Category: MLB

Oakland A’s podcast with Jerry Feitelberg: A’s have a break out game with 8-4 win over O’s

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Oakland Athletics’ Brent Rooker (25) celebrates with Tony Kemp (5) after hitting a home run against the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards at Baltimore on Wed Apr 12, 2023 (AP News photo)

On the A’s podcast with Jerry Feitlelberg:

#1 The Oakland A’s snapped their six-game losing streak Wednesday night as they downed the Baltimore Orioles 8-4. The A’s scored eight runs for the second night in a row.

#2 The A’s starter, lefty Ken Waldichuk, had his best outing of the season. He did not get the win, but he pitched into the seventh inning. The A’s bullpen did the rest.

#3 The A’s jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Leadoff hitter Tony Kemp doubled to deep right-center field. Brent Rooker hit a homerun to help contribute to the eight run total.

#4 A’s reliever Domingo Acevedo has been put on the 15 day Injured List due to a lower back strain. Acevedo has struggled in the relief in particular the A’s last home stand against the Angels and the Guardians running his ERA up to 13.50 in his first five games surrendering ten hits and eight runs. Acevedo did have a good spring training with an 0.96 ERA.

#5 .The A’s will start Adam Oiller (0-0 ERA 4.66) Former A’s pitcher, lefty Cole Irvin (0-2 ERA 9.35), will pitch for the Birds. Irvin will be making his first start as an Oriole, and the crafty lefty would love a victory over his former teammates. The game will start at 10 am.

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

Giants Drop Series to Rival Dodgers 10-5; LA’s Muncy takes SF deep twice

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Los Angeles Dodgers’ Max Muncy hits a three-run home run against the San Francisco Giants during the sixth inning  at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Wed Apr 12, 2023 (AP News photo)

Giants Drop Series to Rival Dodgers 10-5

By Barbara Mason

Wednesday evening the San Francisco Giants (5-7) played the rival Los Angeles Dodgers (7-6) in the rubber game of their three game series. The Dodgers won the first game of this series by a landslide 9-1 on Monday but the Giants came roaring back in game two winning a 5-0 shut out on Tuesday. Wednesday night San Francisco couldn’t get to .500 in this series losing to Los Angeles 10-5.

The Giants faced Dodger ace pitcher Clayton Kershaw who pitched six innings giving up five hits and improved his record to 2-1. San Francisco sent Alex Cobb to the mound who lasted 3.2 innings and gave up eight hits and two runs but was not the pitcher of record in Wednesday’s loss.

Game recap: The Giants got on the scoreboard early 2-0. J.D. Davis hit a sacrifice fly driving Thairo Estrada home for the first run of the game. The Giants would score a second run in the first inning when Darin Ruf doubled and Michael Conforto scored for the 2-0 lead.

Wilmer Flores singled in the second inning extending the Giants lead 3-0 when Joey Bart scored from third base. Alex Cobb had three good innings but ran into some trouble in the fourth inning.

The Dodgers had a couple of hits that got them up on the scoreboard. James Outman singled driving in J.D. Martinez for their first run.

Their second run came when Mookie Betts doubled and David Peralta scored. The Dodgers had snuck right back into this game trailing by a single run 3-2. At this point Cobb was pulled after allowing eight hits and two runs. Scott Alexander took over on the mound relieving Cobb.

In the fifth inning the Giants lead evaporated when slugger Max Muncy homered to center field and this game was tied 3-3. Scott Alexander was relieved by Taylor Rogers.

After walking two runners in the sixth inning Rogers had loaded the bases with no outs. He then faced Freddie Freeman in a pitching battle that ended with a walk after 15 pitches. Trayce Thompson scored and Los Angels had taken the lead 4-3.

It was back to the bullpen and Rogers was out; John Brebbia was in. It was a tough inning for the relief pitcher. Will Smith sacrificed, Chris Taylor scored and this game had turned around 5-3.

San Francisco was struggling to get out of the sixth inning but Dodger Max Muncy had other plans hitting his second home run of the game with two runners on base. Los Angeles had an 8-3 lead after six innings.

Relief pitcher Ross Stripling would take the mound in the seventh inning. More struggles for the Giant’s pitchers as Stripling walked the first at bat and gave up another Dodger home run. The Trayce Thompson homer gave the Dodgers a 10-3 lead.

