Category: Oakland Athletics

Blackburn holds off Yankees for 2-1 A’s win to open series

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The Oakland A’s Tyler Wade contributed big with the bat and glove at the Oakland Coliseum against the New York Yankees on Tue Jun 27, 2023 (@Athletics image)

New York (AL) (43-36). 000 010 000 000 – 1. 7. 0

Oakland (21-60). 001 100 000 000 – 2. 5 0

Time: 2:36

Attendance: 13,050

Tuesday, June 27, 2023

By Lewis Rubman

OAKALND–If you race to the bottom of this dispatch, you’ll find an attachment titled “Race to the Bottom.” That’s where you can keep up to date with the A’s dreary race to have the worst winning percentage in the history of major league baseball. Spoiler alert: it isn’t even close.

The Yankees historically have been a big draw here on the banks of the River Nimitz. It often was cheaper for New Yorkers to hop a flight to OAK, buy some pretty decent seats, get good, cheap food, and return to Gotham for less than it cost to spend an afternoon or evening in The House That Ruth Built.

Tonight’s game drew all of 13,050. people to the Coliseum, who watched the A’s defeat the Yanks, 2-1, in a nail biter. Most of the cheers before the ninth inning seemed to be for the Yankees.

The moribund Athletics sent hard luck hurler Paul Blackburn to the mound with an 0-0, 4.21 record. He pitched well tonight, lasting 5-1/3 innings and leaving with a runner on first. He allowed a single run, which was earned and came on a home run.

He surrendered three other hits and a walk, striking out five Bronx Bombers, 55 of his 90 offerings counted as strikes. Blackburn’s efforts earned him his first win of the year and brought his ERA down to 3.77.

The Bronx Bombers entrusted their pitching to rookie right hander Jhonny Brito, who came to work this evening with a record of 4-3, 4.89. Brito’s last appearance had been on June 21 at The Stadium, where held the Mariners scoreless on two hits over 5-2/3 innings, He earned the win for that performance.

He went 5-2/3 innings again tonight but yielded two runs, both of them earned. He surrendered four hits, one for four bases and struck out an equal number of opponents, two. He threw 81 pitches, 52 for strikes. He took the tough loss and now has a record of 4-4, 4.70.

The starters traded goose eggs until Tyler Wade sent a one out triple into the right flied corner and scored on Esteury Ruíz’s ensuing single to left put the A’s ahead, 1-0. Seth Brown’s towering fly over the right field auxiliary scoreboard in the fourth extended the lead to 2-0.

Old Oakland fan favorite Josh Donaldson cut the advantage in half with a lead off blast that travelled 423 feet into left field for his seventh home run of what has been a disappointing year at the plate for the Yankee’s third baseman. His four bagger came off a 91 mph four seam fast ball.

Lucas Erceg relieved Blackburn after the starter had issued a one out walk to Anthony Rizzo in the sixth. A force out and a strike out later the one run lead still stood.

Southpaw Nick Ramírez took over for Brito with one on and two down in the bottom of the sixth, walked Brown and retired Brett Rooker to close out the frame. Right handed Tommy Kahn replaced him for the home seventh and put the A’s away, 1-2-3.

It was Trevor May who was pitching for Oakland in the top of the eighth after Langeliers had thrown out Volpe trying to steal second. The Yanks challenged the call, but after review, it stood. May walked a couple of Yanks and almost walked the bases full but still escaped without any damage.

After Ruíz opened the home eighth with a Texas League single to right center, Wandy Peralta took Kahn’s place on the pitching rubber and shut the A’s down.

Sam Moll earned the save in the top of the ninth. Gleyber Torres led off with a pinch hit single to left. Moll bore down and got Donaldson on a called third strike.

Billy McKinney lined out to right. Two down. Volpe beat out a slow grounder too short. Oakland challenged the call. It stood. Kyle Higshioka, who had replaced IsiahKiner-Falefa, who had pinch run in the top of the inning, to 1-2, and … went down swinging.

