Category: Oakland Athletics

A’s win a laugher beating the Padres 16-2.

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by Jerry Feitelberg

The Oakland A’s exploded for 16 runs and 20 hits to blast the San Diego Padres 16-2 Wednesday night at home in Oakland. Jesse Chavez, who has pitched well all season, finally had run support from his mates as he won his third game of the year against six losses. The A’s have now won four games in a row for the second time this season.  The Padres lost their fourth consecutive game.

The A’s put four runs on the board in the bottom of the first inning. Billy Burns, leading off, smacked the first pitch he saw from Padres” starter Odrisamer Despaigne, into right field for a double. Burns went to third on a Marcus Semien single. With one out, Ben Zobrist singled to drive in Burns. Semien took third on the play. With two out, A’s DH, Billy Butler hit a 3-run homer to left-field to put the A’s ahead 4-0. For Butler, it was his fifth home run of the year.

Oakland added a run in the third. With one out, Ben Zobrist hit a line shot down the first base line that went into the rightfield corner for a triple. The next batter, Stephen Vogt flied out to left. Zobrist tagged up and scored easily to give the A’s a 5-0 lead after three innings of play.

The Padres scored in the top of the sixth. Padres’ shortstop Alexi Amarista smacked the first pitch from Chavez into the right-field seats for his second home run of the year. A’s still lead 5-1.

The A’s scored four more runs in the bottom of the 7th to take a 9-1 lead. Mark Canha singled to get thing rolling. The Padres replaced Despaigne with Frank Garces. Garces walked Sogard to put men on at first and second with no out. Billy Burns singled to load the bases. Canha scored on a Marcus Semien sacrifice fly.  Ben Zobrist doubled to right center driving in Sogard and Burns. Zobrist went to third on a throwing error by Matt Kemp. Zobrist scored on a single off the bat of Stephen Vogt.

Fernando Abad relieved Jesse Chavez in the eighth. The inning did not start well as Padres’ third baseman Will Middlebrooks deposited the baseball over the wall in centerfield to make it a 9-2 game. Abad retired the next three batters.

In the bottom of the eighth, the A’s sent 12 men to the plate. They scored seven runs on eight hits to make it a 16-2 game. Arnold Leon pitched the ninth to close out the win for Oakland.

Game Notes- The 16 runs and 20 hits were season highs for the A’s. The A’s have won 4 straight and six of the last eight.The A’s have outscored the opposition 304-266 so far. The A’s starting pitchers are 4-1 with a 1.46 ERAover the last six games. Jesse Chavez set a career-high with 11 strikeouts.

The hitting stars for the A’s were Billy Burns, who was 3-for-4 and scored three runs. Billy Butler had four hits including a home run and three singles, and 2 of the singles were if you can believe it, infield hits. Mark Canha had two hits and one RBI. Brett Lawrie was 2-for-4 with 2 RBI. And Ben Zobrist had a single, double and a triple and drove in 3 runs.

The line score for San Diego was two runs on five hits and one error while Oakland had 16 runs on 20 hits, and the A’s were flawless in the field. Chavez’ record improved to 3-6, and the A’s are now 29-39. San Diego’s Odrisamer Despaigne took the loss, and his record is now 3-5 and the Padres drop to 32-36.

Time of game was 2 hours and 49 minutes, and the 20,625 people were in attendance.

Kendall Graveman will go for Oakland on Thursday, and the Ian Kennedy will pitch for the Padres. Game time will be at 12:35 PM PT at the O.co Coliseum.

Oakland A’s podcast with Charlie O: A’s win streak reaches three get set to host two with San Diego

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by Charlie O Mallonee

After dropping two out of three in Anaheim the Oakland A’s had better luck in San Diego with a two game sweep over the Padres with a 6-5 win on Tuesday afternoon at the Oakland Coliseum. The A’s have now won three in a row, it’s kind of systematic of who the A’s have been and will be for the rest of the season. Tuesday’s game a picture perfect game to describe the state of the A’s.