The Giants got a rally going in the bottom of the seventh. Wilmer Flores singled in a run with a lot of work still for San Francisco. The Giants had two runners on base and two outs but left those runners stranded going into the eighth inning.

The Giants Thairo Estrada knocked one out of the park in the ninth inning. It was just too little too late as San Francisco lost this game and the series.

Stripling closed out this game. The Giants bullpen struggled mightily in this loss. The Giants had ten hits to the Dodgers 13 but they left runners on base and the pitching did the team no favors tonight. The home runs from Los Angles really hurt especially the second Muncy bullet with two runners on base.

This will be the last time these two teams will meet in San Francisco until the final three games of the 2023 season.

Thursday the Giants will have a day off before heading to Detroit for a three game series with the Tigers on Friday starting for San Francisco Sean Manaea (0-0, 4.50) and Detroit no starter has been announced. First pitch is scheduled for 3:40 PM at Comerica Park in Detroit.

Headline Sports podcast with Jessica Kwong: No broken jaw, teeth alignment needed for Twins Farmer; Umpire hit in head by ball sent to hospital; plus more

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Minnesota Twins Kyle Farmer hits the deck after getting hit in the jaw by a Chicago White Sox pitcher Lucas Giolito at Target Field in Minneapolis. Farmer will need to have his teeth realigned according to Twins manager Rocco Baldelli. photo by USA Today)

On Headlines with Jessica:

#1 Minnesota Twins shortstop Kyle Farmer was hit in the jaw by Chicago White Sox pitcher Lucas Giolito who threw a 91.6 MPH pitch. Farmer was laid out and had to get help up and was able to walk with assistance to the Twins clubhouse. Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said after the game Wednesday that Farmer will need to get his teeth realigned, Farmer had to have a laceration closed and was very lucky to avoid getting a broken jaw.

#2 MLB second base umpire Larry Vanover was hit in the head by a ball that was was thrown by Cleveland Guardians shortstop Andres Gimenez who intended to throw to home plate after the New York Yankees Kyle Higashioka hit it to Gimenez. Vanover was removed for the game for precautions and was taken to a local hospital for observation.

#3 A group called Big League Utah wants a big league expansion team in downtown Salt Lake City. MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said that he would like to have 32 teams in the majors. Salt Lake City is one of three other cities who want an expansion team Nashville, Portland, and Charlotte. Oakland and Tampa Bay do not look like they’ll be getting stadium soon and they could be looking for a place to move to.

#4 Jessica, the Tampa Bay Rays continue to run away with it they picked up their 12th straight win against the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday afternoon 9-2. The Rays remain unbeaten through 12 games. The Rays are getting the hitting, today they opened up in the bottom of the first with three runs and got good starting pitching from Rays starter Taj Bradley.

#5 The Los Angeles Angels have banned a beat writer who was on the Angels radio show “Beat Reporters Round Table.” Angels team president John Carpino wanted Athletic beat writer Sam Blum barred from coming back on the show because he was too critical of the Angels. The Angels are currently a .500 team. Carpino said that he was banned because he was too negative on the show and the show is supposed to be an upbeat program.

Join Jessica Kwong for Headline Sports Wednesday nights at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

A’s snap six-game losing streak beat Orioles 8-4

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Oakland Athletics’ Carlos Perez watches his home run against the Baltimore Orioles during the fifth inning at Camden Yards in Baltimore on Wed Apr 12, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

What a difference a day makes. The Oakland A’s snapped their six-game losing streak Wednesday night as they downed the Baltimore Orioles 8-4. The A’s scored eight runs for the second night in a row. What was the difference? The answer is pitching and hitting.

The A’s starter, lefty Ken Waldichuk, had his best outing of the season. He did not get the win, but he pitched into the seventh inning. The A’s bullpen did the rest. Oakland’s pitching held the Orioles’ Austin Hays and Ryan Mountcastle hitless Wednesday night.

Hays has homered in each of the first two games. On Tuesday, Ryan Mountcastle had two homers and nine RBIs but was held hitless. The A’s offense rapped out 15 hits, including two home runs. It was a gritty win for the Green and Gold. There were a lot of smiles in the A’s clubhouse after the game. Here’s how they did it.

