New York Yankees Al Sanchez thanks the Good Lord for his ninth inning single against the Tampa Bay Rays on Tue Jul 7, 2026 at the Tropicana in St Petersburg (AP News photo)
MLB The Show podcast Jessica Kwong:
#1 The New York Yankees of all teams set a Major League mark for a team to strike out 17 times in two straight games. The Yankees KO’d 17 times on Monday and Tuesday nights at the Tropicana in St Petersburg to set the record. The Yankees a have a rough time of things having lost eight of their last ten games.
#2 Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman Ryan O’Hearn hit for ten RBIs in a game against the Atlanta Braves. No one has ever done that for the Bucs. O’Hearn set a club record on Tuesday night the record was last set on May 30, 1939 when Johnny Rizzo hit nine RBIs agianst the St Louis Cardinals some 54 years before O’Hearn was born.
#3 Kansas City Royals Tyler Tolbert set a Major League record hitting in 12 straight plate appearances. Tolber reached the record with an infield hit in the Royals 16-12 win over the New York Mets Tuesday. Tolbert hit a two run home run in the second, then singled in the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh ending the streak in the ninth inning with a fly out in the ninth inning.
#4 Detroit Tigers third base coach Joey Cory separated with the Tigers after “philosophical differences” Tigers manager AJ Hinch said of Cora and quoting, “I love Joey. Joey loved being a Tiger. He’s been instrumental in his time here. But similar to a family, sometimes it doesn’t last forever. and “We both just agreed it’s probably best for the players and everybody to separate.”
#5 Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Shohei Ohtani will pitch the Friday right after the All Star break according to Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. Ohtani had left in the seventh inning of last Friday’s game due to tightness in his right biceps in the bottom of the sixth inning while hitting.
Sacramento A’s Henry Bolte celebrates his home run in the dugout with teammates in the top of the third inning at Comerica Park in Detroit on Tue Jul 7, 2026 (AP News photo)
Bolte Goes Yard, but Tigers still Pounce!
By Mauricio Segura
Henry Bolte gave the Sacramento Athletics a jolt, Joshua Kuroda-Grauer kept finding holes, and J.T. Ginn kept his club within striking distance. But one rough inning turned a tight game into a 6-2 loss to the Detroit Tigers, extending the A’s losing streak to four games.
Detroit took control almost immediately. Kevin McGonigle drew a leadoff walk in the first, and Colt Keith followed with a two-run homer to right-center. Ginn settled down after that and did not allow another run over his four innings. He gave up only two hits, issued two walks and struck out four, giving the Athletics a chance against Tarik Skubal.
That chance was never going to be easy. Skubal struck out Zack Gelof, Nick Kurtz and Shea Langeliers in order in the first, setting the tone for an Athletics lineup that would strike out 12 times. Still, the A’s had chances. Jonah Heim singled to open the second, and Kuroda-Grauer doubled him to third. With runners at second and third, Skubal struck out Max Muncy to end the inning.
Bolte cut the deficit in half in the third, driving a solo homer to left. Gelof followed with a single, but Sacramento could not build on it. Skubal worked five innings, allowing one run on five hits and two walks while striking out nine.
Kuroda-Grauer was the toughest out in the Athletics lineup. The rookie finished 3-for-4 with a double and two singles, continuing an impressive start to his major-league career. He had been selected from Triple-A on June 29 and had already produced three multi-hit games in his first six appearances before this one. Bolte, meanwhile, entered the game batting .291, second among qualified American League rookies, and added another reminder of why the A’s remain interested in what their young core can become.
The game stayed 2-1 until the sixth, when Detroit turned a two-out rally into the decisive stretch of the game. Zach McKinstry drew a walk, Spencer Torkelson singled, and pinch-hitter Ben Malgeri doubled home McKinstry. Matt Vierling followed with a two-run double, and McGonigle singled home Vierling. Five straight Tigers reached base, and all four runs in the inning scored with two outs against Jacob Lopez.
The Athletics answered in the seventh, but only once. Bolte was hit by a pitch, Kurtz reached on an error, and Langeliers singled home Bolte. Heim was then hit by a pitch to load the bases, giving Jacob Wilson a chance to cut further into the 6-2 deficit. Wilson challenged a called third strike, but the call was confirmed, ending the inning and the A’s best chance to make the Tigers uncomfortable.
