Category: MLB

A’s come up short in bottom nine lose 5-4 to Rangers

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The Texas Rangers Joey Gallo slugs a homer in the sixth inning against the Oakland A’s on Tue Jun 29, 2021 at the Oakland Coliseum (AP News photo)

Texas 5 – 9 – 0

Oakland 4 – 7 – 1

By Lewis Rubman

Tuesday, June 29, 2021

OAKLAND–This Tuesday evening’s contest between the (47-34) Oakland Athletics and the (31-48) Texas Rangers featured a repeat of last Wednesday’s pitching match up between the A’s promising rookie right hander James Kaprielian (4-1, 2.86 going into tonight’s game) and the Texans’ Mike (1-7,5.40).

Houston’s first round draft pick in 2010, who had pitched for the Astros and the Atlanta Braves before signing with the Rangers as a free agent during the last off season. The A’s couldn’t get past the Rangers losing by a run on Tuesday night at the RingCentral Coliseum in Oakland 5-4.

In their last duel, Foltynewicz shut the A’s out on six hits in as many innings before leaving with a 2-1 lead. He wound up with a no decision. Four years ago, pitching for the Braves, he took a no-hitter against the A’s in the Coliseum into the ninth inning. He lost the no-hitter to a lead off homer by Matt Olson, but still won the game.

Kaprielian also took a no decision out of Wednesday’s clash at Arlington. He held the Rangers scoreless for four innings but surrendered one run in each of the fifth and sixth frames before exiting with Oakland behind 2-0.

The A’s pulled ahead in the top of the seventh, and Kaprielian, as the pitcher of record, would have gotten the win. Instead, Yusmeiro Petit was charged with a blown save and the loss. The final score had Texas ahead, 5-3.

Tonight, both starters pitched well. Kaprielian left after six innings, trailing 3-2. All the runs scored against him were earned, and the came on six hits, two of which went for the distance.

He struck out six of his opponents and didn’t walk anyone. He threw 105 pitches, 70 for strikes. Faoltynecwicz did better. He went sseven full linnings, allowing two runs, both earned, on four hits, one a home run, and a walk. He struck out six, and 60 of his 95 offerings were considered strikes. Faoletynecwicz ended up getting the win, while the 5-4 loss was pinned on Kaprielian.

Before the game, the A’s announced that J.B. Wendelken had returned from the 10-day injured list. This might strengthen the Athletics’ bull pen, which has been struggling for the past week or so. He gave signs tonight that he might do just that.

The team also promoted Frank Schwindel from Las Vegas. The A’s made room for them by optioning the versatile but under performing Vimael Machín back to the Las Vegas Aviators and designating right-handed reliever Cam Bedrosian for assignment.

Matt Chapman got the Athletics off to any early lead with his 11th home run and 41st RBI of the year, a 420 foot solo blast that left home plate at 108 mph into the left center field seats. It came on the first pitch Foltynewicz threw him, a 93 mph four seamer. It also extended Chappy’s hitting streak to 16 games, the longest in his career as well as the longest current streak in the majors.

Joey Gallo knotted it up with a fly that sailed over the 388 foot marker in right center field with two down in the fourth. It was his 17th of the year and, like Chapman’s, produced his 41st run batted in of the season. It came off of a 91 mph fast ball that Kaprielian threw on a 3-1 count.

Hard hitting and sloppy Texas fielding put the A’s back up in the bottom of the inning. With one down, Lowrie drove a liner that just cleared the glove of the leaping Solak at second for a clean single to right. Ramón Laureano followed with a sinking liner to deep left that Eli White dove for, missed, and let get past him for a double that scored Lowrie. Laureano took third on the throw.

Ex-Athletic Jonah Heim tied it up again in the top of the fifth, following White’s lead off single with a double to right. The Rangers’ catcher moved on to third on Solak’s clean single to right, putting runners on the corners with nobody out. Andy Ibáñez hit a hard grounder to third.

Chapman elected to go to second for the double play. Heim elected not to try to score. Solak was out at second, but Ibáñez beat Lowrie´s relay to first, and the situation remained runners on the corner, but this time with one down. Heim once again chose not to try to score on Isaih Kinter-Falefa’s fly to medium deep center, a run prevented by Laureano’s reputation for strong, accurate throws . Lowe flew out to Laureano to end the inning.