The three game series resumes tomorrow at 6:40. Recovering New Yorkers like me can recall the Ballantine Blasts and White Owl Wallops of yesteryear while Domingo Germán (4-5, 5.10) of the pinstripers duels the A’s JP Sears (1-5, 4.10)

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast: Will SJ Mayor’s letter sway MLB Commissioner to suspend Giants territorial rights to South Bay

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Rob Manfred Commissioner of MLB is ready for the Oakland A’s to make the move to Las Vegas while receiving a letter from San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan asking Manfred to consider bringing an expansion team to San Jose (image from The Real Deal)

On That’s Amaury News and Commentary:

#1 How powerful is the message that current San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan and four former San Jose Mayors are sending by letter asking Rob Manfred to suspend territorial rights in the South Bay so that San Jose could have a chance to get an expansion team since the A’s will be leaving for Las Vegas?

#2 MLB owners are close to voting on the future of the A’s a 75% vote will approve an A’s move out of Oakland for the 30 owners who will be voting on the A’s future. How closed is the door for San Jose to have a chance at getting an expansion team?

#3 The five San Jose Mayors go onto to write that San Francisco and Oakland are much smaller in population than San Jose but it also it also bring in $410 billion in GDP in the South Bay.

#4 San Jose’s economy the five Mayors point out also surpasses 30 US states and that it has the highest amount of tech companies than any place on the planet.

#5 With that knowledge and that kind of economic base how hard of a fight will MLB, the San Francisco Giants and the Giants CEO Larry Baer in trying to defend their territorial rights to the South Bay. Some argue that the Giants will have all of Northern California, up to Oregon to themselves and without the A’s it’s not a competitive a baseball market?

Join Amaury Pi Gonzalez for News and Commentary podcasts at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: San José chances of Expansion are better than Oakland; 5 San Jose Mayors send letter to MLB Commissioner

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San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan sent a letter this week signed by Mahan and four previous San Jose Mayors to MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred that the South Bay is not San Francisco Giants territory and that MLB should allow an expansion team to come San Jose and the Giants should no longer have territory rights to San Jose and the South Bay (The Business Journals photo)

San José chances of Expansion are better than Oakland

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi Gonzalez

OAKLAND–Five of San Jose’s mayors send Commissioner Rob Manfred a letter asking MLB to permanently suspend territorial rights seeking an opportunity for an expansion team. Matt Mahan, the Mayor of San José, and four of his predecessors Sam Liccardo, Chuck Reed, Ron Gonzales and Tom McEnery — wrote in the letter that Santa Clara County territorial rights should not belong to San Francisco Giants.

With the Oakland A’s move to Las Vegas, the San Francisco Giants will be the one team playing in a market with the largest population, in the country, over 7.5 million people in the nine-county Bay Area. Ironically the Oakland A’s gave the San José territorial rights away in 1992 to the San Francisco Giants, who were ready to leave Candlestick Park for Florida.

The A’s intentions were for the Giants to stay in the Bay Area by building a new park in San José. San José is not only the most populous city in the Bay Area with over 1 million residents, more than San Francisco and Oakland but also with Silicon Valley, a major technology hub in California.

However, back in 1992 San José’s Silicon Valley was very young and the south bay city had not become the financial power that it is today. 2023 is another story. According to Consumer Affairs ranking the median household income in the City of San José is $126,377 per year.

Santa Clara County/San José is a thriving dynamic city headquarters to some of the largest technology companies in the world, as well as the home of the NHL San José Sharks and the MLS San José Earthquakes and the San José Giants, the California League Class Single – an affiliate of the San Francisco Giants.

The letter by the San José current and previous Mayors is a very good move into the possibility of the south bay city getting an expansion team. San José still a city growing, with tremendous potential and definitely should be taken seriously by Major League Baseball to rival such other cities seeking an expansion team like Nashville, Portland, Charlotte and possibility others.