Langeliers left his mark beyond the RBI single. The catcher successfully challenged two calls while the Athletics were on defense, turning both into strikeouts, one against Torkelson and another against Dillon Dingler. That fit a team trend entering the game, as the A’s had been one of baseball’s better clubs at using the Automated Ball-Strike challenge system.
Detroit’s bullpen shut down the rest of the comeback attempt. Jacob Waguespack retired all six batters he faced over the final two innings, and the Athletics finished with seven hits but only two runs. Gelof, Kurtz and Langeliers, the first three hitters in the order, combined to go 2-for-13 with eight strikeouts.
The loss was especially frustrating given how well the Athletics had handled Detroit in recent years. They entered the series 40-13 against the Tigers since 2017 and had won 22 of their previous 28 road games in the matchup. This time, one swing in the first and one two-out rally in the sixth were enough to turn that history aside.
The series continues with Jeffrey Springs (3-8, 5.79 ERA, 80 K) facing Detroit right-hander Troy Melton (4-1, 2.05 ERA, 32 K), a matchup that gives the A’s a chance to cool off a Tigers club that did all of its scoring in two innings; first pitch is set for 3:40 p.m. Pacific.
Costa Rican-born Mauricio Segura has been covering sports in the Bay Area since 2001 for a variety of magazines and newspapers, as well as his own publication, Golden Bay Times.
Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.
⚡Craft cocktails? Check. 🔥Game-day bites? Oh yeah. 🏟️Steps from Golden 1 Center? You bet.
Open daily, Cyprus Grille is serving up local flavor with a front-row seat to the action. Stop by before or after the game—or make it your new downtown hangout.
Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.
📍Located inside the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena @ 300 J Street
Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm
Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in.
Photo: Toronto Blue Jays’ Jonatan Clase watches his three-run home run against the San Francisco Giants during the second inning of a baseball game Tuesday, July 7, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
By Vince Cestone
SAN FRANCISCO — Once again, the San Francisco Giants gravitated back to their season low 15 games under .500, as the early Toronto Blue Jays offense proved too much for them.
With their 9-3 loss to the Blue Jays on Tuesday night, the Giants fell to 38-52 on the season. Starting pitcher Trevor McDonald struggled and couldn’t get out of the third inning, as the Jays tagged him for five runs in the frame.
But the trouble for McDonald started an inning earlier.
The Jays started the scoring in the top of the second inning. After Brandon Valenzuela led off with a single, center fielder Daulton Varsho then lined out. Designated hitter Sean Keys followed with a single, but then Jonatan Clase hit a home run to right field, giving Toronto an early 3-0 lead.
In the bottom of the second inning, the Giants answered right back with a run of their own. After designated hitter Rafael Devers led off with a single, Jung Hoo Lee flew out to left. Then, Willy Adames struck out. With 2 outs and Devers at first, Bryce Eldridge singled. The next batter Victor Bericoto singled, bringing in Devers and cutting the score to 3-1.
But in the next half inning, the Blue Jays put the game away for good against McDonald with a barrage of singles. In the top of the third inning, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. led off with a single. The next hitter Kazuma Okamoto singled. And then the scoring started. The catcher Valenzuela then singled home Guerrero Jr. to extend the Jays lead to 4-1.
McDonald finally got an out when Varsho grounded back to McDonald, but the runners advanced to second and third on the play. Keys then hit another single, with this one bringing in two runs, extending the lead to 6-1. Clase followed up with another single, and then shortstop Andres Gimenez hit one more RBI single to give the Jays a 7-1 lead. With the runner advancing to third on the single, Eric Clement hit a sacrifice fly to bring in the fifth run of the inning, increasing the Toronto lead to 8-1.
The five-run, third inning essentially put the game away early, and San Francisco couldn’t muster a big enough comeback to get back into the game. The Giants tacked on two more runs throughout the game, lone runs in the third inning and fifth inning. In the third inning, the Giants loaded the bases with nobody out, but Devers grounded into a double play that brought in a run and essentially ended the rally. The fifth inning run came on an RBI double by Luis Arraez, who will for sure be traded by the August 3 deadline. Arraez went 2-for-4 in the game. The Giants were still down 8-3 after the fifth.
The Jays tacked on one more insurance in the ninth inning against Ryan Walker. Guerrero Jr. grounded into a double play with runners at first and third to make it 9-3 Blue Jays.
