Category: Sacramento A’s

A’s Power Past Astros 11-4 in Home Opener Behind Springs’ Strong Start

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Lawrence Butler #4 of the Athletics rounds the bases after hitting a three-run home in in the bottom of the fourth inning during the game between the Houston Astros and the Athletics at Sutter Health Park on Friday, April 3, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Mandatory Photo Credit: Eakin Howard/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

WEST SACRAMENTO — The Sacramento Athletics played their home opener on Friday night at Sutter Health Park. The A’s came home to the friendly confines after a brutal 1-5 road trip to start the season that saw them make stops in Toronto and Atlanta. The A’s were swept in Toronto to open the year before losing 3-2 to the Braves in their second series of the season. The A’s bullpen and a myriad of other shortcomings were to blame for their slow start on the road, where the A’s would play three of their first four series of the year. However, the A’s traveled to Sacramento on Thursday in hopes of turning the tide of the early season at home.

On Friday, behind a terrific outing from Jeffrey Springs, an offensive outburst, and the energy of a sold-out crowd, the A’s defeated the Houston Astros 11-4 on a crisp 73-degree night.

Jeffrey Springs led the way and set the tempo for the A’s as he tossed six innings of two-hit, one-run baseball en route to the victory, his first win of the young season.

“I think working between outings, fastball, command at the top, moving it around. I felt like I did well in Toronto by getting to two strikes but not being able to put guys away. And today I feel like I did a better job of it,” Jeffrey Springs said after the game. “Obviously another really good lineup over there, but just game planning with Shay, I felt like we were on the same page. Just being able to make some moves, trying to keep ’em off balance as much as possible.”

It was an impressive outing from Springs, who lowered his season ERA to 2.38 with the win.

The rest of the A’s pitching staff struggled, but it proved to be a moot point as the A’s lead was large enough to withstand those struggles.

Michael Kelly came in following Springs to pitch the seventh inning for the A’s. Kelly wasn’t his sharpest self, as the right-hander gave up three walks, a hit, and one run while throwing 32 pitches in the inning.

In the eighth and ninth innings, Mark Kotsay gave the ball to J.T. Ginn to finish out the A’s win over the Astros. Ginn was not sharp as he surrendered a walk and three hits while giving up two runs in his two innings of work. Ginn was obviously laboring, but he managed to limit the damage and allowed Mark Kotsay to keep the rest of the bullpen rested.

The Athletics offense did the heavy lifting on Friday as they broke out for 11 runs on 13 hits while walking seven times.

The A’s production at the plate was highlighted by Lawrence Butler, who had three hits and four RBIs. Butler had two singles and a three-run homer on the day.

Max Muncy was close on Butler’s heels as he recorded a home run of his own while tallying three hits and three RBIs.

Tyler Soderstrom and Jacob Wilson also each recorded two hits, and Soderstrom drove in a pair of runs in the game.

Jacob Wilson was also responsible for an outstanding Jeter-esque jump throw from the hole to retire Jake Meyers in the top of the fifth inning. The play showed signs of Wilson’s improved speed and defense this season, which is a welcome sight for the A’s.

The A’s stay home to take on the Astros in game two of their three-game series in a matinee affair at 1:05 p.m. PST. Luis Morales (0-1, 10.38 ERA) is slated to go for the A’s, while the Astros will counter with Tatsuya Imai (0-0, 13.50 ERA).

Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.

⚡Craft cocktails? Check.
🔥Game-day bites? Oh yeah.
🏟️Steps from Golden 1 Center? You bet.

Open daily, Cyprus Grille is serving up local flavor with a front-row seat to the action. Stop by before or after the game—or make it your new downtown hangout.

Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.

📍Located inside the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena @ 300 J Street

Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm

Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in.

Sacramento A’s podcast Mauricio Segura: A’s looking for that second win in home opener at Sutter Health Park

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Sacramento A’s catcher Shea Langeliers (23) was the only A’s run against the Atlanta Braves on Wed Apr 1, 2026 at Truist Park in Cobb County GA (AP file photo)

Sacramento A’s podcast Mauricio Segura:

#1 Brent Rooker didn’t get a hit Wednesday in the Athletics game against the Braves but he’s a hitter who can break out at anytime?

#2 Talk about Zack Gelof’s being sent down to Las Vegas until his hitting improves?

#3 Luis Severino got touched up for four runs, four hits, five walks, and seven strike outs.

#4 On Wednesday Shea Langeliers got two hits and a run scored with one RBI despite the A’s 5-1 loss Langeliers can break out the bats at anytime.

#5 A’s and Houston Astros open three game series on the A’s home opener. It’s a brief homestand before Sacramento heads out to play six games at Yankee Stadium and Citi Park in New York.

Mauricio Segura is a Sacramento A’s beat writers a http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.

⚡Craft cocktails? Check.
🔥Game-day bites? Oh yeah.
🏟️Steps from Golden 1 Center? You bet.