The A’s jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Leadoff hitter Tony Kemp doubled to deep right-center field. With one out, Orioles starter, Dean Kremer, hit Ramon Laureano with a pitch to put two men on base. Right fielder Brent Rooker blasted his first homer of the season over the centerfield wall to give Oakland an early advantage.

The Orioles scored twice in the bottom of the second. Orioles shortstop Ramon Urias reached on an infield single. Waldichuk walked Gunner Henderson. Second baseman Jorge Mateo doubled to drive in Urias with the Orioles first run. Henderson went to third on the play. Ryan McKenna’s sacrifice fly drove in Henderson with Baltimore’s second run. The A’s lea 3-2 after two innings.

In the top of the fifth, A’s catcher Carlos Perez belted his first home run of the season to give the A’s a 4-2 lead. It was Perez’s first home run 2018.

With the talent the Orioles have, no lead is safe. The Orioles came back from a 7-3 deficit on Tuesday to beat the A’s 12-8. A’s manager Mark Kotsay let Waldichuk start the seventh inning. With one out, Orioles right fielder Adam Frazier singled.

Kotsay ended Waldichuk’s night as he brought in Jeurys Familia to pitch. Frazier was able to advance to second on a passed ball. Familia gave up a single to Cedric Mullins. Frazier was able to score on the hit. Familia got Austin Hays to ground out, and Mullins went to third on the play.

Familia had to face the dangerous Adley Rutschman. Rutschman won the battle as he singled to drive in Mullins with the tying run. The score was tied 4-4 after seven.

Orioles’ manager Brandon Hyde brought Keegan Akin to pitch the eighth inning. The A’s played small ball and put three more runs on the board. Brent Rooker singled to get things rolling for the A’s. Kotsay inserted Esteury Ruiz to run for Rooker. The next hitter, Jace Peterson, singled. Ruiz stopped at second.

The Orioles summoned Cionel Perez from the bullpen to relieve Akin. A’s second baseman Aledmys Diaz reached on a bunt single to load the bases. Jesus Aguilar’s sacrifice fly drove in Ruiz with the a’s fifth run. Peterson tagged and went to third on the play. Kotsay sent Nick Allen into the game to run for Diaz.

Kevin Smith’s sacrifice bunt allowed Peterson to score on the play. Allen went top second. Carlos Perez singled to drive in Allen. The A’s led 7-4 midway through the eighth inning.

Oakland added a run in the top of the ninth. Ryan Noda reached on an infield single. Ramon Laureano singled, sending Noda to third. Esteury Ruiz reached on an infield single. Noda scored the A’s eighth run of the game. A’s reliever Chad Smith pitched a scoreless eight and ninth innings to secure the win for the A’s.

Game Notes: With the win, the A’s are now 3-9. The Orioles fall to 6-6.

Waldichuk had his best game this year. Waldichuk’s line was six and one-third innings pitched. He allowed five hits and three runs. Waldichuk walked three and struck out four. Familia went 2/3rd of an inning and allowed two hits and one run. Chad Smith earned his first Major League win. 

The line score for Oakland was eight runs, 15 hits, and one error. The Orioles line was four runs, eight hits, and no errors.

The hitting starts for Oakland were Brent Rooker and Carlos Perez. Rooker had two hits. One of his hits was an Earl Weaver special- a three-run dinger. Carlos Perez has three hits and two RBIs. One of Perez’s was a home run.

The A’s pitching held the Orioles’ big three, Hayes, Rutschman, and Mountcastle, to one hit in eleven at-bats. 

After the game, Mark Kotsay said:” I thought the guys did a great job.” “We played offense tonight.” I am “happy about the way we executed.” 

The A’s finish the four-game series with the Orioles on Thursday. Mark Kotsay has selected Adam Oller to pitch for Oakland. Former A’s pitcher, lefty Cole Irvin, will pitch for the Birds. Irvin will be making his first start as an Oriole, and the crafty lefty would love a victory over his former teammates. The game will start at 10 am.

The time of the game was two hours and fifty-one minutes. Attendance was 10,181.

