Category: Sacramento A’s

Perkins’ Rough First Inning Too Much To Overcome As A’s Fall To Marlins 12-5

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Sacramento A’s Joshua Kuroda Grauer (44) slugs a fourth inning double against Miami Marlins catcher Joe Mack (90) at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento on Fri Jul 3, 2026 (Golden Bay Times photo)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — After a day off on Thursday in Sacramento, the Athletics welcomed the Miami Marlins to Sutter Health Park for the start of a three-game series on Friday night.

The Marlins’ offense matched the 90-degree temperature early, and the A’s couldn’t overcome it as Miami defeated Sacramento, 12-5.

Jack Perkins took the hill for the A’s in hopes of helping the club start the series strong against the Marlins and carry over the momentum from the final game of the Dodgers series. However, Perkins struggled mightily, especially in the first inning, and lasted just three and two-thirds innings. Perkins gave up six runs in the opening frame, digging himself into a deep hole as he didn’t record an out until after allowing five runs. Overall, Perkins surrendered seven runs on seven hits while walking four and striking out eight.

“Tough first inning,” Kotsay said of Perkins after the game. “We know this team can hit, and when you leave balls middle-middle, you’re going to pay the price. So I think the grand slam obviously was the capper of that inning. Obviously, you get in trouble right away, it spirals a little bit out of control. I thought he did a nice job of settling down…”

Perkins spoke with the media after the game and appeared to be searching for answers.

“Just have to keep working… that’s something I’m always going to do,” Perkins said. “I’m trying to figure this out and I’m trying to get on a roll here, but I’m just not too sure what’s going on. I’ll get back to work tomorrow and hope to figure it out.”

The A’s once again needed a lengthy performance from their bullpen, and they turned to Jose Suarez to begin the relief effort. Suarez recorded the final out of the fourth inning after relieving Perkins and also pitched the fifth. Suarez was excellent, allowing only one walk over an inning and one-third while needing just 19 pitches.

In the sixth inning, Mark Kotsay called on Justin Sterner. Sterner was solid, but one mistake to Kyle Stowers cost him as he surrendered a solo home run, his only blemish in one inning of work.

Mark Leiter Jr. pitched the seventh inning for the A’s and was terrific. Leiter Jr. tossed a hitless frame, striking out two Marlins hitters while needing just 13 pitches.

The A’s ran into trouble again in the eighth inning when Mason Barnett entered the game. It was Kyle Stowers once again who did the damage after Barnett issued a walk before allowing a two-run homer, Stowers’ second home run of the game. Barnett returned for the ninth, and it was more of the same. He surrendered another two-run homer to stretch Miami’s lead to 12-5. Overall, Barnett pitched two innings, allowing four runs on three hits while walking two and striking out two.

Offensively, the A’s battled but ultimately couldn’t produce enough offense to overcome a 6-0 deficit before they even came to the plate.

In the bottom of the third inning, Nick Kurtz got the A’s on the board with a mammoth moonshot over the batter’s eye in center field. Kurtz’s home run left the bat at 113 mph and traveled 457 feet into the Sacramento evening. It was his 20th home run of the season and gave him RBIs Nos. 65 and 66.

The A’s added three more runs in the bottom of the fourth in an attempt to mount a comeback. Jeff McNeil connected for a bases-clearing, three-run double into the left-center gap. At the time, it pulled the A’s within two runs and made it seem as though a comeback was possible, but they failed to score again. Overall, the A’s finished with five runs on nine hits while drawing four walks and striking out eight times.

Mark Kotsay was encouraged by the fight his team showed after falling behind early.

“The offense did their job coming back and getting us back into that game,” Kotsay said. “It was a seven-to-five game at the time, I think. You’re a hit away from tying a game that you were down seven nothing. So there’s a lot of positive to the offense there.”

With the loss, the A’s fell to 41-47 on the season and 1-3 on the homestand.

Shea Langeliers left the game in the fourth inning after taking a ball awkwardly off his left thumb in the first. The A’s said X-rays revealed only a thumb contusion, and he is listed as day to day.

