could be looking at working with Sacramento Rivercats owner and Sacramento Kings owner Vivek Ranadive towards the idea of building and MLB park in Sacramento and getting out of the Las Vegas deal by entertaining the 10% home away from home idea?

#5 The idea of the A’s getting out of Vegas and MLB approving it would relieve Fisher from trying to come up with his share of the construction costs at $500 million and it would give Las Vegas an opportunity to still use the $380 million of public funds towards a MLB expansion team.

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

A’s stymied by Bryan Woo, as Mariners shut them out 3-0 to take series

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Seattle Mariners pitcher Bryan Woo pitches to the Oakland A’s in the top of the first inning at the Oakland Coliseum on Thu Jun 6, 2024 (AP News photo)

Thursday, June 6, 2024

Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum

Oakland, California

Seattle Mariners 3 (36-28)

Oakland Athletics 0 (25-39)

Win: Bryan Woo (3-0)

Loss: JP Sears (4-5)

Save: Ryne Stanek (4)

Time: 2:35

Attendance: 6,571

By Stephen Ruderman

OAKLAND–The A’s ran into a buzz saw in Bryan Woo, who shut down the A’s, and the Mariners shutout the A’s 3-0 on a hazy Wednesday afternoon at the Oakland Coliseum to take the series.

The A’s were looking to win just their second series since they took two of three from the Miami Marlins from May 3-5. They were also looking to win consecutive games for the first time since that same series against the Marlins.

Left-hander JP Sears made the start for Oakland. Sears was coming off a start in Atlanta where he gave up four runs over seven innings against a powerful Braves team at Truist Park, one of the most live ballparks in Baseball.

Sears was back at the Coliseum for his team-leading 13th start of the season to go up against a Mariners team, who despite their record, has struggled offensively all season. Sears promptly got off to a nice start with a 1-2-3 top of the first inning.

The Mariners went with right-hander Bryan Woo, who has pitched quite well since being called up from Triple-A Tacoma on May 10. Woo has gone 2-0 with a minuscule 1.30 ERA in his first five starts of the season.

The A’s put Woo in trouble right away in the bottom of the first. Abraham Toro hooked a double down the right field line to start the inning, but he never got to third, as Woo was able to settle down to retire the side.

Sears walked Cal Raleigh with one out in the top of the second, but he induced a double play off the bat of Mitch Haniger to end the inning. Seth Brown reached second to lead off the bottom of the second when Mariners’ left-fielder Victor Robles tried to make a leaping catch on a routine fly ball to left field but ended up dropping the ball. Fortunately for Robles, Woo retired the side, and Brown never got past third.

The A’s had wasted opportunities in the first two innings, and they would need Sears to keep cruising, but Sears immediately got himself in trouble in the top of the third. Sears walked Mitch Garver, and then he hit Robles right afterwards to put runners at first and second with nobody out. Ryan Bliss then reached on a bunt single, the Mariners’ first hit of the game, to load the bases.

Sears struck J.P. Crawford out swinging for the first out, but Dylan Moore knocked in Garver with a sacrifice fly to left. The Mariners had a 1-0 lead, and Woo followed that up with his first 1-2-3 inning of the afternoon in the bottom of the third.

Sears hit Raleigh with a pitch with one out in the top of the fourth, and Raleigh followed that up by stealing second base. Sears struck Haniger out for the second out, but Garver hit a single to left to score Raleigh and make it 2-0.

As for Woo, he pitched another 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the fourth. Both pitchers pitched scoreless innings in the fifth.

Sears went back out for the top of the sixth, but with activity in the A’s bullpen, he would most likely have to pitch a 1-2-3 inning to go a full six innings. Sears did indeed pitch that 1-2-3 inning to end a very strong day for him, in which he gave up just two runs and three hits over his six innings, while striking out eight.

Woo pitched another 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the sixth, and he was in complete control. That made it a bit surprising that his day would be done afterwards.

Woo had yet to go more than six innings this year, and he had his highest pitch count of the year with 85 pitches, but with how he was pitching Wednesday, it could have been assumed that Mariners Manager Scott Servais would have given him one more inning.

