Author: Sports Radio Service

The Oakland A’s Shea Langeliers swings for an RBI double in the bottom of the first inning at the Oakland Coliseum Sat Sep 24, 2022 against the visiting New York Mets (AP News photo)

On the A’s podcast with Charlie O:

#1 The New York Mets (96-57) started out Saturday’s contest scoring three runs in the top of the first inning going to the bottom of the first inning the Oakland A’s (56-96) knew they had a tough customer in Mets starting pitcher Jacob deGrom.

#2 Bottom of the first the A’s came back to take the lead when Dermis Garcia hit for a two RBIs doubled in left, then Conner Capel who had four RBIs in the game grounded to second to score Seth Brown to tie up the game and Shea Langeliers hit a double to score Dermis Garcia for a 4-3 A’s lead.

#3 The Mets would get the tie again in the top of the second but the A’s would take the lead for good in the bottom of the third inning when Brown belted his 24th home run of the season to the deepest part of the ballpark at 414 feet for a 5-4 lead.

#4 The A’s chipped away at Mets pitching getting a run in the fifth, sixth, and seventh innings and picking two more in the bottom of the eighth inning to win a laugher 10-4.

#5 Game 3 of the series at the Coliseum on Sunday the Mets will send out their ace starting pitcher Max Scherzer (10-4, 2.15) he’ll face the A’s JP Sears (6-2, 3.58) a 1:07 pm PDT first pitch at the Coliseum.

Charlie O did the A’s podcasts Sundays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com. Charlie will be back for the Sacramento Kings podcasts on Sundays after the conclusion of the A’s season.

New York (NL) (96-57). 4. 9. 0

Oakland (56-96). 10 14. 0

Saturday, September 24, 2022

Oakland A’s Seth Brown rounds the bases after hitting a solo shot against New York Mets pitcher Jacob deGrom in the bottom of the third inning at the Oakland Coliseum on Sat Sep 24, 2022 (AP News photo)

By Lewis Rubman

OAKLAND–Ken Waldichuk is not a household name. He came to the Athletics at this year’s trade along with Luis Medina, JP Sears, and Cooper Bowman in the deal that sent Frankie Montás and Lou Trivino to the Bronx.

A fifth round choice of the Yankees in the 2019 draft, he entered today’s matinee at 0-2, 7.13 in the bigs and was 6-4, 2.84 in his 2022 minor league appearances, all as a starter. Waldichuk is hoping to pitch well enough to ensure himself a permanent spot on the A’s 2023 roster.

The green and gold’s rookie left hander’s performance in the Athletics’ stunning 10-4 triumph over the visiting New York Mets wasn’t outstanding, but he stuck around long enough to earn the win hurling five frames and yielding four runs, all earned, on five hits, two of which went yard, and notching four Ks. He didn’t walk anyone but did hit two batters, which isn’t unusual for pitchers facing the Mets. His ERA crept up to 7.15.

Waldichuk’s mound opponent, Jacob DeGrom also is a candidate for a roster spot … in Cooperstown. DeGrom is primarily a fastball and slider pitcher who uses his change and curve effectively.

He brought a lifetime record of 82-55, 2.49 to the game today and was 5-2, 2.32 for the season. The 34 year old right hander had been on the injured list w for almost 13 months after damaging his elbow. He was reinstated to the active list on August 2.

DeGrom wasn’t in Hall of Fame form this afternoon, allowing the A’s to score early and often. He lasted only four innings but managed to throw 80 pitches in the short stint. 30 of them were balls. He gave up five runs, all earned, on six hits, including a home run.

DeGrom struck out five and walked four Athletics. He left trailing 5-4, and was tagged with the loss, giving him a season’s record of 5-3, 2.93.

Before the game began, Oakland made room for Ernie Clement, whom they acquired from Cleveland yesterday, by designating Sheldon Neuse for assignment.

The visitors went ahead in their first turn at bat, urged on by loud and frequent cheers of “Let’s Go, Mets,” and “Pete A-LON-SO!). James McNeil led off with a solid single to left and moved to third when Mark Canha dropped a single into center field.

Francisco Lindor sent a liner to Tony Kemp in left for the Mets’ first out but also their first tally, McNeill crossing the plate on the sacrifice.

Pete Alsono then whacked a 94 mph four seamer into the stairway above the 367 foot marker in left field for his 38th home run and 122nd, 123rd, and 124th RBI of the year.