Giants Wood gets three hit 5-0 shutout on Dodgers at Oracle Park

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San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Alex Wood, middle, hands the ball over to manager Gabe Kapler, left, as he exits during the fifth inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Tue Apr 11, 2023 (AP News photo)

Los Angeles. 000 000 000 – 0 3 0

San Francisco 200 000 03x – 5 7 1

Time: 2:38

Attendance: 30,768

Tuesday, April 11, 2023

By Lewis Rubman

SAN FRANCISCO–Hoping to reverse their dismal start that left them 4-6 for the nascent 2023 season, San Francisco’s Gentle Giants sent southpaw Alex Wood to the mound against their long-time arch rival Los Angeles Dodgers this evening.

Wood, who brought a record of 0-0, 3.00 with him, could boast of the second best ERA in San Francisco’s starting rotation, trailing only the other Alex on the front five, Cobb. Wood was up against a formidable opponent. Dustin May pitched 18-1/3 innings in spring training this year, going 5-4, 2,95 with 20 strike outs.

Between opening day and game time, the 25 year old righty had started two games, winning one, and compiled an ERA 0.69 over 13 frames.

When hostilities ceased (if you can ssay that about a Giants-Dodgers game), the Giants had burst open a close glame with a three run eighth inniing to defeat the visitors, 5-0, in a combined three hitter.

May’s impressive showings this year didn’t keep the Giants from jumping on him for an early 2-0 lead. Back to back walks to LaMonte Wade, Jr. and Michael Conforto set the stage for a productive ground out to third by JD Davis that moved both runners up 90 feet.

Joc Pederson’s resounding double to right brought both of them home. Wood held the Dodgers at Bay forr 4-2/3 innings, but his control wavered in the top of the fifth. Walks to James Outman and Mookie Betts allowed right handed number three batter Will Smith to come to the plate.

SF needed a right handed pitcher to counter him. Enter Jakob Junis. Outman launched a tremendous drive to deep right field, sending Conforto to the back of the warning track to haul in the blast. Wood had thrown 75 pitches during his tenure; 42 of them considered strikes.

No runs were scored against him, and he surrendered but one hit. He walked three batters and hit another two. Wood’s performance brought his ERA down to 1,17.

Junis had escaped by the skin of his teeth in the fifth. He had enough trouble in the sixth to require his replacement by Scott Alexander. Junis issued a leadoff single to center off the bat of JD Martíhez, followed by a Texas League single to right by Trayce Thompson.

Miguel Vargas stuffed the sacks with Dodgers when a catcher’s interference error was called on Blake Sabol, who still is learning that position. Alexander pulled a Houdini, getting a force 0ut at home on Outman’s nubber in front of the plate and fanning Miguel Rojas.

May was removed prophylatically after retiring Davis, the Giants’ leadoff batter in their half of the sixth, yielding to Caleb Ferguson, who closed out the frame, giving up[ a harmless single to Mike Yastrzemski.

It was the on again, off again John Brebbia on the hill for SF in the top of the seventh, facing the top of the Angelino order. He held them scoreless in spite of a leadoff walk to Betts.

Shelby Miller hopped on the reief merry-go-round after the seventh inning stretch. He managed to retire a couple of Giants but also surrendered a single too Sabol, who stole second, and a two out wak to Wade.

So it was Briusdar Graterol who walked Conforto to clog the basepaths FOG, Full of Goats. He also got Davis to ground out to second to end the inning.

Submariner Tyler Rogers came on to torpedo the Dodgers in the eighthh on, setting them down in order on 15 pitches (11 strikes).

Another inning, another pitcher. Evan Phillips on the mound for Los Angeles. With one down, Yastremzski whacked a two bagger into the right field corner and trotted home on Villar’s booming round tripper 403 into right field that left his bat at 102.9 mph. Not to be out done, Crawford sent a splash hit 366 feet into McCovey Cove off of a 93.7 mph cutter. In the twinkling of an eye, San Francisco was ahead, 5-0. Sabol’s and Johnson’s striking out was anticlimactic.

Camilo Duval, with a little help from a great play at second by Thairo Estrada, who entered the game in the top of the eight, closed the book on LA, allowing only a walk in the ninth.

Alexander got the win; May, the loss.

It will be the mighty Clayton Kershaw (3-1, 3.75) will start for the Dodgers against the formidable Alex Cobb (0-1, 2.53) for the Giants Wednesday, evening at 6:45.