Still, it was quite an impressive outing. Woo allowed just two hits and three base-runners over his six shutout innings, and the A’s simply could not catch up to his fastball.

“We just couldn’t hit the heater,” said Manager Mark Kotsay. “I don’t know what it is about his fastball that gives us trouble…..We just could not hit the fastball.”

Dany Jimenez was the new pitcher for Oakland in the top of the seventh, and he worked through a pair of walks for a scoreless inning. Austin Voth came in for Seattle, and he pitched a 1-2-3 bottom of the seventh.

Jimenez was back out for the top of the eighth, He struck Julio Rodriguez out swinging to start the inning. Jimenez then walked Ty France, but he bounced back to strike Raleigh out swinging for the second out.

Then, Kotsay brought in the left-hander, T.J. McFarland, to face the right-handed-hitting Mitch Haniger. It seemed like a weird move from afar, but Haniger has struggled against left-handers this season. The move paid off, and Haniger grounded out weakly to third to end the inning.

Mike Baumann pitched a 1-2-3 bottom of the eighth for Seattle, and when McFarland went back out for the top of the ninth, Mitch Garver led off the inning with a home run to left-center to extend the Mariners’ lead to 3-0.

It was quite an afternoon for Garver, who reached base all four times he came to the plate, going 2-for-2 with a single, the home run and a pair of walks. He also scored two of the Mariners’ three runs.

Ryne Stanek then came out and pitched a 1-2-3 bottom of the ninth for his fourth save.

Bryan Woo got the win; JP Sears suffered a very hard-luck loss; and Ryan Stanek picked up the save.

“We have definitely pitched [well], and offensively, we haven’t taken advantage of that,” said Kotsay. “It’s been a tough stretch. Generally, [if] you have good pitching, you win games. We’ve had good starting pitching, I think, for the last 10 or so outings, and we haven’t really capitalized on it.”

The A’s fall to 25-39, and they will hope for better luck when they welcome in the Toronto Blue Jays for three at the Coliseum starting Friday night. The Jays will be going with RHP Chris Bassitt (6-6, ERA 4.13) the A’s will counter with Left-hander Hogan Harris (0-0, ERA 3.14) who will be on the hill, first pitch will be at 6:40 p.m.

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: A’s fans support in Sacramento is much stronger than Las Vegas

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Oakland A’s owner John Fisher (left) and Sacramento River Cats owner Vivek Ranadive (right) meet with the media after announcing the A’s will be playing their interim games at Sutter Health Ballpark in Sacramento on Thu Apr 4, 2024. Fisher could be reconsidering Vegas for Sacramento. (Las Vegas Review Journal file photo)

A’s fans support in Sacramento is much stronger than Las Vegas

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

OAKLAND–The story that continues as a never-ending Telenovela on Spanish TV continues for the Oakland A’s, and although maybe not as long as the legendary soap ‘As the World Turns”. Rob Manfred , Commissioner of Baseball, is one of the forces that support the A’s leaving Oakland for Las Vegas.

From the very beginning of this story, Manfred has been a leading voice on the relocation idea. With Sacramento currently renovating Sutter Health Park, Manfred claimed that the A’s had received seat deposits from around 13,000 people. For the record: This season, the Oakland A’s are last in baseball, averaging 6,400 per game.

The people of Sacramento are showing interest in the A’s, while the people from Las Vegas are not remotely as enthusiastic. According to reports, Sutter Health Park is currently selling priority access to tickets for fans who put down a $100 per seat deposit on a season ticket membership. That is very reasonable in this very tough economy, where even a family visit to a fast-food restaurant is not that cheap anymore.

Sutter Heath Park’s capacity is about 14,000, including the outfield berms. However, Major League Baseball only considers fixed/permanent seats, no berms, and standing room unless the Commissioner makes an exception for the Rivercats Park in West Sacramento.

Time will tell how popular the A’s become in the State’s Capital, but this ordeal could end with the A’s moving to Sacramento permanently.

Do you wonder what the odds are in Vegas?

