Category: MLB

Benches empty after pitch comes close to Harper’s face; Phillies avoid sweep defeat Giants 6-1

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Philadelphia Phillies hitter Bryce Harper avoids getting hit as the ball hits the knob of his bat in the top of the fourth inning from a pitch thrown by San Francisco Giants starter Kyle Harrison at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Thu May 29, 2024 (AP News photo)

Wednesday, May 29, 2024

Oracle Park

San Francisco, California

Philadelphia Phillies 6 (39-18)

San Francisco Giants 1 (29-28)

Win: Christopher Sanchez (3-3)

Loss: Kyle Harrison (4-2)

Time: 2:38

Attendance: 31,763

By Stephen Ruderman

SAN FRANCISCO–The Giants were unable to get the sweep, as Kyle Harrison gave up 12 hits over five innings of work, and the Phillies were able to salvage a game in this series with a 6-1 win.

Following Tuesday night’s 10-inning 1-0 win to take the series against the Phillies, the Giants had a chance to sweep the best team in baseball with a win Wednesday. The Giants had their young left-hander, Kyle Harrison, on the mound today for this sunny, cloudless but hazy Wednesday afternoon affair in San Francisco, and they had every reason to feel good about their chances today, as they came into today 9-2 in Harrison’s starts.

Kyle Schwarber greeted Harrison with a rude welcome, as he hit a home run to left-center field to start the game. Harrison then proceeded to retire the side in order.

It would be a matchup of left-handers, as the Phillies sent Christopher Sanchez to the hill. Marco Luciano reached base when he hit a weak ground ball between the mound and the third base line, and Sanchez threw the ball past first-baseman Bryce Harper down the right field line. Luciano advanced to second on a ground out by Thairo Estrada, but Matt Chapman flew out to center to end the inning.

Harrison ran into trouble in the top of the second, as Nick Castellanos and Bryson Stott started the inning with singles. Whit Merrifield flew out to right, and Garrett Stubbs hit a bullet to Thairo Estrada at second for the second out.

That brought up the ninth-place hitter, Cristian Pache, who was hitting .196 coming into Wednesday’s game. It appeared that Harrison was going to get out of the inning, but Pache hit a ground ball that found its way into left field for a base-hit. Castellanos was waived in, and the throw from Heliot Ramos in left was not his strongest, as Castellanos scored to make it a 2-0 game.

The Giants were unable to do anything with a leadoff base-hit by Wilmer Flores in the bottom of the second, and Harrison found himself back in trouble with two outs in the top of the third. Castellanos doubled, and then Stott reached on an infield hit to short on what seemed to be a lack of effort by shortstop Marco Luciano.

Harrison got Merrifield to line out to right to escape the inning without any damage. As for Luciano, Manager Bob Melvin had Brett Wisely pinch-hit for him in the bottom of the third, as Luciano’s lackadaisical effort on Stott’s ground ball stemmed from a strained right hamstring that sustained while running to first base back in the first inning.

Wisely and Estrada both singled with two outs, and Chapman walked to load the bases, but the Giants wasted the opportunity, as Flores struck out swinging to end the inning.

The fourth inning would be interesting to say the least. Harrison was once again in trouble, as Bryce Harper came up with two outs and two runners on base. With the count at 1-2, Harrison threw a fastball up and in to Harper that Harper took umbrage to, as he had some words for Harrison.

The next pitch was also up and in and clipped Harper’s bat. Harper did not have much of a reaction, but the fact that he had another pitch up and in following the previous one caused the benches to empty. The Phillies basically had to exit their dugout to show that they had Harper’s bat, and same with the Giants and Harrison. Other than a bit of pushing and shoving, nothing too severe happened, and nobody was ejected.

“At that point, we’re still in the game and not trying to escalate anything,” said Manager Curt Casali. “There [was] no intent. Bryce has a history of being hit in the face, and I get the frustration, but I think we de-escalated it very very quickly. I went right over to him, and [I asked, ‘are you okay?’ He said ‘yes, I know you weren’t trying to go in there.’”

Harper acknowledged that neither pitch was intentional and that he had an emotional reaction.

“[Harrison] didn’t mean to [do it],” said Harper. “I wasn’t really that mad.”

“I’ll give Bryce some credit,” continued Casali. “He got upset, but he immediately calmed down. He wasn’t looking for a fight; he just reacted…..It’s scary when you get a ball in your face. I understand where he’s coming from. To his credit, I think after [his] reaction, I think he handled it really really well. I think he handled it like a pro. I gotta give some respect to him on that one.”

It was a coincidence that this happened on the seventh anniversary of Harper’s brawl with Hunter Strickland. Thankfully, today’s situation was nowhere near as severe as what happened in 2017, Harper ended up grounding out to short to end the inning.

The Giants went down scoreless in the bottom of the fourth, as Sanchez took comment. Harrison escaped trouble in the second, third and fourth unscathed, but he would not be so lucky in the top of the fifth. Bohm led off the inning with a double, and Castellanos hit an opposite-field home run to left that hit off the glove of Heliot Ramos just over the wall. That made it 4-0 Phillies, and after Harrison escaped further damage later in the inning, his day was done.