McDonald struggled in his 2 1/3 innings of work. He gave up eight runs on 11 hits, while walking one and striking out none. His ERA has now ballooned to 5.46 on the year. On the positive side, Adrian Houser came in on relief and was superb. Houser pitched 5 2/3 scoreless innings, giving up no hits and striking out five. He only walked one batter.
On the Jays side, Spencer Miles also struggled but kept the Giants from coming back in the game. In his four innings, Miles gave up just two runs on seven hits, while striking out one. His ERA is now 2.95 on the year.
Up next, the Giants will try to take the series against the Jays behind Logan Webb (5-6, 3.66 ERA). Their task won’t be easy, as San Francisco will have to face Dylan Cease (5-4, 2.79 ERA). Game time is at 12:45 p.m. at Oracle Park.
Will the Giants finally fall to 16 games below .500 or will they stave off another season-low record yet again?
New York Yankees superstar Aaron Judge (99) is on the 10 day IL and will miss the All Star Game and there no definite date when he will return (AP file photo)
That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast:
#1 Can the New York Yankees stop their slide against the AL East-leading Tampa Bay Rays? The Yankees have struggled since losing Aaron Judge to injury and entered a pivotal four-game series trailing the Rays in the division.
#2 Which contenders will emerge as MLB trade deadline buyers and sellers? With the trade deadline less than a month away, front offices are evaluating whether to add or subtract, while ESPN’s updated rankings highlight the top available trade candidates.
#3 Who will build momentum heading into the All-Star break? The final week before the break features several high-stakes series that could reshape playoff races and influence trade deadline decisions.
#4 Can Eury Pérez and the Miami Marlins sustain their surge? Pérez dominated with seven perfect innings in Sunday’s dramatic win over the Athletics, fueling renewed attention on Miami’s postseason chances.
#5 Which players were the biggest All-Star surprises—and who got snubbed? The release of the 2026 All-Star rosters has sparked league-wide debate over deserving selections, notable omissions, and what the choices say about this season’s standout performers.
Amaury Pi-Gonzalez – Cuban-born Pi-González is one of the pioneers of Spanish-language baseball play-by-play in America. Began as Oakland A’s Spanish-language voice in 1977 ending in 2024 (interrupted by stops with the Giants, Mariners and Angels). Voice of the Golden State Warriors from 1992 through 1998. 2010 inducted in the Bay Area Radio Hall of fame.
Photo: Giants outfielder Heliot Ramos celebrates in the dugout during a game against the Toronto Blue Jays on July 6, 2026 at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif. (Jay Choi/SF Bay News Lab)
By Vince Cestone
SAN FRANCISCO — After a disappointing 2-4 road trip through Arizona and Colorado, the San Francisco Giants got right back on track at home, beating the Toronto Blue Jays 10-1 at Oracle Park on Monday night.
The Giants came into Monday night’s game 15 games below .500 at 37-52. They seem to be gravitating around that mark, never going below it, and the same thing rang true yet again.
The Giants started out fast right out of the gate. The first batter of the game, Heliot Ramos, hit a long triple to right-center field that turned into a little league home run. The throw from shortstop Andrew Gimenez on the relay sailed past the third baseman Kazuma Okamoto and into the dugout. Ramos was allowed to score, and the Giants had the early 1-0 lead.
The Giants tacked on another run in the fourth inning. After Rafael Devers walked to lead off the inning, Jung Hoo Lee then singled, with Devers taking third on the hit. Willy Adames then hit into a 6-4-3 double play, but Devers came in to score, giving San Francisco a 2-0 lead.
In the fifth inning, the Giants got creative in scoring their third run. After Victor Bericoto singled to lead off the inning, he advanced to second on an Eric Haase sacrifice bunt. Ramos then grounded out. But after Luis Arraez was intentionally walked, Arraez attempted to steal second base. At that moment, Bericoto dashed home and made it ahead of the throw as Arraez, who knew he was dead to rights stealing second, stopped midway between first and second in order to let Bericoto score–and he did. The Giants were ahead 3-0.
In the top of the sixth inning, the Jays scored their lone run on a long Okamoto home run. The score was then 3-1, but the Giants put the game away in the very next inning–with the help of the Jays’ defense.
In the bottom of the sixth, Devers led off the inning with a walk. The next batter Lee grounded to the shifted third baseman Okamoto, but he missed the ball for his second error of the game, advancing Devers to third base. Adames then walked. After Bryce Eldridge struck out looking, Bericoto singled, bringing in two runs and giving the Giants a 5-1 lead. The next batter Haase popped out to the catcher. But with two outs and two on, Ramos hit a real home run just over the 24-foot wall in right field, giving the Giants an 8-1 lead.
