Category: MLB

Bailey’s grand slam in 5 run eighth inning rally helps Giants edge Mets 8-7 in New York

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San Francisco Giants Patrick Bailey (right) is congratulated by third base coach Matt Williams (left) after hitting a grand slam in the top of the eighth inning against the New York Mets at Citi Park in New York on Fri May 24, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Jessica Kwong

NEW YORK. — The San Francisco Giants hit their third grand slam in a row to come from behind and defeat the New York Mets 8-7 on Friday night in the first of a three-game series at Citi Field.

It was the first time that the Giants have won three consecutive games after trailing by four or more runs each, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. The game also lifted the Giants to .500 for the first time since being 2-2 on March 31, and put them on a trajectory they hope to continue upward.

“We came on this road trip, we were hoping to do something like that. Come home .500, a little bit better. You know we lose a really tough game to start in Pittsburgh which puts us back at three again which didn’t feel too terribly good,” said Giants manager Bob Melvin. “To win three in a row like that in the fashion we did, really good.”

In the first inning, Pete Alonso singled on a line drive to right fielder Mike Yastrzemski and Francisco Lindor scored, giving the Mets the first run of the game.

San Francisco answered back in the second inning as Jorge Soler hit a homer on a fly ball to center field to tie the game at 1-1.

In the third inning, Luis Matos grounded out and Marco Luciano scored, putting the Giants up 2-1.

But the Mets tied the game back up again in the fourth inning at 2-2 when Jeff McNeil singled on a line drive to center field and Mark Vientos scored. Then Tomás Nido went out on a sacrifice fly to left field and Starling Marte scored, putting the Mets up 3-2.

In the fifth inning, J.D. Martinez hit a home run on a fly ball to left center field, expanding the Mets’ lead to 4-2. Vientos followed up with a homer of his own on a fly ball to right center field to boost New York up 5-2.

The Mets had another homer in the seventh inning by Pete Alonso, who hit a fly ball to left field and the lead grew to 6-2.

But San Francisco put up a fight in the eighth inning. Thairo Estrada doubled on a sharp line drive to center field and Yastrzemski scored, cutting New York’s lead to 6-3. Then Patrick Bailey hit a grand slam to right center field, allowing LaMonte Wade Jr, Estrada and Matt Chapman to score and giving the Giants a 7-6 lead.

“I was just looking for something middle down that I could do some damage with and I put a good spin on it,” said Bailey of the grand slam.

San Francisco was not done there, as Yastrzemski in the ninth inning hit a home run on a fly ball to right field and expanded the lead to 8-6. Lindor singled on a sharp line drive to right field and D.J. Stewart scored, to cut San Francisco’s lead to 8-7.

The key moment happened with the tying run at third base. Vientos hit a slow chopper and Chapman threw the ball off balance to Wade Jr. at first base. Wade Jr. fell backward but had his foot on the bag. The play went under review but the call was upheld, giving the Giants the victory.

“I think it’s the most excited I’ve ever gotten after a play, just the situation, obviously, and how these last four games have been going, it’s just been crazy games,” said Chapman. “To have a walkoff play on defense like that with the bases loaded, game on the line, I think that’s probably the best one for sure. I kind of surprised myself a little bit there.”

Game two of the series at Citi Field is on Saturday with first pitch at 10:40 a.m. PT. Starting pitchers for the Giants RHP Jordan Hicks (4-1, 2.38) for the Mets RHP Luis Severino (2-2, ERA 3.48) for game 2 of the series.

Oakland A’s Relocation podcast with Daniel Dullum: A’s might sell their half of Coliseum to AASEG; No use for A’s since their leaving Oakland

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Sky view look at the Oakland Alameda County Coliseum Complex in Oakland which the property has been purchased 50-50 by the Oakland A’s and the other half by the African American Sports and Entertainment Group (photo by ABC Sky 7 News)

On the Oakland A’s podcast with Daniel Dullum:

#1 Things are changing quickly at the Oakland Coliseum as East Bay developer African American Sports and Entertainment Group or AASEG will be buying 50% of the Oakland Coliseum property from the city of Oakland at the cost of $105 million. The Oakland A’s are leaving the Coliseum for Sacramento after they complete the 2024 season on September 30th.

#2 For the city of Oakland the money is considered a Godsend as the city is bleeding in budget deficits to the tune of $177 million. The $105 will be a good comb over to save city services and job cuts.

#3 AASEG will have half ownership that includes the Oakland Arena. The Arena has been hosting Disney Ice Shows and concerts. There is no doubt that AASEG will put the arena to good use. Once it takes over. They were hoping for a WNBA team but with San Francisco getting a WNBA team that may not happen now.

#4 With the departures of the Oakland Raiders to Las Vegas, the Oakland A’s to Sacramento and later to Las Vegas, and Golden State Warriors to San Francisco AASAEG hopes to bring back some life back to both the Arena and the Oakland Coliseum. The Oakland Roots and Oakland Soul soccer teams plan to share the Coliseum for pro soccer in 2025. The big questions how much the A’s will go along with some of AASEG’s dreams, plans and ideas?

#5 The city originally want to sell the entire site to the A’s. The A’s were on board at the time of buying the Coliseum in whole but once they decided to move to Las Vegas they purchased just half of the Coliseum. The big question now lies with AASEG owning half of the Coliseum property and the A’s the other half and if Las Vegas and Sacramento falls through could the Coliseum get back into the picture again?

Daniel Dullum does the Oakland A’s Relocation podcasts each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Oakland A’s podcast with Jeremiah Salmonson: A’s scratch 5 runs in 11th inning to come back and defeat Rockies 10-9 at Coliseum

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Oakland A’s Tyler Soderstrom second from left is walked with the bases loaded and forces in the tying run Zack Gelof as the A’s defeat the Colorado Rockies in 11 innings at the Oakland Coliseum (AP News photo)

On the Oakland A’s podcast with Jeremiah:

#1 For the second consecutive game the Colorado Rockies and Oakland A’s battled in extra innings. On Wednesday night the Rockies got a two run home run from Ryan McMahon for the game winner in a 9-5 decision that ended in 12 innings. On Thursday’s matinee the Rockies and A’s traded leads and ties with the A’s down 9-5 in the bottom of the 11th coming back to score 5 times to win it 10-9 at the Coliseum.