Open daily, Cyprus Grille is serving up local flavor with a front-row seat to the action. Stop by before or after the game—or make it your new downtown hangout.

Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.

📍Located inside the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena @ 300 J Street

Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm

Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in. 

San Francisco Loses to San Diego 7-1 As Offense Sputters

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San Francisco Giants pitcher Adrian Houser (12) pitched 5.1 innings gave up seven hits and one earned run in the Giants loss to the San Diego Padres at Petco Park in San Diego on Wed Apr 1, 2026 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

After yesterday’s impressive win the San Francisco Giants fell to the San Diego Padres in Game Three 7-1. In yesterday’s game the team had 16 hits a stark contrast to the four hits in todays game. They had a couple of ugly errors and couldn’t seem to get much going at all.

The Padres came into the game looking to avoid a sweep at their home park and they got started early. San Francisco went three and out in the top of the first inning setting the stage for the first San Diego run. With two outs Jackson Merrill singled followed by a Manny Machado infield single reaching third base. Giant first baseman Casey Schmitt made a fielding error as Merrill crossed home plate for the first run of the game giving the Padres a 1-0 lead.

Game recap: The Giants Luis Arraez singled in the second inning but that would be all for San Francisco. The Padres went three and out in the bottom of the second and it was on to the third inning. There was nothing going for the Giants in the third inning with another three and out. Pivetta struck out Devers, Adames and Schmitt. San Diego was unable to add to their score in the bottom of the third inning.

The fourth inning show-cased both pitchers Houser and Pivetta with both teams going three and out. There was not much going on for either team offensively, the pitching having so much to do with it.

In the fifth inning Jung Hoo Lee walked to start the inning but he would be the only Giant to reach base in the inning. The Padres extended their lead in the bottom of the fifth inning. Gavin Sheets doubled, Fernando Tatis Jr walked and with two outs, the Padres were able to score on more San Francisco defensive mistakes.

Sheets scored on an error and Bogaerts was safe at second on error and Tatis Jr. was safe at third on error. Merrill lined out for the third Padre out but it quite the inning for the Giants. San Diego had taken a 2-0 lead.

More disappointment for San Francisco in the sixth inning going three and out. San Diego pitcher Pivetta had struck out eight batters and given up only one hit. He was relieved after five innings by Jeremiah Estrada who went right to work closing out the sixth inning. The bottom of the sixth inning delivered for San Diego.

Ramon Laureano and Jake Cronenworth both singled and with one out, Gavin Sheets doubled driving Laureano home for a 3-0 Padre lead. Cronenworth attempted to score but was thrown out at the plate for the third out.

San Francisco had a couple of hits in the top of the seventh inning, an Arraez double and a Harrison Bader single that drove Arraez home for San Francisco’s first run of the afternoon. The Padres took a 3-1 lead into the bottom of the inning. After seven innings the Giants still had a shot at this game.

Caleb Kilian relieved Houser in the sixth inning. Houser pitched 5 1/3 innings allowing seven hits, three runs and fouor strikeouts. Kilian pitched 1 2/3 innings with no runs, no hits and two strikeouts, a nice showing. He got the Giants out of the seventh inning on a three and out.

The Giants had no runs, no hits and no errors in the top of the eighth, however the bottom of the eighth was a scoring frenzy for the Padres. Manny Machado doubled and Ramon Laureano homered to left center giving the Padres a 5-1 lead. Cronenworth, Sheets and Bryce Johnson all walked setting up another run for the Padres.

Tatis Jr., singled Cronenworth home then another walk from San Francisco’s relief pitcher Jose Butto that scored another San Diego run and when the dust had settled the Padres were cruising with a 7-1 lead. It was a terrible inning for Butto.

Closer Mason Miller came into the top of the ninth inning. He struck out three hitters and allowed a single doing what the Padres have become accustomed to seeing this guy do. He takes care of business and wastes no time doing it. The Padres had avoided the sweep winning the game 7-1.

Game notes: After a rocky start to the season the Giants really turned up the volume in their series with the San Diego Padres winning games 1 and 2 but couldn’t get the sweep at Petco Park Wednesday. The team seems to be more relaxed especially offensively.

In Tuesday’s lineup the Giants finished with 16 hits and two home runs. Nine players on the roster got a hit and it could not have gone any better for the team. Willy Adames was the standout in the game with four hits and Jung Hoo Lee had three, Matt Chapman and Rafael Devers with two.

It was indeed a team effort. After what the Giants saw Wednesday and the day before the Giants went with the same lineup as the two previous games. Despite a bit of a rocky third inning Tuesday, Webb pitched very well. Relief pitching was great and Jose Butto closed out the game giving up only one hit.

San Francisco lost a tough one to the Padres on Wednesday. Adrian Houser took the loss on Wedneday losing to the Padres 7-1. He has one of the best sinkers in the game today and he has been itching to get back on the mound. The Padres started big man 6’5″ Nick Pivetta who pitched five innings, one hit, walked two batters and struck out.

