Category: MLB

Five A’s homers as Oakland downs Astros 8-2 at Coliseum

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Oakland A’s Lawrence Butler connects for a two run home run against the Houston Astros in the bottom of the third inning at the Oakland Coliseum on Tue Jul 23, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Daniel Dullum

Tuesday, July 23, 2024

Oakland’s use of the long ball, along with a strong overall pitching effort, gave the Athletics an 8-2 AL West victory over the visiting Houston Astros Tuesday before an announced crowd of 5,896 at the Coliseum.

The A’s (41-62) collected home runs from Brent Rooker, Lawrence Butler, Seth Brown, Zach Gelof and Shea Langeliers in the win, as Oakland used a 13-hit attack that included an RBI double by Butler and a run-scoring single by Abraham Toro.

Butler just missed hitting for the cycle – missing a single – and finished 3-for-4, while Toro and Brown each went 2-for-4.

Osvaldo Bido (2-1) gave up one run on four hits in the first five innings to get the win. Bido also struck out six without issuing a walk. Scott Alexander, Tyler Ferguson and Michel Otanez each each threw a scoreless inning in relief. T.J. McFarland gave up a solo home run to Jeremy Peria in the ninth.

Pena led Houston’s nine-hit effort going 3-for-4. Astros starter Jake Bloss (0-1) surrendered five earned runs on six hits and a walk in four innings to take the loss, as the Astros (52-49) slipped into a first-place tie with Seattle in the AL West.

The A’s opened the scoring in the bottom of the first when Butler tripled to right and scored on Rooker’s 23rd home run and team-leading 69th run batted in of the season. In the top of the third, Victor Caratini sent a 427-foot blast to center for his fifth round-tripper, cutting Oakland’s lead to 2-1. Oakland responded with a solo home run by Butler – his 10th – to lead off the bottom of the third, taking a 3-1 lead.

With one out in the bottom of the fourth, Brown and Gelof hit back-to-back home runs to the power alleys, extending the A’s lead to 5-1. It was Gelof’s 20th RBI, and Brown collected his 35th RBI.

In the Oakland fifth, JJ Bleday doubled and scored on a single by Toro. One inning later, Butler’s RBI double to right drove in Max Schuemann, who singled, and the A’s led 7-1. Butler has 32 runs batted in on the season.

Langeliers completed Oakland’s scoring with a drive to left for his 19th home run of the season, and his 53rd RBI.

For the Wednesday getaway game, Hunter Brown (8-6, 4.14) starts for the Astros, facing Oakland’s JP Sears (7-7, 4.49). First pitch is at 12:37 Pacific.

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast: Great Coliseum Memories, Star players and World Series years

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1972 World Champion Oakland A’s cover on Sports Illustrated part of the memories of the A’s years at the Oakland Coliseum as the club leaves for Sacramento after the 2024 season (Sports Illustrated cover file photo)

On That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast:

#1 Amuary, just two months and two weeks left before the Oakland A’s move to Sacramento for the next four years. Their last game in Oakland will be on September 26th against Bruce Bochy and the Texas Rangers. After playing at the Oakland Coliseum since 1968 it all comes to an end that day.

#2 Just wanted to jog your memory of some of the happier and great years at the Coliseum when the A’s had that remarkable run in 1972 through 1974 winning three straight World Series.

#3 We can go through some of the great names of the players who were a part of those World’s Championship teams. The A’s just had an All Star team and they could slug for the fence with Joe Rudi, Gene Tenace, Ray Fosse, Reggie Jackson, Mike Epstein, Dick Green, Sal Bando, Billy North and George Hendrick to name a few.

#4 The A’s really had a ace starting staff during those days with Catfish Hunter, Vida Blue, Ken Holtzman, and Blue Moon Odom. Manager Dick Williams of the 1972 and 1973 teams had the confidence to go in with this pitching staff and win ball games.

#5 Amaury talk about A’s lead off hitter Bert Campaneris who played shortstop on all three championship teams and should go down in history as the best shortstop in Oakland A’s history?