The A’s got some hitting they got some good pitching, they had some not so good pitching but they were able to pull it off. The A’s scored six runs and eight hits, they had six walks, Scott Kazmir had surrendered five hits on three runs six strike outs. They were selective, we talked a lot about runners in scoring position.

Also we had talked about the A’s lack of production effort the A’s in Tuesday’s game went three for nine with runners in scoring position. The A’s got some timely hitting, they got some good relief pitching, and then they got some not so good relief pitching but they were able to pull it off. The A’s were able to score six runs with eight hits and they had six walks.

The A’s hitters were selective at the plate throughout the game, we talked a lot about runners in scoring position and their lack of production they were 3-9 with runners in scoring position. You’ll take a .339 average with runners in scoring position all season long. They did well and they did well the other day on Sunday in Anaheim against the Angels.

So the A’s are starting to pick that up a little bit and their starting to get some timely hitting, Ben Zobrist a guy who’s not been hitting for high average but has been coming through with timely hits hit a two run home run his third homer of the season off Padre pitcher Andrew Cashner. Zobrist’s homer couldn’t have been timed any better.

Charlie O does A’s commentary each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com listen to the podcast below

That’s Amaury’s Podcast, News, and Commentary: FBI probe into Cardinal officials hacking Astros GM Luhnow (photo John Luhnow right and George Postolos)

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by Amaury Pi Gonzalez

LOS ANGELES–The St.Louis Cardinals officials that are being investigated for hacking into the Houston Astros network are believed to have hacked from their home according to the FBI. The idea of a Major League team hacking into another club’s network is unheard of and this is something that is totally unprecedented. The computer world of hacking has now come to MLB.

The Cardinals are a very successful franchise way before the computer world, the won back in the days of the 1940s with Enos Slaughter and Stan Musial and those guys. Then in the 60s with Bob Gibson, Curt Flood, and Lou Brock. Then later with Albert Pujols and Mark McGwire. Pujols this year is doing very well with the Angels.

This is a unique case and were going to learn more as this case develops when the FBI finishes up their investigation. The FBI is a serious crew they don’t investigate just anybody they will look into this case thoroughly and that’s what investigators do. Who knows they might investigate if other MLB teams are doing the same thing.

Right now were not privy into all the forthcoming information and the FBI is looking into the St.Louis Cards hacking the Astros network and the FBI investigating is a serious organization. This is one of the most respected and feared organizations in the world and remember the FBI is the organization that investigated the FIFA money embezzlement scandal. This hacking case which involves the Cardinals is a very interesting case and this will be followed very closely.

Former Cardinals executive Jeff Luhnow was very smart with developing the Cardinals success and now the Astros huge success and Luhnow speaks perfect Spanish. He’s a very bright guy he ended up bringing a number of Cardinal executives to Houston with him and the Cardinals were seeking revenge and there was jealously and it wouldn’t be surprising if the Cards were not trying to get back at Luhnow.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the Spanish radio voice for the A’s and the Spanish TV voice for the Angels and does News and Commentary each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com listen to his podcast below

https://soundcloud.com/sports-radio-service/thats-amaurys-news-and-commentary-tue-jun-16-2015

A’s win third in a row, nip the San Diego Padres.

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by Jerry Feitelberg

The Oakland A’s surprised all their fans in San Diego Tuesday afternoon. How did they do it? They won a daytime game, and it was a one-run game, too. The A’s have performed miserably this year in both categories, i.e., one-run games and games played in the sunlight. The bullpen continued to make life difficult for A’s manager Bob Melvin as the blew the save giving up two runs to tie the game at five. The A’s, however, would not be denied. They scored a run in the top of the ninth and A’s closer Tyler Clippard entered the game and struck the side to save the day and preserve the win. The A’s triumph 6-5.

Lefty Scott Kazmir (3-4,2,96) started for Oakland, and he was opposed by the tall righty Andrew Cashner (2-8,4.45). The Padres struck first in the bottom of the third. The rookie catcher, 22-year-old Austin Hedges hit his first Major League home run. The ball went some 390 feet over the left-field wall for the score. The Padres added a run in the fourth. Justin Upton and Will Middlebrooks singled to put men on at first and third with one out. Clint Barmes bunted to first baseman Billy Butler. Butler fielded the ball, but Ben Zobrist did not cover first. Upton scored to make it 2-0.