The A’s will face the Marlins in Game 2 of the series on Saturday, July 4, at 6:40 p.m. PDT. The A’s are slated to send Aaron Civale (5-5, 5.05 ERA) to the mound, while the Marlins will counter with Sandy Alcantara (9-4, 4.20 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 Jeremiah Salmonson: A’s open 3 game series with Marlins Friday at Sutter Health

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Sacramento A’s starter Jack Perkins will face the Miami Marlins on Fri Jul 3, 2026 at Sutter Health Park in the opening of a three game series (AP file photo)

Sacramento A’s podcast Jeremiah Salmonson:

#1 Great game for A’s catcher Shea Langeliers 2-5 with a run scored in helping the offense pile on Los Angeles Dodgers reliever Charlie Barnes in the 7-1 win.

#2 Big night on Wednesday for Jonah Heim who went 2-3 with a home run, two hits, and two RBIs.

#3 Joshua Kuroda Grauer went 2-4 with a run scored and two hits and played the hot corner for the A’s Wednesday do you see JKG getting more looks at third base and hitting in the five hole?

#4 A’s pitcher JT Ginn had all his pitches working for him on Wednesday night six innings and allowed just one hit. He had Dodgers two way player Shohei Ohtani under control going 0-5.

#5 Starting pitchers for the Miami Marlins series starting Friday night for the Marlins RHP Tyler Phillips (1-3 ERA 3.02) for Sacramento RHP Jack Perkins (2-3 ERA 6.00) first pitch 6:40pm PDT.

Jeremiah Salmonson does the A’s podcasts each Thursday at 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. 

Heim Homers, Drives In Two as A’s Avoid Sweep Against Dodgers with 7-1 victory

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Sacramento A’s Jonah Heim rips a 444 foot home run in the bottom of the second inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Charlie Barnes at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento on Wed Jul 1, 2026 (photo by Mauricio Segura-Golden Bay Times)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The A’s sent J.T. Ginn to the hill on Wednesday night in a bid to avoid being swept at the hands of the Los Angeles Dodgers in a three-game series. While not necessarily a smooth outing, Ginn delivered the win for the A’s in a 7-1 affair over the Dodgers.

Ginn took the ball in what was his 16th start for the green and gold this season while still being the only starting pitcher in the AL to throw a complete game this season. Ginn didn’t have his sharpest stuff, but he battled through six solid innings against the team that drafted him in the first round in 2018. Ginn scattered three hits and five walks while allowing just one run and striking out four Dodgers hitters. Ginn left the game after the sixth inning with the A’s holding a 6-1 advantage.

“You look at JT this year versus last year, that inning, or that game, would’ve easily spiraled from him,” Kotsay said of Ginn after the win. “He was able to get through those walks like we talk about, executing pitches and really navigating a lineup that can be challenging.”

As Kotsay turned to the bullpen in the seventh inning, he called on Luis Medina to pitch both the seventh and eighth innings. Medina was lights out for the first five outs of his two innings of work. However, Medina allowed a two-out double to Max Muncy before walking Kyler Tucker, which led Kotsay to go back to the bullpen.

Kotsay elected to go with Hogan Harris to clean up the eighth inning, and he recorded the final out by way of a strikeout. Harris stayed in to pitch the ninth inning and struck out three hitters while allowing just one single.

On the offensive side of the ball, the A’s had a nice, balanced attack against the Dodgers’ bullpen game after Los Angeles elected to bypass Shohei Ohtani’s scheduled day.

Jonah Heim got the A’s on the board in the second inning with a solo home run to center field. It was Heim’s eighth home run of the season and his 32nd RBI as he sent the ball 444 feet with an exit velocity of 105 mph.

In the fourth inning, the A’s scored two more runs on an RBI groundout from Lawrence Butler and an RBI single from Henry Bolte that scored Joshua Kuroda-Grauer to give the A’s a 3-1 advantage.

In the fifth inning, the A’s offense was back at it as Shea Langeliers led off with a solo blast to left-center field that traveled 433 feet. It was Langeliers’ 20th home run of the season and his fourth consecutive 20-home run season. The booming home run left the bat at 104 mph.

Later in the fifth inning, the A’s added two more runs on a Colby Thomas RBI double and a Jonah Heim RBI single that drove in Thomas in the very next at-bat.