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

Snell solid again, but River Ryan shuts down Giants’ lethargic offense in big league debut,Teoscar Hernandez carries LA to 3-2 win with two key RBI singles

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San Francisco Giants Jorge Soler (right) is tagged out by Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Chris Taylor (left) in the top of the first inning at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Mon Jul 22, 2024 (AP News photo)

Monday, July 22, 2024

Dodger Stadium

Los Angeles, California

San Francisco Giants 2 (48-53)

Los Angeles Dodgers 3 (60-41)

Win: Blake Treinen (4-2)

Loss: Erik Miller (3-3)

Save: Daniel Hudson (7)

Time: 2:26

Attendance: 49,576

By Stephen Ruderman

The Giants’ offense sputtered against River Ryan in his major league debut, as they were unable to support Blake Snell, who pitched another strong outing, and the Dodgers beat the Giants 3-2, thanks to a pair of RBI base-hits by Teoscar Hernanez, in the opener of this four-game series at Dodger Stadium.

The Giants were able to get out of Denver with a win Sunday, averting a disastrous sweep at the hands of the third-worst team in Baseball. With the Giants in need of a spark, they are in LA for a four-game series just as they were this very week in 2021. The Giants took three of four in that series, which featured two epic come-from-behind ninth inning wins on July 21 and 22.

That series is when everybody realized that 2021 was going to be a magical season. Three years later here in 2024, the Giants have come into this four-game series four games under .500 at 48-52, and three games back of the New York Mets for the third wild card spot in the National League.

For the Dodgers, they send the young right-hander, River Ryan, who has a great baseball name, to the mound to make his major league debut. Ryan was originally drafted by the San Diego Padres in 2021 out of the University of North Carolina, where he was a two-way player. He was traded to the Dodgers on March 28, 2022, and then bounced around the minors this season before getting the call to start tonight.

This was one of those rare games where the designated hitter was the lead off guy for both teams. For the Giants, it was Jorge Soler, who walked to start off the game. The Giants appeared to be in business when LaMonte Wade lined a base-hit to left-center field, but Soler was nailed by left-fielder Miguel Vargas trying to take third base.

Wade advanced to second on the throw, but that essentially killed the rally for the Giants. Heliot Ramos lined out to left, and Patrick Bailey popped out to short, as Ryan ended up getting out of his first big league inning in a quite unusual way.

Blake Snell nearly got his first win as a Giant after he took a perfect game into the seventh inning of the first half finale last Sunday against the Minnesota Twins. However, that was not to be, as Camilo Doval blew the save and gave up two runs in the top of the ninth.

Still, it was the first time the real Blake Snell showed up for the Giants, and he was looking to build off that Monday night. Snell walked Shohei Ohtani to start the bottom of the first inning, but catcher Patrick Bailey nailed Ohtani trying to steal second, and Snell ended up facing the minimum.

Ryan pitched a pair of 1-2-3 innings in the second and third. Snell escaped a two-out rally in the bottom of the second, and then he threw a 1-2-3 bottom of the third.

Wade walked to start the top of the fourth, and Bailey grounded a single up the middle with one out. Michael Conforto moved the runners over to second and third on a ground out to first, and they left things up to Matt Chapman.

Unfortunately, after the Giants’ offense finally showed what they were capable of over the final four weeks of the first half, they have fallen back on their old bad habits to begin the second half.

Chapman did work the count full to 3-2, but the Giants caught a break when Ryan threw a fastball on the outside corner that was dropped by catcher Will Smith and went to the Giants’ on-deck circle, which allowed Wade to score. The Giants were unable to come through with that key RBI hit with runners in scoring position. Instead, they got their run on a passed ball.

The Dodgers struck right back when Teoscar Hernandez, who won the Home Run Derby last Monday night in Arlington, Texas, tied the game with his 21st home run of the season. It was a no-doubter, as Hernandez hit it half way up into the pavilion out in left field.

Both pitchers threw 1-2-3 innings in the fifth, and base-hits by Wade and Bailey put runners on the corners for the Giants with one out in the top of the sixth. That ended the night for Ryan, but he had himself one helluva of a major league debut, as he was thrown into a rivalry game and gave up just an unearned run over five and a third innings. Not bad.

Looks like I gave away the ending to the Giants’ rally. Of course they wasted it, as left-hander Alex Vesia came in and struck out both Luis Matos and Chapman to end the inning.

Well, the Dodgers made the Giants pay in the bottom of the sixth. With Freddie Freeman at second and two outs, Hernandez got a hanging curveball from Snell and lined a base-hit out to center field to score Freeman and give the Dodgers their first lead of the night.

Snell escaped the inning without any further damage, and that would end his night. It was a good night for Snell, who went six innings, and gave up two runs and four hits. We’re now seeing what Snell is capable of, and if he can keep pitching like this, it will be huge for the Giants down the stretch.