The A’s took the lead in the top of the fifth. With one out, Max Muncy doubled to deep right field. Sam Fuld walked to put men on at first and third. Kazmir singled to drive in Muncy. Billy Burns then tripled to deep right center field to drive in Fuld and Kazmir. A’s lead 3-2. The Lead didn’t last long as San Diego tacked on another run without the benefit of a hit. Melvin Upton, Jr. reached first on a Scott Kazmir throwing error. Upton stole second and advanced to third on a ground out; Kazmir was called for a balk allowing Upton to come home with the run.

Ben Zobrist hit a two-run homer to give a 5-3 lead in the sixth. Kazmir was done after five innings of work. Fernando Rodriguez and Drew Pomeranz pitched the next two innings and kept San Diego off the board. The eight inning, however, was a different story. The bullpen has not been an asset for Oakland this year, and it failed again. Pomeranz was out for his second inning of work. Melvin Upton, Jr and Yonder Alonzo singled to get the rally going for San Diego. First and third with no out. Melvin took Pomeranz out and brought in Evan Scribner to pitch, Scribner got Justin Upton to hit into a 5-4-3 double play.His brother, Melvin, scored on the play. The net batter, Matt Kemp, homered on the first pitch from Scribner to tie the game.

The A’s untied the game in the top of the ninth.  The Padres brought in their closer, Craig Kimbrel, to shut the A’s down, but the A’s would not quit. With two out. Billy Burns walked and promptly stole second base. Eric Sogard singled to drive in Burns with the go-ahead run. A’s closer Tyler Clippard was brought in to pitch, and all he did was strike out the side to win the game for the A’s.

Game notes. With the win, the A’s own a modest 3-game win streak as they return home to play San Diego again Wednesday night and Thursday afternoon. The A’s record improved to 28-39 and has a record of 17-21 on the road. San Diego falls to 32-25 and has a 16-19 record at Petco Field.

Game 3 of the series will be at O.co Coliseum at 7:05 PM PT

Hahn hands Padres loss

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By Pearl Allison Lo

~ In the Oakland Athletics’ first interleague game this season, Jesse Hahn held San Diego at bay, for a 9-1 win Monday.

Hahn won the battle of both pitchers facing their former teams for the first time. He went 6.2 innings, gave up three hits, tying a season-low, one run and two walks while striking out four.

Padres’ starter Tyson Ross only had one clean inning, though the second was pretty close. He went five innings, tying a season-high with four runs and five walks, as he struck out six and gave up seven hits.

The last time the two teams faced each other at Petco Park was in 2009.

Runwise, the A’s and their opponents are respectively 17-2. Oakland’s Stephen Vogt hit a two out, first pitch grand slam in the top of the eighth. He also had two hits and another RBI. Brett Lawrie went 3-for-5 with two RBIs and Ben Zobrist walked a career-high four times with a hit and three runs scored.

San Diego has only scored four runs their past three games.

Both teams put up runs in the third inning, one run for each coming off a walk.

Singles surrounded the A’s walk. Eric Sogard had a one out single, then stole second, Josh Reddick singled him in, Zobrist walked, Vogt singled in Reddick and Lawrie brought Zobrist home with an infield single to make it 3-0.

In the bottom of the third, Alexi Amarista led off with a walk, Tyson Ross sacrificed and Will Venable doubled in Amarista to make it 3-1.

With one out in the top of the fifth, Zobrist walked and Vogt singled to put runners at the corners. This resulted in a mound meeting, after which Lawrie made it 4-1 and the bullpen started warming up.

San Diego started the top of the sixth with pitcher Nick Vincent on the mound.

The Padres threatened in the bottom of the seventh. Yangervis Solarte almost had a two-run home run. With two outs and runners on the corner, Oakland brought in Drew Pomeranz to pitch. Upton Jr. stole second, but Pomeranz eventually got Venable to ground out.