Harrison’s command has always been an indicator of how he’ll do, and while he only walked one better today, it was still not good. The Phillies also made a lot of hard contact off him. The most stinging stat is that the Phillies got 12 hits in just five innings against Harrison.

“[I’m] pissed off,” said Harrison. “Any time you look up and see [you’ve allowed] 12 hits, it’s not a good day.”

Sanchez proceeded to pitch a shutdown 1-2-3 bottom of the fifth. Luke Jackson relieved Harrison in the top of the sixth and pitched two perfect innings. Sanchez pitched another 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the sixth to put a cap on his afternoon, and Gregory Soto followed that up with a quick and scoreless bottom of the seventh for Philadelphia.

Randy Rodriguez, who has pitched well as of late for the Giants, came in for the eighth, but his fortunes took a dip Wednesday. Schwarber and Harper each knocked in runs with base-hits to pretty much put the game away, as the Phillies opened up their lead to 6-0.

Seranthony Dominguez pitched a 1-2-3 bottom of the eighth for Philadelphia, and submariner Tyler Rogers pitched a 1-2-3 top of the ninth for the Giants.

The Giants were able to get on the board off Spencer Turnball in the bottom of the ninth, as Flores doubled, and Ramos singled him in, but that would be it. Trenton Brooks pinch-hit for Tyler Fitzgerald and grounded out to first to end the game.

Sanchez got the win, and Harrison took just his second loss of the season. The Giants fall to 29-28, as they were unable to complete the sweep, but the fact that they were able to take two out of three against the best team in baseball is no small accomplishment.

The Giants will have a day off Thursday, and then they will welcome the New York Yankees to Oracle Park for a three-game series starting Friday night. It will be the Yankees’ first trip to San Francisco since they swept the Giants from April 26-28, 2019. The Yankees have not announced a starter yet and the Giants will start Jordan Hicks, and first pitch will be at 7:15 p.m.

News and Notes:

Marco Luciano is expected to be day to day with his strained right hamstring. He should be reevaluated no later than Friday.

Jung-hoo Lee is expected to have his operation on his dislocated left shoulder next Monday, June 3.

Negro League records integrated with MLB podcast with Stephen Ruderman: Josh Gibson moves into No. 1 spot in key records

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Josh Gibson who formerly played with the four Negro League teams from 1930 to 1946 including with the Homestead Grays (photo from the National Baseball Hall of Fame)

Negro League records integrated with MLB podcast with Stephen Ruderman:

#1 Stephen, Josh Gibson’s home run record is listed as somewhere between 150-200 but it is believed that Gibson hit up to 800-1000 home runs but there no records kept at the time to substantiate it.

#2 Gibson one of the greatest hitters of all time is now listed as Major League Baseball’s all time career leader with a lifetime average of .372 Gibson now moves ahead of Ty Cobb who formerly led with .367.

#3 Also Gibson over takes New York Yankees Babe Ruth in slugging percentage at .718 and an OPS 1.177 and passes Babe Ruth at .690 and 1.164.

#4 Some of Gibson’s home runs were hit unofficial games but it’s estimated that he hit a home run per every 16 at bats.

#5 Gibson also played in the Negro Leagues East-West All Star game 12 times. He played in two All Star games in three different years in 1939 at Comiskey Park and Yankees Stadium, in 1942 Yankee Stadium and Griffith Stadium and in 1946 at Griffith Stadium and Yankee Stadium.

Stephen Ruderman is a podcast contributor for http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Giants Matos’ walk off sac fly wins it in extras for 1-0 shutout of Phillies

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San Francisco Giants Luis Matos whacks a fly to left field that scored ghost runner Tyler Fitzgerald from third base in the bottom of the tenth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Oracle Park in San Francisco (AP News photo)

Philadelphia (38-18). 000 000 000 0. 0 7 0

San Francisco (29-27). 000 000 000 1. 1 4 0. 10 innings

Time: 2:32

Attendance: 34,653

Tuesday, May 8, 2024

By Lewis Rubman

SAN FRANCISCO–Thrilling as it was, the Giants’ 1-0 10 inning triumph over the Philadelphia Phillies at Oracle Park Tuesday night was less significant that what occurred in medical examination rooms and the Giants’ front office.

LaMonte Wade, Jr., who aggravated his left hamstring strain running out a double last night, was placed on the 10 day injured list, but imaging showed that he had a grade two strain, making his placement on the 30 day list inevitable.

The probable month long loss of Wade, arguably the Giants most reliable hitter and a steady presence at first base, reverberates against the season-long loss of the sparkplug Jung-Hoo Lee, who is awaiting surgery on his dislocated shoulder.

But those weren’t the only transactions of note that came down today. The Giants promoted three players from Sacramento. Trenton Brooks, a career minor leaguer who was hitting .308 in the hitter friendly PCL yesterday, was playing first base and batting in the ninth position when the orange and black took the field this evening.