Baseball is a summer sport, San José offers the best warm weather consistently over Oakland and San Francisco. Located is the southernmost part of The Bay, San José does not share the marine layer or the fog.

In the next few years BART will be able to complete the loop around the bay, and extend their service from the Berryessa station into downtown San José. Also, Cal-Trains, VTA, Amtrak all come thru/to San Jose. I believe San José is the biggest threat to Oakland in getting an expansion team, because of its size and less economic and social problems.

While it is very early in the process of MLB expansion teams, a “problem” that the Office of the Commissioner believes cannot even get started until the Oakland A’s and Tampa Bay Rays have new stadiums/cities to play in, there should be no doubt that San José is a serious player and can easily push Oakland’s plans to oblivious, if those plans are to get an expansion team.

This is not the 1968 San José that Dionne Warwick sang about her big hit “Do You Know the Way to San José”, because today everybody knows the way to San José.

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

A’s off day report preview: A’s open three game series against Yankees at Coliseum Tuesday night

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Oakland A’s starter Paul Blackburn gets the start against the New York Yankees on Tue Jun 27, 2023 at the Oakland Coliseum (San Francisco Chronicle photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Oakland A’s (20-60) finished the six-game road trip to Cleveland and Toronto with a record of one win and five losses. After a seven-game winning streak, the A’s have lost ten of the last 11 games. Many of the games were competitive.

The A’s lost four one-run games in a row. The team showed signs of improvement. However, in the last two losses to the Toronto Blue Jays, the A’s showed much work still to be done. The A’s lost 7-3 on Saturday and were routed 12-1 on Sunday.

The A’s are off on Monday as they prepare to start a six-game homestand against the New York Yankees and the Chicago White Sox. The Yankees entered the 2023 season with high hopes. The Yankees last won a World Series in 2009.

The Bronx Bombers have been in the playoffs several times since then but have yet to be able to get to the big prize, the World Series. The Yankees’ biggest star, Aaron Judge, the current AL Most Valuable Player, is on the injured list with a torn ligament in his toe.

Judge, a Northern California native, is out of action until August 1. The injury jinx has wreaked havoc on the Yankees’ pitching staff. The Yankees signed form San Francisco Giant starter Carlos Rodon as a free agent. Rodon had a terrific season in San Francisco last year.

This year, Rodon has yet to throw a pitch for the pinstripes. Lefty Nestor Cortes, who pitched well in 2022, is also on the IL. Frankie Montas, acquired by the Yanks from the A’s at the trading deadline, is out until September first. Reliever Lou Trivino, another former Athletic, is out for the season.

The Yankees are currently in third place in the AL East Division. The Yankees are 43-35 and are nine and 1/2 games behind the Tampa Bay Rays. The Toronto Blue Jays are ready to catapult into third place as they trail the Yankees by just 1/2 game.

Several key players on the Yankees’ roster are having a down year. Third baseman Josh Donaldson was benched for the last three games against the Texas Rangers. Donaldson, a former Athletic and 2015 MVP with the Toronto Blue Jays, is hitting a minuscule .125 with six home runs and eight RBIs.

Donaldson has hinted that 2023 may be his last season in baseball. Another player having a down year is DJ LeMahieu. LeMAhieu is a career .294 hitter. This year, he is hitting .230 with seven homers and 25 RBIs. The Yankees hope he can find his stroke against the A’s pitching staff.

Another player with disappointing numbers is big Giancarlo Stanton. Stanton, in his career, has hit 384 home runs. H’s career batting average is .263. This year, Stanton’s numbers show that his batting average is below the Mendoza line at .194. Stanton has six home runs and 14 RBIs. These numbers are different from what the Yankees need to win.

The players to watch in the series will be first baseman Anthony Rizzo, Second baseman Glyber Torres, Shortstop Anthony Volpe, and centerfielder Harrison Bader. Rizzo’as average is at .270, and he has hit 11 dingers and driven in 37. Rizzo, a left-handed hitter, has been helped by baseball’s ban on the shift.