The A’s did not let up in the top of the eighth. They had no outs and runners on the corner, due to a lead off walk by Marcus Semien and a pinch-hit single by Billy Butler. Burns then made it 5-1 on a single before Vogt’s slam later.

Game notes: Long-time San Diego manager Bud Black was fired before the game, and replaced by Bench Coach Dave Roberts. The Padres are now in the hunt for a 2015 Interim Manager. Game two of this four-game series kicks off at 12:40pm Tuesday.

That’s Amaury’s Podcast, News and Commentary: No I in Golden State as they set out to beat best in the world LeBron

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by Amaury Pi Gonzalez

As much as the Cleveland Cavaliers LeBron James says that he’s the best basketball player on earth the fact is he can’t do it all. The Golden State Warriors are just a different team. The W’s have too many weapons and Stephen Curry is a machine. Here again the Cavaliers are against the wall. They hope to win game six in Cleveland on Tuesday night and force a game seven which I really don’t want to happen because the A’s are playing at the Coliseum the same day the Warriors would be hosting game seven on a Friday night.

When the Warriors and the A’s play at the same time the parking lot will look more like morning commute traffic with everybody trying to get in the building. The Warriors definitely look like the best team and like LeBron said and he’s right he’s probably the best player in the world. So we’ll see what happens.

It’s not about A player it’s about A team. Right now the Golden State Warriors are the better team. The Warriors were ahead in game five and Cleveland came back and tied it up but the Warriors once again pulled it out. These two teams are taking it game by game and it’s going to go to seven games at this rate. I said on our last show at Flames restaurant in San Jose that the Warriors will win this series in six games.

So in game six Tuesday the Warriors could wrap it up, the thing about the Warriors is that they’ve been the best team the whole year. Sometimes in any sport like baseball the Giants who last year were the best thing in baseball they won 88 games. They got in by winning a one game playoff against Pittsburgh and they peaked at the right time and went all the way from there.

The Giants won the World Series and they had roughed it out all season long but won the World Series in the end, in the Warriors case they were the best team in the NBA from the beginning. Golden State is almost unbeatable at Oracle Arena, so my point is when a team plays that well for a whole season they’re confidence is sky high. The Warriors know themselves, they might not be as arrogant as LeBron whose the best player in the world which is true but still the Warriors have that factor and confidence.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the Spanish radio voice for the A’s and the former Spanish radio voice for the Warriors and does News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com listen to his podcast below

Sonny Gray to the rescue – A’s win 8-1

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sonny gray

by Charlie O. Mallonee

Black Oak Arkansas’ signature song was “Jim Dandy to the Rescue”. When the Oakland Athletics (26-39) have been in trouble this season, their signature song has been “Sonny Gray to the Rescue”.

Sonny Gray(8-3) came to the rescue  for he A’s on Sunday as he used  a dominating pitching performance versus the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (32-31) to lead Oakland to an 8-1 victory.

The A’s had lost back-to-back one-run games to the Angels. A loss on Sunday would have resulted in an Angels sweep. Not only did the A’s avoid the sweep, they did it in impressive fashion.

Oakland scored single runs in the second and third innings and were leading 2-1 as they headed to the top of the sixth inning. The A’s scored three runs with two outs to open up a 5-1 lead.

The Athletics did not stop there as they tacked on three additional runs in the seventh inning.

Dominant starting pitching coupled with outstanding run production earned the A’s a win in the final game of the three-game series with the Angels.

On the Bump

Sonny Gray picked up his eighth win of the season on Sunday. He pitched 7.2 innings giving up just one unearned run on 5 hits. Gray struck out nine batters and walked none. He threw 100 pitches (65 strikes).

All of Gray’s pitches were working for him in the game. The fastball, sinker and change were all under control and working as planned.

Gray’s earned run average dropped to 1.60 in the win. An 8-3 record with that ERA are certainly All-Star numbers. They may even be American League All-Star starting pitcher type stats.

