Author: Sports Radio Service

Flores goes deep in Giants close win 5-4

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San Francisco Giants Wilmer Flores (41) gets congratulations from teammate Austin Slater (13) after hitting and scoring on his three run home run in the first inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco Fri Aug 13, 2021 (AP News photo)

By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO-Wilmer Flores came up with the biggest hit of the night for the San Francisco Giants.

Flores hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the first inning, helping the Giants to a 5-4 victory over the Colorado Rockies before a crowd of 36,126 at Oracle Park, for the Giants sixth win in a row.

With the victory, the Giants now have 75 wins on the season, and this is just the second time since the Giants moved to California in 1958 that they have 75 wins thru their first 116 games of the season. The last time they did it was in 1993, when they won 103 games and finished in second place in the National League West, one game behind the Atlanta Braves.

Austin Slater led off the bottom of the inning with a double, after a flyout by Kris Bryant, Buster Posey walked and then after a Darin Ruf flyout for the second out of the inning, Flores then launched his 15th home run of the season into the left field bleachers to give the Giants a 3-0 lead.

Thairo Estrada then got in on the act, as he singled in Donovan Solano, who followed Flores by walking and then Mike Yastrzemski then singled to advance Solano to second, who then scored on the Estrada single to give the Giants a 4-0 lead at the end of the first inning.

Anthony DeSclafani pitched the first five innings for the Giants, as he allowed two runs on two hits, walking two and striking out four. It was the 11th win of the season for DeSclafani against five losses.

Over the final four innings of the game, Gabe Kapler turned the ball over to his bullpen and the quartet of Jay Jackson, Tony Watson, Tyler Rogers, Jake McGee and Zack Littell preserved the win over the Rockies.

Austin Gomber went four innings for the Rockies, as he allowed five runs on seven hits, walking three and striking out two, as he saw his record fall to 9-7 on the season.

The Rockies got on the board in the top of the second inning, as Sam Hilliard walked with one out, then Garrett Hampson singled Hilliard to third and then Gomber helped out his own cause, as he dropped a perfect sacrifice bunt that allowed Hilliard to easily score from third base.

After the Giants batted around in the bottom of the first inning, Austin Slater led off the inning by doubling and he then scored the Giants fifth and final run of the inning, when he scored on a Ruf single off of Gomber.

CJ Cron drove in what proved to be the final run of the game for either team in the top of the third inning, as he singled off of DeSclafani to score Ryan McMahon, who walked to lead off the inning.

McMahon then singled in the top of the fifth inning, as he extended his hitting streak to 10 games, a new career high.

After going 0-for-3 in his first three at-bats on the evening, Bryant ended up picking up two hits in his final two at-bats.

Slater continues to hit the ball well, as he went 3-for-5 on the evening with two runs scored and Flores also picked up two hits and three runs batted in for the Giants, who maintain their five-game lead in the National League West over the Los Angeles Dodgers, who won earlier over the New York Mets 6-5 at Citi Field on a two-run home run by Will Smith off of Jeurys Familia in the top of the 10th inning.

The San Diego Padres lost on a Daulton Varsho walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth inning, as the Arizona Diamondbacks defeated the Padres 3-2 at Chase Field. With the loss, the Padres are now 10 games behind the Giants in the National League West and are now five games behind the Dodgers in the Wild Card race and only 2.5 games ahead of the Cincinnati Reds for the second wild card spot.

Former Giants outfielder Connor Joe got the Rockies within one run in the top of the ninth inning, as he hit a two-run home run off of McGee; however, McGee was able to get pinch-hitter Trevor Story to ground out to Flores at first base for the second out. Brendan Rogers then extended the game, as he singled off the right field wall, Charlie Blackmon then singled up the middle just moments after he barely missed hitting what would have given the Rockies a 6-5 lead.

Zack Littell came on to replace McGee and he was able to close it out with a strikeout of Cron to end the game.

NOTES: Brandon Crawford and the Giants agreed to terms on a two-year extension that will have the Bay Area native in a Giants uniform through the 2023 season.

Prior to the game, the Giants activated DeSclafani from the 10-day injured list, while Camilo Doval was optioned to Sacramento and Aaron Sanchez was placed on unconditional release waivers.

This was the 39th home win of the season for the Giants, as they are now 39-17 at home, good enough for the best home record in the major leagues.

