Author: Sports Radio Service

Oakland A’s podcast with Barbara Mason: A’s open four game series with Rangers tonight

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Oakland A’s pitcher Alex Wood deals against the Texas Rangers to open the four game series at the Oakland Coliseum on Mon May 6, 2024 (AP file photo)

On the Oakland A’s podcast with Barbara:

#1 The Miami Marlins Nick Gordon contributed big to the Marlins offense with four hits which one of them was a home run that helped the Marlins broadside the Oakland A’s at the Oakland Coliseum on Sunday afternoon.

#2 The A’s had a six game winning streak going into Sunday’s game but A’s starter Joe Boyle gave up four runs in the first inning. Boyle didn’t even get out of the first pitching one inning giving the hit that was the home run and a total of four runs. He was relieved by Mitch Spence.

#3 Josh Bell hit for two RBI singles and Marlins teammate and former Oakland A Jonah Bride had an two RBI single. The Marlins picked up their third win in 12 games.

#4 The A’s Brent Rooker who hit two home runs in the bottom of the third inning on Saturday got two hits on Sunday and is hitting .240.

#5 The A’s drew 12,212 on Sunday their largest crowd since opening day when they hosted the Cleveland Guardians.

#6 The first place Texas Rangers come calling at the Oakland Coliseum for a four game series starting Monday night. The Rangers starting left hander pitcher Andrew Heaney (0-5 ERA 5.10) against LHP Alex Wood (1-2 ERA 6.32) first pitch at 6:40pm PDT.

Join Barbara Mason for the Oakland A’s podcasts Mondays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Bryce Harper and Phillies Handle San Francisco 6-1; Giants swept in four games in Philadelphia

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Philadelphia Phillies second baseman Whit Merrifield (9) throws to first base for a double play after retiring San Francisco Giants runner LaMonte Wade Jr (31) in the top of the first inning at Citizens Bank Ballpark in Philadelphia (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

The Philadelphia Phillies (25-11) took another one from the San Francisco Giants (15-21) Monday afternoon 6-1. The Phillies handed the Giants four loses sweeping San Francisco this past weekend and took it to San Francisco again adding a fourth win Monday afternoon in as many games in Philadelphia.

The pitching from the Phillies Zack Wheeler really turned the tide in this game. He struck out 11 in seven innings allowing four hits and the one run. San Francisco really struggled at the plate against Wheeler. This was the sixth straight win for Philadelphia, winning 17 of their last 20 games. These guys are rolling. The Giants came away with only five hits in this game. Mason Black had a rough one on the mound for San Francisco going 4.1 innings allowing eight hits and five runs with four strikeouts.

Again it was Bryce Harper who spear-headed the assault with a homer and two hits. Kyle Schwarber added another home run in the eighth inning, a solo shot to complete the sweep.

Neither team was able to score through the first three innings but in the fourth Philadelphia got rolling scoring once in the fourth and adding four runs in the fifth taking a 5-1 lead. Whit Merrifield singled Nick Castellano home and a Bryce Harper 3-run home run in the fifth gave the Phillies a nice lead going into the sixth inning. A fifth run came in the fifth inning when Castellano doubled bringing Brandon Marsh home.

The single run in the game from the Giants came in the sixth inning off a Wilmer Flores sacrifice fly allowing Thairo Estrada to cross home plate but that would be all for San Francisco. Another home run off the bat of Kyle Schwarber in the eighth inning gave the Phillies the 6-1 final and the sweep.

Post game notes: Monday afternoon the Giants met the Phillies in game four of their series and couldn’t avoid a sweep. The Phillies hammered them in game two 14-3 but games 1 and 3 were one run affairs and the Giants lost in a five run decision 6-1 in this fourth and final game of this wrap around series at Citizens Bank. The Giants are now six games below .500.

The Giants will remain on the road for their next series taking on the Colorado Rockies for a three game series before heading home to take on the Reds next weekend. The Rockies are struggling with an 8-26 record taking up residence in the basement of the National League West.

The Giants are holding down fourth place in the same division eight games out of first place. The Rockies are 14 games out of the top spot and are tied for the worst record in baseball with the White Sox.

San Francisco will be looking to hand them another loss Tuesday with first pitch scheduled for 5:40 PM. Probable assignment on the mound for the Giants will be Kyle Harrison 2-1 with a 3.70 ERA and for the Rockies Dakota Hudson 0-5 with 5.93 ERA.

San Francisco Giants podcast with Marko Ukalovic: Phils Harper on tear homers and extends hit streak to 19; Wheeler K’s 11; Giants swept in 4 games Philadelphia

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San Francisco Giants pitcher Mason Black pitched in his Major League debut against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Ballpark in Philadelphia on Mon May 6, 2024 (AP News photo)

On the SF Giants podcast with Marko:

#1 Marko, The San Francisco Giants were swept in four games at Citizens Bank in Philadelphia by the Philadelphia Phillies Monday and it wasn’t close in a a five run 6-1 loss for San Francisco.