#2 The Rockies struck in the first inning scoring two runs and added another two runs in the top of the sixth inning for a 4-0 lead and it looked like the A’s were going to go down quietly.

#3 The A’s would rebound with a run in the bottom of the seventh, two runs in the last of the eighth and tying it up in the bottom of the ninth at 4-4 forcing extra innings. In the tenth the Rockies and A’s both scored a run each to tie it up once more 5-5.

#4 The Rockies in the top of the 11th rallied scoring four runs and once again overtaking the A’s 9-5. The shocking part about it was the Rockies touched up one of the best relievers in baseball Mason Miller who gave up three hits and three earned runs which would have been Miller’s first blown save of the season if the A’s didn’t come back later for the win.

#5 The A’s reached way down in their heart of hearts and answered back with a five run rally to defeat the Rockies 10-9 in the bottom of the 11th inning. The game winner came when Tyler Soderstrom walked with the bases loaded scoring Zack Gelof from third base.

#6 The A’s open up a three game series with the Houston Astros tonight at the Coliseum. The Astros will be starting RHP Justin Verlander (2-2, ERA 3.97) for the A’s RHP Ross Stripling (1-8, ERA 5.19). Verlander with lots of experience and success. Of late Stripling has been taking loses can Stripling get a rebound against a Verlander?

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

A’s win unbelievable 11-inning thriller 10-9 over Rockies to take series

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Oakland A’s Daz Cameron watches the flight of his home run ball in the bottom of the ninth to tie up the ball game 5-5 at the time against the Colorado Rockies at the Oakland Coliseum on Thu May 23, 2024 (AP News photo)

Thursday, May 23, 2024

Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum

Oakland, California

Colorado Rockies 9 (16-33)

Oakland Athletics 10 (21-31)

Win: Brandon Bielak (1-0)

Loss: Peter Lambert (2-3)

Time: 3:12

Attendance: 6,886

By Stephen Ruderman

OAKLAND–The A’s fought and came out of an unbelievable 11-inning thriller on top, as they came back from two separate four-run deficits, and they scored five runs in the bottom of the 11th inning to beat the Colorado Rockies by a final of 10-9.

After dropping a tough one in 12 innings Wednesday night, the A’s hoped to bounce back with a series win over the Rockies in what was shaping up to be a casual Thursday afternoon affair at the Oakland Coliseum. It was a beautiful day for a ballgame, as busloads of kids who are getting out of school came to take in this one.

Joey Estes would take the mound for Oakland Thursday afternoon, and he would have a rough time getting things going in the top of the first inning.

Ezequiel Tovar hit a double to left-center field to start the ballgame. Jake Cave struck out swinging, and Ryan McMahon lined out to JJ Bleday out in left-center, but when Bleday through the ball back to second base, he ended up throwing the ball all the way into the Rockies’ dugout on the first base side of the Coliseum, which allowed Tovar to score the game’s first run.

The good news for the A’s was that the bases were empty with two outs. However, the Rockies kept things going, as Elehuris Montero doubled to left, and Brenton Doyle knocked in Montero with a double of his own to make it 2-0. It was the second day in a row that the Rockies scored two runs in the top of the first inning.

Ryan Feltner made the start for Colorado and pitched a scoreless bottom of the first. The A’s threatened off Feltner in the bottom of the second, when J.D. Davis singled to start the inning and Kyle McCann doubled him to third with one out.

Daz Cameron flew out to right for the second out, but it wasn’t deep enough for Davis to try and score. However, when the throw from Rockies’ right-fielder Jake Cave sailed by catcher Jacob Stallings, fans at the Coliseum expressed their displeasure at Davis for not scoring. Max Schuemann then struck out swinging to end the inning, and the A’s came up empty handed.

As for Estes, he settled down. In fact, when he got Jacob Stallings to ground out to end the top of the first inning, that started a streak of 13-straight guys that Estes retired.

Seth Brown doubled to lead off the bottom of the fourth, and the A’s ended up loading the bases with one out. However, like the bottom of the second, the A’s would waste this opportunity as well. Cameron and Schuemann each flew out, and the Rockies kept their 2-0 lead going to the fifth.

Estes’ streak came to an end when Tovar hit his second double of the game to lead off the top of the sixth. Cave then lined a single to right to put runners at the corners with nobody out.

Things then got weird when McMahon hit a high soaring pop up to shallow center field that drew in a whole group of A’s defenders. Shortstop Max Schuemann dropped the ball, which then deflected to right-fielder Seth Brown, who threw to second-baseman Zack Gelof to get cave on the force play. Tovar came in to score to make it 3-0 Rockies.

The play was ruled a 6-9-4 fielder’s choice and an RBI for McMahon. Ironically, the fact that Cave was thrown out at second is most likely what gave McMahon an RBI, as had everybody been safe, the play would have likely been ruled an error on Schuemann, and McMahon would not have gotten an RBI.

Montero came up and also hit a pop up, this one to left, and left-fielder Daz Cameron, who initially broke back, came in and couldn’t get it on the dive. This one would be ruled a hit. Doyle hit another pop up, but this one would be caught by Schuemann at short for the second out.

Stallings then lined a base-hit to left. McMahon was waved in, and Cameron’s throw to the plate appeared as if it was going to make it a close play at the plate. The throw was cut off by third-baseman Abraham Toro, who threw to the shortstop, Schuemann, who was covering third, to nail Montero to end the inning. McMahon crossed the plate before the final put was made, so the run scored, and it was 4-0.

The weirdest part of that inning was the fact that Estes only threw 10 pitches that entire inning. No at-bat in that inning lasted more than three pitches.

Feltner responded by throwing a shutdown 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the sixth. Estes then came back out for one last inning in the top of the seventh and threw a 1-2-3 inning.