The Flores home run in the bottom of the first inning was the Giants 60th home run of the season with two outs.

With the 7-0 shutout of the Rockies on Thursday night, the Giants now have 13 shutouts, tying them with the Milwaukee Brewers for the most in the Major Leagues.

On the other side of things, the Rockies were shutout for the 15th time in the 7-0 loss in the series opener and it is most times that they have been shutout in a season. In their inaugural season of 1993, they were shutout 13 times during the entire season.

UP NEXT: While the Giants have yet to announce a starter, the Rockies will send Jon Gray to the mound in search of his eighth win of the season.

Texas Tops Oakland 8-6 to open series in Arlington

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The game wasn’t a laugher but Yohel Pozo of the Texas Rangers gets a laugh after taking Oakland A’s pitcher Sergio Romo deep in the the sixth inning for a three run homer at Globe Life Park in Arlington on Fri Aug 13, 2021 (AP News photo)

Texas Rangers Top Oakland 8-6

By Barbara Mason

Thursday night recap:The Oakland A’s are on a roll winning the past seven games in a row. In those seven games they swept a four game series with the Texas Rangers followed by sweeping a very good Cleveland Indian team.

Game Three against the Indians was a wild affair with the A’s winning by the score of 17-0. Everyone was hitting in that game and tonight they took on the Texas Rangers in another three game series looking to extend their winning streak.

When we look at the Rangers they are struggling mightily sitting in last place in the American League West with a record of 40-75 while the A’s have a record of 67-48, and only 1 1/2 games out of first place in the division.

This is a series that Oakland should comfortably win although in the first game of their last series it took extra innings to put the game away.

Friday night recap: The first inning in this game could not have started more miserably for the A’s. They fell behind 3-0 in the inning and were not able to score until the fifth inning. Oakland really put the pedal to the metal in not only the fifth but the sixth inning as well.

In the fifth inning, Seth Brown doubled and Marte singled giving Oakland a couple of runs but still trailing 3-2. The sixth saw the A’s take the lead 4-3. In the inning Moreland tripled and Chapman singled.

The Rangers came right back with a homerun by Yohel Pozo with two runners on base taking back the lead 6-4. In the seventh inning Matt Olson hit his 29th home run. With the score 6-5, although trailing, the A’s seemed to have things under control. We have seen those comebacks more often than not.

The Rangers really threw a wrench into the A’s planned comeback when DJ Peters hit the Rangers second home run of the game with a runner on base taking a 8-5 lead.

Seth Brown hit a double in the eighth inning allowing Matt Chapman to score and going into the ninth inning Oakland still trailed by the score of 8-6. Andrus would pop fly out, Marte strike out and Matt Olson thrown out at first base.

This was a disappointing loss for the Oakland A’s in a game that they should not have lost. The Rangers had two unearned runs in the first inning when the A’s had some costly errors. Sergio Romo had a disappointing outing which we have not seen in quite awhile and the offense was off after the display that we all saw last night.

It will be onto game two of the series with the A’s looking for their first win. There is no doubt that we will see a different team tomorrow with first pitch at 4:05 PM. Oakland will clean up those errors and James Kaprielian will be on the mound for the A’s looking to tie up the series.

San Francisco Giants podcast with Michael Duca: DeSclafani gets the starting nod for tonight’s contest with Rockies; plus more Giants news

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Anthony DeSclafani will get the start against the Colorado Rockies Fri Aug 13, 2021 at Oracle Park in San Francisco (AP photo file)

On the Giants podcast with Michael:

#1 Morris Phillips wrote in his column this morning that Colorado Rockies pitcher German Marquez is on his way to having the most wins for his big league career but against the San Francisco Giants he’s 0-4 with a 13.82 ERA against them.

#2 Marquez other than the Giants is 10-9 with an ERA of 3.77 and says “I continue to make my pitches and continue to work, but I’m really not sure,” when asked about his struggles against the Giants

#3 One pitcher who didn’t struggle last night was Giants starter Logan Webb who pitched six innings, gave up three hits and struck out eight batters.

#4 You have to hand it to the job that Giants leadoff hitter LaMonte Wade Jr has done in Thursday night’s game he hit a key three run homer in the six run fourth inning for the Giants it was Wade’s 15th home run.