In the sixth, Joey Gallo went deep on a 1-1, 93 mph four seamer of the evening, a 386 foot smash to left that left his bat at 104 mph for his second round tripper of the evening. Like his first, it came with the bases empty, so it put Texas up by only one run.

Sergio Romo took over for Kaprielian in the seventh and set the Rangers down in order, helped by a spectacular running, diving catch in left by the evergreen Kemp in left. The newly returned J.B. Wendelken replaced Romo on the mound in the eighth. He gave up one hit, a lead off single to right by Kiner-Falefa that was either a beautiful piece of opposite field hitting or the result of a late swing.

Joely Rodríguez relieved Foltnewicz after the Rangers´starter had worked seven frames. He walked a pinch hitting Chad Pinder on four pitches but then struck out Kemp and Chapman before retiring Olson on grounder into the shift.

Domingo Acevedo came in for the ninth, hoping to hold the Rangers´ advantage steady at one run. He didn´t. A one out single by Heim and Solak´s fly that landed just inside the right field foul pole and just over the right field fence left the Athletics behind 5-2 when they faced closer Ian Kennedy in the bottom of the ninth.

Lowrie, leading off, blasted Kennedy’s 2-0, 94 mph four seam fast ball 417 feet over the center field wall to narrow the gap to 5-3. After Laureano took a called strike three, Mitch Moreland drove thee first pitch he saw from Kennedy 351 feet into the depths beyond on the right field fence, making it a one run game.

Murphy fouled out, and it was up to Andrus to keep the A’s hopes alive against his former teammates. He came through with a single up the middle, bringing Pinder to the plate. He promptly popped out to first to end the A’s attempt at a comeback.

Kennedy got, but certainly didn’t earn, the save, his 14th.

The A’s will try to bounce back Wednesday evening at 6:40 with Chris Bassitt (8-3, 3.25) duking it out with Rangers starter Kolby Allard (2-3 ERA 3.33).

Home Run Outcome: Dodgers hit one more than the Giants in 3-2 win

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By Morris Phillips

For a team with 50 wins under its belt at the season’s halfway point, the Giants are clearly acting like they still have something to prove.

And they came that close to proving it at Dodgers Stadium on Monday… as close as a hand safely avoiding a swipe tag at second base.

Unfortunately, Mike Tauchman’s decision to stretch his single into a double opening the ninth inning failed, according to replay officials in New York who reviewed the call of out on the field. Had Tauchman been ruled safe, the Giants would have been set up with a runner in scoring position with three, capable hitters on deck with no outs.

Instead, they were reminded of a slow start, and an unforgettable 0 for 13 night hitting with runners in scoring position.

“I felt like I kept the team in the game and we were in it until the last inning,” said Anthony DeSclafani, summarizing the Giants’ evening of trying to overcome an early 2-0 deficit, but unable to come up with a big hit at any juncture. “We had a lot of runners on base. We just weren’t able to cash in on those.”

DeSclafani allowed home runs to Mookie Betts and Max Muncy, the first two batters he faced, and the Giants were in an early hole, down 2-0. But they answered with solo shots of their own from LaMonte Wade Jr. and Brandon Crawford, only to have DeSclafani give up a third shot to Will Smith in the fourth that ultimately became the deciding run.

Allowing three home runs had to be frustrating for the Giants. Only Alex Wood–also against the Dodgers–had allowed three in a game this season, and the statistic is one of a list that have catapulted the Giants to the top the standings. Coming into Monday, the team had allowed just 79 in 77 games, well below the league average for allowing home runs, and a nice counterpoint to the club’s MLB leading 116 homers hit.

The Dodgers managed just five hits, and the two that didn’t leave the yard didn’t amount to much. They also struck out 10 times against DeSclafani and three relievers, but it was enough. Meanwhile, the Giants piled up the hits and walks (11 hits, two walks) but it didn’t get them anywhere. They stranded all their baserunners when one breakthrough would have made the difference.

“Our guys just made pitches when they needed to,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.

The win was the Dodgers’ fourth straight following the no-hitter they suffered at the hands of the Cubs last week. They’re within 2 1/2 games of the Giants atop the NL West, but there’s plenty of baseball left. The two teams currently sporting the best records in baseball will meet 11 more times, including Tuesday night, and the stakes will be high. But with half a season remaining, both clubs know they have to pace themselves.