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the lead play by play announcer on the Oakland A’s Spanish radio network at 1010 KIQI San Francisco and 990 KATD Pittsburg and does News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Headline Sports podcast with Jessica Kwong: Mavericks-Celtics battle in game 1 Finals tonight; Giants Snell out again with groin injury; plus more news

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Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic is all smile at the post game conference following the Mavericks win over the Minnesota Timberwolves in game 5 of the Western Conference Finals in Minneapolis on Thu May 30, 2024 (AP News photo)

Headline Sports podcast with Jessica:

#1 The Boston Celtics host the Dallas Mavericks in game 1 of the NBA Finals. One of the advantages that the Celtics have opening up these Finals is that they home court advantage and have two top star shooters in Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum.

#2 The Mavericks in their own right have Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving both who scored 36 points each against the Minnesota Timberwolves in game 5 on Thursday to advance to the Finals.

#3 How often would you expect that a two time Cy Young winner in San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Blake Snell who started with his new team to go out twice with a groin injury. Snell when he does make a start had been lit up and has a 0-3 record and a large ERA at 9.51.

#4 The last player to be suspended for life in baseball was former Cincinnati Reds manager Pete Rose now baseball is cracking down again suspending four players and giving a lifetime ban to San Diego Padres minor league infielder Tucupita Marcana for making 387 bets totaling $150,000.

#5 Jessica, the NHL Stanley Cup Finals between the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers. The Oilers took out the Dallas Stars in the Western Conference Finals 4-2 and the Panthers took out the New York Rangers 4-2 in the Eastern Conference Finals. What’s your take as the Oilers and Panthers face off on Saturday night?

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

San Francisco Giants podcast with Michael Duca: Giants open 3 game series in Texas Friday night

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San Francisco Giants pitcher Erik Miller (68) deals against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the bottom of the sixth inning at Chase Field in Phoenix on Wed Jun 5, 2024 (AP News photo)

On the SF Giants podcast with Michael Duca:

#1 Michael, the San Francisco Giants Wilmer Flores was key in the Giants 8-5 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on Wednesday afternoon. Flores helped out with a third inning grand slam.

#2 The Giants who snapped their six game losing streak got a rally going with six runs for a 9-3 win. The run production came through to conclude the three game series for the Giants.

#3 The Giants also got a home run from Heliot Ramos in the third inning off Diamondbacks pitcher Jordan Montgomery.

#4 Ramos found six ways to get on base with two hits and four walks, Flores got his first home run in 50 games so needless to say Giants manager Bob Melvin had faith in Flores.

#5 The Giants are headed for Texas for a three game series starting Friday night. They’ll start RHP Logan Webb (4-5, ERA 2.95) for the Rangers Michael Lorenzen (3-3, ERA 2.96) 5:05pm PT first pitch.

Join Michael Duca for the San Francisco Giants podcasts Thursdays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

A’s get the pitching; Estes perfect ball into the 7th; Miller shuts door on Mariners in 2-1 win

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Oakland A’s Joey Estes throws here in the top of the first inning against the Seattle Mariners. Estes had a perfect game going into the sixth inning until the M’s JP Crawford hit a double to break it up at the Oakland Coliseum on Wed Jun 5, 2024 (AP News photo)

Seattle (35-28). 000 000 001. 1. 4. 2

Athletics (25-28). 001 010 00x. 2. 5. 0

Time: 2:14

Attendance: 9,735

Wednesday, June 5, 2024

By Lewis Rubman

OAKLAND–This decidedly non-Oaklandishly warm evening promised a slug fest. Instead we got a beautiful pitchers duel, fron which the Athletics, who had lost five of their last six games, emerged victorious by the slimmest of margins, 2-1.

When the A’s first submitted their lineup to MLB they named Luis Medina as their starting pitcher. Between then and game time Joey Estes , a right hander who had a 1-1, 5.50 mark in four games, all as a starter, against the M’s, had taken his place.