San Francisco will happily put this game behind them as they head back home to Oracle Park to take on the New York Mets in a four-game series. First pitch for this game will be on Thursday at 6:45PM. Robbie Ray will take the mound for San Francisco with a 3.38 ERA and a 0-1 win/loss record. David Peterson will be on the hill for the Mets. 6:40pm PDT first pitch.

Sacramento Athletics game wrap:Baldwin Breaks It Open as Braves Ground the Green and Gold 5-1

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Atlanta Braves starter Chris Sale delivers a pitch to the Sacramento A’s in the first inning at Truist Park in Atlanta on Wed Apr 1, 2026 (AP News photo)

Sacramento Athletics game wrap:

Baldwin Breaks It Open as Braves Ground the Green and Gold 5-1

By Mauricio Segura

The Sacramento Athletics walked into Truist Park early this morning looking for a second straight win and a little early-season traction, but instead ran into a familiar problem: too many quiet at-bats and one Atlanta Braves swing of momentum that turned a close game into a stubborn one. It all began like a typical tightrope game, but the rope snapped in the fourth plunging the A’s into an abyss of a 5-1 loss.

Luis Severino actually gave the Athletics a fighting chance early, even though his outing came with traffic and a few white-knuckle moments. In the first inning, he wriggled out of trouble after issuing three walks, and he helped himself by picking off Ronald Acuña Jr. at first base. That was one of the sharper moments of the day for the Green and Gold, because it briefly looked like Severino might be able to dance around the danger. Unfortunately, He could not keep doing it throughout.

Atlanta pushed forward first in the second, and the damage came from patience followed by a clean hit. Ozzie Albies walked, Dominic Smith lined a single, Acuña drew another free pass, and Drake Baldwin delivered the big blow with a two-run single to left. That gave the Braves a 2-0 lead and put the Athletics right back in the position they have worn too often in the season’s opening week, trying to create offense after falling behind.

For a moment, Shea Langeliers gave them life. In the top of the fourth, with the Athletics still stuck in neutral against Chris Sale, Langeliers turned on a pitch and launched his fifth league-leading home run of the season to left. Suddenly it was 2-1, and the Athletics had something real to chase. Langeliers has been the club’s loudest bat out of the gate, and once again he was the one dragging some thunder into an otherwise cloudy afternoon.

But whatever spark that homer created did not last long. The bottom of the fourth became the inning that buried the boys from West Sacramento. Dominic Smith and Mauricio Dubón opened with back-to-back singles, and after Severino was lifted, the Braves wasted little time making Elvis Alvarado pay. Acuña hit a sharp fly ball that advanced the runners, Baldwin ripped a two-run double to center, and Matt Olson followed with an RBI single to right. Just like that, a one-run game had become a 5-1 deficit, and that was more than enough cushion for Atlanta’s arms.

Sale looked every bit like a veteran who knew he had the game under control. He worked six innings and allowed just one run, the Langeliers homer, while the Athletics kept making soft contact or no contact at all. He struck out Max Muncy and Tyler Soderstrom in the second, fanned Brent Rooker after the homer in the fourth, and never let the Athletics string together the kind of rally that makes a starter sweat. The A’s managed only a few scattered threats, and even those vanished quickly. Their best late chance came in the ninth when Jacob Wilson doubled with one out, but Raisel Iglesias shut the door by striking out Jeff McNeil and getting Langeliers to pop out.

Wilson’s double was one of the few bright spots in a lineup that again spent too much of the day walking back to the dugout. Langeliers had two hits, including the lone run, while Austin Wynns added a single and Wilson’s late double gave the Athletics just enough to avoid disappearing entirely. But there was not much depth to the attack. Brent Rooker went hitless, Muncy struck out twice, Soderstrom was quiet, and the club never put together the kind of sustained pressure needed to bother Atlanta’s staff.

The larger issue is starting to look less like a hiccup and more like the team’s first real bad habit for the 2026 campaign. The Athletics opened this road-heavy stretch with one of the lowest batting averages and on-base percentages in the majors, and Wednesday did not do much to clean that up. Langeliers has provided the muscle, but too much of the offense has arrived one swing at a time, and that is a lousy way to live against good pitching. There is also an irony here. This team showed big power during the spring, but once the games started counting, the strikeouts piled up and the rallies thinned out.

So the Athletics left Atlanta having taken one in the series but still searching for a more reliable offensive identity. There were moments worth noting, like Severino’s pickoff, Langeliers’ continued power surge, and another errorless day from Wilson at shortstop. But the day belonged to Baldwin and the Braves, who were more advantageous and far less forgiving. In the end, the Athletics were not blown out by chaos. They were beaten by something simpler and more annoying: Atlanta waited for its openings, and Sacramento never created enough of its own.