Ryan Mountcastle’s monster night delivers Orioles to victory 12-8; A’s cough up 7-2 lead

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The Baltimore Orioles Ryan Mountcastle was a one man wrecking crew gets congratulated in the Orioles dugout after one of his hits against the Oakland A’s at Camden Yards in Baltimore on Tue Apr 11, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Oakland A’s ( finally got some offense Tuesday night in Baltimore. The A’s hitters put eight runs on the board. The A’s had 12 hits in the game. The only problem is the A’s pitching surrendered three homers to the Orioles (6-5), and the A’s lost their sixth straight game 12-8.

The A’s pitching could not stop the Orioles’ offense. O’s first baseman Ryan Mountcastle was a one-man show. Mountcastle alone beat the A’ 9-8. Mountcastle had three hits, including a three-run home run and a grand slam. Mountcastle’s nine RBIs were the most ever by an A’s opponent.

The A’s pitching needs to be fixed. The A’s have the worst run differential in baseball this year. They need better performances from the starters, and the bullpen has not stopped anyone. 

The A’s drew first blood in the top of the first. Oakland put a run on the board when Brent Rooker singled to drive in Tony Kemp. Baltimore answered with a run in the bottom of the first. Austin Hays doubled and scored on Mountcastle’s single.

Oakland went ahead 2-1 in the third. The Orioles tied the game in their half of the inning 2-2. Baltimore took a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the fourth. O’s second baseman, Ramon Urias, leading off, walked. DH James McCann doubled to deep right field to drive in Urias. 

In the fifth, the A’s batted around, scoring five times to go ahead 7-3. The rally started when O’s starter Grayson Rodriguez walked leadoff hotter Ryan Noda. A’s DH Jesus Aguilar struck out. Rodriguez walked Rooker and Jace Peterson to load the bases. O’s manager, Brandon Hyde, brought in Austin Voth to pitch.

A’s shortstop Kevin Smith singled to drive in Noda. Conner Capel grounded out, and Rooker scored on the play. The A’s led 4-3. The next hitter, catcher Shea Langeliers, blasted his second big fly of the season to put the A’s ahead 7-3. The Orioles plated three more runs as they did in the first and third.

Kyle Muller was still on the mound for the A’s. Orioles leadoff hitter Austin Hayes reached on an infield single. Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman singled to put men on at first and second with no out. Ryan Mountcastle was the next hitter. Mountcastle homered to make it 7-6. The big first baseman had driven in five of the Orioles’ six runs.

Lefty Trevor May was on the hill for Oakland in the bottom of the sixth. With one out, Austin Hays jumped on a hanging curve and sent it out of the park to tie the game 7-7

The Orioles’ onslaught continued in the bottom of the seventh. Baltimore put five runs on the board. With one run in and the bases loaded, Ryan Mountcastle sent the Orioles’ fans into delirium when he sent a Danny Jimenez pitch over the wall for a grand slam. The pitch was right over the center of the plate, and Mountcastle did not miss. 

The A’s scored a run in the ninth, but it was not enough as the Orioles down the A’s 12-8.

Game Notes: With the loss, the A’s are now 2-9. Oakland has the worst record in baseball right now. A’s starter Kyle Muller did not get a decision. His line was four innings pitched, seven hits, and six runs. He gave up a home run to Mountcastle. Muller walked three and struck out three.

The hitting stars for the A’s were Brent Booker, Jace Peterson, Kevin Smith, and Shea Langeliers. Booker, Peterson, and Smith each had two hits. Langeliers had a three-run blast.

Baltimore’s starter Grayson Rodriguez went four and 1/3rd innings. He gave up six hits and five runs.

The hitting stars for the Orioles were Mountcastle, Rutschman, and Austin Hays. Mountcastle had three hits to drive in nine runs, including a three-run dinger and a grand slam. Rurschmand had two hits and scored two runs. Austin Hays homered for the second night. Hays finished with four hits, four runs scored, and two RBIs.

The time of the game was three hours and eight minutes. 12,305 were on hand to see the Orioles beat the A’s

On Wednesday, the A’s will send lefty Ken Waldichuk (0-2 ERA 14.54) to the hill to face the Orioles righty Dean Kremer (0-0 ERA 10.13) will pitch for Baltimore. The game will start at 3:35 pm.