Ramos wasn’t done. In the eighth inning, Ramos hit his second home run of the game, a two-run shot that put the Giants up 10-1. That would end up being the final score.
On the pitching side, Giants starting pitcher Landon Roupp was superb. He threw eight innings of one-run ball, giving up just three hits and two walks. Roupp struck out five Jays. In relief, Spencer Bivens threw a 1-2-3 ninth inning, including two strikeouts.
For the Jays, it was a not-so-good homecoming for Kevin Gausman. In 5 1/3 innings, Gausman gave up seven runs on five hits. Four of those runs were earned. He walked five batters and struck out eight.
The Giants improve to 38-52, yet again avoiding slipping below 15 games under .500. The Blue Jays are now 42-49.
Up next, the Giants will try to clinch the series against the Jays on Tuesday night. Trevor McDonald (3-6, 4.42 ERA) will pitch for San Francisco. The Jays have not yet decided who will pitch for them.
Sacramento A’s Jonah Heim takes a hack against the Los Angeles Angels on Fri Jun 19, 2026 at Sutter Health Park. Heim hit a grand slam against the Miami Marlins on Sun Jul 5, 2026 at Sutter Health in the bottom of the eigthh inning against the Miami Marlins (AP file photo)
Sacramento A’s podcast Barbara Mason:
#1 Once again the Sacramento A’s dropped another game 9-8 and got swept by the visiting Miami Marlins at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento on Sunday this was the A’s seventh loss in their last ten games in front of 8,086 fans.
#2 It was a game where the A’s who at one time had one of the hottest hitting line ups in the AL West have cooled off seeing hitters like Lawrence Butler, Nick Kurtz, Jeff McNiel, Henry Bolte, Zack Gelof, all have cooled off.
#3 The Marlins starter Eury Perez was pitching a perfect, no hit game but was lifted after seven innings for reliever Lake Bachar after Perez reached his pitch limit. Bachar got lit up for five runs including a Jonah Heim grand slam as the A’s cut the Marlins lead to three runs 8-5.
#4 The A’s best record this season at one point was 21-18 when the A’s were 3 games over .500 and in first place back on May 9. The A’s with the loss Sunday are now 41-49 now eight games below .500 after Sunday’s sweep.
#5 The A’s hit the road in Detroit Tuesday night to open a series with the Detroit Tigers. The A’s starter and the Tigers will be going with their ace LHP Tarik Skubul (4-4 ERA 3.15).
Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.
⚡Craft cocktails? Check. 🔥Game-day bites? Oh yeah. 🏟️Steps from Golden 1 Center? You bet.
Open daily, Cyprus Grille is serving up local flavor with a front-row seat to the action. Stop by before or after the game—or make it your new downtown hangout.
Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.
📍Located inside the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena @ 300 J Street
Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm
Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in
San Francisco Giants reliever Erik Miller works the count against the Colorado Rockies in the bottom of the sixth inning at Coors Field in Denver on Sun Jul 5, 2026 (AP News photo)
San Francisco Giants podcast Marko Ukalovic:
#1 How many home runs did Rafael Devers went 2-5, scoring two runs how did his performance help keep the Giants in the game?
#2 Drew Gilbert went 4-for-4 in the game. Including hitting a two run home run against the Rockies?
#3 Casey Schmitt hit a home run for the Giants. Schmitt’s offense has been key for the Giants of late so much so there are clubs inquiring about Schmitt’s services before the trade deadline?
#4 How did starting pitcher Tyler Mahle pitched 4.1 innings allowing eight hits, three earned runs, and struck out five hitters?
#5 The Giants open up a three game series with the Toronto Blue Jays Monday night at Oracle Park. Startng pitcher for Toronto former Giant RHP Kevin Gausman 4-7 ERA 4.19 for San Francisco RHP Landen Roupp 5-8 ERA 4.55 first pitch 6:46pm PDT.
Miami Marlins pitcher Eury Perez had a perfect no hit bid going until he was lifted in the top of the eighth inning against the Sacramento A’s at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento on Sun Jul 5, 2026 (AP News photo)
Sacramento A’s podcast Daniel Dullum:
#1 Once again the Sacramento A’s dropped another game 9-8 and got swept by the visiting Miami Marlins at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento on Sunday this was the A’s seventh loss in their last ten games in front of 8,086 fans.