The game was going rather quickly, as Victor Vodnik came in for Colorado in the bottom of the seventh, and the A’s finally got something going. Kyle McCann led off the inning with a double to right. Cameron reached on an infield hit to put runners at the corners, and Schuemann lined a base-hit up the middle to center to score McCann and put the A’s on the board.

Scott Alexander came in for Oakland in the eighth and threw a 1-2-3 inning. Seth Brown singled off Tyler Kinley with one out in the bottom of the eighth, and Davis hit a home run to left-center to make it a one-run game at 4-3.

Michael Kelly pitched a 1-2-3 inning for Oakland in the top of the ninth, and the A’s came up for one last shot in the bottom of the inning against Jalen Beeks.

Daz Cameron, who was called up just this morning from the Triple-A Las Vegas Aviators, and who heard the news this morning from Tacoma, Washington and had to catch an early morning flight from Seattle, hit a home run to left-center in his A’s debut to tie the game to start the bottom of the ninth.

“Have you ever heard of ‘snap, crackle, pop?’ That’s exactly what it feels like,” said Cameron. “Popping a ball off the really fat part of the bat…..it was a good feeling.”

It was quite a day for Cameron, who was playing his first major league game since Aug. 7, 2022, when he was a member of the Detroit Tigers.

“He’s been killing Triple-A,” said Manager Mark Kotsay. “[He took] a 5:30 flight from Seattle to Oakland [and was] in the lineup. I met him midway through my workout this morning, [I] told [him] he was in the lineup and he just kinda blank stared me and didn’t realize what was going on, because I was pretty intense at that moment. So it’s always that way, but for him to come through [with] a big homer to tie it in the ninth, it was great to see from him.”

Schuemann immediately followed up Cameron’s home run with a base-hit, and with two outs, he stole second. Brent Rooker then drew a walk from Justin Lawrence, but Brown softly lined out to second-baseman Alan Trejo in shallow right-center.

For the second day in a row, the A’s came back to force the game into extra innings. Mason Miller pitched in the top of the 10th, and the Rockies retook the lead on a sacrifice fly to center by Jordan Beck. The inning ended when Elias Diaz pinch-hit for Trejo and lined out to Davis, who very casually stepped on the bag to double off Kris Bryant at first to end the inning.

Lawrence stayed out for the Rockies in the bottom of the 10th. Gelof singled in Brown, the automatic runner, with one out to tie it again. McCann walked, and the A’s had another chance to win it, but Cameron grounded into a 5-4-3 double play to end the inning.

It was now off to the 11th, and Miller came back out for a second inning of work. Cave singled in Diaz, the automatic runner, to put the Rockies back ahead 6-5.

Things then completely fell apart for Miller and the A’s. With Cave at second and Charlie Blackmon at first with two outs, a wild pitch from Miller moved the runners to second and third. Doyle then singled deep into the hole at short to score Cave and make it 7-5. If it wasn’t for the wild pitch, Schuemann would have had an easy force play at second, but with that out of the picture, Doyle was able to beat out the long throw.

“I think [Miller] left a lot of pitches in the middle of the plate,” said Kotsay. “Even though he’s got dominant stuff, there’s going to be days when hitters [hit his stuff] when it’s over the middle…..you’re going to have days like that. Now, it’s about bouncing back for Mason.”

The Rockies continued to add on after Brandon Bielak came in for Miller. Brendan Rodgers lined a double down the left field line to score a pair and open Colorado’s lead to 9-5.

It was the exact same situation as last night. The Rockies scored two in the first inning, and the A’s came back to tie the game and force it into extra innings, but the Rockies were prepared to win another one. It seemed all but over for the A’s, but they continued to fight and refused to give in.

Matt Koch was the new pitcher for Colorado, and Cameron was the automatic runner at second. The A’s showed right away that they were indeed going to keep fighting, as Schuemann led off the inning and lined a double down the left field line to score Cameron and make it 9-6.

Toro singled on a ground ball to right to knock in Schuemann and make it 9-7, and then JJ Bleday tied the game with a home run to right-center.

What was a quick midweek afternoon affair quickly turned into a long and drawn-out thriller. Peter Lambert came in for Koch, and Brown lined an opposite-field base-hit to left with one out. Davis struck out looking for the second out, but on the third strike, Brown stole second. Gelof then hit a ground ball into the whole at short that seemed destined for left field, but Tovar dove to his right to keep it in the infield.

Rockies Manager Bud Black chose to intentionally walk McCann to load the bases, and Kotsay countered by pinch-hitting Tyler Soderstrom for Daz Cameron. It was a bold move to pinch-hit for the man who hit the ninth-inning game-tying home run in his A’s debate, but Kotsay’s move paid off, as Soderstrom walked on four pitches to end it, and the A’s someway and somehow came back with five runs in the bottom of the 11th to win this wild thriller by a final of 10-9.

“These guys in there, they don’t quit, and today’s an example of that,” said Kotsay. “The unity that they’ve stuck together, the teamwork that they’ve created [and] the culture in there came out today…..last road trip, they got together after we left Baltimore and talked about those specific things…..we got off that road trip with a day off, and I know a lot of the guys spent the day together bonding, creating friendship and that unity. I think today was a perfect example of it.”

Brandon Bielak ended up getting the win for Oakland, and Peter Lambert took the loss for Colorado.

The A’s improve to 21-31, and they have won their first series since taking two of three from the Miami Marlins two and a half weeks ago. They will welcome the Houston Astros into the Coliseum for three games starting Friday night. This will be a chance at retribution for the A’s, who were swept out of Houston in four games by the Astros when the two teams met at Minute Maid Park last week.

“We’re gonna enjoy this one,” said Kotsay. “I don’t want to look past this one yet, because it feels too good.”

“We want another opportunity to play [the Astros],” Kotsay continued. “They’ve had our number for a little while…..every series is [a] challenge, but I think [our] guys know where we’re at, and [we have an] opportunity to go out and play against the best.”

Ross Stripling (1-8, ERA 5.19) will be on the mound for the A’s, and he will be up against Justin Verlander (2-2, ERA 3.97) who will be going for Houston. First pitch will be at 6:40 p.m.