Snell was unfortunately unable to get his first win as a Giant, but he didn’t get the loss either. Tyler Fitzgerald tied the game with one out in the top of the seventh when he hit a home run off Ryan Yarbrough. For Fitzgerald, he has now homered in three-straight games.

Ryan Walker threw a 1-2-3 bottom of the seventh for the Giants. Bailey drew a two-out walk off Blake Treinen in the top of the eighth and stole second, but with a full count, Matos struck out when he chased a slider down and away to end the inning.

It was another wasted opportunity for the Giants—a sentence I have written far too many times this season—and Erik Miller ran into trouble right away when he came in for the bottom of the eighth. Kiké Hernandez led off the inning with a double to center, and Will Smith walked with one out.

Freeman grounded into a 6-4 fielder’s choice for the second out, and the Giants were hoping that they could get Will Smith on interference for his slide at second, as Bob Melvin challenged that play. The play was upheld, and Melvin went to Randy Rodriguez to face Teoscar Hernandez

Hernandez was up with the go-ahead runner at second with two outs, just as he was in the sixth. Rodriguez was a strike away from getting out of it with the count at 2-2, but he threw a 98-MPH fastball right on the outside corner that Hernandez lined off the end of the bat and up the middle into center field for a base-hit that scored Smith to put the Dodgers back ahead.

It was deja vu all over again. Just as he did in the sixth, Hernandez gave the Dodgers the lead with a base-hit up the middle.

Daniel Hudson came in for the ninth, and while Fitzgerald walked with two outs, Brett Wilsey flew out to left to end the game.

Blake Treinen got the win; Erik Miller got the loss; and Daniel Hudson picked up his seventh save of the year.

The Giants’ offense are struggling again at the worst possible time. As Marcos Breton pointed out on Twitter—yes, I’m still calling it that—Jorge Soler, Heltiot Ramos, Luis Matos, Matt Chapman, Mike Yastrzemski and Matt Chapman went a combined 0-for-22, and Yastrzemski ended up with the hat trick. To be blunt, things need to change, and they need to change soon.

The Giants fall to 48-53 and four games back of the Mets for the third wild card. They will need a win Tuesday night. Jordan Hicks (4-6, 3.79 ERA), who has hit a rough patch as of late after a great start to his season will make the start for the Giants Tuesday. Landon Knack of all people will counter to make his season debut for the Dodgers. First pitch will be at 7:10 p.m.

Giants News and Notes:

Following his dominant 12-strikeout performance in Colorado Sunday, Hayden Birdsong was sent all the way down to the Low-A San Jose Giants. The move was simply made to clear a roster spot for right-handed reliever Mike Baumann, whom the Giants acquired in a trade with the Seattle Mariners yesterday.

Harris was dealing; Miller shuts the door; A’s blank Astros 4-0 to open series at Coliseum

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Oakland A’s starter Hogan Harris throws against the Houston Astros in the top of the second inning at the Oakland Coliseum on Mon Jul 22, 2024 (AP News photo)

Houston (52-48). 000 000 000 0. 8. 1

Athletics (40-62). 003 100 00x. 4. 8. 0

Time: 2:07

Attendance: 4,517

Monday, July 22, 2024

By Lewis Rubman

OAKLAND–Following Sunday afternoon’s debacle, the current occupants of the Oakland Coliseum recovered and returned to the recent winning ways that had given them a 9-6 record for July, defeating the high flying Houston Astros, 4-0.

The A’s starting pitcher, southpaw Hogan Harris, has ridden the Oakland-Las Vegas shuttle for three round trips in addition to taking paternity leave for a couple of days in July. His time in the A’s rotation this season can be divided into two parts, each consisting of four starts.

From May 30 to June 18, he went 1-0, 1.66, with a trio of no decisions thanks to blown saves. He was 0-3, 5.19 in his four subsequent starts, bringing him to 1-3,3.40 when he went into action tonight, when he shut out the ‘stros over on seven hits and two walks.

65 of his 93 pitches went into the books as strikes. Harris earned the win and now has a record of 2-3, 2.98. One of the reasons for the success Harris enjoyed was the pitchers’ best friend. The Athletics turned three double plays for him in his 6-2/3 innings on the mound.

All of those twin killings were of the around the horn variety, Brett Harris to Zack Gelof to Seth Brown. Hogan didn’t have to rely solely on his fielders; he struck out seven Astro batters. He also had the help of four relief pitchers.