#2 The Phillies got some offense as superstar slugger Bryce Harper took Giants pitching deep with a three run home run off Giants rookie pitcher Mason Black in the bottom of the fifth inning to extend Harper’s hit streak to 19.

#3 The Phillies got some pitching as well from Zack Wheeler who sat down 11 Giant hitters on strike outs in seven innings of work. When your dealing like that and keeping guys off balance it’s difficult to get some kind of rhythm going and for the Giants line up Wheeler was just a mystery.

#4 For Black he made his big league appearance in front of family and friends who come from the Philadelphia area was able to get a 1-2-3 inning against the Phils in the first inning which included striking out Harper on a 88 MPH change up but that all changed later when the Phillies touched up Black for eight hits and five run in 4.1 innings of work.

#5 The Giants continue their road trip and head to the Rocky Mountains to battle the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday night at Coors Field in Denver for the first of a three game series. Starting pitcher for the Giants LHP Kyle Harrison (2-1, ERA 3.79) and for the Rockies RHP Dakota Hudson (0-5, ERA 5.93) first pitch 5:40pm PDT.

Join Marko for the Giants podcasts each Monday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Harper belts 3 run homer extends hit streak to 18 games as Phils edge Giants 5-4 at Citizens Bank

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Philadelphia Phillies slugger Bryce Harper acknowledges the Citizens Bank crowd in Philadelphia after hitting a third inning home run off San Francisco Giants pitcher Logan Webb that landed in the Phillies bullpen on Sun May 5, 2024 (AP News photo)

Sunday, May 5, 2024

Citizens Bank Park

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

San Francisco Giants 4 (15-20)

Philadelphia Phillies 5 (24-11)

Win: Taijuan Walker (2-0)

Loss: Logan Webb (3-3)

Save: Jose Alvarado (7)

Time: 2:45

Attendance: 41,058

By Stephen Ruderman

The Phillies beat the Giants for the third-straight night, as they got to Logan Webb for four runs in the bottom of the third inning, and while the Giants got back into it to make it a close game, the Phillies held on to win it by a final of 5-4.

After the Giants wasted a couple of golden opportunities and lost the opener of the series Friday night, the Phillies absolutely annihilated them Saturday night 14-3. Saturday night, the Giants sent their ace, Logan Webb to the mound on ESPN Sunday Night Baseball to try and get their first win of this series.

Following a rocky spring and a so-so start to his season, Webb had a pair of dominant outings on the Giants’ homestand and seemed to finally be in a groove. However, he struggled in his start this past Tuesday night at Fenway Park against the Boston Red Sox, as he gave up four runs and nine hits over just three and two-thirds innings of work.

The Phillies went with Taijun Walker, whom the Giants got to for a run in the top of the first inning. With two outs and LaMonte Wade on first base, Michael Conforto hit an opposite-field double to left field to put the Giants on the board. Webb responded with a 1-2-3 bottom of the first.

The second inning would prove to be the opposite of the first. Walker set the Giants down 1-2-3 in the top of the second, and Logan Webb ran into trouble in the bottom of the second after Alec Bohm reached and advanced to second base on a throwing shortstop Nick Ahmed to start the inning.

Brandon Marsh got Bohm to third on a ground out to second, and Nick Castellanos struck out swinging, as Webb had a chance to get out of the inning unscathed. However, Webb walked Bryson Stott, who ended up stealing second, and Edmundo Sosa reached on a broken-bat single to second, which knocked in Bohm to tie the game.

The Giants went down scoreless in the top of the third, and the Phillies were right back at it in the bottom of the third with the top of the order up. Kyle Schwarber walked; J.T. Realmuto lined a single up the middle and into center field; and Bryce Harper hit a three-run home run that just cleared the wall in right-center to put the Phillies up 4-1.

Webb retired the next two batters, but Nick Castellanos lined a base-hit to left and stole second. That brought up Bryson Stott, who lined a double to left to knock in Castellanos, and that extended the Phillies’ lead to 5-1.

The Giants’ offense, who had been held to three runs or less in nine-straight games coming into tonight, had their work cut out for them, but they continued to flounder, as Walker set them down 1-2-3 in the top of the fourth.

Webb set down the first two men he faced in the bottom of the fourth, but he ran into more trouble after Realmuto reached on an infield hit and Michael Conforto dropped a fly ball in left off the bat of Harper. Webb struck Bohm out swinging, but that would be all for the Giants’ ace.