That three run lead looked pretty formidable when the A’s came up in their half of the first and Tony Kemp grounded out to first. But Vimael Machín singled to left, and Seth Brown walked to load the bases.

Dermís García then sent a liner to left that looked like it would end up as a sacrifice fly until McNeil stumbled and it became a two run double that put the potential tying run on third. Conner Capel’s ground out to second brought that run in, and Shea Langeliers put the home team ahead 4-3 with a double to left.

One out into the second, Nick Vientos took advantage of the hot Coliseum air to tie the score at four with a 394 homer into the right field seats.

It looked as if DeGrom had found his groove after he set the top of the A’s lineup down in order inthe second, but Seth Brown sent his first offering of the home third just over the low center field fence to put Oakland ahead once more, this time 5-4.

The A’s threatened again in the fourth, putting runners on second and third on a walk to Machín and Murphy’s down the line double to left with two out. Brown hit a vicious liner to the right side that Alonso captured at first with an heroic dive to his right.

Trevor Williams replaced DeGrom to start the fifth and quickly surrendered Oakland’s sixth run on a one out solo round tripper to right by Capel, who made a magnificent catch of Alonso’s foul to right in the next inning. That was the inning in which Austin Pruitt took over from Waldichuk. It ended with a sterling grab of another foul on the opposite side of the diamond by Machín.

Joely Rodríguez replaced Wiliams to start the bottom of the sixth and left four batters later, having gotten two outs but also having surrendered a run on singles to Machín and Brown, interspersed by a ground out by Murphy that advanced Machín to second. Tyler McGill left the bullpen to get the final out with Oakland now ahead 7-4.

It was Adam Ottovino who tried to halt the A’s advance after the seventh inning stretch. He almost pulled it off. Capel led off with a dying quail that popped out of a diving Ruf’s glove when he jarred his arm against the outfield grass, resulting in a triple. Ottovino almost stranded Capel at third, but Allen smacked a single to right, and it was 8-4 Oakland.

It was time for the Athletics’ setup man, AJ Puk, to strut his stuff in the eighth. McNeil sent his first pitch into short center field, where Cristián Pache now was playing. He seemed to lose the ball in the sun, and it fell to earth for a single. In spite of another single, this one to Lindor, Puk and the A’s escaped from the inning unscathed.

Trevor May ws the next Met on the mound, and he had a rough eighth inning. Machín drew a base on balls. After Murphy flew out, Brown lined a double to right, and García walked to load the bases. Capel lined a single to right to bring in two runs and put the Athletics´score into double digits. Ruf’s defense looked dicey on both of the balls hit to him.

Tyler Cyr sealed the Oakland victory with a scoreless ninth, in which he issued a pair of two out walks. A beautiful horizontal grab of Canha’s left field bound liner by shortstop Nick Allen ended the metropolitan threat.

Ironically, Tony Kemp, who had been among the A’s few bright spots at the plate, was the only starter not to get at least one hit, going 0-5. He more than made up for this with his outstanding defense work, most notably at second base, where he was moved in the top of the seventh after playing six frames in left.

Will another HOF candidate bite the dust tomorrow afternoon? We’ll see when, at 1:07, Matt Scherzer (10-4, 2.15) goes against another relative newcomer, JP Sears (6-2, 3.58)

Oakland Athletics right fielder Conner Capel tries to make a sliding catch as the New York Mets Mark Vientos ends up with an RBI single in the top of the second inning at the Oakland Coliseum on Fri Sep 23, 2022 (AP News photo)

New York (NL) (96-56). 9. 13. 0

Oakland (55-96). 2. 6. 0

Friday, September 23, 2022

By Lewis Rubman

OAKLAND–The playoff bound New York Mets, occupying first place in the NL-East, came into existence 60 years ago as a result of a successful franchise leaving town because its host city wouldn’t underwrite the demands of a rapacious owner for a new ball park.

Only two seasons had passed since the Brooklyn Dodgers won their first World Series championship-and one season since they went seven games against the Yankees in the next Series that the borough’s belovèd Bums packed their duffle bags and moved to Los Angeles, cajoling the New York Giants, who had swept Cleveland in the 1954 October classic, to go west with them.

Big league baseball expanded for the first time in the 20th century when, fearing Branch Rickey’s threat to create a rival circuit, the Continental League, it admitted the New York Mets and Houston Colt 45s to the senior circuit.