Austin Adams got the third out for him in the seventh, stranding two runners by fanning Alex Bregman. Lucas Erceg, last night’s goat, hurled a perfect eighth tonight, and Mason Miller stonewalled the Astros in a 1,2,3 top of the ninth.

The last time the Bochy Boys visited the Bay Area, Spencer Arrighetti, the rookie right hander who was the Astros’ Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2023 and was described by the ’24 media guide as the team’s “top pitching prospect,” started against the Giants on June 10.

He held them to one run on three hits over 6-2/3 innings in a 4-3 10 inning loss to their hosts. This evening he made his second appearance on the warm side of the bay and his third against the green and gold. He had been the winning pitcher against them at Minute Maid Park on May 13, allowing two runs, both earned , in a five inning start. 12 days later, he made another five frame start but lost, yielding all of the A’s runs, and they were earned, in a 3-1 loss, again being touched for five hits.

The rookie brought a record of 4-7, 5.63 to tonight’s contest and left after six innings with the Athletics leading, 4-0. He didn’t pitch poorly Monday night, although the A’s made lots of solid contact against him. They scored all their four runs, which were earned in two innings, the third and the fourth.

The three run outburst in the third was the result of singles by Max Schuemann and Lawrence Butler, followed by doubles of the bats of Miguel Andújar and JJ Bleday. Gelof scored the fourth and final tally in the next frame.He drew a walk, stole second, advanced to third on a Harris ground out, and crossed the plate on Max Schuemann’s single to left.

Arrightetti took the loss, having put in six innings of work and thrown 94 pitches, 30 of which were balls. He yielded seven hits, walked one, and struck out three while facing 26 batters. His record when all was over was 4-8, 5.65. Bryan King and Rafael Montero pitched an inning apiece. Montero surrendered a single.

Bleday’s two bagger brought the streak of games in which he has doubled to five. It also was the fifth straight game in which Butler has hit safely.

The resurgent A’s will send Osvaldo Bido (1-1, 3.63) against Houston’s Jake Bloss (0-0, 4.70), Tuesday, evening, at 6:40.

Oakland A’s podcast with Barbara Mason: Angels manager and former A’s coach Ron Washington makes last visit to Coliseum; A’s open 4 game set with Astros tonight

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Former Oakland A’s third base coach and current Los Angeles Angels manager Ron Washington instructs players from the dugout on Sat Jul 20, 2024 at the Oakland Coliseum against the A’s. This is the last visit for the former A’s coach and he left all those memories out on the field. (AP News photo)

On the Oakland A’s podcast with Barbara:

#1 Kevin Pillar hit a two run double which helped paced the Los Angeles Angels to a 5 run eighth inning rally that eventually helped defeat the A’s 8-5 at the Oakland Coliseum on Sunday afternoon.

#2 The Angels Logan O’Hoppe started the eighth off with a single, pinch hitter Nolan Schanuel hit an RBI single, and Jo Adell got a base on balls from A’s reliever Lucas Erceg in the five run eighth for a comeback.

#3 The Angels with the win snap a team franchise eight game losing streak. The Angels had got walloped by the A’s in the first two games of this series with a 13-3 loss on Friday and a 8-2 loss on Saturday. They put out a full effort to avoid a sweep on Sunday.

#4 This would be the final visit to the Oakland Coliseum for the Angels and their manager Ron Washington as the A’s are moving to Sacramento after this season. Washington spent many years as the long time third base coach of the A’s and is sad to see his old team leave Oakland, “There’s so much that has been going on in this place, I’m going to certainly miss it as a guy that’s been a coach here, as a guy that watched a lot of young players grow here and now as a guy that came back and managed here,”

#5 The A’s open a three game series against the Houston Astros on Monday night. Starting pitcher for the Astros RHP Spencer Arrighetti (4-7, ERA 5.63) starter for the A’s LHP Hogan Harris (1-3, ERA 3.40) first pitch at 6:40pm PT.

Barbara Mason does the A’s podcasts each Monday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

San Francisco Giants podcast with Marko Ukalovic: Thin air, two long homers give Giants lift at Coors Field Sunday

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San Francisco Giants Jorge Soler takes off up the first base line after he connects for a first inning solo shot and the longest homer for the Giants this season at 478 feet against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field in Denver on Sun Jul 21, 2024 (AP News photo)

San Francisco Giants podcast with Marko Ukalovic:

#1 San Francisco Giants Jorge Soler tattooed the longest Giants home run this season at 478 feet to deep centerfield in the top of the first for the Giants first run of the game.