“We did a good job of not adding any extra pressure” Betts said. “We haven’t got hot yet, but we’ve done a good job of staying steady.”

The Giants offer All-Star starting pitcher candidate Kevin Gausman on Tuesday in a star-studded pairing with the Dodgers’ Walker Buehler at 7:00pm on ESPN.

Oakland A’s Preview: A’s open three game series with Rangers Tuesday night

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Oakland A’s Tony Kemp (left) goes in for the diving slide for a run scored as San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey (right) awaits for the late throw in the sixth inning Sun Jun 27, 2021 (AP News photo)

BY Jerry Feitelberg

The Oakland A’s finished a long cross-country road trip Sunday in San Francisco. The A’s played three in New York, four in Texas, and three in San Francisco. Playing well on the road for most of the season, the A’s did not fare well as they lost six of the ten games played. The Lost two to the Yankees, two to the Giants, and two to the Rangers, their next opponent. 

The A’s will send James Kaprelian to the hill Tuesday night to face the Rangers. In his last start against them on June 23rd, Kaprilian went six innings and allowed two runs. The A’s lost the game 5-3. Mike Foltynewicz also went six innings, and he, too, allowed two runs.

Neither pitcher figured in the decision. Foltynewicz will start for the Rangers Tuesday night. Folty’s record is 1-7 with a 5.40 ERA. Do not be fooled. He pitched very well against Oakland last week. On Wednesday, it will be Chris Bassitt going against Kolby Allard.

The two faced each other last Thursday in Texas. Bassitt held the Rangers in check as the A’s won 5-1. Bassitt is 8-2 for the year. Lefty Kolby Allard is 2-3 with a 3.33 ERA. On Thursday, Sean Manaea will pitch for Oakland. Manaea pitched very well in New York, but the A’s offense was shut down, and Sean had to absorb his fourth loss. Texas will have Dane Dunning on the mound. Dunning is 3-6 with an ERA of 4.63.

The Rangers are 30-48 for the year. The Rangers are rebuilding, and players are doing what they can to prove to the Rangers’ management, they are here to stay. Rumors are circulating about the status of right-fielder Joey Gallo.

Gallo has one year of arbitration left and will be a free agent at the end of next season. The Rangers are paying him 6.2 million a year. Since the team will not be in the playoffs this season, the Rangers may send him out of Texas to a contender for a parcel of prospects. Their best pitcher Kyle Gibson may be on the move, too.

The A’s cannot take the Rangers lightly. They managed to split the four-game series with Texas last week. It was not easy. The Rangers pounded Frankie Montas in the first game of the series. The A’s sprinted out to a 9-0 lead in the second game. Texas roared back and trailed 9-6 before the A’s scored four in the ninth to win. Texas won the third game 5-3. Chriss Bassitt held the Rangers to one run in the fourth game. 

.If the A’s pitching does its job, they can stop the Ranger offense. The A’s need to keep winning to keep pace with the Houston Astros. The Astros were 8-2 in their last games to go two games up on the A’s in the race for first place in the AL West.

The schedule doesn’t get easier for Oakland. After the three with Texas, the A’s will host the AL East Divison leader, the Boston Red Sox, for three games this weekend. The A’s then go to Texas to play three against the Houston and Astros and three more against the Rangers. 

Injury Update: The A’s placed Mark Canha on the 10-day IL on June 25th. Canha has a left hip strain. J.B.Wendelken, out with a strained left oblique, has been participating in baseball activity and should be back soon. Stephen Piscotty, also on the 10-day IL, had a sprained left wrist. He received a cortisone shot last week and is expected to resume baseball activity this week. Out of action since the start of the season due to right shoulder inflammation, Trevor Rosenthal is scheduled to return to action in August.

Oakland A’s podcast with Barbara Mason: Rangers and A’s open 3 game series Tuesday at Coliseum

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Oakland A’s Mark Canha seen here on a game winning slide against the Houston Astros on Tue May 18, 2021 is currently on the 10 day Injured List and will be taking his recovery slow according to A’s manager Bob Melvin (AP News file photo)

On the Oakland A’s podcast with Barbara:

#1 Barbara, the Oakland A’s (46-31) left fielder Mark Canha who entered the 10 day Injured List on Friday with a strained left hip and has tendinitis and A’s manager Bob Melvin said that it will take every bit of those ten days for therapy.