#5 Starting pitchers for tonight’s game at Oracle Park the Rockies are going with Austin Gomber (9-6 ERA 3.79) and for the Giants Anthony DeSclafani (10-5 ERA 3.28) first pitch at Oracle at 6:45pm

Join Michael for the Giants podcasts each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Oakland A’s podcast with Jeremiah Salmonson: The hits keep on coming in A’s 17-0 laugher; A’s open up three game series in Texas tonight

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Oakland A’s pitcher Cole Irvin wipes his brow as he will be the starter tonight against the Texas Rangers in Arlington at Globe Life Field (file photo from White Cleat Beat)

On the A’s podcast with Jeremiah:

#1 The Oakland A’s (67-48) in the first four innings were able to score big on Cleveland (55-58) starting pitcher Eli Morgan scoring five earned runs on three hits. The A’s jumped to a 5-0 lead.

#2 The A’s got two home runs from Mitch Moreland and starting pitcher Chris Bassitt won his 12th game.

#3 Bassitt and four relivers combined for a 17-0 shutout of Cleveland on Thursday

#4 The Cleveland crowd in the ninth inning realizing it was all out of hand and knowing Oakland third baseman Matt Chapman needed one more walk to tie the MLB all time most walks in a game at six stood and cheered for Chapman to get a base on balls. But after going 0-2 Chapman knew it was over and struckout.

#5 Jeremiah, the A’s make another trip to Arlington tonight for a three game series against the Texas Rangers (40-75). Starting pitcher for the A’s Cole Irvin (8-10 ERA 3.45) and for the Rangers Dane Dunning (5-7 ERA 4.07) a 5:05 pm first pitch.

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

Rockies Rocked by Giants Wade 4th inning blast in 7-0 laugher

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San Francisco Giants DeMonte Wade Jr finds the sweet spot of the bat to belt a three run fourth inning home run part of a six run rally against the visiting Colorado Rockies at Oracle Park on Thu Aug 12, 2021 (AP News photo)

By Morris Phillips

SAN FRANCISCO–LaMonte Wade is having quite a month and Thursday night was no exception as Wade contributed to a big bang offense for the San Francisco Giants (74-41) with a fourth inning home run six run fourth inning as the Giants defeated the Colorado Rockies (51-64) 7-0.

The Giants have been pouring it on of late the win was San Francisco’s fifth straight and their seventh out of their last eight games. This was just the first game to open the three game series against the Rockies after coming off a two game sweep over the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Giants pitcher Logan Webb helped his own cause with a bases loaded two RBI single. Webb said that his teammates keep telling him that he’ll hit one out someday just hit the weight room. Webb’s battery mate Curt Casali said that it’s nice to see pitchers get a hit and help their own cause. Webb is feeling it when he puts the bat through the ball and he’ll look to take more BP and maybe he’ll get that big fly sometime this season.

Alex Dickerson belted an RBI double in the second inning and Casali also hit a double that began the six run rally in the bottom of the fourth. The Giants are now a whopping 33 games over .500 and have the best record in baseball. The Giants are on a path to win 103 games the same amount of wins that the 1993 Dusty Baker team had. That Giant team was 77-38. It really speaks to the fine managerial job that manager Gabe Kapler has done in San Francisco.

For Webb he improved his win-loss record (6-3) striking out eight over six innings of shutout ball. Webb gave up only three hits and he has now won five straight games. Webb hasn’t loss a game since May 5 against these same Colorado Rockies. His teammates played well behind him turning two doubles in each of the first and second innings.

The Rockies and Giants continue the four game series with game two on Friday night at Oracle starting pitcher for the Rockies Austin Gomber (9-6 ERA 3.79) and for the Giants Anthony DeSclafani (10-5 ERA 3.28) a 6:45 pm (PDT)

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: 2021 Giants is it something in the fog?

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San Francisco Giants slugger Brandon Belt who has had a great deal with the home run ball during the Giants trip in Milwaukee is seen here hitting one out in the 11th inning for a two run homer on Sat Aug 7, 2021 against the Milwaukee Brewers (AP News photo)

2021 Giants: Is it something in the Fog?

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

Al Michaels, this year’s winner of the Ford C. Frick Award by the National Baseball Hall of Fame, for excellence in broadcasting, was the play by play announcer of the San Francisco Giants in 1974. Al Michael owns one of the greatest calls in the history of American sports with his famous “Do you believe in miracles?” when the USA Olympic Hockey team beat the powerful USSR in the 1980 Olympics.