#2 Tyler Fitzgerald got ahold of one and took it 434 feet for a top of third inning home run to center taking advantage of the thin Coors Field air and putting the Giants on top 2-0.

#3 A crucial passed ball by the Rockies catcher Jacob Stallings allows the Giants Matt Chapman what would be the game winning run in the top of the fourth inning as the Giants took a 3-0 at that point.

#4 The Giants got pitching from Hayden Birdsong who picked up his second win of the season against no loses. Birdsong pitched six innings, allowed two hits and two earned runs and struck out 12 batters. As the Giants avoid getting swept.

#5 The Giants head to Dodgers Stadium for a four game series which opens on Monday night at 7:10pm PT. Starting pitcher for the Giants LHP Blake Snell (0-3, ERA 6.31). Updated the Dodgers will be starting RHP Landon Knack (1-2, ERA 3.23).

Join Marko Ukalovic for San Francisco Giants podcasts each Monday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: A’s Brent Rooker big candidate for Trade

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Oakland A’s slugger Brent Rooker is one of the most requested players from MLB teams inquiring about his services as the trade deadline approaches on Jul 30th. Rooker could help a club in it’s post season bid and could be with another club before the end of July. (Athletics Nation file photo)

A’s Brent Rooker big candidate for Trade

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

OAKLAND–The trade deadline is rapidly approaching, just nine days from Monday, and the A’s have one of the most underrated power hitters in the game. His name is Brent Rooker, and this outfielder, who is mostly a Designated Hitter for the Oakland A’s, is wanted by many contending teams for the last two months of the season.

Rooker should have been at last week’s All-Star Game in Texas. He was an All-Star in 2023. Rooker is having an even better season this year, with an excellent probability of hitting 35 to 40 home runs and driving in close to 100 runs, which will be his best season ever.

In their rebuilding process, the Oakland A’s have been developing young players like Zack Gelof, 24, Lawrence Butler, 24, J.J Bleday, 26, Shea Langeliers, 26, Tyler Soderstrom, 22, plus others, especially the young pitching staff. Rooker is arbitration-eligible for the next three years, but he turns 30 in November, so he might not be in the A’s plans for the A’s future with the younger guys playing in the current lineup.

Brent Rooker 2023: .246 with 30 homeruns, 69 runs batted-in. He played in 137 games.

2024 Brent Rooker with 61 games left this season: .294, 22 homeruns and 67 runs batted in.

Today, the A’s begin a three-game series against the first-place Houston Astros, and Brent Rooker is the DH.

The A’s are sellers again as we approach this trade deadline, and there are teams in search of players with Rooker’s type of power. If they trade him, they should get a handsome return, probably with much younger players, which fits the A’s plan. There are a lot of contenders looking to add offense for the last part of the season. It is very possible that Brent Rooker won’t finish this season with the Green and Gold.

Mason Miller? I doubt he will go. However, never put it past the A’s because if they get a haul of players from this tremendous young closer arm, then “it is on.” Many teams are trying to win the World Series this October. The A’s are not one of them, but they are always: “open for business,” especially at this time of the year when the trade deadline is around the corner.

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

Halos avoid sweep, 5 run eighth inning rally lends to 8-5 win over A’s at Coliseum

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The Los Angeles Angels Mickey Moniak (left) gets congratulated from third base Eric Young Sr (right) after hitting a home run off Oakland A’s starter Joey Estes in the top of the fifth inning at the Oakland Coliseum on Sun Jul 21, 2024 (AP News photo)

Los Angeles (42-57). 000 110 051. 8. 15. 0

Athletics (42-57). 002 010 200. 5. 8. 0

Time: 3:08

Attendance: 10,380

Sunday, July 31, 2024

By Lewis Rubman

OAKLAND–They say that the third time’s the charm. This pleasant Sunday afternoon at the vacant lot off the Nimitz, it was more of a curse than a charm. The Wandering Athletics who visit there 81 times a year and had just won two straight games against the visiting Los Angeles Angels, blew 5-2 lead in the eighth inning and went down to an ignominious 8-5 loss.

As was expected, the A’s placed Jacob Wilson on the ten day injured list, retroactive to July 20, when he strained his left hamstring while scoring a run in his major league debut. They concurrently reinstated Abraham Toro from the IL.

Joey Estes, who started for the Athletics, has pitched some good baseball recently, including a complete game shutout of the Angels here at the Coliseum on July 3. Still, he was only 4-4, 5.29 at game time. His performance Sunday was more in tune with the rest of the season than with that highlight.