Estes is somewhat of a Mariners specialist; those four starts represent 56% of his major league career total. The 22 year old came to work with a season record of 1-1, 6.10. His work this evening was outstanding. He was perfect and went home with the win, which improved his numbers to 2-1, 4.67. He threw 6-1/3 innings and allowed exactly one hit. 58 of his 78 deliveries were strikes, and struck out five Mariners.

On the hump for the Mariners was Logan Gilbert, their first round draft choice (14th overall) in the 2018 draft. You could see why no one on the Seattle staff started more games in 2023 than he did. The 27 year old righty pitched seven innings of five hit baseball, allowing two runs, only one of which was earned, striking out five and not walking anyone. One of the five hits against him, however, was a home run. The tough loss left him 3-4, 3.12. The crew from Puget Sound used one other hurler. Mike Bauman pitched a perfect bottom of the eighth.

Neither team put a man on base until Zack Gelof broke the ice with one down in the bottom of the third. He smacked Gilbert’s first pitch four seamer 399 feet into the seats, over the State Farm advertisement in right field. It gave the A’s second baseman 13 RBI for the year.

The A’s picked up another run in the bottom of the fifth. It was unearned, but that doesn’t mean that Gilbert was faultless. With Daz Cameron on first with a one out single, Gilbert tried to pick him off. His throw went past first baseman Ty France, and Cameron scampered to third. He didn’t stay there long. With Gelof, the next hitter, at bat, catcher Clal Raleigh couldn’t handle a low pitch, and Cameron scored on the resultant passed ball.

Estes was impenetrable for 70 pitches over six frames. JP Crawford’s first pitch leadoff double in the seventh broke the spell. Estes got one more out and gave way to Austin Adams, who walked Julio Rodríguez, got Raleigh to fly out to center, and hit France with a pitch to load the bases. That was it for Adams. In came TJ McFarland who got pinch hitter Mitch Garver to ground out to short on a 3-2 pitch.

The top of the eighth was a hairy inning for the A’s. Seattle’s first two batters, Mitch Haniger and Dominic Canzone, singled off TJ McFarland, who’d taken over mound duties for the green and gold. McFarland then fanned Moore and gave way to Mason Miller, who got Crawford out on a fly to left center and Rojas on a grounder to Gelof.

The once invincible Miller came out in the ninth to attempt a five out save. He went to a full count on the first batter, Rodríguez and then threw him a 102 mph four seam fastball. The Mariners’ center fielder sent the ball to center field, over the fence for a 402 foot home run, his fifth round tripper of the season.

The A’s lead had dwindled to 2-1. But Miller recovered and, after walking Raleigh, struck out France and got Victor Robles, who had replaced Garver, to ground into a game ending 6-4-3 twin killing. It was Miller’s 12th save in 13 opportunities.

Thursday the sixth, JP Sears (4-4, 4.01) will go for the A’s. (Unless, Mark Kotsay makes another inspired last minute decision). He’ll face Bryan Woo (2-0, 13). The first pitch is scheduled for 12:37.

Aces Deny Wings Surge Winning in Fourth Quarter 95-81; Vegas’s Wilson makes WNBA history first to score 35 pts, 10 rebounds, with 5 steals in single game

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Las Vegas Aces A’ja Wilson looks like she’s taking the ball over the goal line but fell with the ball. Wilson set a WNBA record scoring 25 pts, 10 rebounds, and 5 rebounds a first by a player in WNBA history against the Dallas Wings at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas on Wed Jun 5, 2024 (AP photo)

By Barbara Mason

las Vegas Aces (4-2) A’ja Wilson put up huge numbers Wednesday night against the Dallas Wings (4-3). She has been a force for years and continues to improve year after year. She finished with 36 points and 12 rebounds. The Wings challenged at times getting as close as three points in the third quarter but Las Vegas responded every time. The newly signed Tiffany Hayes had a terrific game off the bench with 11 points.

Game recap: Las Vegas got a quick start leading after the first ten minutes of play 29-16. The Wings were a bit slow to start but more then made up for it in the second quarter. As the first half wound down, the Wings had outscored the Aces 23-10 in a great run.