The final run for the A’s came in the bottom of the eighth inning when Alika Williams sent a ball 403 feet over the left-center field wall for a solo home run. It was Williams’ second home run of the season, and it left the bat at 100 mph.

With the win, the A’s improved to 41-46 on the season and salvaged a game against the Dodgers to avoid the sweep. The A’s will spend Thursday’s off day in Sacramento before welcoming the Miami Marlins for a three-game weekend series. The first game of the series is scheduled for 6:40 p.m. PST on Friday as the A’s will send Jack Perkins (2-3, 6.00 ERA) to the hill. The Marlins have yet to announce a starter for the series opener. 

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 Bridget Mulcahy: A’s touchup Dodgers Barnes for 12 hits and 7 runs in 7-1 win

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Sacramento A’s starter JT Ginn pitched six innings allowing just a run and had command over the Los Angeles Dodgers at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento on Wed Jul 1, 2026 (AP News photo)

Sacramento A’s podcast Bridget Mulchay:

#1 How important was J.T. Ginn’s six-inning, one-run outing in helping the Athletics avoid a series sweep by the Dodgers?

#2 Did Jonah Heim’s home run and two RBIs provide the offensive spark that changed the momentum of the game?

#3 How much did Shea Langeliers’ power at the plate contribute to the Athletics’ 7-1 victory?

#4 Were Colby Thomas and Henry Bolte the difference-makers in the middle of the lineup with their timely RBI hits?

#5 Did Alika Williams’ eighth-inning home run and defensive play at shortstop help seal the win for Sacramento? The Athletics finished with 12 hits and three home runs in the victory.

Bridget Mulcahy is a Sacramento A’s podcast contributor at 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.

Dodgers Hand A’s Another 9-3 Lopsided Loss Behind Strong Start From Wrobleski

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Jeffrey Springs #59 of the Athletics pitches during the game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Athletics at Sutter Health Park on Tuesday, June 30, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Mandatory photo credit: Don Collier/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Athletics and Dodgers engaged in game two of their three-game series on Tuesday night at 6:40 p.m. PT at Sutter Health Park.

The A’s struggled again on Tuesday to contain the Dodgers and ultimately fell 9-3 in a relatively uncompetitive game.

Jeffrey Springs got the ball for the A’s on Tuesday in hopes of kickstarting the team back in the right direction after a rough last week. It was the league-leading 18th start of the year for Springs, who has been durable, albeit while having a lackluster season. On Tuesday, Springs struggled as the Dodgers pounced early and didn’t look back. Springs gave up six runs on eight hits over five and one-third innings while walking four and striking out two.

“It’s a tough lineup to get through,” A’s manager Mark Kotsay said of Springs after the game. “We talked about it last night. You make mistakes and this team just isn’t a team that misses mistakes, so you’ve got to be able to execute pitches, locate pitches, and utilize all your weapons when you’re out there.”

Jeffrey Springs was hard on himself after the loss, as he usually is. However, he said he feels good but needs to execute his pitches better.

“Still kind of processing it, too many walks, for starters,” Springs said after the game. “It’s too good of a team to give up free passes.”

Even with Springs’ struggles, he has been one of the most durable pitchers in baseball, leading the AL in starts with 18. I asked him after the game if that’s something he can take pride in even while going through some struggles.

“Right now it’s a little bit tough to see that just because you want to put together quality outings,” a visibly frustrated Springs said in the clubhouse. “You want to try to give us a chance to win and just don’t feel like I’m doing that. But yeah, you take a lot of pride in putting in the work in the offseason to take the ball every five days.”

For the bullpen, Elvis Alvarado was first out of the pen to finish the top of the sixth inning after Springs was lifted. Alvarado got the final two outs of the inning with ease without allowing anything to materialize for the Dodgers.

Looking for some length in what appeared to be a game out of reach, Mark Kotsay turned to Geoff Hartlieb for the final three innings for the A’s. Hartlieb pitched adequately over his three innings, allowing three runs on six hits while walking one and striking out one.

The A’s offense struggled again as Dodgers starter Justin Wrobleski dominated over seven innings.