He went 5-2/3 innings, not even enough for a so-called quality start, and allowed two runs, both earned, on eight hits, one for all the bases, two walks, and a hit batter. Estes ended the day with a slightly reduced ERA of 5.11.

TJ McFarland replaced him while the A’s were ahead 4-2 with the Angels threatening with runners on first and second and two down and closed out the inning and allowed only a single in the following one, throwing 18 pitches in the process.

(Estes had thrown 97, 64 qualifying as strikes). The A’s used, and the Angels abused, three more hurlers. Lucas Erceg, the eventual loser, whose record now stands at 2-3, 4.01, failed to get an out against the four batters he faced and who scored four runs, all earned, against him on two hits, a walk, a wild pitch, and a hit batter.

He was followed by Scott Alexander, who was charged with a blown save after staying on the mound for a third of an inning and allowing a run, earned, and a hit. Michel Otáñez also took his lumps, yielding a run, also earned, on two hits, a walk, and a wild pitch although he did log five strikeouts.

Carson Fulmer had a brilliant future in front of him when the White Sox made him their first round choice (eighth overall) in the 2015 draft. Nine years later, his promise remains unfulfilled. The 30 year old righty had a lifetime big league record of 7-10, 6.14 when he accompanied the Halos as a non-roster invitee to spring training after having appeared in three games in 2023.

He was sent to Salt Lake, where he pitched all of three innings before rejoining the Angels, for whom he went 0-2, 3.45 before making his second start and 26th of the season Sunday. Fulmer lasted only 4-2/3 innings before Hunter Strickland relieved him. In his brief tenure on the mound, the 30 year old AAAA pitcher surrendered three runs, all earned, on five hits, one which left the park, and two bases on balls. He faced a score of batters in the no decision that raised his ERA to 3.66.

The team from Anaheim sent five bullpen denizens to the mound. Hunter Strickland (a hit in 1-1/3 innings), Hans Crouse, two runs, earned bug posthumous, on a hit and two walks in 1-1/3 frames), Ben Joyce (a hit and a wild pitch in two thirds of an inning), Luis García (one inning, one strikeout), and Carlos Estevez, who earned his 18th save with by holding the A’s to a walk in the ninth inning.

The A’s pulled ahead with a two run bottom of the third on doubles by Lawrence Butler, JJ Bleday, and Brent Rooker only to give up one of those runs in the visitors’ fourth on two singles, a hit batter, and Brandon Drury’s sacrifice fly to the center field wall.

The Angels chipped further at the A’s lead one frame later when Mickey Moniac’s fly to right made it just over the wall, 377 feet from the plate, for his sixth home run of the year, a solo shot that made it 3-2.

The Athletics retaliated in the bottom of the frame when Miguel Andújar drove a liner off the front of the left field seats for his four dinger of the year and Fulmer to the showers with the green and gold now leading 4-2. They tacked on another pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh on a walk to Schuemann, singles by Andújar and Butler, a bases loaded walk to Rooker, and a wild pitch.

That newfound three run lead was obliterated by an Angel’s blitz in the top of the eighth. Lucas Erceg relieved McFarland and gave up back to back singles to Logan O’Hoppe and Zach Neto, both of whom advanced on a passed ball. Erceg hit Brandon Drury with a pitch to load the bases but not before releasing a wild one that gave O’Hoppe the gift of third base.

A walk to Jo Adell and the basepaths still were crowded with Angels after O’Hoppe hopped home. A pinch hitting Nolan Schanuel beat out an infield single in spite of Gelof’s mighty effort. Brett Harris, who entered the game as a defensive replacement for Toro, chose not to try for the force at home on Rendon’s grounder but instead went for the around the horn double play.

All he got for that was a force out at second. Kevin Pillar, hitting for Moniak, smacked a double that drove in two more runs. He was at third while trying to advance on the play, but the review crew in New York overturned that call.

At that point, Mich Otáñez was called on to stop the hemorrhage. He applied the tourniquet, but the Angels now held a 7-5 lead, which they stretched to 8-5 in an inning that featured a wild pitch by Otáñez and the pitcher’s failure to cover first on a grounder hit to Brown.

The win was the 5,000th regular season victory in the history of the California, Anaheim, and Los Angeles Angels. The loss was a bitter one for the Athletics, in spite of good performances from Andújar (three for five, including a home run), Rooker (a double and two RBI), Butler (2 for 3, a double, and two walks; his fourth consecutive multi-hit game), and Bleday, whose third inning RBI two bagger put him in second place for doubles in the American League.