They had trailed by as much as 20 points in the quarter and had mounted an amazing comeback. At the half the Aces lead had been cut to five points 47-42. Dallas had won the second quarter 26-18.

A’ja Wilson had a terrific first half finishing with 20 points and 12 rebounds. Kelsey Plum had also scored in double digits with 13 points. Las Vegas would have to dig deep to get past a tenacious Wings who had really turned this game around in their favor.

The Wings had three players in double digits after the first two quarters. The incomparable Arike Ogunbowale finished the half with 16 points, Maddy Siegrist had scored 10 points and Teaira McCowan also had 10 points and 7 rebounds.

Las Vegas had their work cut out for them going into the second half. They had let Dallas back in this game and they needed to shut them down and take away any momentum the Wings had built up in the second quarter. The second quarter was also extremely physical and more of the same would no doubt persist into the third quarter.

The Wings kept pace with the Aces throughout the third quarter but were unable to take the lead. They trailed early by only three points but the Aces pushed back taking as much as a ten point lead.

With two minutes left in the third the Aces were hanging onto a 63-59 lead. After three quarters Las Vegas had pushed their lead to 75-61. A’ja Wilson had scored 30 points going into the final quarter. The Aces were shooting 51.9 % while the Wings had shot 32.1 % through three quarters.

Three minutes into the fourth quarter, the Aces had built a an 80-63 lead. Missed shots as well as turnovers were really hurting the Wings cause. Dallas challenged Las Vegas at times but the Aces responded every time. Las Vegas simply outplayed the Wings winning this game 95-81 for a 5-2 record. The second half of this game was all Aces.

A’ja Wilson finished this game with 36 points and 14 rebounds. Kelsey Plum had 20 points and Jackie Young shot for 19 points. Alysha Clark also had a solid game with nine points. Tiffany Hayes played a terrific game off the bench with 11 points and six rebounds.

The former Connecticut Sun and Atlanta Dream star came out of retirement signing with the Aces last Friday. This fiery competitor will add another dimension to the powerhouse Aces.

Game notes: Wednesday night the Aces took on the Wings at College Park Center in a Commissioner’s Cup matchup. This is the first time the two teams have met since Las Vegas beat the Wings in three-straight games in the 2023 semi-finals. The Aces have not played since last Friday losing to the Dream in a close game 78-74.

The Wings lost to the Lynx last Sunday 87-76 for their second loss in a row. Both teams will be looking to get back on the winning track. Wednesday night the two top scorers in the WNBA A’Ja Wilson for Las Vegas and Arike Ogunbowale for Dallas met.

Wilson finsished with 36 points and Ogunbowale with 31. Dallas is down two starters and Ogunbowale carried the load for her team. Despite still being without Chelsea Gray, the Aces still have the highest scoring and most efficient offenses in the league thanks to A’ja Wilson who gets better and better every season.

Las Vegas will be back home at Michelob ULTRA Arena for a matchup with the Seattle Storm Friday night. Tipoff for that game is scheduled for 7:00 PM.

Melvin motivates and six-run third inning leads Giants to much needed 9-3 win to snap six-game losing streak

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San Francisco Giants Wilmer Flores salutes after getting a single in the top of the fourth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field in Phoenix on Wed Jun 5, 2024 (AP News photo)

Wednesday, June 5, 2024

Chase Field

Phoenix, Arizona

San Francisco Giants 9 (30-33)

Arizona Diamondbacks 3 (29-33)

Win: Sean Hjelle (3-1)

Loss: Jordan Montgomery (3-4)

Time: 3:30

Attendance: 24,178

By Stephen Ruderman

The Giants finally snapped their six-game losing streak, and the offense finally came back to life, as a six-run third inning, capped off by a grand slam by Wilmer Flores carried the Giants to a 9-3 win over the Diamondbacks to salvage a game in Phoenix on Wednesday.

The Giants weathered some massive blows, and they won 10 of 12 to get to a season-high two games over .500 at 29-27. However, they have since taken a couple more blows, and have fallen back on hard times with a brutal six-game losing streak.