Giants score five in eighth inning to pull off another incredible comeback win in Pittsburgh 7-6

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San Francisco Giants Jorge Soler (2) greets Matt Chapman (26) who slugged a top of the eighth inning three run home run against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park in Pittsburgh on Thu May 23, 2024 (AP News photo)

Thursday, May 23, 2024

PNC Park

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

San Francisco Giants 7 (25-26)

Pittsburgh Pirates 6 (23-28)

Win: Luke Jackson (2-1)

Loss: Hunter Stratton (0-1)

Save: Tyler Rogers (1)

Time: 2:45

Attendance: 23,162

By Stephen Ruderman

The Giants have done it again, as they came back late for the second day in a row, today with a five-run top of the eighth inning, to beat the Pirates 7-6 and take the series on Thursday.

Following their worst loss of the season Tuesday night, in which the Giants blew a 6-2 lead in the bottom of the ninth and lost the game, they bounced back with their biggest win of the season Wednesday night, as they came back from down 5-0 to win it.

As the Giants tried to take the series Thursday afternoon, they were up against a challenge, as they had to go up against the Pirates’ young pitching phenom, Paul Skenes. Skenes was making this third-career big league start. Skenes was 1-0 in his first two starts with a 2.70 ERA. He also pitched six no-hit innings in his last start on May 17 against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field.

Luis Matos led off the ballgame Thursday, and he hit a ground ball the opposite way into right field to start things off. No rally would metastasize, however, as LaMonte Wade grounded into a double play, and Thairo Estrada swung out swinging to end the innings.

On the pitching front, this would be a bullpen game for the Giants, and left-hander Erik Miller was tasked to be the opener. Unfortunately for Miller, he was greeted to a rude welcome by Andrew McCutchen, who hit a home run to left-center to start off the bottom of the first.

Miller proceeded to retire the side in order after McCutchen’s home run, and Skenes set the Giants down 1-2-3 in the top of the second. Nick Gonzales led off the bottom of the second with a triple to center, but Miller was able to retire the next two guys he faced without the run scoring. Bob Melvin then pulled Miller for Mason Black, who got Joey Bart to ground out to short and end the inning, as the Giants got out of it unscathed.

Skenes pitched a scoreless top of the third, and Black, a 1-2-3 bottom of the third.

The Giants were poised to break through against Skenes get on the board in the top of the fourth. Estrada walked with one out, and Matt Chapman singled him in over to third. Jorge Soler came up and hit a ground ball to third that could have been a double play ball to end the inning, but after Jared Triolo threw to second-baseman Nico Gonzales to get Chapman at second, Gonzales was unable to get a throw off to first, and Estrada scored to tie the game.

The Giants tied it up, but their good fortunes would not last long. Connor Joe walked to start the bottom of the fourth, and O’Neil Cruz struck out looking for the first out of the inning. Black then walked Gonzales and hit Triolo to load the bases for Joey Bart, and of course the former Giant would burn them, as he hit a grand slam to straightaway center to stake the Pirates out to a 5-1 lead.

It surely great for the Giants’ 2018 first round and second-overall draft pick, who struggled to get a footing in San Francisco, but who has found a bit of success since being dealt over to the Pirates on April 2 after making the Giants’ opening day roster but not appearing in a game.

Curt Casali singled with one out in the top of the fifth, but Skenes pitched another scoreless inning. Black ran back into trouble in the bottom of the fifth after giving up back-to-back singles to McCutchen and former Giants’ farmhand Bryan Reynolds. Connor Joe lined out to right, and Black was pulled for left-hander Taylor Roger, who struck Cruz swinging and got Gonzales to fly out to left to end the inning with the Giants’ still trailing 5-1.

Skenes pitched one last scoreless inning in the top of the sixth, and his day was done after giving up a run and striking out three. His ERA is now at 2.25.

Joey Bart looked to do even more damage to his former team with a two-out double off Rogers in the bottom of the sixth. Ji-hwan Bae then tried to sneak in a bunt hit, but he ended up bunting the ball right to Wade at first to end the inning.

Jose Hernandez came in for Skenes in the top of the seventh and got Ryan McKenna to fly out to right to start the inning. Heliot Ramos then hooked a home run down the left field line, his second of the year, to make it 5-2.

Luke Jackson came in for Rogers in the bottom of the seventh, and his struggles continued. With one out, the Pirates got the run right back when Reynolds hit a home run out to right-center, all the way to the back of the stadium, to make it 6-2.

Hunter Stratton, who replaced Hernandez with two outs in the top of the seventh, was back out for the eighth, and the Giants were more than ready to pounce. Wade and Estrada singled to start the inning, and Matt Chapman hit a home run to left-center to suddenly make it a one-run game at 6-5.

It was the eighth home run of the year now the now-white-hot Chapman, who ties Thairo Estrada for the team lead in home runs. Chapman also ended up hitting a home run in all three games of this series.

The Giants were not done yet. Jorge Soler immediately followed up Chapman’s home run with a double to center to put the tying run in scoring position. Wilmer Flores then singled the other way to right to score Soler and tie the game, and for the second day in a row, the Giants came back to tie the game.

Now, the Giants were looking to take the lead. Ramos flew out to right, and then Pirates Manager Derek Shelton pulled Stratton for the veteran left-handed flame thrower, Aroldis Chapman.

Patrick Bailey was at the plate for the Giants, and while he was up, Marco Luciano, who came in to pinch-run for Flores, took second on a wild pitch by Chapman and took third on a passed ball. Brett Wisely then came up with two outs and lined a base-hit up the middle to center field to knock in Luciano and give the Giants the lead.

Randy Rodriguez, who pitched two perfect innings in relief Wednesday night, earned the trust of his manager, Bob Melvin, to pitch the bottom of the eighth in a one-run game. Rodriguez did not disappoint, as he threw a 1-2-3 inning.