Spencer Howard, a right handed pitcher who throws a sinker, cutter, change of pace, and knuckle curve, got a break and pitched four innings of shutout ball in the show Tuesday night. Tyler Fitzgerald, who had played in 22 games for the Giants earlier this season and was the most recent PCL Player of the Week, joined the caravan of River Cats down I-80 to McCovey Cove and scored the winning run.

San Francisco also designated two players for assignment, the well paid and unused veteran hurler Drew Pomeranz and outfielder Ryan McKenna.

Here’s a little more detail about the newcomers fared tonight. Brooks went hitless in four at bats, striking out once. Howard surrendered four hits and struck out four batters in his effective four innings on the mound, throwing 49 pitches, 36 for strikes.

Fitzgerald entered the game as a pinch hitter in the bottom of the eighth, when he walked. He struck out in the ninth and was the zombie runner whom Luis Matos drove in with his game winning sacrifice fly in the tenth.

The Giants used five pitchers to shut Philadelphia out in this bullpen game, opening with Erik Miller, who left after an inning. Then came Taylor Rogers. He stuck around for two frames, followed by Alexander, who kept Philadelphia off the board in the fourth through seventh frames.

Ty Rogers gave up a hit in the one inning he pitched, the eighth. Sean Hjelle, who got the win, and now is 2-1, 2.95, put the Phils down. in order in the ninth, and didn’t let the ghost runner get past third in the tenth.

Philadelphia’s starting pitcher, Zack Wheeler, a veteran of 10 major league campaigns and last years Gold Glove winner in the. National League, pitched six strong innings, in which he allowed only two hits and an equal number of walks while striking out nine of the 21 Giants he faced.

Orion Kerkering and José Alvarado each pitched a hitless inning, although the latter issued a pair of bases on balls. Jeff Hoffman gave up a couple of hits, one a broken bat single by Thairo Estrada, but emerged unscathed. Matt Strahm, who took the loss, issued an intentional walk, but managed to lose in the one scoring inning of the entire night. Here’s how it came down:

Fitzgerald was placed on second. The Phillies chose to grant Héliot Ramos an intentional pass to set up a double play. It was the standard move in situations like this. It backfired. WilmerFlores, who had entered the game a pinch hitter in the eighth, flew out to center, deep enough to let Fitzgerald advance to third. Matos then few out to medium deep left, deep enough for Fitzgerald to beat the throw home and give the Giants a tremendous victory

Wednesday Matinee, will see the final duel between these two teams, barring a playoff encounter Kyle Harrison (4-1, 3.90) will face off against the Fighting Phillies from the City of Brotherly Love’s Cristopher Sánchez (2-3, 3.15) at 12:45pm PT.

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: No Major League team for Oakland on the horizon

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The city of Oakland and the Oakland Coliseum will not be seeing MLB baseball expansion anytime soon (NBC Bay Area photo)

No Major League team for Oakland on the horizon

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

Below are considered the cities vying for an expansion team in Major League Baseball—Total city and area population.

Montreal: 4.38 million. Charlotte: 2.76 million. San Antonio: 2.66 million. Portland: 2.51 million. Sacramento: 2.42 million (A’s are expected to play from 2025 to 2027-maybe 2028) Nashville: 2.05 million. Salt Lake City: 1.27 million Conspicuously, and for obvious reasons, Oakland is not on this list, and it might not be for many years to come.

A case can be made that another Bay Area city (the one with the largest population), San José, could even have a better shot than Oakland for an expansion, with the most significant obstacle being the San Francisco Giants, who own the San José territory which ironically was given to the Giants for free by A’s owner Walter Haas in 1990, as a way to keep the Giants in the Bay Area and not relocate to Florida.

The Media Markets for these cities are below. None come close to Oakland, which is designated as the number six market area in the United States and, according to Nielsen, as of 2004, is part of the Bay Area together with San Francisco and San Jose; at the time, Santa Clara County (including San José) was considered neutral territory by the two teams.

Today, San José has the largest population in the Bay Area, with over 1 million, including the world-famous Silicon Valley, where the average salary of a worker is $190,000 annually.

Nielsen Media Rankings (2024) Sacramento (20th in U.S.) Charlotte (21st in U.S.) Portland (23rd in U.S.) Nashville (26th in U.S.) Salt Lake City (27th in U.S.) San Antonio (31st in U.S.) Las Vegas (40th in U.S.) —

This is where the A’s have decided as their final destination. Major League Baseball expansion is coming—it’s just a matter of when and where. While the timeline for MLB’s expansion to 32 teams remains. Commissioner Rob Manfred said he hopes to have a process “in place” before he retires in 2029.