Other than the four-run bottom of the third inning, Webb was actually fine, as he dealt with a couple bad breaks. He would’ve had a 1-2-3 inning in the second had it not been for the error by Ahmed, he got screwed in the fourth with the bad-luck broken bat single and the dropped fly ball by Conforto.

Walker hit Thairo Estrada to start the fifth, but then retired the side in order. Sean Hjelle came in for Webb and survived a leadoff base-hit by Brandon Marsh.

Both pitchers pitched scoreless innings again in the sixth, but the Giants finally had some action against Walker in the top of the seventh. Mike Yastrzemski reached on an infield hit with one out, and then Thairo Estrada, who was hit by a pitch his last time up, hit a two-run bomb to left to cut the Giants’ deficit to 5-3.

Estrada’s home run ended the night for Taijuan Walker, who was replaced by Gregory Soto. Soto hit Austin Slater and then walked Nick Ahmed to put runners at first and second with one out. The Giants had another golden opportunity, but they once again wasted it, as Jung-hoo lee popped out to second, and Wade grounded to third for a fielder’s choice to end the inning.

Left-hander Taylor Rogers was summoned for the bottom of the seventh and was able to escape a leadoff double by Alec Bohm unharmed.

Jeff Hoffman came in for the Phillies in the eighth, and Michael Conforto tripled with one out on a ball that went off the glove of center-fielder John Rojas. The Giants once again had a golden opportunity, but of course, the Giants once again wasted a golden opportunity, as Matt Chapman and Yastrzemski both struck out swinging to end the inning.

Ryan Walker threw a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the eighth for the Giants, and the Phillies brought in their closer, Jose Alvarado, for the ninth. Catcher Jakson Reetz, whom the Giants called up prior to the game, blasted one out to left with one out to make it 5-4.

Sunday night was the first time since April 23 that the Giants had scored four runs in a game. The Giants were hoping it would spark something, but it didn’t. Nick Ahmed struck out swinging, and Lee flew out to right to end it.

Taijuan Walker got the win; Webb got he Loss; and Alvarado picked up his seventh save. With this loss, the Giants have now dropped five of their last six, and they fall to a new season-high—or shall I say low—five games under .500 at 15-20.

The Giants were able to salvage a game in Boston, and they will hope to do the same Monday. The Giants will send young right-hander Mason Black to the mound to make his major league debut, and he will be opposed by former Giants’ farmhand Zack Wheeler. First pitch will be at 4:05 p.m. in Philadelphia, 1:05 p.m. back home in San Francisco.

News and Notes:

Tom Murphy was indeed placed on the 10-Day Injured List with a left knee sprain after he hurt himself chasing a wild pitch by Mitch White last night.

Jakson Reetz, who was called up to replace Murphy on the roster, and who hit the home run in the ninth had an interesting story.

Reetz was drafted by the Washington Nationals in the third round in 2014, but it took him seven years to reach the majors. He finally made his major league debut for the Nationals on July 10, 2021 against the Giants in San Francisco. He doubled in his first major league at-bat in the ninth inning of that game against John Brebbia, and then flew out to left in the seventh inning the next day.

However, Reetz was sent back down to the minors, and he bounced around in the Brewers’ and Royals’ farm systems before signing a minor league deal with the Giants last season. Reetz finally got the call back up tonight, and going 2-for-3 with a double and a home run in three major league games over three seasons, not too shabby.

Mitch White was designated for assignment, and Daulton Jefferies was called back up.

Bay FC drop fourth straight game to Chicago 2-1 at Pay Pal Park

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Bay FC fell short to the Chicago Red Stars at Pay Pal Park in San Jose on Sun May 5, 2024 (Bay FC X photo)

By William Espy

SAN JOSE–Bay FC finished off their hectic three-game week on Sunday when they hosted the Chicago Red Stars for the first time. Due to the intense workload, the Bay saw a massively different lineup once again with quite a few first-time players coming off the bench or in the case of Asisat Oshoala, out of the lineup altogether due to an injury.

Kayla Sharples was back in the starting eleven to face off against her former club and hometown team. The Bay once again failed to get in the win column losing their fourth straight game 2-1 to the Red Stars at Pay Pal Park in San Jose.

Bay FC Starting XI: Rowland, King, Dydasco, Beattie, Sharples, Shepherd, Conti, Anderson, Boade, Princess, Camberos 

Chicago Starting XI: Naeher, Rall, Staab, Kuikka, Milazzo, Roccaro, Nesbeth, Swanson, Schlegel, Joseph, Hocking

Bay started the game off with an instant attack but were unable to convert despite some early pressure. In the fifth minute, Ally Schlegel of the Red Stars took a bit of a knock inside the box while they led an attack when a slide tackle left her in some clear discomfort however she would remain in the match.