Fernando Rodriguez came into the game in relief of Gray in the bottom of the eighth inning. He faced one hitter and recorded a fly out to end the inning.

Tyler Clippard pitched the ninth inning for Oakland. He had not pitched since last Wednesday and the A’s wanted him to get some work in even though it was not a save situation.

The Angels were able to load the bases off Clippard, but the A’s closer was able to work out the situation by getting Kyle Kubitza to strike out to end the game. Clippard had throw 28 pitches in the bottom of the ninth.

Matt Shoemaker (4-5) took the loss for the Angels. He pitched 5.2 innings giving up four runs (three earned) on six hits. Shoemaker struck five hitters and walked none.

Four Los Angeles relief pitchers gave up four runs (three earned) on six hits.

In the Batters Box

Ben Zobrist, the designated hitter for the A’s, led the day on offense. Zobrist went 3-for-5 (including a double), scored three runs and added one RBI. Not a bad day for a .219 hitter.

Billy Burns and Josh Reddick had identical numbers at the plate. Burns and Reddick went 2-for-5, had an RBI and scored a run for the A’s.

Eric Sogard had a 2-for-5 game with three RBI and a run scored.

Stephen Vogt did not have a hit but did score a run after being walked intentionally in the seventh inning.

Max Muncy had a hit, RBI and run scored in the game. Muncy’s RBI-double in the sixth inning kicked of the three-run, two out rally that won the game for Oakland.

The A’s had 12 hits in the game and went 5-for-17 with runners in scoring position.

The Angels had just five hits in the game.

Defense

Neither team had a spectacular day on defense. The Angels committed three earns that resulted in two unearned runs. The A’s had two errors that allowed one unearned run.

Both of the A’s errors were committed by shortstop Marcus Semien. Semien could not handle an Erick Aybar ground ball in the fourth inning. A wild pitch and a passed ball allow Aybar to reach third base. He would score on a David Freese single.

Semien was charged with his second error in the bottom of the ninth inning when could not handle the throw from Clippard who fielded a come-backer. Frankly, it should have been a throwing error charged to Clippard.

Semien now has 22 errors for the season.

Up Next

The A’s boarded buses for the short trip south to San Diego where they will play a two-game inter-league series with the Padres. The Padres (32-32) lost to the Dodgers 4 to 2 at home on Sunday. San Diego is in third-place in the National League West.

The Padres will travel to Oakland for two games on Wednesday and Thursday.

On Monday night, RHP Jesse Hahn (3-5, 3.84) will face off with Padres RHP Tyson Ross (3-6, 3.81).

The Tuesday afternoon game will see LHP Scott Kazmir (3-4, 2.79) go up against San Diego’s RHP Andrew Cashner (2-8, 4.16).

Not again!: A’s squander Graveman’s career-best start and lose 1-0 to the Angels

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By Morris Phillips

Not another donut…

Unfortunately, the shutout has become the A’s most likely manner in which to suffer a loss. After falling 1-0 in Anaheim to the Angels on Saturday night, the A’s have been shutout 13 times in their last 119 games dating back to August 1, 2014.

Causing even more pain, the A’s have lost 1-0 four times in that span, a period in which the A’s have gone from the team with the major’s best record to the team with the worst record and then to their current status, 25-39, which ranks them dead last among American League teams.

Hoping to make up some ground this weekend on third place Anaheim, the A’s have slipped further back in the AL West, trailing first-place Houston by 10 ½ games after the Astros fell to the Mariners on Saturday.

The A’s have dropped six of eight, immediately following a stretch in which they won six of seven.

In a season equally frustrating and confounding, the A’s have actually scored more runs than they’ve allowed—almost unheard of for a last-place club—another byproduct of all the narrow losses. The A’s have captured just seven of the 34 games they’ve played that were decided by two runs or less.

All that competitive pain often falls on some players more than others, and on Saturday it landed squarely on Kendall Graveman like a cartoon character wandering under a baby grand piano as it falls violently to the street.   Graveman was fantastic again—this time in probably the best outing of his big league career—allowing Albert Pujols 538th career home run in the first inning only to watch it stand as the game-winner.