Next up for the A’s the Houston Astros with starting pitcher RHP Cristian Javier (0-0 ERA 11.57) for Sacramento starter LHP Jeffrey Springs (0-0 ERA 3.38) first pitch 6:40 pm PDT. It’ll be the A’s home opener on Fri Apr 3 at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento.

Costa Rican-born Mauricio Segura has been covering sports in the Bay Area since 2001 for a variety of magazines and newspapers, as well as his own publication, Golden Bay Times.

Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.

⚡Craft cocktails? Check.
🔥Game-day bites? Oh yeah.
🏟️Steps from Golden 1 Center? You bet.

Open daily, Cyprus Grille is serving up local flavor with a front-row seat to the action. Stop by before or after the game—or make it your new downtown hangout.

Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.

📍Located inside the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena @ 300 J Street

Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm

Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in. 

Finally a Pulse in Atlanta A’s break through for season’s first win 5-2 at Truist Park

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Sacramento A’s Denzel Clarke (1) rounds third base scoring a run in the top of the second inning against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park in Atlanta on Tue Mar 31, 2026 (AP News photo)

Finally a Pulse in Atlanta A’s break through for season’s first win 5-2 at Truist Park

By Mauricio Segura

The Sacramento A’s finally gave their early season a heartbeat Tuesday night at Atlanta’s Truist Park. After opening the year with four straight losses and carrying the weight of a winless start into Atlanta, the green and gold answered with a crisp 5-2 victory over the Atlanta Braves.

Unlike the previous four games, the A’s showed patience and timely hitting, steadier pitching, and just enough late-game authority to keep the door shut. It was not flawless baseball, they still collected strikeouts like a kid collects rookie cards, but this time the Athletics made their best swings count and backed them with clean defense when it mattered most.

Atlanta landed the first punch in the opening inning when Drake Baldwin drove a solo home run to center, giving the Braves a quick 1-0 lead and A’s fans an already familiar lump in their throats. For a team that had already been shut out the night before and had looked stuck in mud for much of the opening road trip, that could have been the start of another long evening. Instead, the Athletics pushed back in the second with their best inning of the young season.

Brent Rooker opened with a single, and although the Braves turned a double play behind José Suarez, the inning did not die there. Max Muncy worked a walk, moved to second on a balk, and scored when Andy Ibáñez lined a single to left.

That was the crack in the wall. Lawrence Butler and Denzel Clarke followed with walks, and then Jacob Wilson ripped a ground-rule double down the left-field line to bring home Ibáñez and Butler. Just like that, the Athletics had turned a one-run deficit into a 3-1 lead, and for the first time in several days, they looked like a club playing with desire.

Ibáñez was right in the middle of it all, and his night kept getting better. In the fourth inning, Muncy drilled a sharp double to left and came home when Ibáñez punched another single into left field. It was simple 101 baseball, but often times, that’s the type that wins most games. Ibáñez finished with two hits and two RBI, and both swings came at moments when the Athletics badly needed someone to settle the game down.

Then came Langeliers, who has been swinging like he showed up to March without ever putting his bat down all winter. After entering the night with three home runs in the season’s first four games, the Athletics catcher added another in the fifth, launching a solo shot to left that stretched the lead to 5-1. His home run gave the Athletics breathing room, and against a Braves happy bat lineup, that extra cushion mattered.

Aaron Civale, making his first start for the Athletics, deserved a large share of the credit. Aside from Baldwin’s first-inning homer, he kept Atlanta from stacking anything dangerous together for most of his five innings. He allowed four hits, walked one, struck out three, and gave up just two runs. The second Braves run came in the fifth after singles by Dominic Smith and Mauricio Dubón, a wild pitch, and Ronald Acuña Jr.’s sacrifice fly. Even then, Civale avoided the big inning and kept the game from tilting back toward Atlanta.

From there, the bullpen did the job. Hogan Harris worked around two walks in the sixth. Justin Sterner handled trouble in the seventh and struck out Acuña and Matt Olson in a tense stretch that felt bigger than the inning number suggested. Scott Barlow breezed through the eighth. Mark Leiter Jr. gave up a pair of singles in the ninth, which made things slightly more uncomfortable than the Athletics would have preferred, but he got Acuña to strike out and Baldwin to pop out, ending the game with the tying run nowhere close to the plate.

Despite the much needed win, the Athletics still struck out 11 times. Nick Kurtz fanned three times, Rooker struck out three times, and the lineup also hit into two double plays. There is still work to do, plain and simple. But Tuesday night was a reminder that a season does not ask for perfection, just persistence and grit that will hopefully carry on over.

The A’s take on Atlanta for Game 3 of the series Wednesday at 9:15am PDT. Starting pitcher for Sacramento RHP Luis Severino (0-0 ERA 3.60) for Atlanta LHP Chris Sale (1-0 ERA 0.00).

Costa Rican-born Mauricio Segura has covered sports in the Bay Area since 2001 for various magazines and newspapers, as well as his own publication, The Golden Bay Times. 2026 marks his 15th season covering Athletics baseball.

Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.

