Aug 6, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Athletics’ pitcher Brady Basso throws against the Cincinnati Reds in the sixth inning at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images Aaron Doster
Sacramento A’s podcast Jeremiah Salmonson:
#1 The Cincinnati Reds swept the Sacramento A’s at Great American Ballpark in a three game series the A’s continue to sputter losing their ninth out of their last ten games.
#2 For the Reds Elly De La Cruz led off hitting his fourth career lead off home run. De La Cruz’s homer was one of four for the Reds in the 6-5 win Thursday.
#3 It’s a tale of two teams going in two different directions. The Red have gone 13-6 after All Star break. The A’s have now lost eight in a row and lost 12 series in a row and their season record is 45-70.
#4 A’s catcher Brian Serven has been on tear of late hitting a two run home run off Reds pitcher Brock Burke which pulled the A’s within a run. For Serven it was his second home run of the season.
#5 The A’s open a three game series starting Friday night in Boston against a Red Sox team that took three of four from the A’s last week in West Sacramento. For Friday Sacramento will start RHP Jack Perkins (2-7, 6.72 ERA) for Boston LHP Payton Tolle (6-6 ERA 3.30) first pitch at Fenway Park 4:10PM PDT.
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 starter Mason Barnett pitches to the Cincinnati Reds in the bottom of the first inning at Great American Park in Cincinnati on Thu Aug 6, 2026 (AP News photo)
Sacramento A’s game wrap:
By Mauicio Segura
Brian Serven gave the Athletics one final surge, but Cincinnati had already built just enough room to survive. After Lawrence Butler reached on an infield single and advanced on Elly De La Cruz’s throwing error, Serven sent a two-run homer to left-center, trimming a three-run deficit to one.
The rally ended there, however, as Alika Williams grounded out and Jonathan Ornelas struck out, sealing a 6-5 Reds victory and the Athletics’ eighth consecutive loss. The A’s were swept in the three-game series and dropped to 45-70.
Cincinnati wasted little time taking the lead. De La Cruz opened the bottom of the first with a home run to left-center, giving the Reds a 1-0 advantage before Mason Barnett had recorded an out. Barnett recovered well enough to avoid further damage, helped by one of the game’s strangest sequences.
Serven successfully challenged a call involving Tyler Stephenson, who was ruled out on strikes, while JJ Bleday was also caught stealing for an inning-ending double play.
The Athletics broke through in the fourth. Henry Bolte and Tommy White opened the inning with singles, and Jonah Heim drew a walk to load the bases. Tyler Soderstrom followed with a two-run single through the middle, scoring Bolte and White for a 2-1 advantage. Max Muncy added another single to reload the bases, and Butler’s ground-ball double play brought Heim home for a 3-1 lead.
That inning also showed the cost of giving away outs. Heim had already grounded into a double play in the first, and Butler’s fourth-inning twin killing limited what might have become a much larger rally. The A’s entered the game tied for second in the majors with 88 ground-ball double plays, and two more proved especially costly.
The Reds erased the lead almost immediately. Sal Stewart and Stephenson hit solo homers in the bottom of the fourth, tying the game at 3-3. Barnett returned for the fifth but hit Matt McLain, allowed a single to Stewart and issued a walk to Bleday, loading the bases with one out. Elvis Alvarado replaced him and struck out Stephenson, but consecutive bases-loaded walks to Eugenio Suárez and Dane Myers pushed Cincinnati ahead 5-3.
Barnett was charged with five runs on five hits over 4 1/3 innings. He struck out seven, but three of Cincinnati’s hits against him cleared the fence. Andrew Abbott, meanwhile, settled after the fourth and completed 6 2/3 innings, allowing three runs on seven hits with four strikeouts. Bleday gave the Reds their final run in the seventh, driving a Seth Johnson pitch over the wall in right-center for a 6-3 lead.
The Green and Gold entered the game with a seven-game skid and only four victories in their previous 27 contests. The defeat made it eight straight and dropped them to 4-24 since July 3. Serven’s late homer at least offered another encouraging moment since his July 26 recall. His previous homer, hit July 28, had been his first in the majors since August 2022.