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast: Giants Webb says beware of Dodgers; A’s hope things will get better in Baltimore

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San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Logan Webb (62) throws a pitch during the first inning at Sun Trust Field in Miami against the Miami Marlins, Saturday, June 4, 2022. (File AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

On That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast:

#1 Amaury just wanted to start off asking you about the Dodgers-Giants series that got started on Monday. The Giants starting pitcher Logan Webb said that the Dodgers are a juggernaut that no one should be fooled by the Dodgers before the series started with a three game losing streak and a .500 record.

#2 The Giants catcher Roberto Perez had been placed on the 60 day injured list with a rotator cuff strain and it got Austin Wynns the opportunity to start Sunday’s game against the Kansas City Royals however the next day Monday Wynns was moved off the 40 man roster. Blake Sabol has been doing his share of catching.

#3 The big news is that Giants catcher Joey Bart was reinstated after suffering a back strain, Bart rehabbed over the weekend with triple A affiliate Sacramento and started against the Dodgers on Monday night.

#4 Amaury, How bad do things have to get for he Oakland A’s (2-8) dropping the home opening series against the Los Angeles Angels two out of three and dropping two out of three to the Cleveland Guardian and getting swept by the Tampa Bay Rays.

#5 The Rays went yard on the A’s losing twice by scores of 11-0 on Saturday and Sunday. The The A’s opened a three game series against the Baltimore Orioles on Monday night at Camden Yards. The Rays went yard on the A’s losing twice by scores of 11-0 on Saturday and Sunday. The A’s had a lot expectations from starter Shintaro Fujinami but for the second consecutive game Fujinami got lit up.

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

MLB podcast with Charlie O: It just continues to get worse for A’s; It just keeps getting better for Rays

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Tampa Bay Rays Randy Arozarena with folded arms is hitting .359 with two home runs and 11 RBIs one of the top hitters in the Rays line up (@RaysBaseball photo)

On the MLB podcast with Charlie O:

#1 Charlie O, it’s the tale of two teams one team the Oakland A’s are predicted to have a even rougher and tougher season than their 102 loss season and it’s not getting off to a great start either with a loses starting to mount now sitting on a 2-8 start of 2023.

#2 The other team that’s already getting lots of props the Tampa Bay Rays who have won their first ten games defeating the Red Sox in their last game at Tropicana Field Monday night. The Rays have been getting both plenty of pitching and hitting defeating the A’s last Saturday and Sunday in landslide wins 11-0.

#3 Got to ask you have impressive it is for the Rays were in good company with the 1939 New York Yankees. The Rays had a nine game win streak scoring four or more runs going and needed four games to catch the 39 Yankees who have 13 straight wins scoring four or more runs it didn’t happen as the Rays topped the Sox by a run 1-0 on Monday for their tenth straight win.

#4 The Rays also got some top notch hitting Sunday from lead off hitter Brandon Lowe with four RBIs and two runs scored, Randy Arozarena who got two hits and an RBI. The Rays simply are the talk of baseball right now with their 10-0 record.

#5 Charlie, you’ve been around minor league baseball a time or two talk about the Los Angeles Angels affiliate on Sunday the Rocket City Trash Pandas who allowed a hit in a doubleheader and came away with a split. Three Panda pitchers combined for a seven inning no hitter against the Cincinnati Reds affiliate the Chattanooga Lookouts Sunday. The Pandas allowed seven runs in the top of the seventh, five walks, hit five batters, a run scoring wild pitch and a dropped fly ball with the bases loaded which would have been the final out.

#6 Atlanta catcher Travis D’Arnaud has been placed on the seven day injured list. D’Arnaud received a concussion after the San Diego Padres Rougned Odor collided with D’Arnaud at the plate in the Padres loss to the Braves 4-1 Saturday at Sun Trust Stadium in Cobb County. How much or how little did the Buster Posey rule play a part in this collision?

Charlie O does the MLB podcasts Sundays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

A’s lose their fifth in a row avoid being shutout in 5-1 loss to O’s

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Oakland Athletics starting pitcher JP Sears (38) looks on after surrendering a solo home run to Baltimore Orioles’ Adley Rutschman during the third inning at Camden Yards in Baltimore on Mon Apr 10, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Oakland A’s met the Baltimore Orioles Monday night at Camden Yards in Baltimore and extended their losing streak to five games bowing to the Orioles 5-1. The A’s hoped to play better after being swept by the Tampa Bay Rays. The Rays outscored Oakland 31-5 in that series.