“He’s got weapons, the fastball velo, the slider is real,” Kotsay said after the game. “We saw him last year and he had an impressive outing where he came out in relief last year in LA and dominated us. We knew we were up against obviously a quality starter tonight.”

The A’s first run of the game came in the bottom of the first inning when Jonah Heim hit an RBI single to score Shea Langeliers.

The A’s next and final runs came in the bottom of the seventh inning when Colby Thomas hit a two-run homer to center field that scored Joey Meneses. The home run gave Thomas RBIs No. 9 and No. 10 on the season. It traveled 424 feet and left the bat at 105 mph, giving Thomas his second homer in as many days against the Dodgers.

Colby Thomas has been swinging a hot bat, and he feels as good as he looks at the plate right now.

“Results are great,” Thomas said after the game. “It’s nice getting the results and I’ve been doing a lot of work in the cage, and it’s nice to see those results, so it felt awesome, to be honest with you.”

The A’s offense compiled three runs on seven hits while drawing five walks in the 9-3 loss to the reigning champions.

The A’s fell to 40-46 with the loss and will look to avoid being swept on Wednesday in the final game of the three-game series at 6:40 p.m. PT. J.T. Ginn is scheduled to start for the A’s, while the Dodgers have yet to announce a starter. Shohei Ohtani was initially scheduled to pitch, but the Dodgers announced Tuesday that he will instead start on Friday.

Sacramento A’s podcast Tony Renteria: LA’s Muncy, Pages, and Ohtani take A’s deep in 9-4 win to open series

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Los Angeles Dodgers two way player Shohei Ohtani does the bat flip after hitting a three run home run in the bottom of the sixth inning against the Sacramento A’s at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento on Mon Jun 29, 2026 (AP News photo)

Sacramento A’s podcast Tony Renteria:

#1 How important was Shohei Ohtani’s performance in helping the Dodgers offense against Sacramento pitching?

#2 Did Eric Lauer provide the Dodgers with enough quality innings to set the tone for the game?

#3 How did rookie pitcher Gage Jump handle facing the powerful Dodgers lineup in one of his biggest tests of the season?

#4 Talk about the Dodgers Max Muncy with five at bats one run scored, two hits and two RBIs?

#5 How well did Shea Langeliers perform against the National League leaders as he continued his push for an All-Star selection?

Tony Renteria does the A’s podcasts each Tuesday at 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.

Kuroda-Grauer Shines in MLB Debut Despite A’s 9-4 Loss to Dodgers

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Manager Mark Kotsay #7 of the Athletics takes the ball from pitcher Gage Jump #61 taking Jump out of the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the top of the fifth inning at Sutter Health Park on June 29, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Mandatory photo credit:Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Athletics were back in town after a six-game road trip wrapped up Sunday in Anaheim. The trip wasn’t kind to the A’s as they lost four of six games to the Giants and Angels combined, as their record fell to 40-44 on the season heading back to the friendly confines of Sutter Health Park. The A’s were looking to get back on track on Monday but were unable to do so as the Dodgers defeated them 9-4 in front of what felt like 12,000 Dodgers fans, with an announced attendance of 12,394.

Gage Jump got the ball for the A’s in the seventh start of his big league career. Jump, who hadn’t allowed a home run yet in his career, struggled on Monday as he surrendered two home runs to the Dodgers. Jump was hit hard as he allowed 11 hits and five runs over 4 2/3 innings, albeit without issuing a walk. He couldn’t get the Dodgers off balance as they jumped all over his fastball throughout the outing.

“I mean overall he battled,” Kotsay said of Jump after the game. “He competed. He didn’t have his best stuff tonight. Execution wise, the breaking ball was kind of inconsistent. The change up really couldn’t land, so he was really up against it.”

Jump was even harder on himself after the game.

“My job’s to go out and compete and win games,” Jump said in the clubhouse to the media. “I don’t care who the other team is. Just got to be better.”

Matt Krook came on for the A’s as the first reliever out of the bullpen to get the final out of the fifth inning. Krook struck out the only batter he faced to clean up the inning for Jump.