David Bednar pitched a 1-2-3 top of the ninth for the Pirates, and since Camilo Doval pitched each of the last two nights, Melvin decided to go with the submariner, Tyler Rogers, to try and close out the game with finesse. Bae reached on another error by Luciano at short to start the inning. Fortunately for Rogers and Luciano, McCutchen popped out to short, and Bae was thrown out trying to steal second. Reynolds singled to left with two outs to extend the game, but Joe popped out to Wade in foul territory to end it, and the Giants held on to win another big game.

Luke Jackson got the win despite giving up the home run to Reynolds. He was the pitcher for the Giants when they scored five runs to take the lead in the eighth, so he got the win. That’s baseball. Hunter Stratton took the loss for Pittsburgh, and Tyler Rogers picked up his first save of the season.

The Giants are back to within just a game of .500 for the first time since April 28, as they improve to 25-26. They will now head to New York, where they will take on the Mets for three at Citi Field in Queens starting Friday night. Starting pitcher for the Giants Kyle Harrison (4-1 ERA 3.60) will be on the mound and for the Mets Christian Scott (0-2, ERA 4.32), as the Giants will try and get back to .500 for the first time since March 31. First pitch will be at 7:10 p.m. in New York, 4:10 p.m. back in San Francisco.

News and Notes:

Prior to the game, Blake Snell was placed on the paternity list, as his girlfriend, Haeley, is preparing to give berth. Nick Avila, who was sent down to Double-A Richmond when Snell was activated off the IL yesterday, was called back up.

Stephen Ruderman is a MLB staff writer at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

San Francisco Giants podcast with Michael Duca: Giants-Bucs meet in rubber game match today at PNC

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The San Francisco Giants Luis Matos top is congratulated by teammate Matt Chapman (26) after scoring on a LeMonte Wade RBI single in the top of the ninth inning against Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Colin Holderman at PNC Park in Pittsburgh on Wed May 22, 2024 (AP News photo)

SF Giants podcast with Michael:

#1 Michael, San Francisco Giants (24-26) starter Blake Snell got roughed up in the bottom of the fourth inning by the Pittsburgh Pirates (23-27) for five runs. Snell was out for two turns in the rotation due to a groin injury. He pitched well in his rehab at triple A Sacramento but on his first return back he got lit up.

#2 Snell pitched 3.1 innings giving up four hits and four runs. It just looked like he couldn’t find himself and settle down and was brought out with the bases loaded for reliever Sean Hjelle.

#3 To the Giants credit after Snell was relieved the Giants used five relievers and that was all the scoring for the Pirates for the evening.

#4 The Giants down 5-0 came back and tied the game in the ninth inning making it 5-5 and scored four times in the top of the tenth inning to take it 9-5 in the second game of the three game series at PNC Park. This was the second back to back game where both clubs went ten innings.

#5 The Giants and Bucs match up for the rubber game Thursday afternoon at 12:35pm PT the Giants have not announced a starter and the Pirates will be going with RHP Paul Skenes (1-0, ERA 2.70) at PNC. Michael, Giants manager Bob Melvin would like to come away with a series win to start this road trip.

Join Michael Duca for the Giants podcasts Thursdays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

McMahon 2 run homer in 12th lifts Rockies past A’s 4-3 at Coliseum

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Colorado Rockies Ryan McMahon raises a fist in celebration with teammate Jake Cave (11) after hitting a two run home run in the top of the 12th inning for the gamer at the Oakland Coliseum on Wed May 22, 2024 (AP News photo)

Colorado (16-32). 200 000 000 002. 4 12 0

Athletics (20-31). 000 100 001 001. 3. 8 0. 12 innings

Time: 3:09

Attendance: 3,617

Wednesday, May 22, 2024

By Lewis Rubman

OAKLAND–The A’s came close to duplicating Tuesday night’s surprising come from behind win over the foundering Colorado Rockies but fell short, losing to the visitors from the Mile High City, 4-3 in 12 innings.

The Athletics entrusted mound duties to Mitch Spence , acquired from the Yankees in the 2023 Rule 5 draft. The rookie was 3-2, 3.90) at game time. He was a workhorse last year in the minors, leading MiLB in innings pitched with 163 and was third in pitches thrown, with 2,564. In his previous start, his first as a major leaguer, the 6’2″, 185 lb. righty lasted only 4-2/3 frames but still threw 77 pitches, taking the loss even though he allowed only one run and retired 11 of the last Royals he faced.

Wednesday evening, he threw 70 pitches, 46 for strikes, before being relieved by Brandon Bielak after three innings. He allowed five hits, one of them responsible for both of the runs scored against him. He struck out four, walked three, and wasn’t involved in the decision and ending the night at 3-2, 4.09

The Rockies’ starting pitcher, four year veteran left hander Austin Gomber, came to work with an impressive record of 1-2, 3.02, He was the Cardinals’ choice in the fourth round of the 2014 draft and reached the majors with the Cards in 2018. He was on their roster during the pandemic shortened 2020 season, during which he spent 10 days on the COVID Injured List. He came to Denver in 2021 as part of the trade that sent Nolen Arenado to St. Louis. His record last year of 9-9, 5.50 hides his improvement of his first half numbers of 7-7, 6.40, to 2-2, 3.86 in the second half and his franchise record of 29-2/3 innings pitched without issuing a walk.

Gomber was in fine fettle Wednesday night. He went eight full innings and probably had it in him to hurl a complete game win, but he had to settle for an 89 pitch, eight inning no decision that lowered his ERA to 2.76.

It didn’t take long for the Blake Street Bombers to put a crooked number on the board. Catcher Elías Díaz smacked a 401 foot homer over the 388 foot sign in right center field with two down Charlie Blackmon on board to give them a 2-0 lead.

Brendan Rogers bad hop single to right and a pair of walks (with a balk thrown into the mix), the Rox loaded the bases. Spence got out of that jam with his third strikeout of the inning. The Rox loaded the sacks again in the third, and, once more, Spence wiggled out of it,once more retiring Jordan Beck for the third out.

JJ Bleday’s one ouytwallop, which took a 90 mph four seamer 392 feet into the right center field seats, narrowed the gap to 2-2 in the homeless fifth. That gave the A’s center fielder six homers and 19 RBI for the year.