#2 Melvin went onto say that the A’s really depended on having a bat like Canha in the lead off spot and said that Canha had acclimated to the role of lead off hitter very well. Do you think Canha’s absence is reflection of the struggles the A’s had in the San Francisco Giants series?

#3 The A’s outfielder Stephen Piscotty has been resting after getting a cortisone Melvin said Piscotty should be working out soon in the next two days he’s basically rested the wrist during the Giants series.

#4 The A’s lost a couple of tough ones in San Francisco over the weekend Friday on a 2-0 shutout at the hands of Giants starter Johnny Cueto and a close game in ten innings on Saturday 6-5. Try as hard as they do the Giants have been playing some of the best baseball in the majors and the A’s have fallen just short for wins.

#5 The A’s will take a needed day off before opening up a three game series against the Texas Rangers (27-48). The A’s who played the Rangers for four games on their last road trip will see them again on Tuesday night at the Oakland Coliseum the Rangers starter for Tuesday will be right hander Mike Foltynewicz (1-7 ERA 5.40) and for the A’s will be going with James Kaprielian (4-1 ERA 2,86).

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

San Francisco Giants podcast with Morris Phillips: Casali leaves no doubt about being reliable

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San Francisco Giants catcher Curt Casali has been clutch at the plate and done a fine job filling in for catcher Busty Posey during the Oakland series. Here is Casali in a photo from earlier this season. (photo from Around the Foghorn)

On the Giants podcast with Morris:

#1 Morris, Curt Casali is the talk of the town and thanks to his handy work the Giants are the first team in the big leagues to reach 50 wins.

#2 Casali on Saturday slugged a tenth inning RBI double during Saturday’s game for the Giants in their 6-5 win he’s been clutch when filling in for catcher Buster Posey whose out with injury.

#3 Morris, Giants manager Gabe Kapler says that Casali is a pretty selfless individual and has served the team, the pitchers, and Buster well.

#4 During the series the Giants on Friday got great pitching out of starter Johnny Cueto who threw a 2-0 shutout and the Giants clipped the A’s 6-5 in a ten inning nail biter on Saturday and those are the types of teams the Giants need to beat as the A’s are one of the winningest teams in the American League.

#5 Morris, It’s Monday Night Baseball tonight and the Giants are headed to LA to face their rivals the Los Angeles Dodgers. This will be the second consecutive time the Giants have played in LA without the Dodgers coming to San Francisco for a brief two game series at Oracle Park. The Giants and Dodgers have not announced a starter for tonight’s game.

Join Morris Phillips for the Giants podcast at http://www.sportsradioservice.com each Monday

A’s prove resilient, bounce back from heartbreaker with 6-2 win over the Giants

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By Morris Phillips

SAN FRANCISCO–Cole Irvin’s answer to four hours of frustrating, fruitless baseball on Saturday night was eight, scoreless innings on Sunday.

For the needy A’s, it turned out to be a pretty good answer.

“The mindset was pound the zone with fastballs and get ahead, and everything seemed to be working,” Irvin said in his post game interview with NBC Sports Bay Area.

Irvin was gifted a 2-0, first inning lead before his first pitch, then he cruised through eight innings, allowing just one Giants’ baserunner to reach second base (in the eighth) on his watch. While the Giants played their usual patient game at the plate, they did so without a payoff this time–Irvin didn’t allow any extra-base hits among the three hits and two walks he surrendered.

“It’s all about getting ahead,” manager Bob Melvin said, well aware of the pressure relieved by Irvin after the A’s dropped a 6-5, extra-inning heartbreaker the day before. “You get ahead, now you force them to swing a little bit more. When you have some sink and you can keep the ball in the strike zone and move both sides, it’s tough to get the barrel on it.”

The Giants–and their sellout crowd–did all they could to loosen Irvin’s grip on the afternoon, but to no affect. The A’s nursed their 2-0 lead into the sixth, then broke the game open with three runs in the sixth and one more in the seventh. The Giants, despite having baseball’s best record, and being the first team to 50 wins, have had some issues with shutouts. They avoided their third shutout in the last 15 games by pushing across a pair of runs in the ninth against reliever Deolis Guerra.