#2 It was a game where the A’s who at one time had one of the hottest hitting line ups in the AL West have cooled off seeing hitters like Lawrence Butler, Nick Kurtz, Jeff McNiel, Henry Bolte, Zack Gelof, all have cooled off.
#3 The Marlins starter Eury Perez was pitching a perfect, no hit game but was lifted after seven innings for reliever Lake Bachar after Perez reached his pitch limit. Bachar got lit up for five runs including a Jonah Heim grand slam as the A’s cut the Marlins lead to three runs 8-5.
#4 The A’s best record this season at one point was 21-18 when the A’s were 3 games over .500 and in first place back on May 9. The A’s with the loss Sunday are now 41-49 now eight games below .500 after Sunday’s sweep.
#5 The A’s hit the road in Detroit Tuesday night to open a series with the Detroit Tigers. The A’s have not announced a starter and the Tigers will be going with their ace LHP Tarik Skubul (4-4 ERA 3.15).
Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.
⚡Craft cocktails? Check. 🔥Game-day bites? Oh yeah. 🏟️Steps from Golden 1 Center? You bet.
Open daily, Cyprus Grille is serving up local flavor with a front-row seat to the action. Stop by before or after the game—or make it your new downtown hangout.
Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.
📍Located inside the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena @ 300 J Street
Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm
Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in.
Los Angeles Dodgers takes a swing against the San Diego Padres in the bottom of the fifth inning at Dodger Stadium on Thu Jul 2, 2026 (AP News photo)
MLB The Show podcast Charlie O
#1 The Los Angeles Dodgers kept two way player Shohei Ohtani out of the starting line up against the San Diego Padres on Saturday due to tightness in his right biceps. Ohtani incurred the tightness after taking a swing at the plate in the bottom of the sixth inning. The Dodger superstar said during a post game press conference that it had happened before and that it went away relatively quickly.
#2 Boston Red Sox reliever Aroldis Chapman struck out the Los Angeles Angels Denzer Guzman Friday night to put Chapman as MLB’s leading career strikeouts reliever. Guzman at 38 years old threw a 98.6 MPH pitch that Guzman couldn’t even touch. The strikeout was Chapman’s 1364th of his 17 year career and he surpassed Hoyt Wilhelm who pitched for 21 years whose career ended just five days short of his 50th birthday.
#3 San Francisco Giants third baseman Matt Chapman who is on the 10 day IL with an abdominal strain could return before the All Star break according to Giants manager Tony Vitello. Reports said that the New York Yankees have expressed interest in Chapman. The Yankees are also shopping for a back up catcher and shoring up their bullpen.
#4 San Francisco Giants ultilty player Casey Schmitt is also be shopped by a number of clubs as the Giants could turn out be seller before the trade deadline. Schmitt has been having some offensive success hitting .281, with 16 home runs and 44 RBIs. The Giants who are struggling in the NL West standings also are getting inquiries from the Chicago White Sox regarding pitcher Robbie Ray. If Chapman, Schmitt and Ray were to all be traded the Giants will just be mailing it in for the rest of the season as these are their current key players. The Giants also lost relief pitcher LHP Matt Gage to the 15 IL due to a left elbow strain.
#5 This week Sacramento A’s owner John Fisher said that he wanted to be more public and answer some of the questions that the press had for him even during the process of the team’s relocation to Las Vegas from the time. He just said he wanted to come out now and be a little more tranparent then had been. The one big question is Bally’s now is coming up with funding for the ballpark when they were suppose to pay for all the nuances around the park as Fisher reportedly has not come up with share of the stadium construction costs.
Miami Marlins starter Eury Perez pitched seven innings of perfect ball before being lifted by Marlins manager Clayton McCullough against the Sacramento A’s at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento on Sun Jul 5, 2026 (AP News photo)
By Mauricio Segura
WEST SACRAMENTO–The Sacramento Athletics spent most of the afternoon digging out of a perfect crater, nearly completing one of the season’s wildest comebacks, but still came up a run short in a heartbreaking 9-8 loss to the Miami Marlins.
A six-run deficit became an eight-run hole before the Green and Gold finally found life in the final two innings, but Miami held on to finish the sweep and hand Sacramento another frustrating defeat. The loss also continued a difficult stretch for an Athletics club that entered the day having dropped six of its previous seven games.