Tess Boade gave Bay the lead in the eighth minute under very strange circumstances. The goalkeeper received a pass from the centerback and attempted to clear it out, but it bounced directly off of Boade’s head and she had her second goal of the season.

Chicago attempted to go the other way and tie it up, however Mallory Swanson was stopped by Katelyn Rowland. Entering the night, Chicago was 0-3-1 on the season when conceding the first goal of the night. According to the broadcast, it had been 28 matches since they’d found a way to win after giving up the first goal. In the 18th minute, Jen Beattie went down and received medical attention.

She left the most recent game on Wednesday with a knock, but she jogged off and remained in the match on this occasion. Princess nearly added to the lead in the 17th minute when a cross from Caprice Dydasco found her inside the box, however the header went just wide-left.

Rowland got caught out of position when a ball over the top found Penelope Hocking and Bay’s goalkeeper was just outside of the box making it so she couldn’t play it with her hands, as a result, an easy shot allowed Hocking to tie it up at one in the 31st minute.

A couple of moments later, Tatumn Milazzo went down in considerable pain following a challenge on Scarlett Camberos. She was holding the back of her leg while down on the pitch as the result of an awkward fall following the collision.

After a short delay, she remained in the game. A few minutes later, Camberos found herself in another physical battle this time with Lelanni Nesbeth. It was a similar situation as the collision with Milazzo, however following two physical plays in a row the official gave Camberos a short talking to.

Swanson tried to get her team in the lead in stoppage time, but her shot went wide. She was likely looking for a pass to Jameese Joseph, but she had wandered offside forcing Swanson to go for the goal. The half would end with a corner kick by Chicago, but it would go directly to Rowland and the whistle would immediately blow.

It was 1-1 heading into the break, in a game that Bay could have been winning at this point. They led possession with 53% and were by far the more aggressive team, but it was even where it mattered most. 

To start the second half, Milazzo was substituted out for Chicago with Taylor Malham coming on in her place. The momentum was in Chicago’s favor to start the second half, as Bay was struggling to get it out of their defensive third for more than a few moments.

A throw-in from Staab in the 54th minute gave Chicago a great opportunity, after a header deflected the ball near the goal, an attacker missed a follow-up chance and it went directly to the goalkeeper. In the 56th minute, Beatty came out of the match with Emily Menges coming in off the bench for the first time this season, having started every prior game.

Swanson got medical attention for her knee in the 58th minute, she was able to walk off under her own power and came back on the field. The first yellow card of the game was given to Hocking in the 61st minute following a challenge on Camberos.

In the 63rd, A giveaway from Princess led to a scoring opportunity and Schlegel ended up capitalizing to give the Red Stars a 2-1 lead. In the 66th, Dorian Bailey, Alyssa Malonson, and Deyna Castellanos came in for Princess, Caroline Conti and Jamie Shepherd.

Moments later, Camberos got run into by Nesbeth and went down in some pain but got back up quickly. In the 77th minute, a collision between Hocking and Sharples inside the box was under view as a potential penalty, however, it was difficult to tell if she was onside and if she had possession of the ball.

The penalty was eventually awarded and Sharples was given a yellow card for the play as well. Rowland made the save on a shot to the right side of the net, keeping Bay FC’s hopes of a point alive. In the 90th minute, Dydasco crossed into the box, but the shot from Castellanos went just wide. After a total of ten minutes of stoppage time, the final whistle was blown with a 2-1 scoreline and Bay FC lost their fourth straight game. 

Marlin’s Gordon slugs homer and gets four hits in 12-3 laugher over A’s at Coliseum; Loss snaps Oakland’s six game win streak

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Miami Marlins Nick Gordon (1) slugs a single against the Oakland A’s in the top of the ninth inning at the Oakland Coliseum on Sun May 5, 2024 (AP News photo)

Sunday, May 5, 2024

Miami (10-26). 410 003 004. 12 14. 2

Athletics (17-18). 002 000 010. 3. 5. 0

Time: 2:52

Attendance: 12,212

By Lewis Rubman

OAKLAND–It had to happen some time. The Athletics’ six game winning streak came to an end this afternoon when the lowly Miami Marlins wiped them out 12-3 on five hits.

Joe Boyle, who. had held the Pirates to one run, earned, and one hit over five innings in his previous start, a 5-1 win in Pittsburgh on April 29, started for the A’s. The 24 year old righty got himself in trouble from the very beginning.

By the time he had thrown 14 pitches, he’d given up three walks and two stolen bases. By the time he reached 27, he’d also given up four runs because Nick Gordon had driven a 95 mph four seamer 408 deep, over the right center field fence for his fourth home run and 13th, 14th, and 15th RBI of the season. The Athletics were four runs down before they went to bat.