Glyber Torres is at .246 with 12 home runs and 30 RBIs. Volpe, in his rookie season, is also under the Mendoza line. His average is just .196. He does have some pop in his bat, as he has slugged ten home runs and knocked in 28.

Yankees’ skipper Aron Boone has several players to play in left or right field. Jake Bauers can play in either position. Billy McKinney or Isiah Kiner-Falefa may see action this week.

The starting pitchers for Tuesday night’s game are the Yanks Jhonny Brito(4-3, ERA 4.89) going against the A’s Paul Blackburn (0-0, ERA 4.21 ). Domingo German (4-5, ERA 5.10) will go for New York on Wednesday. Former Yankee JP Sears(1-5, ERA 4.10) will pitch for Oakland. Clarke Schmidt (2-6, ERA 4.32) will be the Yankees’ starter on Thursday. The A’s have yet to announce their starter.

The Yankees’ bullpen will feature Clay Holmes as their closer. Ron Marinaccio and Michael King have also recorded several saves. Other pitchers that will see action in the series are Jimmy Cordero, Albert Abreu, and Nick Ramirez.

The A’s and the Yankees have been playing each other since 1901. The Yankees, in the early days, were known as the Highlanders. The Yankees have had a long tradition of winning. They have won forty American League Championships and 27 World Series. The A’s are tied with the Boston Red Sox with nine World Series rings in their storied existence. The A’s have won 13 AL Pennants.

This year has been an exceptionally down season for the A’s. The team has a record of 20 wins and sixty losses. The team’s pitching could have been better. The starters own an ERA of over seven. The bullpen should be known as the arson squad. The A’s have a run differential of -224. The second-worst run differential in baseball is the Colorado Rockies’ -123.

Yet, the A’s would love to upset the Yankees’ apple cart. Yankee fans will be at the Oakland Coliseum to cheer their team to victory. As fans of the 29 other baseball teams know, Yankee fans can be loud, rude, and obnoxious. Hopefully, A’s fans will visit the park to see the games.

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Memories of Oakland 1988 No.5 in Series

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Former Oakland A’s outfielder Jose Canseco participates on Juice Night Promotion in Las Vegas had an amazing 1988 season for the A’s (file photo Las Vegas Review Journal)

Memories of Oakland  1988 — — No.5 in Series

By Amaury Pi Gonzalez

OAKLAND–1988 was the best-ever season at Oakland that did not produce a World Series title. The Athletics ended the regular season with a 104-58 .642 record, their best since (and to date) since their first season at Oakland in 1968.

Cuban-born slugger José Canseco unanimously won the American League Most Valuable Player, becoming the first ever to steal over 40 bases and hit over 40 home runs (42 home runs and 40 stolen bases), hit for .307 average, and also drove a major league-leading 124 runs. José Canseco was born in Regla, a small fishing town on the other side of Havana harbor.

He came to the United States very young and his Spanish (when I first talked with him) was not good or clear, but he understood more than he speak and has learned since. He was much more tuned in to the American culture than Cuban. During one of my interviews, we spoke about other stuff aside from baseball; he told me his favorite musical group was ‘Foreigner’ a popular American-British rock band.

After he won the Rookie of the Year in 1986, I covered him at the Houston Astrodome for the All-Star Game. I met and spoke to his late father, Jose Canseco Sr., a sales executive in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, for AMOCO Oil Company. As most fathers are, he was a proud papa.

The 1988 World Series matched the AL Champion A’s against the NL Champion Los Angeles Dodgers. The Dodgers beat the New York Mets in seven games during the NLCS to advance to the Fall Classic. Tommy LaSorda’s team won 94 games during the regular season, but in this World Series, the Oakland A’s were heavy favorites.

One of the many reporters that came to California to cover this series was Manolo Alvarez of WQBA radio in Miami; he was doing interviews, and he asked me if the A’s would sweep the series, I told him that was impossible to predict. However, such was the national sports media concept of the A’s as a much more superior team of that of the Dodgers.