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

He Was a Giant? Hector Heity Cruz By Tony the Tiger Hayes

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Hector Cruz of the San Francisco Giants on KNBR baseball card 1978 (KNBR photo)

He Was a Giant? Hector Heity Cruz #9 OF/3B 1978-79

By Tony the Tiger Hayes

After his professional baseball playing days were over, the former Giant Hector “Heity” Cruz began a second career as an old school, pound-the-pavement mailman. But anyone who remembers Cruz’s splashy 1978 San Francisco arrival would likely have surmised his skill set would have been better suited with an express shipment outfit.

Make no mistake about it – Cruz’s first delivery as a Giant was clearly not dispatched via “Snail Mail.”

In his very first plate appearance as a Giant, Cruz produced a violent swing of his Louisville Slugger, sending a soaring drive deep into a foggy San Francisco night for a game tying pinch-hit home run off the Mets’ Skip Lockwood.

Minutes after Heity’s cruise missle, Jack Clark sent another two-run moon shot into the same familiar left field “DMZ” territory at Candlestick Park for a walk off 7-4 victory.

The 16,429 in attendance exploded in a frenzy as Clark glided around the bases, slapping hands with third base coach Dave Bristol before being greeted by an Orange & Black throng at home plate.

Giants play-by-play man Lon Simmons was so impassioned on his call of Clark’s winning blow that his typically granite-steady baritone creaked with unrestrained emotion.

As the dejected Mets trudged off to their Union Square hotel, wildly cheering Giants fanatics partied down in the grandstand before coaxing Clark and Cruz up and out of the dugout for a much deserved curtain call.

“I wasn’t thinking about anything going around the bases. I was just so happy,” said a dazed Cruz, after his “Cash on Delivery” debut. “(Giants infielder) Bill Madlock told me before the game, ‘They’re going to pinch-hit you in the bottom of the ninth, and you’re going to hit a home run.’ I swear to God, that’s what he told me. I’ve got to believe it. It happened.”

Forty-six years later the dramatic victory remains one of most profound moments of the unbelievable 1978 season.

Cruz’s blast immediately catapulted the Puerto Rican-born utility man into cult status among Giants fans who remember the enduring ‘78 campaign that saw the Giants astoundingly lead the National League Western Division for much of the summer.

Why Was He a Giant?

For much of the 1970s the Giants were a franchise seemingly stumbling in the dark.

The decade of Watergate and neckties as wide as Van Ness Avenue saw the once proud historic ball club wither into a mediocrity. After starting the decade with a lineup of legendary stars, the club soon crumbled. By 1975 the team was on the verge of bankruptcy and preparing a relocation to Canada.

But after a long spell of losing baseball, the Giants suddenly turned it around in 1978. Thanks to a fruitful farm system, the return of wayward son Willie McCovey and the unlikely addition of super star pitcher Vida Blue via an unexpected mega trade with rival Oakland, the Giants suddenly became viable again.

The Giants got off to a decent start in April and then without warning blossomed in May as they authored a 20-6 record and clamored to the top of the NL West, leap frogging long-time nemesis the Dodgers and Reds who had taken turns winning the west most of the decade.

By mid-June of ‘78, the Giants were still holding on to first, but Los Angeles and Cincinnati were creeping up.

On June 15th, as the Giants were playing the visiting Phillies in a midweek day game at the ‘Stick, Giants General Manager Spec Richardson was busy upstairs in his mezzanine level office wheeling and dealing.

As the Giants piled up 12 hits in a 6-2 trouncing of the Phils, Richardson managed to swing three trades, netting a trio of bona fide big leaguers while subtracting just one player off the major league roster.

Incoming was shortstop Roger Metzger from Houston in a cash deal; outfielder Jim Dwyer was picked from St. Louis to complete an earlier trade of minor league pitcher Frank Riccelli; and Cruz, an outfielder and third baseman, was acquired in a swap with the Chicago Cubs in exchange for seldom used right-handed pitcher Lynn McGlothen.

The the addition of the three new charges were just the latest in a flurry of player acquisitions by Richardson, who took over the Orange & Black front office reins two years earlier.

In the previous 12 months, the trade happy Richardson had added to the roster, former 1971 American League Cy Young Award winner and Most Valuable Player Blue from Oakland for a bushel of eight prospects and veterans; swapped the disgruntled Bobby Murcer to the Cubs for batting champ Madlock, and traded for starting left fielder Terry Whitfield and slugger Mike Ivie from the Yankees and Padres respectively.

“I think we’re in good shape with the players we have now, but we want to win pennant this year and we’ll do anything we need to do to stay in the race,” said Richardson. “We’re no different than another club tryin’ to fit in the pieces of the puzzle. We’ve just been fortunate lately to get the right ones.”

(At the end of season Richardson would be named 1978 N.L. Executive of the Year.)

Both attendance and spirits were on the rise in Giants-land for the first time in years. Could the Giants actually be headed to the playoffs?

There was no doubt in manager Joe Altobelli’s estimation.

“Wouldn’t you agree that these are the types of moves a first place club would make?” asked the second- year skipper.

The Giants remained atop the western division for much of the ‘78 season until flaming out in September. The club ultimately finished 89-73 in third place, six games behind the Dodgers.