The Houston Astros come to The Town for a night game set for 6:40 Monday evening. Hogan Harris (1-3, 3.40) will hurl for the homeless heroes; Spencer Arrightetti (4-7, 5.63), will throw for the ‘stros.

Hayden Birdsong strikes out 12, Giants walk out of Denver with much-needed 3-2 win over Rockies

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San Francisco Giants starter Hayden Birdsong was dealing against the Colorado Rockies seen here in the bottom of the first inning at Coors Field in Denver as the Giants avoided getting swept on Sun Jul 21, 2024 (AP News photo)

Sunday, July 21, 2024

Coors Field

Denver, Colorado

San Francisco Giants 3 (48-52)

Colorado Rockies 2 (36-64)

Win: Hayden Birdsong (2-0)

Loss: Ryan Feltner (1-10)

Save: Camilo Doval (18)

Time: 2:20

Attendance: 30,507

By Stephen Ruderman

Hayden Birdsong was dominant over six innings in his fifth big league start, as he struck out 12, and the Giants were able to get out of Colorado with a much-needed 3-2 win salvage a game in this series at Coors Field.

The Giants had an exciting finish to the first half last weekend. However, they’ve struggled over the first two games of this series to start the second half.

First, they blew a 3-0 lead and lost 7-3 Friday night, and then they were unable to get to Kyle Freeland in a 4-3 loss last night. Until Friday, the Giants were undefeated against the Rockies this season, but now they were suddenly trying to avoid an embarrassing sweep at the hands of the third-worst team in Baseball.

The Giants would look to get the win on another cloudy and overcast afternoon in Denver. The game got off to an interesting start. Bob Melvin, who doesn’t often take out the lineup card, got ejected by third Base Umpire and Crew Chief Alex MacKay at the plate meeting prior to the start of the game. Usually in that situation, a manager is planning to watch the entire game from the clubhouse.

Jorge Soler then led off, and on the fourth pitch of the game from Rockies’ starter Ryan Feltner, Soler hit a mammoth 478-foot blast just to the left of straight away center field. It was the longest home run in Baseball this season.

It was the start the Giants needed against Feltner, who came into Saturday’s game 1-9 with a 5.38 ERA. Sunday night, the Giants struggled against Kyle Freeland, who came into the game with an ERA right at 6.00, and if the Giants were going to once again struggle against a really bad pitcher, it would have been even more of a really bad look.

Anyway, Hayden Birdsong took the ball for the Giants in his fifth big league start. Birdsong, who has snuck into MLB.com’s top 100 prospects since his major league debut, has gone 1-0 with a 3.72 ERA in his first four starts. Perhaps, he would be the man that could steer the ship for the Giants Sunday.

Indeed, Birdsong started out strong today. He pitched a scoreless bottom of the first inning, and he threw a 1-2-3 bottom of the second.

Tyler Fitzgerald, who hit a home run last night, led off the top of the third with a home run to dead straight away center to make it 2-0. Birdsong then pitched another 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the third, and he was dealing.

Feltner retired the first two men he faced in the top of the fourth, but Matt Chapman and Mike Yastrzesmski each singled to put runners at the corners with two outs. With Fitzgerald at the plate, Chapman scored on a passed ball by catcher Jacob Stallings to make it 3-0 San Francisco.

Birdsong walked Ryan McMahon with one out in the bottom of the fourth, and with two outs, Brendan Rogers put the Rockies on the board with a two-run home run to left to make it 3-2. Despite the home run, Birdsong struck out the side, and he struck out seven over the first four innings.

Feltner pitched a 1-2-3 top of the fifth, and after Stallings led off the bottom of the fifth with a base-hit, Birdsong struck out the side. Feltner then pitched another 1-2-3 inning in the top of the sixth.

Birdsong threw another 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the sixth, while striking out two to end one helluva a day for the young man. Birdsong gave up just two runs and two hits over six innings, but most importantly, he struck out 12, which was the most for a Giants’ rookie since Tim Lincecum struck out 12 against the Arizona Diamondbacks on July 1, 2007 at then-AT&T Park.

Feltner ended up going seven innings, an inning longer than Birdsong, and he ended his afternoon when Fitzgerald walked and was then caught trying to steal second base to end the top of the seventh.