⚡Craft cocktails? Check.
🔥Game-day bites? Oh yeah.
🏟️Steps from Golden 1 Center? You bet.

Open daily, Cyprus Grille is serving up local flavor with a front-row seat to the action. Stop by before or after the game—or make it your new downtown hangout.

Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.

📍Located inside the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena @ 300 J Street

Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm

Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in. 

Sacramento A’s game wrap: Cold Bats Continue To Haunt A’s in Atlanta; Braves Elder and relief corp blank A’s 4-0

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Atlanta Braves Mauricio Dubon cracks a two run single in the bottom of the first inning against the Sacramento A’s at Truist Park in Atlanta on Mon Mar 30, 2026 (AP News photo)

Cold Bats Continue To Haunt the A’s in Atlanta; Braves Elder and relief corp blank A’s 4-0

By Mauricio Segura

The Sacramento Athletics came into Atlanta searching for traction after suffering a season opening sweep in Toronto, but by the end of Monday night’s game, they were still stuck in neutral. A game that began with promise on paper, with Jacob Lopez bringing strong recent interleague numbers into his first career outing against the Braves, quickly turned into a 4-0 loss defined by one rough first inning, a handful of missed chances, and an Atlanta pitching staff that never really loosened its grip.

The green and gold put men on base, sprayed a few line drives around Truist Park, and even flashed some clean defensive work, but when the night demanded one big hit, none arrived. The Braves got theirs early, then calmly shut the door.

Atlanta wasted no time setting the tone. Ronald Acuna Jr. opened the bottom of the first with a walk, Drake Baldwin followed with a single, and after Ozzie Albies popped out, Matt Olson lined a double into left to drive in Acuna and move Baldwin to third.

Austin Riley was retired, which gave the Athletics a chance to escape with only minor damage, but Lopez could not quite find the last clean landing spot of the inning. Eli White worked a walk, Mauricio Dubon lined a single to right, and suddenly two more Braves runs were home. Just like that, the Athletics were in a 3-0 hole before their offense had even found a rhythm.

To Lopez’s credit, the first inning did not snowball into a total disaster. After that early storm, he settled in and kept the Braves from blowing the game open. Acuna singled and swiped a bag in the second, but Lopez worked around it. He got through the third without damage, then caught a break in the fourth after Acuna walked again and was picked off and erased trying for second on a sharp play involving Shea Langeliers and Jacob Wilson.

That moment felt like a possible hinge in the game. Wilson, who was celebrating his 24th birthday, helped create one of the A’s cleanest defensive sequences of the night, and for a brief stretch the Athletics looked like they might still punch back.

The problem was Bryce Elder was not in a charitable mood. The Athletics did put traffic on the bases against him, but they never found the follow-through. Carlos Cortes doubled in the third, only to be stranded. In the fourth, Tyler Soderstrom and Brent Rooker hit back-to-back singles with one out, which gave the inning some real pulse, but Jacob Wilson flew out and Lawrence Butler, (playing in front of his home crowd for the first time in his Major League career) followed with another fly ball to center.

In the fifth, Cortes walked with two down, then Nick Kurtz struck out looking. By then, the pattern had become obvious. The Athletics were not lifeless, but they were incomplete. One batter reached, two reached, then nobody delivered the swing that could tilt the night. That fit an ugly early trend for a club that entered the game already buried under an embarrasing mountain of fifty total strikeouts through the opening series.

Elder finished six scoreless innings, and Atlanta’s bullpen handled the rest with very little drama. Aaron Bummer worked around Max Muncy’s seventh-inning double. Robert Suarez escaped an eighth-inning jam after Dubon’s error put Langeliers aboard and Soderstrom followed with a single, only for Rooker to bounce into an inning-ending double play.

In the ninth, Raisel Iglesias got a little help from the Braves defense when Jacob Wilson reached on another Dubon error, then Butler grounded into a replay-reviewed double play that snuffed out the last bit of daylight.

For the Athletics, the final line told a frustratingly familiar story. Seven hits, no runs, and too many innings that ended a little too quietly. There were moments to like: Lopez recovered well after the early punch, Wilson helped engineer a slick pickoff play on his birthday, and the bullpen mostly kept the game within reach until the eighth. But the offense never landed its counterpunch, and in a season-opening road swing already heavy with miles, the Braves made sure the Athletics kept carrying that weight a little longer.

The A’s will meet up again with the Braves tomorrow for Game 2 at 4:15pm PDT

Costa Rican-born Mauricio Segura has covered sports in the Bay Area since 2001 for various magazines and newspapers, as well as his own publication, The Golden Bay Times. 2026 marks his 15th season covering Athletics baseball.

Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.

⚡Craft cocktails? Check.
🔥Game-day bites? Oh yeah.
🏟️Steps from Golden 1 Center? You bet.

Open daily, Cyprus Grille is serving up local flavor with a front-row seat to the action. Stop by before or after the game—or make it your new downtown hangout.

Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.

📍Located inside the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena @ 300 J Street

Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm

Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in. 

MLB The Show podcast Charlie O: Giants can’t figure out Yankees; A’s lose twice on Jays walk off hits get swept in 3

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New York Yankees Aaron Judge (99) circles the bases against San Francisco Giant pitcher Ryan Boruki (47) in the fifth inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Sat Mar 28, 2026 (AP News photo)

MLB The Show podcast Charlie O:

#1 How concerned should the San Francisco Giants brass of CEO Larry Baer and team president Buster Posey be. It’s been just three games but the New York Yankees swept the Giants in three games and the Giants could only muster a run in the three game series.

#2 Is these loses based on just some rookie decisons by Giants manager Tony Vitello or were the Yankees just ready for the Giants?

#3 For the second night in a row the Sacarmento A’s lost on walk off hits. The Jays Ernie Clement slugged a walk off base hit to win it in the bottom of the 11th inning beating the A’s 8-7.

#4 Tough loss for A’s reliever Luis Medina who came close to getting out of the inning but ghost runner Nathan Lukes scored from second on a base hit by Clement. For Medina 0.1 innings, one hit, one walk and one strike out.

#5 Charlie talk about Netflix taking over the national broadcasts for MLB. How costly is it for the fans and is the network competant in their national coverage?

Join Charlie O for the MLB The Show podcasts Sundays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Sacramento A’s game wrap: Springer Sets the Tone as Blue Jays Hold Off Late Push in 5-2 win over A’s

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Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Jeff Hoffman (23) and catcher Tyler Heineman (left) exchange congratulations after defeating the Sacramento A’s at Rogers Centre in Toronto on Sun Mar 29, 2026 (Canadian via AP photo)

Sacramento A’s game wrap

Springer Sets the Tone as Blue Jays Hold Off Late Push

By Mauricio Segura

The afternoon at Rogers Centre opened with a jolt, and the Toronto Blue Jays never really let the Sacramento Athletics recover from it. Toronto rode early power and steady pitching to a 5-2 finale, controlling the game from the first inning while fending off the A’s only real surge midway through.

It didn’t take long for the tone to be set. After Eric Lauer struck out the side in a dominant top of the first, George Springer stepped in and wasted no time getting the Jays airborn. His solo shot to left, his first of the season, gave Toronto a quick 1-0 lead and immediately put the green and gold on their heels. That early punch turned into a trend, as the Athletics struggled to solve Lauer and the Blue Jays’ pitching staff all afternoon.

Through the first four innings, the A’s offense was quiet to the point of frustration. They didn’t record a hit until the fifth and struck out repeatedly against a Toronto staff that looked sharp and confident. Lauer set the bar high with command and swing-and-miss stuff, retiring nine of the first ten hitters he faced while piling up strikeouts.

Meanwhile, Toronto bats kept building. In the third inning, Jesús Sánchez extended the lead with a two-run homer to center, scoring Tyler Heineman and pushing the margin to 3-0. The Blue Jays weren’t just hitting for power; they were capitalizing on opportunities. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. added a single in the same inning, keeping traffic on the bases and pressure on the Athletics’ pitching.

An inning later, Kazuma Okamoto added another blow, launching his first career home run to right-center. That made it 4-0 and gave Toronto a comfortable cushion. At that point, the game had the feel of one slipping away from the A’s, who still had yet to mount any kind of consistent threat.

Finally, in the fifth, the Athletics showed life. Jacob Wilson sparked the inning with a line-drive double to center, and Max Muncy followed with a towering two-run homer to right. In just a few pitches, the deficit was cut in half, 4-2, and the energy shifted slightly. For the first time all afternoon, Toronto looked slightly vulnerable.

But the Blue Jays answered immediately in the bottom half. After a pair of walks and a single loaded the bases, Addison Barger drew a bases-loaded walk to bring in Tyler Heineman, restoring a three-run lead at 5-2. It wasn’t flashy, but it was effective, and it halted any momentum the Athletics had started to build. A double play from Okamoto ended the inning, but the damage had already been done.

From there, the game settled into a quieter rhythm. The A’s had chances to chip away but couldn’t deliver the key hit. Nick Kurtz singled in the sixth, and Shea Langeliers reached in the eighth, but each time Toronto’s bullpen tightened the screws. Braydon Fisher, Tommy Nance, Mason Fluharty, and Jeff Hoffman combined to keep the Athletics in check, preserving the lead without much drama.

Defensively, both teams had their moments, but Toronto’s pitching carried the day. The Blue Jays racked up strikeouts throughout, including a stretch that highlighted just how difficult it was for the A’s to make solid contact. Even when the Athletics put the ball in play late, it rarely turned into anything meaningful.

In the ninth, the A’s made one last push. Jacob Wilson singled with two outs to bring the tying run a little closer to the plate, but Max Muncy struck out swinging to end it, sealing Toronto’s win and capping a game that was defined by early control and timely responses.