Oakland needed to get back in the win column. A’s manager Mark Kotsay hoped the A’s could turn things around. That did not happen. The Orioles, a team that turned things around in 2022, showed why they are among the better teams in the tough AL East Division. In his six and 1/3rd innings of work, the Orioles’ starter Kyle Gibson allowed five hits and one run. The Orioles beat the A’s 5-1.

The A’s grabbed an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first. With one out, Ryan Noda walked. With Aledmys Diaz at bat, Gibson saw Noda with a big lead. With a quick throw to first, Gibson picked off Noda for the second out of the inning. Diaz then walked.

A’s right fielder Ramon Laureano tripled off the right field wall to drive in Diaz with the game’s first run. The lead didn’t last long. In the Orioles half of the first, the Orioles scored two runs to take the lead 2-1. Cedric Mullins walked to get things going for Baltimore.

With one out, Mullins stole second. Mullins went to third on A’s catcher Shea Langeliers’ throwing error. Orioles’ first baseman Ryan Mountcastle homered to left center to put the Orioles ahead. The A’s didn’t know it, but they were done scoring for the night.

In the bottom of the third, The Orioles’ outstanding young catcher Adley Rutschman homered to put the Orioles ahead 3-1. 

The Orioles put another run on the board in the sixth. Jeurys Familia was now pitching for Oakland. Familia retired the first two hitters. He didn’t get by Austin Hays. Hays sent Familia’s pitch over the wall in center field. 

Baltimore added another run in the eighth inning. With Dominga Acevedo pitching for Oakland, Hays doubled. Ramon Urias singled to drive in Hays with the Orioles’ fifth and final run of the game. The Orioles win 5-1.

Game Notes: With the loss, the A’s are now 2-8 for the young season. They have lost five in a row. The Orioles improved to 5-5.

The line score for Oakland was one run, eight hits, and one error.

Baltimore’s line was five runs, six hits, and no errors. The O’s hit three home runs.

J.P. Sears was the losing pitcher. Sears is 0-1. He went five innings and allowed three runs and three hits. Two of the three hits were home runs. 

Kyle Gibson improved to 3-0.

The A’s used five pitchers. Sears, Famila, Sam Moll, Zach Jackson, and Acevedo. 

The A’s play the second game of the four-game series with the Orioles on Tuesday. Lefty Kyle Muller ( 0-0, 2.53 ERA) will go for Oakland. The Orioles will counter with Grayson Rodriguez (0-0, 3.60 ERA). The game will start at 3:35 pm.

Florida Gulf Toast: A’s outclassed, shutout again 11-0 by the Rays

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By Morris Phillips

For the A’s, it has to get better because it can’t get worse.

In losing 11-0 for the second consecutive day the A’s did absolutely nothing of note except appear on the injury list with a significant issue regarding Seth Brown. Given that, saying the right things after the game carries some weight.

“The ball didn’t roll our way today, and we’ve got to shore up some things,” second baseman Tony Kemp said. “It’s good to get the bad things out of the way now. It was a tough series for us. We have stay positive, stay confident and keep moving forward.”

The A’s were swept in three games by the red-hot Rays, who set a couple of impressive records in starting the season 9-0. Run differential is one of those records that was merely enhanced by Tampa Bay outscoring the A’s 31-5 across the series.

“When you’re rolling as a team, you just keep it going. You don’t question anything,” said Brandon Lowe.

As outstanding as the Rays were, it still felt the A’s were trying to draw greater attention to themselves with their poor play. The A’s managed just one hit–Ramon Laureano’s single–and two baserunners. Only five A’s reached base on Saturday night, another snoozefest for the visitors.

James Kaprelian’s start was rocky, but it looked like almond butter until the fourth when Brandon Lowe’s grand slam put things out of reach at 5-0. The Rays struck for four more in the sixth, and single runs in the eighth and ninth.

The A’s pitching staff proved plenty helpful by issuing seven walks and hitting two batters.

Brown was injured in Saturday’s game on a check swing. The injury became serious when it was diagnosed as an oblique issue that will land Brown’s critical contributions on the disabled list.

The A’s visit Baltimore on Monday, another team on the rise. JP Sears will face Kyle Gibson in the series opener.