The A’s have surged in June with a 16-8 record, but watching the first place Astros rip off 11 straight wins to surpass them in the division, then run into the hot Giants and have to avoid a sweep may have played a role in their psyche on Sunday. Melvin sensed it, but with a half season still to play, the manager was careful not to overplay it.

“I’m not saying it was the most important game in the world but our guys came out with some fire,” Melvin said. “They were a little upset last night that we lost that game.”

Matt Chapman extended his MLB-best 15-game hit streak with a two-run single in the first. Then with the Giants issuing free passes via two hit batsmen and a walk, the A’s fashioned a three-run rally with just one base hit in the sixth. Aramis Garcia, who did his best work on Sunday behind the plate in support of Irvin, added an RBI single in the seventh to close the books on Oakland’s scoring.

A day off Monday and home games against Texas and Boston are next for the A’s, and the leadup to their next meeting with the Astros at Minute Maid Park a week from Tuesday.

Sweep averted as Irwin picks up sixth win for the Athletics; A’s stop Giants 6-2

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Oakland A’s hitter Matt Chapman gets around on a pitch for a two run single in the first inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco as the A’s avoided a sweep on Sun Jun 27, 2021 (AP News photo)

By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO-After taking the first two games of the Bay Bridge Series, the San Francisco Giants were looking that rare sweep of the Oakland Athletics; however, that would not be the outcome.

Matt Chapman drove in the only runs that the Athletics would need, as he hit a two-run single in the top of the first inning that scored Elvis Andrus and Matt Olson and the Athletics salvaged the finale of the series with a 6-2 victory over the Giants before a crowd of 35,920 at Oracle Park. The loss by the Giants put an end to their five-game winning streak.

Cole Irwin won for the sixth time on the season against seven losses, as he went eight innings, allowing zero runs on three hits, walking two and striking out eight This was the first ever appearance for Irwin against the Giants.

The eight innings pitched by Irwin tied his career high that was previously set on May 4,2021 against the Toronto Blue Jays at the Coliseum. In that game, Irwin went those eight innings, allowing one run on three hits, walking one and striking out nine and the Athletics won 4-1.

Sammy Long lasted just five innings for the Giants, as he allowed four runs on four hits, walked three and struck out three.

The Athletics blew the game open in the top of the sixth inning, as they scored three runs all against Long. Chad Pinder was hit by a pitch to start the inning, Tony Kemp singled and then Aramis Garcia drove in Pinder with an opposite field single. After Skye Bolt struck out for the first out of the inning, Irwin helped out his own cause, as he dropped down a perfect sacrifice bunt that Kemp score underneath the tag of Buster Posey, as Darin Ruf was unable to complete the nifty ball toss from the glove.

Ramon Laureano was then hit by a pitch, and then Elvis Andrus hit a sacrifice fly that allowed Garcia to score from third base.

The Athletics tacked on one more run in the top of the seventh inning, as Chapman scored on a Garcia single to left field and slid into home plate just underneath the tag of Buster Posey, who returned to the starting lineup after missing the first two games of the series with back stiffness.

Down to their final inning, the Giants began a quasi-comeback, as Mike Yastrzemski was hit by a pitch, then Posey lined a single off the right field wall that sent Yastrzemski to third base; however, Darin Ruf then grounded into a double play that scored Yastrzemski from third base.

Steven Duggar, who scored the winning run in Saturday nights 11-inning 6-5 thriller doubled to centerfield that scored Donovan Solano, who doubled after Ruf grounded into the double play.

Brandon Crawford, who did not start the game for the Giants came off the bench and struck out to end the game.

NOTES: Logan Webb threw a simulated game prior to the game, and threw 20 pitches. He will pitch at an affiliate this week, according to Giants manager Gabe Kapler.

In regards to the Giants becoming the first major league team to reach the 50 win plateau, and since the Wild Card era began in 1995, only three teams who were first to win 50 in a season have gone on to win the World Series, the 1998 Yankees, 2005 White Sox and the 2017 Astros.

UP NEXT: Anthony DeSclafani goes for his ninth win of the season on Monday night, as the Giants head back to Los Angeles to face the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium for a brief two-game series, who will send Trevor Bauer to the hill, as he looks for his eighth win of the season.