The 1988 World Series began at Dodger Stadium, but Game #1 was the most memorable. The A’s took the lead in the second inning with a blast by José Canseco to straight-away center field, which hit one of the NBC cameras for a home run; it looked like the A’s with their ace Dave Stewart on the mound could do no wrong. Stew pitched eight complete innings and allowed three runs. But the whole story of this classic was settled in the bottom of the ninth inning.

Manager Tony LaRussa brought in Dennis Eckersley to close the game, but a pinch-hit home run by Kirk Gibson, who could not start the game because of injuries, provided for one of the most improbable and iconic moments in World Series history, as Eck threw one slider after another, and at the end, one landed in the right field seats for a walk-off home run and a come-from-behind thrilling victory by the underdog Dodgers by 5-4.

We were talking how “lay back” are Dodger fans, but after than Gibson home run it felt like Dodger Stadium went 1,000 feet up in the air. This World Series went five games, and the Dodgers won it, one of the big upsets in the history of World Series. Oral Hershiser won 2 games and was declared the MVP.

He was celebrating during that decisive game five at the Oakland Coliseum. Previously for game No.3 at the Oakland Alameda County Coliseum, Mark McGwire hit a walk-off home run from reliever Jay Howell and won 2-1.

The only game won by the A’s. 1988 was the first year of the three consecutive trips to the Fall Classic for Tony LaRussa’s Athletics; they would have to wait for next year and during an Earthquake to beat via sweep their Bay Area rival, San Francisco Giants in 1989.

Unfortunately for A’s fans Kirk Gibson is a name that will live in infamy, Gibson is to A’s fans, what Yankee Bucky Dent is to Red Sox fans.

While the A’s still have five years to play in their new ballpark in Las Vegas, which they hope to inaugurate for the 2028 season, José Canseco beat the A’s to Las Vegas. For a few years now, José owns and runs a Car Wash and Mini-Mart a couple of blocks from the strip in Sin City, sometimes he is there to sign autographs and to meet with fans. To read more on the car wash: https://sportsradioservice2013.wordpress.com/tag/jose-canseco/

Oakland Manhandled By Toronto 12-1

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Oakland Athletics second baseman Jace Peterson (6) throws to first base to put out Toronto Blue Jays’ George Springer after forcing out Jays’ Tyler Heineman (55) during the second inning at Rogers Centre in Toronto on Sun Jun 25, 2023 (AP News photo)

Oakland Manhandled By Toronto 12-1

By Barbara Mason

Sunday afternoon the Oakland A’s (20-60) were looking to win game three in their series with the Toronto Blue Jays 43-36) no such luck as the A’s were whipped 12-1 by the Jays at Rogers Centre in Toronto. The A’s won only one game on the six game road trip.

This game went sideways from the first inning. George Springer hit his 55th career leadoff home run and the Blue Jays were just warming up scoring two runs in the first. By the time the sixth inning roiled around, Toronto had built a 4-0 lead.

The A’s did get on the scoreboard for their lone score in the sixth. Tony Kemp hit a solo home run and that would be it for Oakland. They only had three hits in this lopsided game.

The Blue Jays were leading 7-1 going into the eighth inning. That inning proved to be their most lucrative of the game scoring five runs for the 12-1 final score. Toronto was hitting lights out and they were certainly helped along the way with all the walks that Medina was throwing their way.

Toronto pitcher Yusei Kikuchi stayed in the game for a season-high seven innings. Things did not go so well for Oakland with Luis Medina on the mound allowing four runs, three earned and 4 hits in five innings.

He walked seven batters which was a career -worst. His command was terrible today. In four May games he walked a total of seven so today was an absolute nightmare for him. He was relieved by Ken Waldichuk who did not fare much better allowing 6 hits and six runs in 2.1 innings.

There was not a whole of positives that we can draw from this game. It is one of those games you just want to put behind you.