The A’s offense never found a rhythm in this series finale across the border. Too many strikeouts and too little pressure allowed Toronto to dictate the pace from start to finish. For the Blue Jays, it was a complete effort, highlighted by power, patience, and pitching that never let the game slip away.

The A’s now head to Atlanta for a three game series Monday, Tuesday, & Wednesday, before heading back to Sacramento to open up before the home fans on Friday.

Costa Rican-born Mauricio Segura has covered sports in the Bay Area since 2001 for various magazines and newspapers, as well as his own publication, The Golden Bay Times. 2026 marks his 15th season covering Athletics baseball.

Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.

⚡Craft cocktails? Check.
🔥Game-day bites? Oh yeah.
🏟️Steps from Golden 1 Center? You bet.

Open daily, Cyprus Grille is serving up local flavor with a front-row seat to the action. Stop by before or after the game—or make it your new downtown hangout.

Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.

📍Located inside the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena @ 300 J Street

Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm

Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in. 

Sacramento A’s game wrap: Late Chaos Ends with Second Jays Walk-Off Stinging A’s 8-7 in 11 innings

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Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Vladimir Guerrero Jr slides in safely to score in front of Sacramento A’s catcher Shea Langeliers (23) in the bottom of the sixth inning at Rogers Centre in Toronto on Sat Mar 27, 2026 (Canadian Press via AP News)

By Mauricio Segura

What started as a quiet, tightly wound pitcher’s duel turned into a full-blown nail biter by the time the Sacramento Athletics and Toronto Blue Jays staggered into extra innings for the second consecutive day. In the end, again, Toronto walked it off in the 11th, escaping with an 8-7 win after a game that flipped momentum so many times it felt like neither team ever truly had control.

The early innings belonged to the arms. Both lineups came out swinging but found little success, combining for just a handful of baserunners through the first two frames. The Athletics threatened in the third when Nick Kurtz walked and later reached third, but a Soderstrom strikeout ended the chance.

Toronto finally broke through in the bottom half of that inning, stringing together three straight hits capped off by George Springer’s RBI double to give the Blue Jays a 1–0 lead. Even then, it could have been worse, but a sharp defensive play from Tyler Soderstrom in left cut down Vladimir Guerrero Jr. at third to limit the damage.

Toronto’s slim lead held until the sixth, when the Athletics finally cracked through. Kurtz walked, stole second, and came home on Tyler Soderstrom’s RBI double to tie the game at one. The response from the Blue Jays was immediate. After Guerrero Jr. drew another walk, Daulton Varsho delivered a go-ahead RBI single in the bottom half to push Toronto back in front, 2–1.

The seventh inning changed everything.

The Athletics loaded the bases with a mix of singles and aggressive baserunning. With one swing, Shea Langeliers flipped the game on its head, launching a knuckleball grand slam 420 feet to center field. Just like that, a one-run deficit became a 6-2 Green & Gold lead. It was the kind of blow that usually seals a game, the kind that sends fans toward the exits. However…

Toronto didn’t leave. Nor did the fans.

Instead, the Jays chipped away. Guerrero Jr. drove in a run in the seventh to make it 6-3. In the eighth, they took advantage of walks and timely hitting, getting RBI singles from Jesús Sánchez and Andrés Giménez to pull within one. Suddenly, the pressure shifted back to the A’s bullpen, and the once-comfortable lead was hanging by a thread.

It snapped in the ninth.

Down to their final outs, the Blue Jays got a jolt from Alejandro Kirk, who lifted a solo home run to left field to tie the game at six. The stadium came alive, and what had looked like a missed opportunity earlier in the game was now a full reset heading into extras.

The 10th inning delivered more drama. With the automatic runner in place, Brent Rooker came through with an RBI single to give the Athletics a 7-6 edge. But Toronto answered again in the bottom half, tying the game on Addison Barger’s sacrifice fly after moving the runner into scoring position. Neither side could land the knockout punch, and the game marched on.

By the 11th, both teams looked exhausted, running on fumes and instinct. The Athletics failed to capitalize in their half, stranding a runner after a key strikeout. That opened the door for Blue Jays to take advantage of their bottom of the inning quest.

With a runner already in scoring position, the Blue Jays stayed patient. After a strikeout and an intentional walk, Ernie Clement stepped in and delivered the final blow, ripping a sharp single to left field that scored the winning run and sealed an 8-7 victory.

It was a game defined by swings in momentum, by missed chances and clutch hits, and by a refusal from either side to back down. The Athletics looked like they had it won after Langeliers’ grand slam, then again after Rooker’s go-ahead hit in extras. Each time, Toronto answered.

In the end, the difference wasn’t one big moment, but a series of them stacked together. The Blue Jays simply had one more answer left, and that’s what ultimately wins games in this beautiful game of baseball.

Costa Rican-born Mauricio Segura has covered sports in the Bay Area since 2001 for various magazines and newspapers, as well as his own publication, The Golden Bay Times. 2026 marks his 15th season covering Athletics baseball.

Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.

⚡Craft cocktails? Check.
🔥Game-day bites? Oh yeah.
🏟️Steps from Golden 1 Center? You bet.

Open daily, Cyprus Grille is serving up local flavor with a front-row seat to the action. Stop by before or after the game—or make it your new downtown hangout.

Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.

📍Located inside the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena @ 300 J Street

Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm

Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in. 

Sacramento A’s game wrap: Langeliers’ Late Heroics Stolen in Blue Jays Walk-Off Thriller 3-2

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Sacramento A’s Shea Langeliers (23) celebrates his home run with Tyler Soderstrom (21) as the Toronto Blue Jays catcher Alejandro Kirk (right) looks on at Rogers Place in Toronto on Fri Mar 27, 2026 (Canadian Press via AP)

Langeliers’ Late Heroics Stolen in Blue Jays Walk-Off Thriller 3-2

By Mauricio Segura

For much of Friday night’s Season Opener, it felt like a pitching clinic wrapped in a tense, low-scoring chess match as the Toronto Blue Jays edged the Sacramento A’s at Rogers Place 3-2 to open the regular season between both clubs. Then the late innings arrived, and everything flipped.

The A’s and Blue Jays spent the early innings trading zeros, with Kevin Gausman and Luis Severino setting the tone. Gausman was sharp from the outset, striking out the side in the first inning and piling up swings and misses with his splitter. Through three innings, the Green and Gold had little to show but strikeouts and weak contact, unable to solve his mix of velocity and late movement.

Severino matched him pitch for pitch early on. Toronto’s lineup, featuring George Springer and Vladimir Guerrero Jr., struggled to generate anything beyond a walk starting out. Balls were put in play, but rarely with authority, as Severino worked efficiently and kept the Blue Jays off balance through the first four innings.

The game’s first crack came in the top of the fourth, and it came with catcher finesse. Shea Langeliers stepped in and launched a 375-foot home run to left field, breaking the scoreless tie and giving the Athletics a 1-0 lead. It was a moment that briefly shifted momentum, especially given how dominant Gausman had been to that point.

Toronto, like a good poker hand saw the A’s single run and raised it in the fifth. After a walk and a double set the table, Andrés Giménez delivered the biggest swing of the night to that point, ripping a triple to left field that brought in two runs. In a blink, the Blue Jays had flipped the game, taking a 2-1 lead and energizing their dugout.

From there, the game tightened again. The A’s bullpen held firm, with Scott Barlow and Hogan Harris combining to keep Toronto off the board over the next few innings. At the same time, the Athletics offense struggled to mount a response. A promising seventh inning fizzled when a double play erased a potential rally, and by the eighth, the sense of urgency was unmistakable.

Still, baseball has a way of saving its drama for the final act.

In the top of the ninth, down to their last outs, the Athletics turned once again to Langeliers. With one out, he delivered in stunning fashion, crushing a 414-foot home run to center field to tie the game at 2-2. It was his second homer of the night, a solo blast that breathed life back into the Athletics and silenced the Toronto crowd, at least momentarily.

The inning had a brief flicker of more. Tyler Soderstrom reached first after striking out on a wild pitch, but the rally stalled there as the next two hitters went down swinging. Still, the damage was done. The game was tied, and momentum had swung.

That set the stage for a tense bottom of the ninth.

After two quick outs, it looked like the Athletics might force extra innings. But the Jays wanted to shut the cage and fly coop for the night. Masataka Okamoto kept the inning alive with a single, and Ernie Clement followed with a clutch double to left, putting runners at second and third and bringing the winning run just 90 feet away.

Giménez, already responsible for Toronto’s earlier breakthrough, stepped in again with a chance to end it. He did not miss. Lacing a single to right field, he drove in Okamoto from third, sealing a 3-2 walk-off victory for the Blue Jays and completing a night where timely hitting made all the difference.

For the Athletics, the loss stung, especially after Langeliers’ heroics gave them a second life. His two home runs accounted for all of the team’s scoring and were easily the standout performance of the night. But outside of those swings, the offense struggled to sustain pressure against Gausman and Toronto’s bullpen.

On the other side, the Blue Jays leaned on situational hitting and patience. Giménez’s triple and walk-off single highlighted a lineup that capitalized when opportunities finally appeared, even in a game dominated by pitching.

Costa Rican-born Mauricio Segura has covered sports in the Bay Area since 2001 for various magazines and newspapers, as well as his own publication, The Golden Bay Times. 2026 marks his 15th season covering Athletics baseball.

Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.

⚡Craft cocktails? Check.
🔥Game-day bites? Oh yeah.
🏟️Steps from Golden 1 Center? You bet.

Open daily, Cyprus Grille is serving up local flavor with a front-row seat to the action. Stop by before or after the game—or make it your new downtown hangout.

Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.

📍Located inside the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena @ 300 J Street

Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm

Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in.