Justin Sterner was next out of the bullpen for the A’s as he came on to pitch the sixth inning. Sterner pitched a scoreless inning while allowing just one hit and striking out two batters.

In the seventh inning, Kade Morris was next out of the bullpen for the A’s. Morris pitched well and ended up finishing the final three innings of the game for the A’s. In his three innings of work, Morris allowed one run on three hits while walking one and striking out three.

On the offensive side of the ball, the A’s did all of their damage early in the game before going quiet in the late innings.

Colby Thomas got the A’s on the board in the second inning as he hit an opposite-field home run to right-center field. It was Thomas’ third home run of the season and traveled 395 feet as it cleared the short wall over the bullpen.

Later in the second inning, Joshua Kuroda-Grauer recorded his first major league hit and RBI as he lined a single to right field to give the A’s their second run of the game.

It was a special night for Kuroda-Grauer, who recorded three hits, an extra-base hit, and an RBI in his major league debut.

“It’s kind of been surreal getting a call in the morning and hearing that you’re going to the big leagues and then hearing a couple hours later that you’re starting a big league game,” Kuroda-Grauer said postgame. “It’s been a whirlwind, but it was a ton of fun tonight.”

His parents weren’t able to attend his debut because of the short notice, but they will be on hand later in the series.

“It was the best day of my life,” Kuroda-Grauer said. “Getting to achieve a lifelong dream of mine and just thinking about all the people that supported me along the way.”

The A’s third and final run of the second inning came when Henry Bolte grounded into a force out that scored Alika Williams from third on the play.

The A’s next run, and final one of the game, came in the ninth inning when Joshua Kuroda-Grauer scored from third on a wild pitch during Nick Kurtz’s at-bat.

The A’s finished the game with four runs on 11 hits and didn’t draw a walk until Nick Kurtz walked in the ninth inning, their only free pass of the game.

The A’s and Dodgers will play game two of their three-game series on Tuesday at 6:40 p.m. PDT at Sutter Health Park. Jeffrey Springs (3-7, 5.52 ERA) is slated to get the start for the A’s while the Dodgers will counter with Justin Wrobleski (9-2, 2.71 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 Barbara Mason: A’s drop series to Angels; Try and pick up the pieces Monday night against Dodgers

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Sacarmento A’s Jeff McNeil (left) congratulates Alika Williams (12) after scoring on Henry Bote’s fifth inning single against the Los Angeles Angels on Fri Jun 26, 2026 (AP News photo)

Sacramento A’s podcast Barbara Mason:

#1 The Sacramento Athletics took on the Los Angeles Angels over the weekend losing the series after winning the first game another series loss after losing a series to the Giants last week.

#2 The A’s have now dropped to fourth place in the standings although they are only two games out of first place in a tightly contested division.

3. The hero of the game Sunday was Josh Lowe who set the Angels up early winning game three of the series.

4. What went so wrong for the Athletics in this series after winning convincingly in the series opener Friday night. Was it the defense, the bullpen, the offense or a combination of things gone wrong.

5. The A’s will now be tested to the max Monday night when they take on the best team in baseball for a three game series. Monday night the Dodgers come to town at Sutter Health Park in their first meeting this season with the A’s.

Barbara Mason does the Sacramento A’s podcasts each Monday at 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. 

Sacramento A’s game wrap: Grand Slam Blaze Torches A’s 4-1; Four run second does in A’s as Halos take series

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Los Angeles Angels Josh Lowe watches his grand slam in the bottom of the second inning against the Sacramento A’s at the Big A in Anahiem on Sun Jun 28, 2026 (AP News photo)

Grand Slam Blaze Torches A’s 4-1
By Mauricio Segura

 The Sacramento Athletics finale against the Los Angeles Angels needed a win, but one explosive inning by the halos led to a 4-1 game and series loss Sunday. Sacramento put runners on base throughout the afternoon yet never found the big swing, while Los Angeles needed just one thunderous swing from Josh Lowe to seize control.

The game stayed scoreless through the opening inning as both Aaron Civale and Sam Aldegheri showed their mound dominance. Shea Langeliers recorded the Athletics’ first hit with a single in the first, and Lawrence Butler and Max Muncy followed with back-to-back singles in the second, but Aldegheri escaped each threat to keep the Green and Gold off the scoreboard.