He Never Had a Giants Bobblehead Day. But…

A day after the trades for Metzger, Dwyer and Cruz – the Giants remained at home for a Friday night contest. They were in set on extending their winning streak to seven games.

Unlike the first place Giants, the visiting New York Mets were a mess. The Joe Torre led club had Willie Mays on the bench as a coach, but not much beyond All-Star center fielder Lee Mazzilli on the field.

Sixty-three games into the ‘78 campaign the Gothams sat in fifth place in the NL East, trailing the first place Cubs by 8 games.

After pitching six strong innings against the Giants a week earlier at Shea Stadium, the Mets sent journeyman lefty Kevin Kobel back out for his second start of the season to square off with Giants right-hander Ed Halicki.

After cruising through the first three innings, Halicki waded into troubled waters in the fourth, allowing three runs on four hits. “Ho-Ho” coughed up another run in the fifth.

Kobel pitched shutout ball through five frames, before being shocked by a two-out, two-run, 400-foot home run by Ivie in the 6th to pull San Francisco within two runs.

Lockwood relieved Kobel to start the seventh. But after two quick outs, he too was humbled by a solo poke by Madlock to cut New York’s lead to 4-3.

The unrelenting Giants placed two runners on to start the 8th, but Lockwood beared down and shut the door before any damage was done, preserving a 4-3 edge.

The score stood as the Giants came to bat in the 9th.

With the light-hitting Johnnie LeMaster due to lead off the frame, Altobelli saw a golden opportunity to break Cruz out of his shipping container.

Cruz, who had arrived at Candlestick Park at 5 p.m. after a flight from Houston, took a look-see pitch from the bespectacled veteran righty before uncoiling – turning around a fastball and dispatching it over the left field fence, and knotting the contest 4-4.

The blast landed in the no-man’s land between the left field screen and the permanent grandstand. On one bounce it was scooped up and pocketed by a scalawag youth before he disappeared back into the $1 seats.

Once the dust settled, Altobelli went off script and did something you wouldn’t even see managers do when pitchers were still permitted to bat.

The Italian-American field general surprisingly left relief pitcher Gary Lavelle in the game to bat, despite the fact the lefty had already pitched two innings and was not exactly Babe Ruth reincarnate. The lefty 1977 All-Star bullpen ace literally had just two hits in 44 career at- bats at that point.

Lavelle however rewarded his manager’s confidence by rapping a single to center off Lockwood. An exasperated Torre sprung from the Mets third base dugout and quickly summoned another righty, big Texan, Dale Murray.

Madlock expertly sacrificed Lavelle to second to bring up Darrel Evans. Torre called on Murray to intentionally walk the left-handed Evans to set up a potential double play.

But it was not Torre’s finest moment, as the dangerous Jack, who stung a single earlier in the contest – rammed a long ball far over the left field fence to send the Bay City Boppers into the win column.

Though Jack the Ripper’s slash was the show stopper, the post game attention focused on the new kid in town.

Cruz admitted he was aiming for the best possible first impression on his new fans and teammates.

“In that situation I was going for the long ball,” shouted Cruz over the din of A Taste of Honey’s “Boogie Oogie Oogie” blasting from Larry Herndon’s club house boom box.

“Pinch -hitting, you only look for one pitch – the fastball. I got it in the middle of the plate. I didn’t think it was going out,” Heity said. “I thought it would hit the fence. But then I see the fielder’s head go back looking and then he looks down and I know it’s gone.”

Before & After

There have been dozens of brother tandems that have played Major League Baseball, but only a handful of blood lines have sent three sons to big leagues. Count Cruz family among them. Like youngest son Hector, Jose (an all-time Astros great) and Tommy also made their debut’s with St. Louis in the early 1970s.

Though he was a bit of a vagabond in the big league career – playing for four clubs over nine seasons – Heity was a titan of minor league baseball. In 1975, as a member of the Tulsa Oilers, Heity was named The Minor League Player of Year by The Sporting News after a hearty .306, 29, 116 season.

Based on that breakout season, the Redbirds traded Ken Reitz, their long-standing slick-fielding third base to the Giants to open the hot corner for Cruz in 1976.

Though the rookie put up impressive numbers at the plate – .221, 13, 71 – Cruz was atrocious in the field, committing a league worst 26 errors at third base.

The following winter St. Louis reacquired Reitz from San Francisco to play third.

Cruz was given an opportunity to win a starting outfielder slot by the Cards in 1977, but he struggled. He was never again an everyday player in the majors.

After his fantastic Giants debut, Cruz continued to contribute off the bench for the Orange & Black, batting .223, 6, 24 in 79 games.

In a 9-0, Blue shutout of visiting Atlanta, Cruz batted 3-for-4, with a home run and 4 RBI. (6/23/78).

In a 4-1 home win vs. Montreal, Heity batted 2-for-3, with a double and long ball and 2 RBI. (8/26/78).