The A’s will try to stop the slide in Boston, where Sacramento’s Jack Perkins (2-7, 6.72 ERA, 89 strikeouts) is scheduled to face Boston left-hander Payton Tolle (6-6, 3.30 ERA, 110 strikeouts), with first pitch set for 4:10 p.m. Pacific.
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.
Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly Del La Cruz (left) gets the throw too late as the Sacramento A’s Henry Bolte (right) slides in safely into second base in the top of the seventh inning at Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati on Wed Aug 5, 2026 (AP News photo)
Sacramento A’s podcast Bridget Mulcahy:
#1 Lawrence Butler is back in the lead off spot for the Sacramento A’s at the plate, and was able to provide the A’s with some offensive spark against the Reds with a RBI and a run scored?
#2 A’s starter Jacob Lopez kept the Cincinnati Reds to just two runs pitching five innings allowing four hits and a walk.
#3 The A’s Tyler Soderstrom continues to hit consistently with two at bats a run scored, one hits, two walks and he was able to successfully reach base twice.
#4 Catcher Jonah Heim called a good game for the A’s also had a hit and an RBI. and caught all four pitchers despite losing the game by a run.
#5 A’s and Reds conclude this three game series Thursday at Great American Park for a 9:40AM PDT first pitch. Starting pitchers for Sacramento RHP Mason Barnett (1-1 ERA 4.85) for Cincinnati LHP Andrew Abbott (5-7 ERA 3.91).
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 Jacob Wilson and Lawrence Butler (4) celebrate Butler’s home run in the top of the first inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ballpark on Wed Aug 5, 2026 (AP News photo)
By Mauricio Segura
Lawrence Butler opened the game with a home run to right-center, but the Sacramento Athletics could not build around it as the Cincinnati Reds earned a 3-2 victory. The loss stretched the A’s skid to seven games and guaranteed their 12th consecutive series defeat. Butler’s homer was his seventh of the season and his first away from home, adding another chapter to his unusual success against the Reds. He entered the game with six homers in only seven career meetings with Cincinnati.
Rhett Lowder recovered quickly after Butler’s swing. Tyler Soderstrom drew a one-out walk in the first, but Lowder struck out Jonah Heim and Jeff McNeil to end the inning. He then retired the Athletics in order in the second and third. Soderstrom drew another walk in the fourth, and Tommy White added a two-out single, but Donovan Walton grounded out to leave both runners aboard.
Jacob Lopez gave the A’s one of his strongest strikeout performances of the season. He struck out Elly De La Cruz, Sal Stewart and Dane Myers in order in the first, then recorded three more strikeouts in the second. Cincinnati still found a way to score. Noelvi Marte singled, stole second and scored when Jose Trevino sent a two-out grounder into left field.
Lopez kept the Reds from adding another run until the fifth. Matt McLain broke the tie with a solo home run to right-center, giving Cincinnati a 2-1 advantage. De La Cruz followed with a single, but Butler prevented further trouble by throwing him out at second base. Lopez finished with nine strikeouts over five innings, setting a new season high and finishing one short of his career best. He allowed two runs on four hits and one walk.
The Athletics answered in the sixth. Soderstrom singled to center and Heim drove a double into right, bringing Soderstrom home with the tying run. The hit was the 100th double of Heim’s career. Lowder prevented the inning from growing by retiring McNeil and White, completing six innings with two runs allowed on four hits, two walks and three strikeouts.
Cincinnati reclaimed the lead against Hayden Juenger in the bottom half. Stewart reached on a ground ball to the mound, Myers singled him to third and Marte lifted a sacrifice fly to right. Butler made the catch, but Stewart scored easily for a 3-2 Reds lead. José Suarez ended the inning without further damage, and Scott Blewett followed with two scoreless innings to keep the Athletics within one.
The A’s offense never produced another baserunner. Lowder retired the final two hitters he faced, and Cincinnati’s bullpen set down all nine batters after that. Brock Burke handled the seventh and began the eighth, Tejay Antone completed that inning, and Emilio Pagán finished the ninth for the save. In all, the final 11 Athletics hitters were retired.