Bielak allowed one hit in each of the fourth and fifth frames and left after Hunter Goodman’s liner to left hit the fence on a bounce for a two out double with the top of the order due up. TJ McFarland took over and issued a full count walk to Charlie Blackmon Ezéquiel Tovar’s fly to center ended the threat. McFarland retired McMahon in the top of the seventh and then turned the ball over to Michael Kelly, who gave up a double and a walk, but the Rockies’ lead remained 2-1 when he strolled to the dugout.

The Athletics threatened with two down in the bottom of the seventh, JD Davis legged out a single to short on which ‘Tovar made a beautiful bachand grab. Zack Gelof to center, putting the potential tying run in scoring position and the potential winning tally on base. But Tyler Nevin lined out to right to end the incipient rally.

Lucas Erceg helped himself by starting an inning ending 1-4-3 twin killing that gave the A’s one last chance to stay alive. He caught the ball in his bare hand before throwing it to second.

They got it against Jalen Beeks, who replaced Gomber to start the inning. And they took advantage of it. Bleday singled with one out. Langeliers flew out, leaving the Rockies one out away from victory, but he walked Davis and then surrendered a game tying single to the resurgent Gelof that plated pinch running Esteury Ruíz.

Erceg stayed on to pitch the first extra inning and retired the side in order. Victor Vlodnik returned the compliment in the Athletics’ 10th.

Austin Adams continued the skein of perfect innings in the top of the 11th, and Nick Mears struck out the three A’s he faced in the bottom of the frame.

It was Kyle Muller on the bump for the Athletics in the visitors’ 12th. Hunter Goodman advanced ghost runner Beck to third on a grounder to second, bringing up Ryan McMahon, who parked an 85 mph 401 feet into the right centerfield seats, taking the hopes of an A’s comeback win with him. But he didn’t allow any more scoring in spite of a double by Jacob Stallings.

The A’s now had a second one last chance. Seth Brown led off against Mears with Langliers as the zombie runner on second. He conservatively stopped at third on Brown’s single to center, bringing Gelof up with a chance to complete his turnaround performance.

But he bounced into an around the horn double play. But hope springs eternal, and Nevin drew a full count base on balls, and Colorado replaced Mears with Matt Koch to face Brett Harris. Mark Kotsay’s counter move was to call on Kyle McCann as a pinch hitter, bringing up Max Schuermann, who flew out to right.

Mears, now 1-3, 6,75, was the winning pitcher. Koch got his first save. The loss was charged to Muller, whose record now stands at 0-1, 3.94.

The two weary squads will face each other again Thursday afternoon at 12:37 at the Oakland Coliseum. Joey Estes (1-1, 9.35) will start for the Rockies; Ryan Feltner (1-4, 5.69) for the Athletics

Wade and Bailey lead Giants bounce back from worst loss of season to biggest win of the year in Pittsburgh 9-4 in extras

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San Francisco Giants Patrick Bailey celebrates with first base coach Mark Hallberg after a go ahead single in the top of the tenth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park in Pittsburgh on Wed May 22, 2024 (AP News photo)

Wednesday, May 22, 2024

PNC Park

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

San Francisco Giants 9 (24-26)

Pittsburgh Pirates 5 (23-27)

Win: Ryan Walker (4-2)

Loss: Carmen Mlodzinski (0-1)

Time: 3:23

Attendance: 13,830

By Stephen Ruderman

After suffering their worst loss of the season Tuesday night in which they blew a 6-2 lead in the bottom of the ninth inning and lost the game in 10 innings, the Giants, led by three-hit games by LaMonte Wade and Matt Chapman, flipped the script Wednesday night, and came back from down 5-0 to beat the Pirates 9-5 in another 10-inning thriller at PNC Park in Pittsburgh.

Baseball is an everyday game, and the Giants were back at it after their brutal loss last night. Blake Snell was activated off of the 15-Day Injured List to make his fourth start of the season, and he was the man the Giants turned to to bounce back.

Jared Jones took the mound for the Pirates, and the Giants were unable to muster anything against him in the early going. Snell, meanwhile, pitched through a one-out base-hit by Bryan Reynolds in the bottom of the first inning. Snell also pitched through trouble in the second and third, as the Pirates had two runners on in both innings, but Snell was able to wiggle out of it unscathed both innings.

The game stayed scoreless, as Jones pitched a scoreless top of the fourth, and Snell was right back in trouble in the bottom of the fourth. Snell walked O’Neil Cruz to start the inning and then gave up a base-hit to former Giant Joey Bart. Jared Triolo flew out to center to move Cruz to third, and Michael A. Taylor walked to load the bases.

After a lengthy and weird seven-pitch at-bat, Andrew McCutchen was hit in the back foot by a pitch—I know technically not an at-bat—after Home Plate Umpire Tony Randazzo nonchalantly called it. Bob Melvin opted not to have the play reviewed, as Randazzo got the call right, and the Pirates were on the board first up 1-0.

Melvin then pulled Snell for Sean Hjelle to face former Giants top prospect Bryan Reynolds. Reynolds hit a grand slam to right field to give the Pirates a 5-0 lead, as things just kept getting worse for the Giants. The Pirates threatened even further, but Hjelle was able to get out of it with the deficit still at five.

The Giants did have a response against Jones in the top of the fifth. Catcher Patrick Bailey, who was back in the starting lineup, lined a double the other way to right to lead things off. Jorge Soler, who has struggled with men on face, lined a base-hit to left to knock in Bailey and put the Giants on the board.

Hjelle pitched a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the fifth, LaMonte Wade lined a base-hit to center to start the sixth. Thairo Estrada popped out to short, but Matt Chapman stayed hot with a two-run home run to left-center, his seventh of the season, and it was suddenly 5-3.

Patrick Bailey lined a base-hit up the middle to center to bring up the tying run in Soler, and Soler came within 10-to-15 feet of tying it, but ultimately flew out to deep left field. Heliot Ramos then struck out swinging to end the inning.