Everything changed in the bottom of the second. Vaughn Grissom singled, Wade Meckler drew a walk, and Oswald Peraza added another hit to load the bases. After a brief on-field delay, Lowe stepped in and crushed a grand slam to right field, instantly turning a scoreless contest into a four-run Angels advantage. It was the game’s defining moment, accounting for every Los Angeles run.

Civale recovered well after the damaging inning. The veteran right-hander retired eight of the next nine batters he faced and received help from a successful Athletics challenge in the fifth when Denzer Guzman was erased on a pickoff play after the original safe call was overturned. Civale finished five innings, allowing four earned runs, while the Athletics bullpen of Elvis Alvarado and José Suárez combined for three scoreless innings to keep the deficit from growing.

Sacramento finally scratched across a run in the fifth. Jeff McNeil lined a single to center before Alika Williams followed with another base hit. Henry Bolte advanced both runners with a groundout, and Joey Meneses lifted a sacrifice fly to center that brought McNeil home and trimmed the margin to 4-1. It was the Athletics’ lone breakthrough despite putting multiple runners aboard several times.

The opportunities continued to appear but never materialized into a rally. Butler singled three times and reached base in each of his final three plate appearances, continuing a productive stretch at the plate. McNeil collected a hit and scored the club’s only run, while Williams added a single and helped set up the fifth-inning scoring chance.

Langeliers reached safely twice with a single and a walk, but the Angels left-hander struck him out in two key situations with runners aboard. Aldegheri completed five innings, allowing just one run before turning the game over to José Fermín, Ryan Zeferjahn and Samy Natera Jr., who combined to blank the Athletics over the final four innings.

One of the game’s biggest missed opportunities came in the eighth. Bolte worked a leadoff walk and Meneses followed with another free pass, bringing the tying run to the plate with nobody out. Instead, Langeliers and Jonah Heim struck out before pinch hitter Nick Kurtz lifted a harmless fly ball to center, allowing the Angels to escape without damage.

The Athletics finished with nine hits compared to the Angels’ seven, but Los Angeles made its biggest chance count while Sacramento stranded runners throughout the afternoon. Butler’s three-hit effort led the offense, yet the club went just 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position. Meanwhile, the Angels capitalized on their lone bases-loaded opportunity, and Lowe’s grand slam stood as the difference from the second inning until the final out.

The loss dropped the Athletics to 40-44 after they had entered the day having split the first two games of the series. Even with the setback, several encouraging trends remain intact. Rookie Henry Bolte has continued to swing a hot bat since his promotion and entered the day leading all qualified major league rookies with a .305 batting average, while Langeliers remains in the spotlight after advancing to Phase 2 of American League All-Star voting and ranking among the league leaders with 19 home runs.

The Athletics now head home for an intriguing matchup with the reigning World Champs Los Angeles Dodgers. Rookie left-hander Gage Jump (3-1, 2.04 ERA, 35 strikeouts) gets the ball for Sacramento against Dodgers left-hander Eric Lauer (3-5, 4.87 ERA, 42 strikeouts), with first pitch set for 6:40 p.m. Pacific at Sutter Health Park.

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. 

Sacramento A’s podcast Daniel Dullum: Four run second inning is all the scoring Angels need to beat A’s 4-1

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Sacramento A’s Jeff McNeil (22) is greeted by teammates after scoring on a sacrifice fly in the top of the fifth inning against the Los Angeles Angels on Sun Jun 28, 2026 (AP News photo)

Sacramento A’s podcast Daniel Dullum:

#1 How did Henry Bolte perform at the top of the A’s lineup, and what impact did he have on the team’s offense?

#2 What contributions did Shea Langeliers make behind the plate and at bat during the game?

#3 How effective was Jonah Heim as the designated hitter, and did he deliver any key offensive moments?

#4 What defensive or offensive plays by Lawrence Butler and Max Muncy stood out during the matchup?

#5 How did A’s starting pitcher Aaron Civale handle the Angels’ lineup, and what were the biggest factors in his outing.

Daniel Dullum does the A’s podcasts each Sunday at 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.