McNeil’s pursuit of 1,000 career hits will continue after an 0-for-4 game left him at 999. The Athletics finished with four hits, and only Soderstrom reached base more than once. Butler supplied the first run, Heim supplied the second, and the rest of the lineup went 2-for-23.
The series finale Thursday will put Mason Barnett (1-1, 4.85 ERA, 29 strikeouts) opposite Hunter Greene (2-2, 6.83 ERA, 33 strikeouts), with the A’s trying to avoid a sweep when the first pitch is thrown at 9:40 a.m. Pacific.
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.
Cincinnati Reds Sal Stewart (left) doesn’t need to take off any more after sprouting wings and scoring against the Sacramento A’s and pitcher Hogan Harris (right) in the bottom of the eighth inning at Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati on Tue Aug 4, 2026 (AP News photo)
By Mauricio Segura
The Sacramento Athletics carried a 4-3 lead into the bottom of the eighth inning and were six outs from ending a miserable five game skid Tuesday night at Great American Ballpark. Cincinnati never needed a hit to take it away. Two leadoff walks and three wild pitches unraveled the A’s bullpen, allowing the Reds to score twice and escape with a 5-4 victory. The loss extended the Athletics’ losing streak to six games after they had entered the series with five consecutive defeats.
J.T. Ginn gave the A’s exactly what they needed in his return from the injured list. Making his first start since recovering from a blister on his right middle finger, Ginn held Cincinnati scoreless through four innings and finished with six innings, five hits, three earned runs, two walks and five strikeouts over 91 pitches. His return followed a season in which he had already carried two no-hit bids through at least six innings, making him the first Athletics pitcher to do that twice in one year since Mark Mulder in 2001.
The Green and Gold gave Ginn the lead in the fourth. Tyler Soderstrom opened the inning with a double and scored when Jeff McNeil lined a single into right field. McNeil had also singled in the second, giving him 999 career hits after beginning the game three shy of 1,000. He now stands one hit away from a milestone that has been building across nine major league seasons.
The A’s doubled down in the fifth. Donovan Walton drew a leadoff walk, Henry Bolte singled and Lawrence Butler reached on a force play. Butler then stole second, placing two runners in scoring position for Jacob Wilson. The shortstop delivered a two-run double to left, scoring Walton and Butler for a 3-0 advantage.
Cincinnati erased it in the bottom half. Héctor Rodríguez drew a walk, Matt McLain doubled and Elly De La Cruz sent a two-run single into left. A wild pitch moved De La Cruz to third, and Sal Stewart’s sacrifice fly tied the game. Ginn recovered to finish the inning, then retired the Reds in order in the sixth.
Bolte helped the Athletics move back in front in the seventh while celebrating his 23rd birthday. He collected his second single, stole second and scored when De La Cruz’s throw to first sailed off target on Butler’s grounder. Bolte later added another single in the ninth, completing a three-hit birthday performance after entering the game batting .191 on the road.
Brady Basso protected the 4-3 lead with a perfect seventh, but the eighth became the turning point. Hogan Harris issued consecutive walks to De La Cruz and Stewart before striking out former Athletic JJ Bleday. Tyler Stephenson’s fly ball moved both runners ahead, and Harris bounced a pitch that allowed De La Cruz to score. Another slippery offering during Eugenio Suárez’s plate appearance brought Stewart home with the deciding run. Elvis Alvarado replaced Harris and threw a third wild pitch, though Cincinnati could not add to the lead.
The A’s still had a final chance against Emilio Pagán. Alika Williams beat out an infield single with one out, and Bolte’s two-out single moved him to second. Butler represented the go-ahead run, but Pagán struck him out to end it. The Athletics finished with eight hits and two stolen bases, yet another promising start disappeared before the final out.
Game 2 Wednesday brings Athletics left-hander Jacob Lopez, who is 5-4 with a 5.79 ERA and 61 strikeouts, against Reds right-hander Rhett Lowder, who is 3-7 with a 5.42 ERA and 70 strikeouts. First pitch is set for 3:40 p.m. Pacific.