It stayed 5-3 going to the bottom of the sixth, and Randy Rodriguez came in for the Giants to throw a 1-2-3 inning. Hunter Stratton came in for Pittsburgh and followed suit with a 1-2-3 inning of his own in the top of the seventh. Rodriguez threw another 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the seventh, as he set down all six men he faced Wednesday night.

“Randy Rodriguez is not just a long guy for us,” said Melvin. “On the pitching end, [those were] two really key innings. To be able to hold it down, not [just] hold it down, but carve through [them pretty easily, get us back in the dugout quickly and give us a chance to score, he’s really done a nice job for us.”

Veteran flamethrower Aroldis Chapman came in for the Pirates in the top of the eighth, and as the Giants are accustomed to seeing from Chapman in recent years, he walked Wade, Estrada and Chapman to load the bases with nobody out.

Pirates Manager Derek Shelton pulled Chapman for Colin Holderman, who struck Bailey out swinging for the first out. Soler then came up and was able to get Wade in after being thrown out at first on a swinging bunt. It was now 5-4, but Ramos struck out swinging to end the inning, and the Giants wasted another golden opportunity.

Tyler Rogers threw a 1-2-3 bottom of the eighth, and since Pirates’ closer David Bednar pitched Tuesday night, Shelton left Holderman out for the top of the ninth. The move appeared to pay off, as Mike Yastrzemski struck out swinging, and Wilmer Flores pinch-hit for Luciano and lined out to center.

The final hope for the Giants Wednesday night was Luis Matos. Matos was down to his last strike with the count at 2-2, and he lined a base-hit out to left-center. The ball was overrun by Pirates’ left-fielder Bryan Reynolds, and Matos saw it and took the extra base. It was now up to Wade, who lined a base-hit to right to knock in Matos and tie the game.

“When his at-bat comes up there, and we got a chance to tie the game, you feel pretty good about it,” said Melvin. “He’s very calm in those at-bats; he knows what he wants to do; he knows what he’s looking for; and he never alters his game plan, so that was a huge hit.”

It was Wade’s third hit of the night, and it was the fifth time he had reached base Wednesday night. The Giants were unable to take the lead, as Estrada flew out to shallow center to end the inning.

However, the Giants once again showed tremendous resiliency. There was the question of whether the Giants would be deflated following their loss Tuesday night, but they responded by coming back from down 5-0 to tie it.

Now the Giants had to get the game to the 10th, and Ryan Walker did just that with a 1-2-3 inning against the top of the Pirates’ order.

Carmen Mlodzinksi, who finished the top of the ninth, was back out for the top of the 10th, and Thairo Estrada was at second as the automatic runner. The automatic runner has been an advantage for the road team since its inception in the 60-Game Sprint Season of 2020, because no matter what, the road team is going to have a runner at second with nobody out in a tied game.

Chapman walked to start the inning, and Bailey joined Wade in having a three-hit game, as he hit a ground ball into right for a base-hit to score Estrada and give the Giants their first lead of the night. Soler then lined a base-hit to left-center to knock in Chapman and make it 7-5.

Ramos joined the hit parade with a single to right to load the bases. Yastrzemski struck out swinging, and Brett Wisely, who came into the game at short in the bottom of the ninth, nicked in Bailey with a sacrifice fly to center.

It was now 8-5 Giants, and they weren’t done yet. Matos, who started the two-out rally with his grit and hustle in the top of the ninth, flipped a base-hit to right-center to score Soler and make it 9-5. Wade drew this third walk of the game, and he also reached base for the sixth time Wednesday night. Estrada then flew out to center to end the inning.

The Giants were once again three outs away from a win up by four runs, and Melvin didn’t take any chances, as he went to Camilo Doval right away for a non-save situation. Connor Joe was the runner at second for the Pirates, and he got to third after Nick Gonzales grounded out to second for the second out of the inning.

Doval was an out away from closing it out, but it still didn’t come easy, as he walked Cruz. Bart then hit a bullet down the line to Chapman, who snagged it at third and threw all the way across to first to end the game on a spectacular play.

The Giants have taken some tremendous blows over the last 10 days, but they have been incredibly resilient. First, they lost Jung-hoo Lee for the season, but they bounced back with a four-game winning streak, which featured an historic performance by Luis Matos. Then after their worst loss of the season last night, they came back from down 5-0 for their biggest win of the season Wednesday night.

“You know, this was a really big game for us,” said Melvin. “If we come back and don’t win that game, it’s almost like losing another really really really tough game.”

“It was awesome,” said Snell. “It [was] fun to watch, fun to support [and] fun to see the boys come through. Especially after Tuesday. [To] see that happen to us, and then show a little bit of resiliency there and make it happen, that was awesome. [We gotta] keep going; we just gotta keep winning.”

Wednesday night was also the first time that the Giants had come back from down five or more runs to win since June 15, 2021, when they came back from down 7-0 to beat the Arizona Diamondbacks at Oracle Park on Mike Yastrzenski’s eighth inning grand slam.

Through it all, Ryan Walker got the win, and Carmen Mlodzinksi took the loss. The Giants improve to 24-26, and now they can win the series with a getaway win Thursday.

Melvin has yet to announce who will start Thursday’s game for the Giants, but the Giants will have their hands full against Paul Skenes, one of the Pirates’ top prospects, who is 1-0 with a 2.70 ERA in his first two starts in the big leagues. First pitch will be at 12:35 p.m. in Pittsburgh, and 9:35 a.m., morning baseball, in San Francisco.

News and Notes:

This was not Snell’s second-shortest outing innings wise, as he went just three and a third innings, but he had his highest pitch count of the year at 87 pitches. Bob Melvin was also quite satisfied with Snell’s start.

“His stuff was a lot better today,” said Melvin. “[His] velo[city] was a little bit higher; [his] breaking balls were sharper, and he was throwing strikes with them…..it looked different to me as far as the quality of his stuff…..endurance wise, I think it was key for him to throw that many pitches.”

Snell shared some thoughts on his outing and progress.

“I feel good,” said Snell. “[The] results will start coming…..we’re gonna get there. I like where I’m at. I’m confident, I feel good, [and] the ball was coming out good.”