The two new teams began playing in 1962, with the New York franchise being a laughing stock until the 1969 Miracle Mets defeated the Orioles 4-1 in the 1969 World Series.

That’s not the only thing about the Mets that will resonate among followers of east bay baseball. A quick glance at tonight’s New York’s lineup reveals Mark Canha and starting pitcher Chris Bassitt.

The visitors’ batting coach is Eric Chavez, who was welcomed to the Athletics Hall of Fame before the game. Starling Marte currently is on the Mets’ injured list. But that’s not all, folks. The Mets’ color commentator is Ron Darling.

The personnel of the visiting team wasn’t all that was familiar to the Oakland fans. Their team was massacred, 9-2, by the marauding Mets.

Earlier in the day, the A’s announced that they had claimed infielder Ernie Clement off the waiver wire from Cleveland and recalled reliever Sam Selman from Las Vegas. Concomitantly they placed Joel Payamps on the 15 day IL, sidelining him for the rest of the season.

Bassitt went 30-24, 3.44 for the A’s over seven years starting in 2015. The Mets got him from Oakland this year in exchange for two other right handed pitchers JT Ginn and Adam Oller. The 33 year old Bassitt entered tonight’s contest sporting a record of 14-8, 3.32.

He was in fine fettle tonight, coasting through eight innings and allowing only two runs on six hits, one a round tripper, a walk, and a wild pitch. He struck out two batters and threw 91 pitches, 56 counting as strikes, on the way to his 15th win against eight defeats and lowering his ERA to 3.27.

Cole Irvin, the left hander who started for the A’s tonight had won his last two starts and was 9-11, 3.79 when he threw the game’s first pitch at 6:41.

His performance this evening consisted of 77 pitches, 54 of which counted as strikes, that he squeezed into 4-2/3 innings in which the Mets got to him for eight runs, all earned, on 11 hits, one a four run four bagger. Needless to say, he was the losing pitcher, falling to 9-12, 4.11.

The Coliseum was filled with chants of “Let’s Go, Mets” when they loaded the bases with one away in the top of the second on singles by Pete Alonso, ex-Giant Darin Ruf and Jeff McNeil.

DH Mark Vientos obliged the chanters by plopping a Texas League single to right that brought in Alonso, and Brandon Nimmo followed with a well hit single to center that plated Ruf and McNeil, putting the visitors up, 3-0.

Irvin kept the Mets in check through the fourth but Nimmo opened the fifth with a sharp single to right and Canha drove a two bagger off the center field wall at the 400 foot sign. After Francisco Lindor flew out to shallow right, the A’s southpaw granted Pete Alonso an intentional walk that clogged the basepaths.

Ruff hit a fly to medium deep right; Nimmo started for home, but Conner Capel’s strong throw stopped him in his tracks. Irvin’s first pitch to Edouardo Esobar was a hanging curve that ended up 379 feet from home, a grand slam to left field that gave the Mets a 7-0 cushion that they padded after McNeil’s single to left when Mark Vientos cleared the air with a double to right center that drove in McNeil with New York’s eighth tally.

That was the end of the line for Irvin. Collin Wiles came in to quell the uprising by whiffing McCann on three pitches.

Wiles pitched a perfect sixth but faltered in the seventh. The Mets had been hit by a record setting 108 pitches this year. Wiles made that 109 by plunking Ruf with one down.

Escobar forced Ruf out at second and then scored the boys from Queens ninth run on McNeill’s double to left center. (As you might expect, Canha, the human dartboard, leads the team in being hit; his total is 24).

Oakland finally put a run on the board after the 18,107 fans in attendance had raised their voices to sing “Take Me Out to the Ball Game.” Sean Murphy sent a leadoff double to left, and Seth Brown gained a pyrrhic victory over The Curse by driving him home.

Dermís García got under Bassitt’s skin and over the left field wall, driving an 89mph sinker 426 feet from home for Oakland’s second run and fifth hit. It was García’s fifth dinger and 18th RBI in 82 at bats.

Drew Smith executed the formality of retiring the A’s in order in the bottom of the ninth.

Ken Waldichuk (0-2, 7.13) will go against Jacob deGrom (5-2, 2.32) at 1:07 tomorrow afternoon. That’s a scary proposition for both hurlers because Angel Hernández is scheduled to be the home plate umpire. The batters won’t be that happy with the situation, either.