Casali wins it in extras for Giants 6-5

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San Francisco Giants LeMonte Wade Jr (right) gets congratulations from teammate Steven Duggar (6) after launching a two run fifth inning home run at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Sat Jun 26, 2021 (AP News photo)

By Jeremy Kahn

Curt Casali was back in the lineup for the San Francisco Giants and was in a rut going into his last at-bat, but ended the game with one swing of the bat.

Casali struck out in his first four at-bats, but hit a game-winning walk-off double that scored Steven Duggar from first base in the bottom of the 10th inning, and the Giants scored two runs to stun the Oakland Athletics 6-5 at Oracle Park for their 50th win of the season.

Duggar singled in Brandon Crawford from second base, as he tied up the game with his base hit off of former Giants reliever Burch Smith.

The Athletics took the lead in the top of the 10th inning, as Seth Brown scored from third base on a Matt Chapman sacrifice fly off of Giants closer Jake McGee.

Brown started the inning on second base, when to third base on a ground out by Ramon Laureano.

It looked like the Giants were going to win the game in the bottom of the ninth inning, but LaMonte Wade, Jr., was easily thrown out at the plate on a double by Crawford that saw a perfect throw from Tony Kemp to Chapman who threw to Sean Murphy to easily tag out Wade, Jr., to end the inning and the game went to extra innings.

Alex Wood went 5.1 innings for the Giants, as he allowed two runs (one earned), scattering four hits, walking one and striking out eight.

Dominic Leone unfortunately was unable to hold the lead, as he replaced Wood and gave up single to Mitch Moreland that tied up the game.

All in all, six relievers allowed four runs (three earned), walked one and struck out one and in the end, McGee won his third game of the season.

Wood threw a wild pitch that allowed Kemp to score the first run of the game for the Athletics in the top of the third inning.

Wade, Jr., gave the Giants the lead in the bottom of the fifth inning, as he hit his fifth home run of the season.

After Moreland tied up the game in the top of the sixth inning, Chapman extended the lead up to 4-2, as he hit an opposite field home run.

Unfortunately, the Athletics bullpen was unable to hold the lead, as Wilmer Flores hit a single in the bottom of the seventh inning that scored Wade, Jr., and then Donovan Solano tied up the game when he hit a solo home run in the bottom of the eighth inning.

NOTES: With the victory, the Giants have won 10 out of their last 11 and 22 out of their last 29 games.

During the month of June, the Giants are now 16-6, trailing the Houston Astros, who are now are 19-4 in the month.

This is the first time since 1938 that the Giants are the first team to get to 50 wins in a season, this according to STATS, INC.

UP NEXT: Sammy Long takes the ball for the Giants on Sunday afternoon, as they look for the sweep, while the Athletics will send Cole Irvin to the hill.

Oakland A’s post game report: Giants just hold it together to get by A’s 6-5 at Oracle

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Umpire Tim Timmons just checking to make sure that Oakland A’s starter Frankie Montas didn’t have any foreign substances on his shirt, glove or cap in the first inning, he passed inspection at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Sat Jun 26, 2021 (AP News photo)

Oakland 5 – 6 – 0

San Francisco 6 – 9 – 1

By Lewis Rubman

Saturday June 26, 2021

SAN FRANCISCO–The Athletics’ past week was bookended by frustrating loses, with a disappointing split of a four game series against the Texas Rangers in Arlington occupying the time between them.

On Sunday the 20th, Oakland was trailing the Yankees 2-1 in the top of the ninth at the Stadium, when they put runners on first and second with none down against the usually impregnable Arnoldis Chapman.

The Cuban fireballer was having trouble with a finger on his pitching hand, and it seemed inevitable that, with Sean Murphy, Elvis Andrus, and Mark Canha coming to bat, the come from behind specialists from the East Bay would push at least one, very possibly more, runs across the plate.

Murphy drove Chapman’s second pitch down the third base line, and, the next thing you knew, the Yanks had pulled off a triple play, hanging Oakland out to dry. You have to hit the ball pretty hard to ground into a triple play like that.

Last night, Sean Manaea pitched a masterful five innings against the Giants at Oracle Park. He held the MLB leading home team to one run on only three hits over six innings and even went two for two himself, including a double up triples alley. But he was up against the equally masterful Johnny Cueto, aided by strong relief from Tyler Rogers and Jake McGee, who combined to shut out Oakland, 2-0.