That was it for Boyle for the day. He left the game between innings with lower back pain. Mitch Spence was on the mound when the Marlins came up in the second. He lasted 4-2/3 innings and surrendered four runs, all earned but one posthumous, on six hits and a walk. He was charged with the loss and now has a record of 2-5, 7.16. He had come to work at 2-4, 6.08).

Sixto Sánchez made his third start of 2024 for the visitors. In his most recent appearance, he had as bad a first inning as Boyle had today. The 25 year old native of San Cristóbal, Dominican Republic, gave up five runs on six hits to the Rockies.

But, unlike the Athletics’ starter, Sánchez remained in the game for another couple of innings and kept the Rox off the board, allowing only one more hit. He left after four innings this afternoon and allowed two runs, both earned, on three hits and an equal number of walks, striking out two. Sánchez didn’t last long enough to be involved in the decision but did bring his ERA down to 7.50.

For a while, Spence fared better than Boyle. He allowed only one run in the second, on a walk and two singles, one of which, Josh Bell’s, drove in Christian Bethancourt, who had hit the other safety. But a spectacular grab and dash of Jesús Sánchez’s bounder down the first base line by Trevor Nevin saved Spence’s bacon.

The A’ were down 5-0 before the green and gold got back in the game in their half of the fourth. Brent Rooker smacked a clean single to right center. After Seth Brown grounded out to first, Lawrence Butler drew a walk.

He moved up two bases when Darell Herraiz singled to left center putting runners on the corners. Then Kyle McCann sent a bouncing ball to Jonah Bride at first. Bride threw to second for what could have been the start of an inning ending double play, but he overthrew the bag, and, when the dust had cleared, Rooker and Butler had crossed the plate, and we had a 5-2 game on our hands. Burch Smith replaced Sánchez and retired the A’s in order in the fifth.

The fish padded their lead in their half of the sixth on doubles by Nick Gordon, Bride, and Bethancourt, the last of which drove Spence from the box. Michael Kelly relieved him and gave up a single to Jazz Chisholm, Jr., that brought Bethancourt home with the Marlins’ eighth run.

Andrew Nardi preserved their six run lead in the A’s half of the frame , followed by Anthony Bender, who pitched a scoreless seventh. Calvin Faucher hopped on Miami’s merry-go-round in the eighth and allowed their hosts to draw slightly closer on a Rooker double and a single to center by Max Schuemann, who had pinch hit for Seth Brown in the fifth.

TJ McFarland coughed up that run and three more in the Marlins’ last go round in ways too numerous to mention. When the inning mercefully ended, Miami led 12-3, and McFarland’s ERA had ballooned from 3.75 to 6.23.

Burch Smith was awarded the win on a scorer’s decision. He’s now (2-0, 3.12).

The A’s will take on Texas Monday, evening at 6:40 when they open a three day, four game series against the Rangers in a battle of left handers. Alex Wood (1-2, 6.32) will try to right the Athletics’ ship. Andrew Heaney (0-4, 5.10) will try to sink it

Headline Sports podcast with Charlie O: Orioles Gunnar Henderson key to team success; Yankees Judge ejected for first time in career; plus more news

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After 869 consecutive games without an ejection New York Yankees Aaron Judge (99) was ejected by home plate umpire Ryan Blakney (center) and manager Aaron Boone trying to keep them separated in the bottom of the seventh inning against the Detroit Tigers at Yankee Stadium on Sat May 4, 2024 (AP News photo)

Headline Sports podcast with Charlie O:

#1 Talk is the Gunnar Henderson is one of the big reasons why the Baltimore Orioles are a half game ahead just ahead of second place New York Yankees. Henderson hitting .279, 25 runs, 24 RBIs and ten home runs.

#2 Charlie, New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge was ejected for verbalizing his displeasure on being called out on a strike call by home plate umpire Ryan Blakney which Aaron disapproved of saying the pitch was outside and got tossed out for the first time in his career. What was surprising about it it was the first ejection for Judge in 869 games. Judge said he’s said worse things when he struck out so he was surprised when he got the heave ho.

#3 For the first time since March Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole threw off the mound as Cole shoots to get back on the hill. Cole had been suffering from a elbow injury. Cole came in hours before the Detroit Tigers and Yankees match at Yankee Stadium on Saturday at 10:40 AM. Cole said ” It was exciting, this was a good day for me. I was fired up.”

#4 The Giants lost four of their last five games they faced the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday. The Phillies scored five runs in the first inning and four runs in the second and beat up on Giants pitching for a 14-3 laugher. Plus Giants catcher Patrick Bailey is on the 7 day IL after taking a ball off the mask on Friday. Giants back up catcher Tom Murphy has taken Bailey’s place.