There was much hope for the Giants heading into 1979, but the club came crashing back to earth after a poor start. Cruz was among several players shed in midseason, with the popular Giant going to the Reds in exchange for reliever Pedro Bourbon.

It was a good landing for Cruz, as the Reds would go on to win the NL West.

As Giants fans could attest, Cruz was a valuable asset for a winning club like Cincinnati.

In August he batted .344 with 4 homers and 14 RBIs. Cruz participated in postseason action that fall, appearing in two games of the Reds playoff series vs. my

Pittsburgh.

After another campaign with Cincy, Cruz returned to the Cubs for a couple of seasons before ending his professional career in Japan.

He later settled in Chicago. Never afraid of hard work, Cruz worked for many years as a U.S. Postal Service mail carrier in the Windy City.

Giant Footprint

Hector’s nephew Jose, Jr., who was four years old when his uncle joined the Orange & Black, became a Giant himself in 2003.

Jose’s one-year run was generally positive – winning outfield Gold Glove Award and batting .250, 20, 68 in a team high 158 games – for a division winning team. But unfortunately, he is most remembered for butchering a catchable extra innings fly ball, sparking the Florida Marlins comeback win in Game 3 of the Division Series. The Giants would ultimately lose the playoff series in four games.

One last note, besides being theatrical and a vital contribution to a consequential victory, Heity Cruz’s Giants debut was historic.

While players such as Kris Bryant, Paul DeJong and Rob Wilfong all homered in their first games with San Francisco, besides Cruz, on just one other occasion did a Giants mid-season trade pick-up clobber a home run in his very first Giants at bat – Ken Lofton in 2002.

A’s Pitching Results In a Shutout Win Over Tampa Bay 3-0; Oakland’s Spence pitches no hit ball into the sixth

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Oakland A’s starter Mitch Spence pitches in the first inning had a no hitter going into the sixth inning at Tropicana Field in Tampa Bay against the Tampa Bay Rays on Tue May 28, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

The Oakland A’s (23-33) not got some great pitching in game one of their three game series with the Tampa Bay Rays (26-29) but they also got a huge sixth inning from Miguel Andujar. Andujar hit a home run with Max Schuemann and JJ Bleday on base for the 3-0 shutout in the series opener at Tropicana Field in Tampa Bay on Tuesday. Mason Miller closed out the game for Oakland in the ninth inning for his 11th save this season.

Game recap: The first five innings were an effort from both teams trying to hit off either pitcher. The A’s Mitch Spencer had a great game Tuesday. He was three up and three down in the first inning and solid in the second with a single walk.

He had three up and three down third, fourth and fifth innings. He allowed one hit in the sixth before he was relieved by T.J. McFarland. He showed off some great work on the mound today. The Rays Zach Littell was also solid through five innings allowing two hits in the third inning but he was also going three up and three down for most of the game going into the sixth.

It all came to an end for Littell as he had a rough sixth inning with Oakland breaking through for the first runs of the game. Max Schuemann reached first base due to an error by Rays second baseman Brandon Lowe.

Abraham Toro grounded out sending Schuemann to second. The A’s JJ Bleday walked and Oakland had two runners on base. Miguel Andujar came to the plate with two outs. He was very impressive in his Oakland debut going up against Justin Verlander in the first game of their series with the Astros last Friday night.

That had been his first at-bat in almost eight months and he drove a fast ball into left field for an RBI. He took that success into today’s game hitting a home run out of left field giving the A’s a 3-0 lead which held going into the eighth inning.

Michael Kelly relieved T.J. McFarland in the eighth inning. McFarland turned in some nice work allowing no hits, no runs with one strikeout as Oakland continued to hold the 3-0 lead through eight innings.

Oakland was three outs away from a shutout and the A’s sent in the “Reaper” Mason Miller to close out this game. He got behind in the count 3-0 in the Rays first at bat but finished off Jose Caballero with three strikes for the first out.

Tampa Bay’s Richie Palacios flied out for the second out. Miller stumbled a bit allowing a single from Brandon Lowe and then walking Yandy Diaz. With two runners on base Miller faced Isaac Paredes striking him out for the third out and the 3-0 shutout and once again it was “Miller Time.” This was his 11th saves of the season.

Post game notes: After dropping a series to the Houston Astros over the weekend, the A’s traveled back to Tampa Bay to take on the Rays Tuesday night. Mitch Spencer was on the hill for the A’s went 5.1 innings gave just one hit and struck out four batters. The Rays starter Zach Littell went seven innings, gave up five hits, and struck nine. After a up and down offensive patch, Oakland was ready and got their bats on track in Tuesday night’s game with that three run sixth.

Game two of this three game series will start at 3:50 PM on Wednesday. Joey Estes will be on the hill for Oakland with a 1-1 win/loss record, ERA 7.47. The A’s offense will be facing Ryan Pepiot who will start for Tampa Bay. He has a 3.98 ERA and a 3-2 win/loss record.