Could Al Michaels apply that same line to the current San Francisco Giants? You will be hard pressed to find anybody that picked the Giants to do anything this year, but trying to stay away from the doldrums of the NL West with the Rockies and Diamondbacks.

The Giants are enjoying one of the best seasons ever, since they moved from New York to San Francisco in 1958. In the 1960’s the Giants had players like Gaylord Perry, Orlando Cepeda, Juan Marichal, Willie Mays and Willie McCovey, all in the Hall of Fame, yet they never won a World Series.

Decades later came Barry Bonds an All Star player who ended his career (2007) with a history-leading 762 home runs and a group of very good players, yet they never won a World Series, until 2010, when they won the first of three in 6 years.

The cry from Giants fans over the years since they moved to their current park; PacBell Park, SBC Park, AT&T Park, and Oracle Park was, it was not a home run park. In 2021 the Giants are leading all of Major League Baseball in home runs. For the 2020 season the team moved the fences. The left-center field from 404 to 399, center field is 391 now, eight feet shorter than before and Triples-alley is now 415 feet not 421 feet. I’ll bet you Barry Bonds is salivating today, thinking “Hey I could have hit 900 home runs if I played a little bit longer”.

For the trio of veterans that played during those three World Series titles, Buster Posey, Brandon Crawford and Brandon Belt, for them this 2021 marks the last year of their contracts. Unless the Giants re-sign them, they all will be Free Agents after the season. Third-baseman Evan Longoria who will be on his last year of a five-year contract, will be making $19.6 million in 2022.

Longoria has not produced what the Giants had envisioned when they signed him coming from Tampa Bay, and had not played much this season, out with injury. However, for Buster Posey, especially if the Giants can go all the way and win the World Series, will make this year the crowning for a possible induction into the Hall of Fame, he is the leader of this 2021 team.

By-the-way, if Giants are lucky enough to win the World Series this year, Posey will have four (4) World Series title rings. Not many players that have worn a SF Giants uniform can claim that. Posey, Crawford and Belt have been strongly supported by many players that came over to the Giants from other places; all courtesy of their President of Baseball Operations Farhan Zaidi (should be the Executive of the Year in the National League).

It has been the “perfect storm” for the Giants with guys like Wilmer Flores, Tommy LaEstella, Donovan Solano, Darin Ruf, LaMonte Wade Jr. Kevin Gausman (contender for the Cy Young Award) Alex Wood, Logan Webb, Jake McGee and others in a solid pitching department, that have all contributed to this sensational story in baseball so far this 2021.

Rest of schedule favors the Giants. They will play 13 games against lowly Rockies and Diamondbacks. Giants will play the Colorado Rockies four games this month of August. In September will play the LA Dodgers three games, Colorado Rockies six games, Arizona Diamondbacks three games, San Diego Padres for seven games and the LA Dodgers for three games. Dodgers and Padres are well positioned to classify as wild card teams in postseason. A Bay Area thing: The Giants will visit the Oakland Athletics at the Coliseum the weekend of the 20, 21 and 22 of August.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the Spanish radio voice for the Oakland A’s on flagship station 1010 KIQI LeGrande San Francisco and does News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Headline Sports podcast with Tony Renteria: Former 49er Aldon Smith cut by Seahawks off field troubles; Jets Mims road to recovery after food poisoning

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Former Seattle Seahawk defensive end Aldon Smith was cut by the Seahawks for what was reported “off field” issues on Wed Aug 11, 2021 (file photo from Tacoma News Tribune)

On Headline Sports podcast with Tony R:

#1 Former San Francisco defensive end 49ers Aldon Smith was cut by the Seattle Seahawks on Wednesday due to non football related issues. Smith was trying to make the Seahawks as defensive end and had problems in the past when he played for the 49ers.

#2 Smith 31, had had alcohol and legal issues for most of his time with the 49ers. Smith had played with the 49ers from 2011-2014 and with the Oakland Raiders 2015-17. He was charged with second degree battery in Louisiana in April. The April incident took place just after the Seahawks signed Smith a NFL minimum salary agreement.

#3 New York Jets wide receiver Denzel Mims said that when he got food poisoning it took a big toll on him. Mims used to enjoy salmon but not anymore he got a bad batch of it and ended up getting the food poisoning and lost 20 pounds. Mims suffered from intestinal infection and it took two weeks to recover as he was on anti biotics. He was vomiting for two weeks.