The A’s will head home for yet another difficult series against the New York Yankees. Game one will be played at the Coliseum on Tuesday night. Paul Blackburn will take the mound for Oakland with a 0-0, 4.21 ERA. The Oakland offense will face Jhony Brito (4-3 ERA 4.89) who will get the nod for New York.

Oakland A’s podcast with Barbara Mason: A’s drop ninth out of last ten games

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Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette (11) is unable to make a tag on Oakland Athletics Jace Peterson (6) during the second inning at Rogers Centre in Toronto on Sat Jun 24, 2023 (AP News photo)

On the A’s podcast with Barbara Mason:

#1 Saturday the A’s (20-59) were looking to take game two of their series against the Toronto Blue Jays (42-36). Shintaro Fujinami was the starter but he didn’t last even one inning allowing four hits and two runs in less than an inning of work. 

#2 Hogan Harris took over on the mound. As the Blue Jays turned up the offense and came away with a four run 7-3 win at Rogers Centre in Toronto.

#3Toronto took a 5-2 lead going into the sixth inning. From the start of this game, the A’s were behind the eight ball. Oakland got a run in the second inning off a solo home run from Seth Brown. The A’s got a second run in the third inning when Ryan Noda doubled Tony Kemp home for the two runs.

#4 The Jays Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had a far different mindset hitting a 437 feet long ball with Brandon Belt on base taking a 7-3 lead. 

#5  Luis Medina (1-6) will be on the mound for Oakland looking to improve his win/loss record as well as his ERA which stands at 7.01. The Blue Jays will be going with Yusei Kikuchi (6-2 ERA 3.97). First pitch is at 10:37 AM PT.

Join Barbara Mason Mondays for the Oakland A’s podcast at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

A’s Drop Game Two Against Blue Jays 7-3 To Even Series

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Oakland Athletics relief pitcher Austin Pruitt throws to a Toronto Blue Jays batter in the sixth inning at Rogers Centre in Toronto on Sat Jun 24, 2023 (Canadian Press via AP News photo)

A’s Drop Game Two Against Blue Jays 7-3 To Even Series

By Barbara Mason

Saturday the A’s (20-59) were looking to take game two of their series against the Toronto Blue Jays (42-36). Shintaro Fujinami was the starter but he didn’t last even one inning allowing four hits and two runs in less than an inning of work. Hogan Harris took over on the mound. As the Blue Jays turned up the offense and came away with a four run 7-3 win at Rogers Centre in Toronto.

Toronto took a 5-2 lead going into the sixth inning. From the start of this game, the A’s were behind the eight ball. Oakland got a run in the second inning off a solo home run from Seth Brown. The A’s got a second run in the third inning when Ryan Noda doubled Tony Kemp home for the two runs.

In the sixth inning Oakland scored another run but still trailed 5-3. Tyler Wade singled Jace Pederson home and the A’s were back in the game provided they could keep Toronto off the scoreboard.

The Jays Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had a far different mindset hitting a 437 feet long ball with Brandon Belt on base taking a 7-3 lead. That would be the final. The A’s had runners on second and third when the game ended.

What came out of this game was the lack of experience from a lot of these younger players. Mistakes that can only be cleaned up with experience, years of experience. The work on the mound from starter Fujinami was just awful and it set the tone for this game. Fujinami pitched just two thirds of innings, giving up four hits and two earned runs and was lifted.

Post game notes: Friday night Shea Langeliers hit the game winning homer. The game was tied at four when Langeliers knocked the ball out of the park in the ninth inning giving the A’s a 5-4 lead which they were able to hold onto. That game broke an eight game losing streak for Oakland.

The A’s had played some very competitive games in their last series against the Guardians. The first two games were one run losses, one game going into extra innings. The series before this one against the Phillies also was a tough one for Oakland . They lost two games in that series by a single run with one game going 12 innings. Four painfully close games with the A’s coming up short.