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast: Acuna out for season with blown ACL; Umpire Angel Hernandez has retired; plus more news

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Atlanta Braves Ronald Acuna Jr grimaces while being assisted by the Braves George C Poulis while walking off the field after blowing out his ACL and will be out for the rest of the season on Sun May 26, 2024 (photo from ESPN)

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast:

#1 How much of an impact for the Atlanta Braves losing Ronald Acuna Jr for the rest of the season after running between second and third base and blew out his ACL taking a bad turn on the base pathes.

#2 Umpire Angel Hernandez who was accused of blowing calls in the ALDS which resulted in his not being selected to umpire in the World Series and lost a racial bias suit has retired from ever umpiring an MLB game again. His retirement is effect today. Hernandez was the center of the ire from the players and fans on social media. Hernandez said this was all stemmed from racial bias. Hernandez umpired in the Majors since 1991.

#3 Los Angeles Dodgers two way player Shohei Ohtani is not giving up on the possibility of pitching again. Ohtani was put on the shelf from pitching and left with the hitting duties as designated hitter. Ohtani is recovery from his second Tommy John surgery. Ohtani threw from 60 feet on Monday at Citi Field tracking at 80 MPH. Ohtani was said to possibly to return to pitching in August.

#4 Former Milwaukee Brewers manager Craig Counsell was unceremoniously booed upon his return at American Family Field as manager of the Chicago Cubs on Monday. Counsell took the booing in stride saying, “The fans are here to enjoy the day, enjoy a baseball game,” Counsell said “They get to do what they want. Hopefully they had a good time.” The Cubs lost to the Brewers 5-1.

#5 The San Francisco Giants LaMonte Wade Jr who returned to the line up after being on the IL. Wade reinjured himself on a hard slide on a double and ended up straining his hamstring. The Giants said that Wade is on the way back to the IL.

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

San Francisco Giants game wrap: Snell struggles again in no decision against Phillies; SF makes another comeback in 8-4 win

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San Francisco Giants starter Blake Snell delivers to the Philadelphia Phillies line up in the top of the first inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Mon May 27. 2024 (AP News photo)

Philadelphia (38-17). 002 200 000 4 7 3

San Francisco 28-27). 030 021 20x. 8 12. 1

Time: 2:44

Attendance: 40,598

Monday, May 27, 2024

By Lewis Rubman

SAN FRANCISCO–We’re only about a third of the way through the season, so to consider any series critical at this juncture would not only be premature; it would border on the melodramatic. Nonetheless, the Giants’ 8-4 win this afternoon before a sellout crowd of 40,598 was important because it came at the expense of the team with the best winning percentage in the major leagues–.704 at game, .691 after it.

San Francisco had just completed a six game trip to Pittsburgh and New York and, in spite of Sunday’s disappointing loss to the Mets, was 8-2 in its last 10 games. The team’s decisive victory in the first of a three game series indicated that the Giants are, indeed, contenders but also left some serious doubts about their chances. Those doubts centered around Cy Young award winner Blake Snell.

This cool, sunny, and–it goes without saying–breezy Memorial Day afternoon, gave us a chance to see if, after long last, Snell had overcome the negative effects his extended off-season, groin injuries, and paternity leave that had sent him to the mound at 0-3, 11.40, and a distressing WHIP of 2.07. His performance Sunday indicated that he hadn’t.

Snell lasted a mere four innings and threw 90 pitches in them. He allowed four runs, three of them earned, on five hits and two walks, while striking out seven on the way to a no decision that left him at 0-3, 10.42 with a WHIP of 2.00. Randy Rodríguez, who earned his first major league win, replaced him at the start of the Philly fifth.

Snell’s counterpart for Philadelphia, Taijuan Walker, brought an impressive 3-0 won-lost record to this, his 200th career start. His ERA also was impressive but in a dissonant way; it was 5.06. He wasn’t impressive today, yielding a half a dozen runs, five of them earned, on nine hits and two walks. Of his 98 offerings, 65 were considered strikes. The loss left him at 3-1,6.51

The Phillies hit Snell hard in the first, including JT Realmuto’s one out double off the 399 foot marker in front of the Giants’ bullpen that extended his hitting streak to 16 and Alec Boh Bohm’s inning ending line out to Héctor Ramos in left.

The Giants did more against Walker than just threaten. They tattooed him. Matt Chapman opened the second with a walk and moved up a base on Patrick Bailey’s single to right. After Jorge Soler flew out to center, Mike Yastrzemski lashed a two bagger into the right field corner, driving in Chapman and Bailey. The offensive paused when Ramos took a called third strike but resumed with Brett Wisely’s RBI single to center. When the dust had settled, the home team led, 3-0.

That didn’t last long. Kyele Schwarber’s 10th home run of the year, which flew over the State Farm advertisement embedded in the right field wall in the top of the third, closed the gap to 3-2. A nice running catch by Yastrzemski of Bohm’s fly to right center kept things from getting out of hand.