Prior to the game, right-handed reliever Nick Avila was optioned to the Double-A Richmond Flying Squirrels to make room on the roster for Snell.

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Sell – City of Oakland to Sell Coliseum stake

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Photo of the Oakland Coliseum in the shadows. The Coliseum property has been sold at 50% to Oakland A’s owner John Fisher and the other 50% to the African American Sports and Entertainment Group (AP News file photo)

Sell – City of Oakland to Sell Coliseum stake

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

Oakland is a city in crisis, and when it comes to the A’s, the word “sell” is trendy among many Oakland A’s fans; however, it is the City of Oakland, not the A’s, who is doing the selling these days.

They are about to sell their stake of the Oakland Alameda County Coliseum to a group of African-American developers. These developers want to transform the East Oakland part of the city into a hub that would positively impact the city.

The city of Oakland will sell its stake in the Coliseum for at least $105 million. This is done to pay salaries and save the city from making more budget cuts. Voters have gathered the required signatures to recall current Mayor Shen Thao and Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Rice. A new chief of Police was sworn in recently after the city had been operating without a Police chief for over a year.

The Oakland A’s own the other half of the Coliseum, and as they plan their move, first and temporarily to Sacramento for the next three to four years before inaugurating new digs in Las Vegas, they could sell their stake in the future. There is little doubt that the A’s and the City of Oakland are done as far as any business dealings are concerned.

For years, I have maintained the idea of the A’s building their new baseball park at the same place they play today, the Oakland Coliseum. No sports facility in the Bay Area has better traffic access. The Oakland Coliseum can be reached via BART to the east, Highway 880 to the west, and the Oakland Airport just minutes away not to mention Amtrak from the north starting in Sacramento.

That is not going to happen because the A’s are leaving Oakland. However, I still believe that it would have worked if, along with the new stadium, the stadium was surrounded by an entertainment village of hotels, a movie theater, restaurants, and everything a family would enjoy when attending a baseball game. It would have been a place to visit, with the baseball park as the anchor.

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 Pittsburg and does News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

A’s Miller delivers shuts down Rockies for save and 5-4 win

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Oakland A’s JD Davis is fired up after hitting his third home run of the season against the Colorado Rockies in the bottom of the third as Colorado Rockies catcher Eillas Diaz watches at the Oakland Coliseum on Tue May 21, 2024 (AP News photo)

Colorado (15-32). 200 010 100. 4. 8. 0

Athletics (20-30). 001 001 21x. 5. 6. 1

Time: 2:17

Attendance: 4,005

By Lewis Rubman

OAKLAND–There wasn’t much at stake for either team when the Oakland Athletics defeated the visiting Colorado Rockies, 5-4 in front of a lively gathering of 4,005 die-hard spectators, many of them rooting for the Blake Street Bombers, at the moribund Oakland Coliseum tonight.

The Rox had just been swept in their three game series against the Giants after having enjoyed a seven game winning streak and their hosts had fallen from 17-17 on May 4 to a dismal 19-30 and were coming off an eight game losing streak. Although the results didn’t matter in the league and division standings, individual performances, positive and negative, were noteworthy.

For the Rockies, Ryan McMahon extended his streak of consecutive games reaching base to 14 and his hitting streak too nine with his first inning, two RBI, 393 foot home run over the 362 foot sign in right. It was his eighth round tripper of the season.

Ezéquier Tovar hit a mammoth blast in the fifth, a 443 foot no doubter to left, his sixth dinger of the year, that upped Colorado’s lead to 3-1. He hit another, just a little to the left of his first shot, with no one on the seventh. It came off Scott Alexander, who had relieved Brooks and left to make way for Austin Adams two batters later. It also gave Colorado a 4-2 advantage. Ezéquiuel Tovar went 2-5 with two solo home runs.

JD Davis redeemed his second inning error with his third homer of the year, a leadoff blast that cut the Rox’s lead to 2-1 in the third. JJ Bleday’s triple to left on a ball that Jordan Beck misplayed in the home sixth led to the Athletics’ second run on a wild pitch to Brent Walker.

The underperforming Seth Brown shook off the lethargy that had him hitting .181 at game time with a two run, game tying 414 two run homer to center in the bottom of the seventh, only his fifth home run of the year. Abraham Toro gave the A’s their first lead and eventual victory with a leadoff four bagger to right that travelled 396 feet off an 89 mph slider from Colorado’s third pitcher of the night, Tyler Kinley, who was charged with the loss.

Finally, there was Mason Miller, who closed the game for the green and gold, striking out the three batters he faced in the ninth on 16 pitches, a dozen of which were over 100 mph, and two of which travelled at 99 mph. That inning of work earned the youngster his ninth save in as many opportunities, an ERA of 0.89, and a WHIP of 0.59.

The A’s starting pitcher was Aaron Brooks, who was promoted from Las Vegas on May 15 and made his season’s debut in the show that same day. He went seven innings in that game, allowing three runs, all earned, and seven hits, while taking the loss.

Here’s the scouting report that Baseball America published after he’d been drafted by Kansas City in the ninth round of 2011: “Cal State Bernardino junior righty Aaron Brooks, a physical 6-foot-4, 220-pound strike-thrower. He pitches with a fringy fastball at 87-90 mph, occasionally bumping 91-92, as well as a fringy slider and changeup. He’s aggressive and durable but lacks upside.”

Tuesday night he lasted six innings and allowed three runs, all earned, on six hits and a walk. Two of those hits went the distance, and they accounted for all three tallies. He escaped with a no decision and an ERA of 4.15

His opponent, Cal Quantrill, is in his fifth big league season and on the downside of a successful if unremarkable career. He spent a good deal of last year on the injured list but came on strong after his second stint on the IL.

The highlight of his career came in 2021 when his ERA of 2.89 was the best in the Guardians’ rotation, although, if you counted only what he achieved as a starter, it was 3.12. He was 3-3, 3.66 at game time and went home at 3-3, 3.59 after tonight’s no decision.

Tomorrow, Wednesday, at 6:40, Mitch Spence(3-2, 3.90) will face the Rockies’ Augtin Gombere(1-2, 3.02)