Now that this series with Toronto is even, the A’s will try to take game three and win the series Sunday. First pitch is scheduled for 10:37 AM. Luis Medina (1-6) will be on the mound for Oakland looking to improve his win/loss record as well as his ERA which stands at 7.01. The Blue Jays will be going with Yusei Kikuchi (6-2 ERA 3.97).

Oakland A’s podcast with Jeremiah Salmonson: A’s Harris gets the call in effort for second win in a row over Jays Saturday

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The Oakland A’s JJ Bleday (left) is congratulated by teammate Tony Kemp (right) after hitting a two run first inning home run at Rogers Centre in Toronto on Fri Jun 23, 2023 (Canadian press via AP News photo)

On the Oakland A’s podcast with Jeremiah:

#1 The Oakland A’s JJ Bleday slugged a first inning two home run to rightfield, Shea Langaliers base hit scoring Aledsmy Diaz to put the A’s up 3-0 jumping on the Toronto Blue Jays early.

#2 The Jays answered right back in the bottom of the third inning when Kevin Kiermaier doubled to score Danny Jansen, Vladimir Guerrero homered to left center scoring both Kiermaier and Bo Bichette. Jays took a 4-3 lead

#3 Langaliers homered in the top of the ninth inning for the go ahead and eventual winning run 5-4. The A’s showed signs of clutch hitting similar to when they were on the at seven game run.

#4 The A’s lacked the come back during their eight game skid but found a way to win on Friday night at Rogers Centre in Toronto and Langaliers was an important key to Friday’s win.

#5 Starters for Saturday afternoon’s pitching duel for the A’s Hogan Harris (2-1 ERA 4.45) and for the Blue Jays Jose Berrios (7-5 ERA 3.64) a 1:05pm PT first pitch.

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

A’s Beat Blue Jays 5-4, Snap 8-Game Skid

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Photo credit: @Athletics

By: Mary Anne

The Oakland Athletics took on the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday to wrap up their six-game road trip. The A’s snapped an eight-game losing skid with a 5-4 win over the Blue Jays at the Rogers Centre. Oakland improved to 20-58, while Toronto fell to 41-36.

Before the ballgame’s first pitch at 4:08 pm Pacific, Oakland made two roster moves by placing Ramón Laureano on the ten-day injured list with a hand fracture and recalling Conner Capel from Triple-A Las Vegas. Capel recorded a .297 average with three home runs, 22 runs, and eight stolen bases over 145 at-bats in 37 games with the Las Vegas Aviators.

The A’s starting lineup featured Tony Kemp, Ryan Noda, JJ Bleday, Seth Brown, Aledmys Díaz, Jace Peterson, Shea Langaliers, Tyler Wade, Conner Capel, and James Kaprielian. Kaprielian pitched six innings and gave up six hits, four earned runs, one walk, and eight strikeouts.

The A’s wasted no time taking a quick lead in the top of the first inning. JJ Bleday homered on a fly ball to right field, and Tony Kemp scored for a 2-0 lead. Shea Langaliers singled on a ground ball to George Springer, and Aledsmy Díaz scored for a 3-0 lead as Jace Peterson went to third base.

The Blue Jays responded in the bottom of the third inning. Kevin Kiermaier doubled on a ground ball to JJ Bleday, and Danny Jansen scored to cut the A’s lead to 3-1. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. homered on a fly ball to left-center field, and Kiermaier and Bo Bichette scored to take a 4-3 lead.

The A’s tied the ballgame in the top of the fifth inning. JJ Bleday was out on a sacrifice fly to George Springer, and Conner Capel scored to tie the game 4-4 with two outs.

The A’s regained the lead in the top of the ninth inning. Shea Langaliers homered on a fly ball to left field for a 5-4 lead that led to the A’s first win since Tuesday, June 13, when they defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 2-1 at the Oakland Coliseum.

The A’s and Blue Jays will face each other in a middle game on Saturday, June 24, at 1:07 pm Pacific. Hogan Harris (2-1 ERA 4.45) going for Oakland and for Toronto Jose Berrios (7-5 ERA 3.64).