#5 The Oakland A’s have been rolling they won their seventh straight game they crushed the Florida Marlins 20-4 on Saturday. The A’s have been getting clutch hitting and have been getting great relief pitching to close out games from closer Mason Miller.

Join Charlie O for the Headline Sports podcasts each Sunday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

#5

The Force of wind and rain doesn’t stop A’s who crush Marlins 20-4 on Stars Wars day at Coliseum; Win is Oakland’s sixth in a row

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Oakland A’s Brent Rooker (25) is greeted at the plate after hitting a two run home run in the bottom of the third by teammates Abraham Toro(31) and Tyler Nevin (26) against the visiting Miami Marlins at the Oakland Coliseum on Sat May 4, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Troy Ewers

Oakland A’s Brent Rooker slugged two home run in the third inning during a 10 run rout of the Miami Marlins for a 20-4 win at the Oakland Coliseum on Saturday on Star Wars day. The game delayed three hours and 30 minutes by windy and rainy conditions. The game was supposed to have started at 1:07 but got underway at 4:30pm.

It didn’t matter much as the A’s were ready to swing the bats at the visiting Marlins expense. Rooker who hit the two home runs in the third inning became the first A’s player in 30 years to do it. Rooker took Marlins pitcher Trevor Rogers deep with a two run home run and later in the inning Marlins pitcher Darren McCaughan coughed up a three run homer to Rooker.

A’s manager Mark Kotsay said that Rooker delivered last season that’s why he was the A’s team representative at the 2023 All Star game. Kotsay said that Rooker got hot and capitalized on mistakes and he wound up hitting a couple of them today.

The A’s reached a season high in runs with 20 and hits with 21. They simply just teed off on Marlins starter Rogers 2.1 innings, eight hits and three runs, then McCaughan 4.2 innings, nine hits and eight earned runs, and Emmanuel Rivera one inning pitched four runs and four hits.

Rooker was seeing the ball as big as maybe a softball added a base hit for good measure in the bottom of the sixth inning. Rooker became the 60th player in big league history to hit two home runs in the same inning. The last player to do it was the Philadelphia Phillies Trea Turner and the last A’s player to hit a pair in the same inning was former first baseman Mark McGwire when he did it against the Seattle Mariners on Sep 22, 1996.

“I grew up in Memphis a big (St. Louis) Cardinals fan so he was kind of one of the first players I remember watching during his time there,” Rooker said. “Being able to do anything the same as him is a huge accomplishment and something that’s really cool for me.” Rooker also wears McGwire’s old number 25.

Post game notes: The Marlins and A’s go at it again Sunday at 1:07pm PDT to conclude the three game series. The A’s are looking for their seventh straight win and second series sweep in a row. The Marlins who came to Oakland after sweeping the Colorado Rockies are looking to get back in the win column after dropping the first two games of the series. Starting pitcher for the Marlins on Sunday RHP Sixto Sanchez (0-1 ERA 8.36) and for the A’s RHP Joe Boyle (2-4 ERA 6.08).

Former Marlins lead off hitter Luis Arraez who was traded to the San Diego Padres on Friday night for three minor leaguers and one big league reliever got off to a quick start going 4-6 which included two runs and an RBI against the Los Angeles Angels at Anaheim Stadium on Saturday. The Arraez trade must have had an impact on the Marlins he was traded just before Friday’s game as he was scheduled to lead off. The shock must have impacted the Marlins who lost 3-1 and then on Saturday night getting crushed 20-4.

Troy Ewers is a beat writer for http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Phillies slaughter Giants on rainy night at Citizens Bank Ballpark in Philadelphia 14-3

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The Philadelphia Phillies Bryson Stott (5) hit an RBI single in the bottom of the second inning against the San Francisco Giants. The Giants catcher behind Stott is Tom Murphy at Citizens Bank Ballpark in Philadelphia (AP News photo)

Saturday, May 4, 2024

Citizens Bank Park

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

San Francisco Giants 3 (15-19)

Philadelphia Phillies 14 (23-11)

Win: Range Suarez (6-0)

Loss: Keaton Winn (3-4)

Time: 3:01 (1:10 delay)

Attendance: 42,610

By Stephen Ruderman

The Phillies just took it to the Giants, as they slaughtered them 14-3 on a rainy night at Citizens Bank Park, and the Giants have now dropped four of their first five games on this road trip.

The Phillies beat the Giants 4-3 in the series opener last night after the Giants’ offense wasted more key opportunities. Tonight, the offense would have to face the left-hander and the National League Pitcher of the Month for April, Ranger Suarez, who came into tonight undefeated at 5-0 with a 1.32 ERA. The Giants countered with Keaton Winn, who after a rough first two starts to his season, has pitched well over his last four starts.

Before tonight’s game, both teams had to deal with an hour-and-10-minute rain delay. The game was finally able to begin, but intermittent rain would continue throughout the night.