Today, seeking to even the series against their cross bay rivals, Oakland sent Frankie Montás (7-7, 4.79) to the mound against Alex Wood (6-3, 4.09), who looked awful in his start last Sunday against Philadelphia, which ended with Phillies routing the home squad by the ignominious score of 11-2.

Montás, too, had performed poorly in his previous start, eight earned runs on nine hits in 5-2/3 frames the day after deflating triple play defeat in the Bronx.

This encounter of two starting pitchers with a lot to prove ended up being a tight pitchers´duel decided in ten innings, with both starters long gone, and the Giants winning 6-5 in a nail biter.

Montás dug himself a hole early. He loaded the bases with one out in the home second with two walks, separated by a single and a wild pitch. But he climbed out of it by fanning San Fran’s number eight hitter, Curt Casali, subbing for Buster. Posey, who was resting his aching back, and getting Wood to ground out to Matt Chapman.

But it was the A’s who opened the scoring. Elvis Andrus led off the top of the third with a single to right center and kept on running when center fielder Steve Duggar dropped the ball. Tony Kemp moved Andrus to third with a ground out to second, a text book productive out, if you can call it that when it brings the pitcher to the plate. Montás, not unexpectedly struck out looking. Ramón Laureano upheld the tradition of this year´s A’s lead off men by getting hit by a pitch, a bit of wildness that Wood extended by walking Chapman, in the process of which he unleashed a wild pitch that allowed Andrus to score and Laureano to advance to second, where he was stranded. The run was unearned, but Wood contributed mightily to it.

The lead changed hands in the bottom of the fifth, with Duggar on base, LaMonte Wade, Jr. launched a 399 foot blast into the right field seats for the Giants’ second hit of the game and his fifth home run of tthe season, driving in his 12th and 13th RBI. This was Wade’s 28th game of 2021.

TheWhite Elephants came roaring back in the top of the sixth, chasing Wood from the box with singles by Olson and Lowrie.

Wood’s replacement, Dominic Leone, wild pitched Lowrie to second (Olson had gone to third on Lowrie’s base knock) with Mitch Moreland, pinch hitting for Pinder, at the plate. Moreland’s single to right drove in Olson with the tying run. Leone got Andrus out on a grounder to third after an eight pitch battle.

Wood had accquitted himseelf admirably. He was charged with two runs, and his earned one, which came in the sixth was facilitated by Olson’s single, which came on a ground ball to second, and Leone’s failure to bar the door.

The Giants’ starter gave up four hits in his 5-1/3 innings of work and had struck out eight, while conceding only one passport. He threw 92 pitches, 57 for strikes.

Montás didn’t come out for the sixth. He left, relieved by Yusmeiro Petit, after hurling five full frames and yielding the two runs he’d allowed on Wade’s round tripper. San Francisco managed to get two hits and three walks off him. 62 of his 96 offerings were considered strikes.

It took a grand falling grab by Lowrie of Duggars bounder towards right to enable Petit to escape the home sixth unscathed, Dickerson having singled and Solano walked before the A’s second sacker saved Petit’s bacon.

Jarlin García opened the seventh for the Jints. He disposed of the first two Athletics he faced but, after walking Laureano, was lifted in favor of Zach Littell. And then Matt Chapman lofted a 358 foot blast into the right field night. Olson’s inning ending pop up was anticlimactic.

It now was up to Sergio Romo to do what Petiit had done in the previous inning, stave off his erstwhile teammates. He, like García, got his first two men, but walked Wade, the third third batter he faced, Wade.At this point, the A’s called on Jake Diekman to retire Yaztremski.

Diekman hit him with the first pitch he threw. Wilmer Flores lined a single to left on the next pitch, driving in Wade and narrowing the score to 4-3. Diekman proceded to close the inning by striking out Darin Ruf, pinch hitting for Dickerson.

José Alvarez set the A’s down in order in the eighth, and Diekman stayed on to face the Giants in their half of the frame. He got Crawford to line out to center, but Solano took a 3-2 95 mph four seamer deep to left enter to tie the game up again.