Miami wasted no time spoiling the day for rookie left-hander Gage Jump, who had been one of baseball’s hottest young pitchers since his promotion. Heriberto Hernández put the Marlins on the board in the first inning with a towering solo home run to center, and the visitors never let up. In the second, Otto Lopez lined a ground-rule RBI double into left-center before Liam Hicks lifted a sacrifice fly to center, stretching the lead to 3-0.
The third inning proved even more damaging. After Esteury Ruiz reached on an overturned challenge and promptly stole second, Leo Jiménez launched a two-run homer into the left-center-field seats. Later in the inning, Brian Navarreto ripped a ground-rule double before Lopez added another run with a sacrifice fly.
By the time the dust settled, Miami owned a commanding 6-0 advantage while Jump’s afternoon had come to an end after three innings. It was an unusual outing for the rookie, who entered with a 2.93 ERA after putting together one of the American League’s best rookie pitching months in June.
Sacramento’s offense had no answer for Eury Pérez. The hard-throwing right-hander carved through the lineup for seven perfect innings, as his fastball and breaking pitches kept hitters off balance throughout his dominant performance.
Miami kept adding insurance in the sixth when Lopez connected for a solo home run before Hernández struck again moments later with his second blast of the afternoon. Hernández finished with two home runs, a double, three RBIs and three runs scored, while Lopez reached base four times, homered, doubled, drove in three runs and scored three more. Jiménez also supplied a two-run homer as the Marlins built what appeared to be an insurmountable 8-0 cushion.
Much to the dismay of even Athletics fans, Pérez was pulled after seven innings denying him a chance to pursue a full perfect game. The decision was partly due to his recent return from injury and the fact that he had already thrown 92 pitches.
Still, the crowd of more than 8,000 was disappointed to lose the chance to witness a potentially historic performance, and fans made their frustration known to the Marlins throughout the rest of the game. However, Pérez’s exit finally opened the door for the A’s to stage their comeback.
It began in the eighth after Lawrence Butler drew a walk and Joshua Kuroda-Grauer followed with a single. Carlos Cortes ripped an RBI double into right field to get Sacramento on the scoreboard before Jonah Heim delivered the biggest swing of the afternoon. Facing reliever Lake Bachar, Heim crushed a grand slam to right field, instantly cutting the deficit to 8-5 and injecting life into both the dugout and the crowd.
Miami answered with an important insurance run in the ninth when Hicks grounded softly back to the mound, allowing Lopez to score from third and restore a four-run advantage.
Even that wasn’t enough to put the game away.
The Athletics loaded up one final rally against Pete Fairbanks. Zack Gelof opened the inning with a single before Butler doubled to put runners on second and third. A passed ball allowed Gelof to score, trimming the deficit to 9-6. Max Muncy later worked a walk, and Heim once again delivered in the clutch, lining a two-run single to center that brought Butler and Muncy home. Suddenly, Sacramento was within one run with the tying run aboard.
Miami finally escaped when Brian Serven grounded out to second base, ending an afternoon that nearly turned into one of the club’s most dramatic rallies of the season.
While the final score favored the Marlins, the Athletics did uncover a few bright spots. Heim finished with six RBIs thanks to his grand slam and two-run single, Cortes continued to swing a hot bat with a pair of doubles in as many games, and Kuroda-Grauer added another hit as he continues to impress early in his Major League career.
Nick Kurtz and Shea Langeliers also entered the day carrying the momentum of their first American League All-Star selections, another encouraging sign for a young core that continues to provide hope despite the club’s recent struggles.
The Athletics now head out on the road searching for a reset after dropping the series to Miami and ending a difficult homestand.
Next up, Sacramento opens a three-game series in Detroit on Tuesday, where Tarik Skubal (4-4, 3.15 ERA, 57 strikeouts) is scheduled to start for the Tigers, while the Athletics had not yet announced a probable starter as of Sunday afternoon. First pitch from Comerica Park is scheduled for 3:40 p.m. Pacific.
Costa Rican-born Mauricio Segura has been covering sports in the Bay Area since 2001 for a variety of magazines and newspapers, as well as his own publication, Golden Bay Times.
Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.
⚡Craft cocktails? Check. 🔥Game-day bites? Oh yeah. 🏟️Steps from Golden 1 Center? You bet.
Open daily, Cyprus Grille is serving up local flavor with a front-row seat to the action. Stop by before or after the game—or make it your new downtown hangout.
Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.
📍Located inside the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena @ 300 J Street
Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm
Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in.