#4 Tony, ever since Tom Brady left the New England Patriots the question each year has been who was going to start for the Pats. For awhile they went with Cam Newton. Head coach Bill Belichick said that it’s Newton quarterback Mac Jones has been looking great in camp and the Pats who play the Washington Football Team tonight on Thursday Night Football will be looking closely at Jones and what he can do.

#5 San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is very impressed with wide receiver Mohamed Sanu. Sanu said he’s in the best shape of his life. His numbers in nine seasons in the NFL 4,694 receiving yards and 27 touchdowns.

Join Tony R for Headline Sports each Thursday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Oakland A’s podcast with Jerry Feitelberg: A’s showing great resilience in come back games

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Oakland A’s starter Chris Bassitt gets the starting call against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field in Cleveland Thu Aug 12, 2021 (file photo NBC Sports)

On the Oakland A’s podcast with Jerry F:

#1 Jerry, On Tuesday the Oakland A’s (65-48) showed they have a lot of resilience with their extra inning come back against Cleveland (55-56) on Jed Lowrie RBI double. It shows you good teams win in late innings.

#2 The A’s since June and July have diagnosed their one problem they had in those two months and that was getting into a situation where they were one play short of turning a loss into a win that correction will go a long way in these last two dog day months of August and September.

#3 The A’s in Tuesday’s game trailed Cleveland 3-1 after two innings but came back in the eighth inning after tying up the game 3-3 and Lowrie got the go ahead RBI double which eventually won it for the A’s 4-3 in the top of the tenth inning.

#4 The A’s used seven pitchers last Tuesday for the win and Bob Melvin might have been reading the scouting reports on Cleveland very carefully because strategy certain played a key role in that come back win.

#5 For this morning’s matinee at Progressive Field the A’s will start RHP Chris Bassitt (11-3 ERA 3.19) vs. Cleveland right hand starter Eli Morgan (1-4 ERA 6.09).

Join Jerry each Thursday for the A’s podcasts at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Las Vegas Raiders podcast with Rich Perez: Gruden calls off Wed morning practice; Mariota willing to leave Raiders for starting job

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Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Marcus Mariota raises a hand if he’s offered a starting job somewhere in the NFL as he’s seen here working out at the Raiders training facility in Henderson NV on Tue Aug 10, 2021 (photo by the Las Vegas Review Journal)

On the Raiders podcast with Rich:

#1 Las Vegas Raiders head coach Jon Gruden called off Wednesday morning practice at 7:30am this morning as a reward to his players and staff for all their hard work as they prepare for Saturday’s game at Allegiant Stadium against the Kansas City Chiefs.

#2 The Raiders usually schedule their practices for 7:30 am to beat the desert heat all players, coaches, and personnel reported but got to go home with pay. The heat is one of the reasons why they schedule an early practice.

#3 The Raiders have now added a fourth quarterback to their pre season roster Case Cookus, Cookus was an undrafted free agent with the New York Giants in 2020 and had off season stops with the Minnesota Vikings and Denver Broncos. Will Cookus be someone the Raiders look at during pre season or do the Raiders plan to carry four quarterbacks on opening day?

#4 Rich, talk about the Nevada mask mandate at Allegiant it’s reported that it’s impacting ticket sales the Raiders lost two sell outs after the mandate was imposed by Nevada Gov Steve Sisolak. According to Allegiant general manager Chris Wright he said he had two shows in October that were near sell outs canceled and now two Raiders games that will not sell out because fans refuse to wear the mask under mandated mask law.

#5 Quarterback Marcus Mariota is willing to work he’s the back up quarterback but it’s pretty well known that if a starting quarterback position opened up somewhere he’s willing to hop a flight lickity split to a new team.

Join Rich for the Raiders podcasts Wednesdays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

San Francisco 49ers podcast with David Zizmor: Lance throwing laser beams in practice; Jimmy G still starter

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On the 49ers podcast with David:

#1 San Francisco 49ers quarterback Trey Lance has been so impressive in camp it was reported his accuracy has improved in just six weeks of practice.

#2 In recent team drills Lance completed 20 of 22 passes and that was over two days. Lance also has rid of his air mail passes.

#3 Based on watching Lance he looks ready to step into the starting job but starting quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo could keep his job with a winning season.

Join David each Wednesday with the 49ers podcasts at http://www.sportsradioservice.com