Once the game began, Suarez walked Austin Slater to start things off. After striking both Thairo Estrada and Jung-hoo Lee out looking, Wilmer Flores flew out on a low-hanging fly ball to left field.

When the Phillies came up to bat, they were more than ready for Keaton Winn. Kyle Schwarber walked to start things out and advanced to second on a passed ball by Tom Murphy. J.T. Realmuto also walked, and Bryce Harper lined a single the other way to left to load the bases. Winn then hit Alec Bohm, which scored the first run of the game, and Brandon Marsh lined a base-hit to right to score Realmuto and make it 2-0.

Winn got Nick Castellanos to ground into a 5-4-3 double play to finally get the first two outs of the inning. Harper scored to make it 3-0, but it was a pair of outs Winn desperately needed. Unfortunately for Winn, the Phillies weren’t done. Bryson Stott singled to right to score Bohm and make it 4-0, and Edmundo Sosa reached on an infield hit to second, which knocked Winn out of the game after two-thirds of an inning. Mitch White came in for Winn and allowed a single to Johan Rojas to make it 5-0.

With the Phillies up 5-0 and Suarez on the mound, the Giants had their work cut out for them, and Suarez responded by throwing a 1-2-3 top of the second inning.

The Phillies came back up in the top of the second and kept going. Realmuto tripled to start the inning and scored on a wild pitch. Tom Murphy felt his knee pop while going after the wild pitch on the wet and slippery glass and was replaced by Blake Sabol, who was called up from the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats prior to the game.

The bases were empty, but that didn’t stop the Phillies. Harper walked; Bohm singled; and Marsh walked to load the bases. Stott grounded to second for a 6-4 fielder’s choice for the first out of the inning, but another run scored to make it 7-0. Stott singled on a ground ball that hit off the glove of the diving second-baseman, Thairo Estrada, and ricocheted into right-center to make it 8-0. Sosa grounded out back to the mound for the second out, but Nick Castellanos scored to give the Phillies a 9-0 lead in just the second inning.

The Giants got in both the run and hit columns in the top of the third, and they scored two more runs in the top of the fifth to make it 9-3. I guess you could say that a positive out of tonight’s blowout is that the Giants got to Suarez for three runs, but this still ended up being the ninth-straight game in which the Giants’ offense was limited to three runs or less.

The Phillies scored four more runs off Randy Rodriguez in the bottom of the sixth inning to make it a real laugher, as they now led it 13-3. Philadelphia tacked on one more off Erik Miller in the bottom of the seventh to make it 14-3. Bob Melvin then brought in Tyler Fitzgerald to throw batting practice in the bottom of the eighth, but the Phillies’ offense seemed to have had enough for one night and went down 1-2-3.

Ranger Suarez went six innings, and he was followed up by Jose Ruiz, who pitched scoreless innings in the seventh and eighth. Phillies Manager Rob Thompson went to the struggling Seranthony Dominguez for a maintenance inning in the top of the ninth, and he of course pitched a scoreless inning.

So, that’s it. Suarez the win, Winn the loss, and the Giants tie their season-high—or shall I say season-low—four games under .500 at 15-19, and they will have to bounce back tomorrow night on ESPN’s Sunday Night Game of the Week. The good news for the Giants is that they will have their ace, Logan Webb, on the mound. First pitch will be at 7:10 p.m. in Philadelphia, 4:10 p.m. back home in San Francisco.

News and Notes:

Catcher Patrick Bailey was indeed played on the 7-Day Concussion Injured List after taking a foul ball to the mask off the bat of Alec Bohm last night, and as mentioned above Blake Sabol was called up and made his 2024 Debut.

As for Tom Murphy, who felt a pop on his knee when going for the wild pitch from Mitch White in the bottom of the second inning, he will undergo an MRI tomorrow. Safe to say it doesn’t look good, and good chance the Giants will have to call up another catcher.

Earthquakes snap winless streak with 3-1 beatdown of LAFC at Levi’s Stadium

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The San Jose Earthquakes celebrate one of their three goals against LAFC at Levi’s Stadium on Saturday MAY 4, 2024. (San Jose Earthquakes)

by Marko Ukalovic

There’s something about playing at Levi’s Stadium.

The San Jose Earthquakes scored three unanswered goals en route to a 3-1 dominant victory over the Los Angeles Football Club on Saturday afternoon at Levi’s Stadium.

San Jose snapped a five-match winless streak and have points in back-to-back games for the first time this season. LAFC had its four-match unbeaten streak snapped and have lost back-to-back games at Levi’s Stadium against San Jose.