That happened in their next turn at bat. Edmundo Sosa socked a triple to base of the center field fence and scored on Snell’s wild pitch to Whit Merrifield. Chapman’s error when he couldn’t pick up Merrifield’s hopping ground ball allowed the Phillies’ second sacker to reach first and then steal his way into scoring position.

Johan Rojas then dumped a single into center, Merrifield scored, and Philadelphia had grabbed a 4-3 lead. It could have been worse; Schwarber drew a walk and then. combined with Rojas to pull off a double steal before Realmuto whiffed for the final out of the frame.

The Giants grabbed the lead back in their half of the fifth, thanks, in part, to some bad fielding. Matos beat out a bad throw by third baseman Bohm on a tough play that was scored as a hit. LaMonte Wade, Jr. whacked a double off the left edge of the State Farm sign in right center to put two runners in scoring position.

It was a pyrrhic victory; Wade aggravated the hamstring injury from which he had been recovering. Wilmer Flores pinch ran for him and remained in the game to play first. Estrada followed Wade’s double with a hot shot to third that Bohm couldn’t handle and which let Flores move up 90 feet. He scored on Bailey’s sac fly to left.

San Francisco tacked on another tally in the sixth on a walk to Yastrzemski and Wisely’s double off the Visa advertisement in right center. That gave Erik Miller a 6-4 lead when he came in to pitch the top of the seventh. He retired Rojas quickly and then got Schwarber to lift a pop up in front of the plate.

Miller, Flores, and Chapman converged on the ball, which fell between them for a sun and wind aided infield single. Then Miller retired the dangerous Realmuto. and Harper to put an end to that uprising.

Walker didn’t come out for the home half of the seventh; José Ruíz did and was the victim of fielding that was worthy of the 1962 Mets. Errors by Bohm (yes, him again) and Merrifield, along with Estrada’s infield single and Ramos’s safety to center, upped the Giants’ advantage to 8-4.

Matt Strahm replaced Walker to pitch the bottom of the eighth, which was uneventful except for Estrada’s shot down the third base line that ate up Bohn and went into left for a two out double.

Camilo Doval allowed a double off the National Car Rental ad in left field to close out the game.

The Giants, who were swept earlier this month in their four game visit to the City of Brotherly Love, have a chance to clinch the current series Tuesday. The Giants haven’t yet announced who will start. Philadelphia will go with Zack Wheeler (6-3, 2.53). Game time will be 6:45pm PT.

San Francisco Giants podcast with Marko Ukalovic: Giants back at Oracle to face mighty Phillies today

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San Francisco Giants pitcher Logan Webb (62) can’t handle the throw to him covering first base trying to retire the New York Mets DJ Stewart (29) in the bottom of the second inning at Citi Field in New York on Sun May 26, 2024 (AP News photo)

On the SF Giants podcast with Marko Ukalovic:

#1 The San Francisco Giants didn’t end their road trip in New York the way they planned after taking the first two games of the series the Giants buckled in the ninth inning when reliver Tyler Rogers gave up three earned runs in a one run 4-3 loss.

#2 The Giants to start out the contest got good pitching from starter Logan Webb who went seven innings, gave up three hits, a walk and eight strike outs.

#3 It was the Met’s Omar Narvaez who got his first home run this season that was the difference in the three run ninth for the one run win.

#4 For Narvaez it was not only his first home run of the season but it took him going 0-27 for him to get his first hit and help end the Mets five game losing streak.

#5 The Giants tasks get even more challenging as they take on the visiting Philadelphia Phillies for a three game series that starts on Monday Memorial day at Oracle Park in San Francisco. For Philadelphia RHP Taijuan Walker (3-0, ERA 5.06) for San Francisco Blake Snell (0-3, ERA 11.40) first pitch at 2:05pm PT.

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

Oakland A’s podcast with Barbara Mason: A’s opening up three game series in Tampa Bay Tuesday

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The Oakland A’s Max Schuemann (12) heads home and is congratulated by third base coach Eric Martins (3) after hitting a home run in the bottom of the sixth inning against the Houston Astros at the Oakland Coliseum on Sun May 26, 2024 (AP News photo)

On the Oakland A’s podcast with Barbara:

#1 On Sunday in the fourth inning at the Oakland Coliseum was where the Astros took charge and didn’t just get a lead, but they had a rally that deflated a ballpark. Yanier Diaz hit a sac fly and scored Jon Singleton, who got on from a double, 1-0 Astros.

#2 After the Astros Mauricio Dubon got on base from a horrendous double, Jose Altuve singled and scored Jake Meyers and Dubon, 3-0 Astros. 

#3Following the Altuve single, Kyle Tucker hit a two run homer, 5-0 Astros and Aaron Brooks was now fighting a different battle. 

#4 A’s finally got on the board when Max Schuemann hit a lead off home run off Blanco, 5-1 Astros still in the lead. 

#5 The A’s will take Monday Memorial Day off and open a road trip against the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday at 3:40pm PT. The A’ starting pitcher Mitch Spence (3-2, ERA 4.09) and the Rays will be going with RHP Zack Littell (2-2, ERA 3.42).

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