Ryan Walker came in for the bottom of the seventh, and he got help right away from Matt Chapman, who took away a base-hit from Brendan Rogers on a ground ball to third to start the inning. Walker was damn lucky that Chapman made that play, because Jake Cave then lined a double to left.

The Rockies had the tying run at second against Walker with one out, but Stallings struck out looking, and Sam Hilliard lined out to center to end the inning, as the Giants’ kept their 3-2 lead going to the eighth.

Tyler Kinley pitched a scoreless top of the eighth for Colorado, and submariner Tyler Rogers, who got rocked for three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning in a tough-luck loss Friday, was back out for the top of the eighth Sunday afternoon.

Rogers seemed as if he was going to find himself in trouble again after Aaron Schunk reached on an error by second-baseman Brett Wisely. However, longtime veteran Charlie Blackmon, the longest-tenured Rockie dating all the way back to 2011, bunted into a 4-6-3 double play. Brenton Doyle singled with two outs, but Ryan McMahon grounded out to end the inning.

For Rogers, he didn’t have himself the worst inning, but with a Giants’ fan base that has relentlessly and unfairly gone after Rogers, I’m sure it wasn’t enough.

Anyway, it was off to the top of the ninth, where Jalen Beeks threw a 1-2-3 inning. For the bottom of the ninth, the Giants turned to Camilo Doval. Doval, who has been nails for the Giants as their closer the last two seasons, had gotten off to another solid start this season.

However, since a blown save in Pittsburgh on May 21 in which he gave up two unearned runs, he has been absolutely snakebit. His latest nightmare came last Sunday, when he blew a save against the Minnesota Twins.

Rumors have swirled that the Giants would go to a new closer, or perhaps Doval would even be sent to the minors, but here he was in the game today to try and notch the save in a semi-must-win game Sunday in Denver.

Doval struck Michael Toglia and Brendan Rogers both out looking to start the bottom of the ninth, but Jake Cave walked and stole second. Of course it wasn’t going to be easy for Doval, but he got Stallings to ground out to third, and everybody went home happy, as the Giants held on for a much-needed 3-2 win.

Hayden Birdsong got his second big league win; Ryan Feltner took his tenth loss of the season; and Camilo Doval picked up his 18th save of the year.

The Giants improve to 48-52—and yes, I just realized that this was the Giants’ 100th game of the season—and they will also have some much-needed momentum heading into a tough four-game series at Dodger Stadium against their hated rivals.

Blake Snell (0-3, 6.31 ERA), who almost picked up his first win of the season last Sunday, will go for the Giants Sunday night. Dave Roberts has yet to say who will go for the Dodgers. First pitch will be at 7:10 p.m., which is the old custom for games at Dodger Stadium.

Oakland A’s podcast with Augie Mesenburg: A’s offense springing into action, Rooker and Butler tee off for 3 RBIs a piece

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Oakland A’s Brent Rooker (left) gets congratulated by teammates JJ Bleday (33) and Miguel Andujar (22) after slugging a three run home run in the bottom of the first inning at the Oakland Coliseum on Sat Jul 20, 2024 (AP News photo)

Oakland A’s podcast with Augie Mesenburg:

#1 The Oakland A’s made a fast two wins to start this second half of the 2024 season after the All Star break. Taking Friday night’s game in a 13-3 laugher over the Los Angeles Angels and Saturday getting run production from Brent Rooker and Lawrence Butler with 3 RBIs each in the A’s 8-2 win.

#2 Before the All Star Break the A’s took two out of three from one of baseball’s toughest team the Philadelphia Phillies in Philadelphia. If the A’s are on the way to winning a whole bunch of games was the Philadelphia experiment a good curve of that?

#3 A’s are getting a sense that this team is starting to jell. Their hitting has vastly improved but the pitching has also kept them in games with recent help from starters JP Sears on Friday and Saturday starter Mitch Spence on Saturday.

#4 A’s have been rolling they’ve won six of their last ten games they’re 13.5 games off the pace in the AL West and have a lot of work ahead of them if they want to be a factor in this race. Some say this A’s team can’t do it and would be lucky if they don’t lost 100 games this season. In view of what you’ve seen in recent games is this just a passing phase or are these A’s serious?

#5 The Angels will try and avoid getting swept today at the Oakland Coliseum and will start RHP Carlson Fulmer (0-2, ERA 3.45) and the A’s will try for the sweep with starter RHP Joey Estes (4-4, ERA 5.29).

Augie Mesenburg is a podcast contributor at http://www.sportsradioservice.com and is a reporter at 1080 KWAI Honolulu