Diekman walked Duggar on another full count, ball three of which brought about Bob Melvin’s ejection from the game by home plate umpire Lance Barrett. Diekman followed his manager to the club house, and Lou Trivino retired Casali and pinch hitter Austin Slater to preserve the tie.

Tyler Rogers, whose submarine deliveries had torpedoed the A’s in the eighth on Friday night, pitched the ninth and continued his lethal attacks on the A’s batters, sending them down in order

Wade led off the bottom of the ninth against Trivino by sneaking a grounder past Chapman for a single to left. Trivino retired Yaztremski and Flores but walked Darin Ruf, putting the potential winning run in scoring position with Crawford at the plate.

Crawford came through with a single to left, but the game remained tied with a perfect throw from Kemp to Chapman, a perfect relay from Chapman to Murphy, and a perfect tag by Murphy to tag Wade at the plate. It wasn’t even close.

Brown, having made the last out in the A’s ninth, started the tenth at second base, and Jake McGeestarted it on the mound. Laureano’s ground out to short moved Brown to third. Chapman flew out to left, a sacrifice fly that put Oakland up, 5-4. Olson popped to short to end the frame.

The bottom of the tenth began with Crawford on second and Solano facing Burch Smith. Solano flew out to center, and Crawford thought it unwise to try advancing to third against Laureano’s arm. Duggar brought him home with a game tying single to center.

Curt Cas. who had struck out in all four of his previous plate appearances drove him home with a double to left. The highly partisan crowd went wild.

The win went to McGee, who now stands at 3-2, 3.06. Burch Smith got charged with the loss. He’s now 1-1, 5.82.

The teams will wrap up the series at 1:05 Sunday afternoon, with Cole Irvin (5-7,3.98) hoping to put the A’s back on track against Sammy Long (1-0, 4.20). After a well earned day off on Monday, the green and gold return to the Coliseum to do battle with the Rangers at 6:40 Tuesday evening.

Giants take Game one of the Bay Bridge Series 2-0

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San Francisco Giants starter Johnny Cueto delivers a fifth inning pitch to the Oakland A’s at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Fri Jun 25, 2021 (AP News photo)

By Jeremy Kahn

After a quick two-game road trip that saw the San Francisco Giants sweep the Los Angeles Angels, they returned home to face another American League West team.

Curt Casali, who was a late replacement for Buster Posey hit a big solo home run in the bottom of the seventh inning, as the Giants defeated the Oakland As 2-0 before a paid crowd of 36,928 in the re-opening day for the Giants. This was the ninth win in 10 games for the Giants, who are now a Major-League best 49-26 on the season.

Johnny Cueto went seven strong innings, allowing just five hits, walking one and striking out six, as he raised his record to 6-3 on the season.

The Giants got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth inning, as Brandon Crawford drove in Wilmer Flores with a single off of eventual losing pitcher Sean Manaea.

Tyler Rogers and Jake McGee came on in the eighth and ninth innings, to finish off the Giants 11th shutout, tops in the major leagues.

Rogers gave up a hit and struck out two before giving way to McGee, who struck out former Giants outfielder Skye Bolt for his 15th save of the season.

Manaea went six innings, allowing one run on three hits, walking three and striking out seven and allowed picked up a single and a double in his only at-bats, before he was replaced by Mitch Moreland, who flew out off of Cueto in the top of the seventh inning.

The double by Manaea was his first hit since the 2018 season.

The Giants could muster only five hits off of As pitching, as Mike Yastrzemski, Wilmer Flores and Mauricio Dubon picked up the other three hits on the evening.

When Crawford drove in Flores with the first Giants run of the evening, it was the 50th run batted in for Crawford on the season.

It was a tough night on the bases for the As, as they left nine runners on base and went `1-for-4 with runners in scoring position.

NOTES: Brandon Belt was placed on the 10-day disabled list (retroactive to June 24) with inflammation in his right knee. Lamonte Wade, Jr., was recalled from Sacramento to Belts place on the Giants roster.

Posey was scratched due to back stiffness.

The ceremonial first pitches prior to the game were thrown by San Francisco Mayor London Breed, who threw to Giants manager Gabe Kapler and Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf threw the first pitch to former Giants reliever and current As reliever Sergio Romo.

UP NEXT: Alex Wood takes the mound for the Giants, while the As will send Frankie Montas to the mound.