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 starter JT Ginn will take the mound against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ballpark on Tue Aug 4, 2026 (San Francisco Chronicle file photo)
Sacramento A’s podcast Barbara Mason:
#1 The Sacramento A’s have seen a number of their players suffering injuries that put them on the injured list one of the key players whose out of the line up Nick Kurtz sprained his thumb July 11th returned two weeks later but struggled at the plate going 1-18 in seven games and now will have to see a spcialist for his injured thumb and is headed back for the IL Monday.
#2 The Detroit Tigers swept the Athletics in a three game series on Sunday the A’s were dominated by Detroit pitching and had no run production in the 11-0 loss.
#3 A’s starter Gage Jump pitched 3.2 innings four hits and six earned runs the one thing you want to get out of your starter the low run count against the Tiger line up and Jump a first year pitcher on the A’s staff try as hard as he may allowed four runs in the top of the fourth as the Tigers took a 6-0 lead.
#4 The A’s have lost 29 of their last 36 games in a tough stretch, on this last homestand the A’s lost three out of four games to the Boston Red Sox and the three game sweep with the Tigers. The A’s in the standings are just 2.5 games over the last place Los Angeles Angels in the AL West.
#5 The A’s who played Sunday’s game in 105 degree heat in West Sacramento will head to Cincinnati to face the Reds in milder temperatures in the 80s. Starting pitchers for Sacramento RHP JT Ginn (8-6 ERA 3.46) for Cincinnati RHP Brady Singer (5-10 ERA 4.35) first pitch 3:40pm PDT on Tuesday night.
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.
Detroit Tigers starter Keider Montero pitches against the Sacramento A’s in the bottom of the second inning at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento (AP News photo)
Sacramento A’s podcast Daniel Dullum:
#1 The Sacramento A’s have seen a number of their players suffering injuries that put them on the injured list one of the key players whose out of the line up Nick Kurtz sprained his thumb July 11th returned two weeks later but struggled at the plate going 1-18 in seven games and now will have to see a spcialist for his injured thumb and is headed back for the IL Monday.
#2 The Detroit Tigers swept the Athletics in a three game series on Sunday the A’s were dominated by Detroit pitching and had no run production in the 11-0 loss.
#3 A’s starter Gage Jump pitched 3.2 innings four hits and six earned runs the one thing you want to get out of your starter the low run count against the Tiger line up and Jump a first year pitcher on the A’s staff try as hard as he may allowed four runs in the top of the fourth as the Tigers took a 6-0 lead.
#4 The A’s have lost 29 of their last 36 games in a tough stretch, on this last homestand the A’s lost three out of four games to the Boston Red Sox and the three game sweep with the Tigers. The A’s in the standings are just 2.5 games over the last place Los Angeles Angels in the AL West.
#5 The A’s who played Sunday’s game in 105 degree heat in West Sacramento will head to Cincinnati to face the Reds in milder temperatures in the 80s. Starting pitchers for Sacramento RHP JT Ginn (8-6 ERA 3.46) for Cincinnati RHP Brady Singer (5-10 ERA 4.35) first pitch 3:40pm PDT on Tuesday night.
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.
The second inning was the deciding factor in Sunday’s game between the San Francisco Giants (47-65) and the San Diego Padres (58-54). In this fourth game of the series the Giants once again fell behind early as they did in their two prior games in this four game series.
The first inning went smoothe enough for both teams but the second inning threatened to break this game wide open when the Padres hit a two run homer followed by base runners Xander Bogaerts and Gavin Sheets scoring on a Jake Cronenworth infield single giving San Diego a 4-0 lead.
San Francisco fought to within a single run in the fifth inning but gave up a run in the bottom of the fifth. The Padres took a 5-3 lead into the eighth inning. San Francisco badly needed hits reminiscent of Saturday’s game when they tied it all up in the eighth inning. They were able to get a Rafael Devers solo home run but that would be all losing the game 5-4 their third loss in a row.