The match featured the Earthquakes debut of Argentine midfielder sensation Hernán López who came in as a substitute for Jack Skahan to start the second half. López, who is the nephew of Argentine legend Diego Maradona, was acquired last week from Argentine Primera Division side Godoy Cruz for a club-record transfer fee of $6 million to become the ‘Quakes new Designated Player.

“It felt really good being able to get on the field and being able to get situated with my teammates. I felt good. … I have a lot of mutual friends with Cristian. We didn’t know each other beforehand, but I got his [phone] number when I knew that playing for San Jose was an option. I spoke to him and just like Luchi was a reason that I came, just like [general manager] Chris Leitch was a reason that I came, so was Cristian and the way that he took me under his wing to bring me into this area,” López said.

The Earthquakes (2-8-1) drew first blood early in the first half off of a set piece. Cristian Espinoza centered the ball into the middle of the box off of a corner kick. Rodrigues flew in from the right side and headed the ball into the near post past LAFC goalkeeper Hugo Lloris for the fullback’s second goal of the season in the fifth minute sending the boisterous Levi’s crowd into a frenzy.

“This is a soccer-crazy region. We have three major cities and have all the supporting communities,” said Earthquakes head coach Luchi Gonzalez regarding the 43,774 announced attendance. “This is one of the top cities in the country for the game. To see them come out tonight in big number and support the team, on the 50th anniversary, Hernán’s [debut] game, it gave us a lot of momentum and it makes a difference and give us the extra energy to honor that and give it back to them.”

In the 23rd minute, San Jose looked to repeat what it did in the fifth minute, score off a corner kick. Once again Espinoza centered the ball into the middle, but Vítor Costa header was blocked by Ilie Sánchez and cleared out of danger for LAFC.

Two minutes later Maxime Chanot was issued a yellow card for a bad foul he committed against Jeremy Ebobisse resulting in a free kick. Ebobisse’s left footed attempt from just outside the box sailed wide left.

LAFC’s (4-4-3) best chances to get on the scoreboard came late in the opening 45 minutes. First int he 37th minute, Eduard Atuesta’s right footed shot from just outside the box in the middle was saved by ‘Quakes goalkeeper William Yarbrough. Then Yarbrough snatched up a shot from Mateusz Bogusz in the 44th minute.

San Jose doubled its lead in the 55th minute. A turnover by LAFC led to a quick counterattack. Espinoza curled in a long ball from just beyond midfield out to Amahl Pellegrino who received the ball just outside the D for a breakaway chance. Pellegrino made a move around Lloris before he buried a left footed shot into an empty net for his second goal in a ‘Quakes kit.

“I know Cristian (Espinoza) has one of the best right (feet) in the league. I like to go behind the defender to attack that space and when I saw he got the ball, I just hoped he would swing it to me, and he did it. It was a fantastic ball and made my job easy. To get the right touch and go past the goalkeeper. It went in and it was a good feeling. I hope we can keep doing what we’ve doing the last two games and build on this,” Pellegrino said.

The Earthquakes scored its third unanswered goal off of its second set piece in the 59th minute. Espinoza’s corner kick sailed into the middle and was deflected off the foot by Denis Bouanga and into the back of the net that was too hot to handle for Lloris for an own goal.

“I know he’s (Espinoza) a leading assister not only on the team, but in the league, and has been consistent over the seasons. He’s lethal and relentless, he trains like that and it is great to reward him and his teammates. I’m really happy to have two set pieces scored tonight and not concede and give up zero defensively,” Gonzalez said.

LAFC spoiled Yarbrough’s shutout bit in the 69th minute after a turnover inside the ‘Quakes zone. Christian Olivera intercepted a passing attempt by Costa. After a give and go with Kei Kamara, Olivera delivered a right footed shot into the back corner of the net for his second goal of the season.

Yarbrough finished the match with six saves, including three quality chances from LAFC in the final 10 minutes, on seven shots for his second victory of the season. Lloris made just one save on three shots on target in the losing effort.

“It was a great night for him (Yarbrough). I thought he was dominant in crosses and shot blocking. We’ve had our challenges in goal … It is why we brought in William for this type of experience,” Gonzalez noted.

GAME NOTES: San Jose finished four corner kicks. LAFC had seven.

Espinoza’s second assist of the match on Pellegrino’s goal, tied a club record with Richard Mulrooney with his 14th game winning assist for the most in club history.

San Francisco 49ers All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner was flanked by Mexican National Team legend Oswaldo Sánchez and boxing world title contender Ruben Villa as he fired the siren before the match.

The Quakes are 7-8-1 against LAFC in MLS play overall with a 6-2-0 record at home, including six straight victories across PayPal Park and Levi’s Stadium.

UP NEXT: San Jose hosts the Oakland Roots of the USL Championship in the first round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on Tuesday 5/7 at 7:00pm at Pay Pal Park.