The Giants were three outs away from salvaging a game in their three-game series against the white-hot New York Yankees on Sunday, but the Yankees scored four runs off Camilo Doval in the top of the ninth inning to sweep them.

The Giants then lost the first two games of their three game series in the Sonoran Desert against the Arizona Diamondbacks. They lost on a walk-off home run by Pavin Smith on Monday, and then they lost again last night and just seemed lifeless and out of it.

Manager Bob Melvin aired out his frustrations with the team in the clubhouse following last night’s game, and today, the Giants desperately needed a win. There was no other way to say it.

The Giants would turn to Jordan Hicks, who President of Baseball Operations Farhan Zaidi has successfully converted from a reliever to a starter. Hicks came into Wednesday’s game 4-2 with a 2.70 ERA in 12 starts, and the Giants would need another solid start from him Wednesday afternoon.

The veteran left-hander, Jordan Montgomery would make the start for Arizona, and the Giants had him on the ropes in the top of the first inning. Heliot Ramos walked with one out, and Thairo Estrada lined a base-hit to left field to put runners at first and second.

However, it would be another wasted opportunity for the Giants. Matt Chapman grounded out softly to first base, and Jorge Soler struck out swinging, as the Giants once again came up empty handed.

Hicks also ran into trouble in the bottom of the first. Corbin Carroll singled to right to get things started, and he advanced to second when Hicks used three disengagements with Blaze Alexander at the plate. Hicks then struck Alexander out swinging, and he also struck Joc Pederson out looking.

Hicks was looking to get out of it without any damage, but Lourdes Gurriel lined a single to left to knock in Carroll and put Arizona on the board first.

Both teams went down scoreless in the second, and the Giants looked to finally break through in the top of the third. Austin Slater, who was activated off the 10-Day Injured List prior to the game, led off the inning and did what he does best, and that’s line a base-hit the other way to right. Heliot Ramos then stayed hot and hit a towering two-run home run to left-center, his fifth home run of the season, to give the Giants their first lead of the series.

The Giants were just getting started off Montgomery. Estrada lined a base-hit to left, and Chapman walked. Soler singled on a soft ground ball to center, as Estrada was held at third, and that meant the bases would be loaded for Wilmer Flores. Flores hit a grand slam to left, and suddenly the Giants’ offense had woken up to score six runs in the top of the third, as they led it 6-1.

The Giants were looking to keep going. Mike Yastrzemski grounded a single up the middle, and Montgomery’s day was done after just two-plus innings.

Logan Allen was the new pitcher for Arizona, and he immediately walked Tyler Fitzgerald to put runners at first and second with still nobody out. Curt Casali, who got the start behind the plate Wednesday, flew out to left for the first out.

The Giants had now batted around, as Slater came back to plate after leading off the inning with a base-hit. With Slater up, Yastrzemski and Fitzgerald executed a double steal of second and third, but Slater struck out swinging for the second out. Ramos walked to load the bases, but Estrada grounded out to third to end the inning.

Hicks had to sit for awhile, and he ran into a bit of trouble in the bottom of the third. Alexander started off the inning with an infield hit, and Gurriel walked with one out. Hicks was then able to settle down, and he struck Pavin Smith and Eugenio Suarez out, both looking, to end the inning.

Allen pitched a scoreless top of the fourth, and Hicks ran into more trouble in the bottom of the fourth. Jake McCarthy walked to start the inning, and Kevin Newman singled him over to second.

Catcher Tucker Barnhart tried to lay down a bunt, but he popped it back to Hicks. Hicks then struck Carroll out swinging for the second out, but Alexander reached on an infield hit up the middle to load the bases.

Hicks thought he had struck out Joc Pederson to end the inning on a 3-2 slider that nicked the outside corner, but Home Plate Umpire Chris Guccione called it ball four, and McCarthy scored to make it 6-2. Hicks had been getting pinched by Guccione throughout the day, and that helped drive his pitch count up to 92 pitches.

As a result, Hicks was done after three and two thirds innings. Hicks had a bloated pitch count, but he still received praise from his manager, Bob Melvin, when he got back to the dugout. Sean Hjelle came in for Hicks and got Gurriel to ground out to end the inning.