Graveman scattered eight hits over his eight innings of work, striking out seven without allowing any walks. The rookie pitcher also started 23 of the 30 hitters he faced with a strike, a sign of his consistency throughout the outing. His only mistake? Trying to pitch inside to one of the game’s best hitters, who just happens to be on one of the biggest hot streaks of his decorated career.

Pujols’ first inning homer was the 10th he’s hit in the last 15 games, bringing him even with the league leaders in the category—Seattle’s Nelson Cruz and his teammate, Mike Trout—at 18 for the season. During his hot streak, Pujols has hit .373 with just three strikeouts. Given that, Graveman and catcher Josh Phegley’s decision to challenge the slugger inside seems foolish in hindsight.

“I probably threw too many fastballs in that sequence,” Graveman recounted. “That’s on me. The first four innings we pitched one way and the last four we pitched a different way.”

Since Graveman’s return from a minor league stint, he’s 2-1 with a 2.14 ERA, and he’s emerged as Oakland’s second-best starter after Sonny Gray.

But little tidbits like that don’t make the losing any easier to endure.

On Sunday, the A’s look to avoid the sweep when Gray faces Anaheim’s Matt Shoemaker in the 12:35pm start.

Bullpen Gives Up Two Homers In Eighth, A’s Lose 5-4

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Oakland Athletics' Billy Butler, right, talks to home plate umpire Ted Barrett after striking out during the first inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Friday, June 12, 2015, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Oakland Athletics’ Billy Butler, right, talks to home plate umpire Ted Barrett after striking out during the first inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Friday, June 12, 2015, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

By Kahlil Najar

LOS ANGELES – The lead changed five times throughout the game and the A’s came out the loser tonight as Mike Trout and Kole Calhoun both homered in the bottom of the eighth to give the Angels a 5-4 victory.

Evan Scribner (1-1) who earned the loss today gave up both costly home runs in the bottom of the eighth.”Today it was all me. Two pitches up in the zone. That’s all it was. I can’t make mistakes to those guys.”

“We have to execute better pitches than that,” said head coach Bob Melvin, “It’s not the starters. That’s not the issue. The starters have been the best in the American League this year. Offense hasn’t been a problem for us. Offense has been good, starting pitching has been good. Some other facets haven’t, and they’ve cost us games.”

The Oakland relievers have now cost the A’s 15 losses this season which is tied for most in the majors and their 4.58 ERA is the highest in the league.

“We really just have to find a way to get better with it,” continued Melvin. “The numbers indicate where we are with it and it’s not good, and it’s the reason we’re losing games like that.”

Offensively for Oakland Brett Lawrie and Josh Phegley hit back-to-back homers in the fourth inning and Josh Reddick ripped a two-run shot in the seventh.

The A’s are now 4-17 in one-run games which makes them league leaders in that gut wrenching category.

The A’s send Kendall Graveman (3-2) against C.J. Wilson (3-5) tomorrow in LA.

A’s Place SP Venditte on the 15-day DL; Recall RHP Leon from Nashville

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OAKLAND, Calif. – The Oakland A’s placed switch-pitcher Pat Venditte on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to June 11 with a strained right shoulder, the club announced today.  To take his spot on the roster, the A’s recalled right-handed pitcher Arnold Leon from Triple-A Nashville.
Venditte was selected from Nashville June 5 and made his Major League debut that night at Boston with 2.0 scoreless innings.  He became the first switch-pitcher to appear in a Major League game since Greg Harris on Sept. 28, 1995.  Venditte did not allow a run in four games and 5.2 innings with the A’s.
Leon joins Oakland for the third time this year and has a 5.06 ERA in five relief appearances in his Major League debut.  He appeared in one game during his first stay from April 22 to 23 and made four appearances during his second stint from May 20 to June 3.  The 26-year-old right-hander made one relief appearance following his option on June 4 against Salt Lake, tossing 2.1 scoreless innings.  Leon is 0-3 with a 3.93 ERA in seven games, six starts, overall for the Sounds.