Allen pitched a 1-2-3 top of the fifth, and Smith made it a 6-3 game with a home run to right to lead off the bottom of the fifth. Hjelle then retired the side to send the game to the sixth.

The Giants looked to add on against Allen in the top of the sixth. Ramos led off the inning with a base-hit to left for his second hit of the day. Estrada reached on an error, and Chapman walked to load the bases.

Yastrzemski thought he had walked to knock in a run with two outs, but Guccione called it a strike. After Yastrzemski flew out to left to end the inning, he had a few choice words for Guccione, and Melvin tore into Guccione, but the cool and collective veteran umpire kept both Yastrzemski and Melvin in the game.

“You know what, that’s a hard time to call for an umpire,” said Melvin. “I went and told [Guccione] that afterwards. It really is. It’s excruciating to have to call a game like that [with] so many really really close pitches at the bottom of the zone. I’m very understanding of that, but you know, you’re trying to stand up for your team. I appreciate him keeping me in the game. I’m shocked I was still in the game after that play, so I thanked him for that.”

Bryce Jarvis came in for Allen, and just as soon as the Giants’ offense had finally awakened, they just as quickly reverted back to their old ways. Jarvis retired the side in order, and the Giants wasted a bases-loaded, no-out golden opportunity.

Left-handed flame thrower Erik Miller pitched a 1-2-3 bottom of the sixth, and the Giants wasted another opportunity against Jarvis in the top of the seventh. Ryan Walker came in and pitched a scoreless bottom of the seventh for the Giants. Jorge Soler hit an absolute bomb to left off Brandon Hughes with one out in the top of the eighth to make it 7-3.

Submariner Tyler Rogers pitched a scoreless bottom of the eighth, and the Giants added on two more runs in the top of the ninth to open it up to 9-3. Thairo Estrada knocked in Michael Conforto with a double high off the wall in left-center with nobody out, and Wilmer Flores, who was up with the bases loaded for the third time today, knocked in Heliot Ramos with a sacrifice fly to right.

The Diamondbacks got two runners on against Randy Rodriguez in the bottom of the ninth, but Rodriguez closed it out to end it.

Sean Hjelle, who came in for Hicks in the bottom of the fourth, got the win, and Jordan Montgomery took the loss.

Bob Melvin’s message after Tuesday night’s game certainly worked, as the Giants looked like a completely different team. The Giants have finally snapped their six-game losing streak, and they improve to 30-33 on the year.

“It had nothing to do with me,” Melvin humbly said. “We just had good at-bats today.”

Now, the Giants will head to Arlington, Texas for a day off Thursday and the second leg of this all-2023 World Series road trip to take on former Giants Manager Bruce Bochy and the Defending World Champion Texas Rangers for a three-game series starting on Friday.

For Friday night Giants’ ace Logan Webb (4-5, ERA 2.95) will be on the mound. The Rangers will start Michael Lorenzen (3-3, ERA 2.96) First pitch will be at 7:05 p.m. in Arlington, and 5:05 p.m. back home in San Francisco.

Giants News and Notes:

Heliot Ramos had himself quite a day, as he went 2-for-2 with two runs and four walks. He also became the fifth San Francisco Giants’ number-two hitter to reach base six times in one game.

“I’m just staying with my pitch [and] trying to attack the right pitch and make the right decision,” said Ramos. “It was really tough [to take those four walks], because I like swinging the bat.”

“He’s just so balanced,” said Manager Bob Melvin. “Every take, every swing, he’s completely locked in. I mean who walks four times, especially when you’re hitting like he is? You want to swing…..It’s really cool to watch, because he’s such a good kid. It’s been kind of a hard road for him to get here, and he’s taking full advantage of it.”

Austin Slater was of course activated off the 10-Day IL prior to today’s game. Luis Matos, who has considerably cooled off since winning the National League Player of the Week Award with his historic 16-RBI performance from May 13-19, was sent back down to Triple-A Sacramento.