GAME RECAP
Going into the second inning there was no score in Sunday’s game between the San Francisco Giants and the San Diego Padres. Both starting pitchers had a pretty solid first inning. That’s when the Padres lreally heated up with a Jackson Merrill two run home run followed by a Jake Cronenworth infield single driving Bogaerts and Sheets home taking an early 4-0 lead.
Starting pitcher for the Padres Kyle Hart dismissed the Giants three and out in the top of the third inning. The Giants starter Landen Roupp also got through the bottom of the inning unscathed.
San Francisco got a couple of runs back in the top of the fourth inning. They loaded the base with only one out. A Jung Hoo Lee single drove Bryce Eldridge home for the first run.
Drew Cavenaugh grounded out to shortstop and Devers scored a second run. They had some work to do but only trailed by two runs 4-2. Landen Roupp got the job done going three and out in bottom of the fourth.
San Francisco inched even closer scoring another run in the top of the fifth inning. Osleivis Basabe hit a solo home run to center making this a far more manageable game now trailing by a single run 4-3.
The Padres pushed their lead back out in the bottom of the inning when Luis Campusano singled Ty France home giving San Diego a 5-3 lead. There was a pitching change for San Francisco. Sam Hentges came in to relieve Roupp. He was able to get out of the inning.
Both pitchers San Diego’s Griffin Canning and the Giants Sam Hentges went three and out in the sixth inning.
San Diego’s Jeremiah Estrade walked his first at bat but finished off the top of the seventh inning. The Padres would take the 5-3 lead ionto the top of the eighth inning.
San Francisco pulled back within a single run in the top of the eighth when Rafael Devers hit a solo home run 5-4. Both teams had scoring opportunities in the eighth but came up empty.
The Padres would hang on in the ninth inning to win the game and the series. The score in game four was 5-4. San Francisco had lost three games in a row after winning the first game of the series.
GAME NOTES
The Padres were able to win this game because of the simple fact that they executed in the biggest moments while the Giants came up short when they had opportunities. Again the Padres jumped on Roupp in the early innings and San Francisco played catchup all day.
As it turned out the second inning was the decisive inning with the four runs. The extra inning scored by San Diego in the fifth inning was needed due to the fact that San Francisco would have tied up the game in the eighth without that run. The Padres had the upper hand the entire game even though the Giants chipped away to get close but just could not produce one more big inning.
The Padres pitching made key pitches when there were runners on base. The Giants did threaten several times throughout the game but San Diego prevented any big innings that would have erased the early deficit.
San Francisco also committed two errors while the Padres did not have any. All put together the Giants made some costly mistakes losing three games in a row. The turning point of the game was the second inning although the Giants fought hard throughout the entire game and came just short.
It was another rough outing for Roupp. He has had some nice games but struggled today. He pitched through 4 2/3 innings allowing six hits, five earned runs, four walks with six strikeouts.
Starting pitcher Kyle Hart who was used as an opener not your traditional starter pitched for three innings allowing only one hit, no runs and had a couple of strikeouts. Closer Adrian Morejojn was awarded the win for pitching a scoreless ninth inning.
Monday the Giants will be on the road for a matchup with the Texas Rangers. Logan Webb will take the mound for the Giants. He has a 6-7 win/loss record and a 3.93 ERA. The Rangers will start Cal Quantrill. He comes into the game with a 4-3 win/loss record and a 3.83 ERA. First pitch for game one is scheduled for 5:00 PM.
Athletics third baseman Tommy White, left, attempts, to put out Detroit Tigers’ Zach McKinstry during the fourth inning of a baseball game Sunday, August 2nd, 2026, in West Sacramento, California. (Photo credits to AP Photo/Sara Nevis)
By Michael Villanueva
The Sacramento Athletics hosted the Detroit Tigers Sunday afternoon for the third and final game of their home stand this weekend. After Saturday’s loss to the Tigers, 8-6, the Athletics came into this game hoping to take at least one of the games in their series. However, for the A’s “Stomping Sundays”, it would be the Tigers who would do the “stomping,” with Sunday’s final score being 11-0.
The Athletics’ season struggles continue, as the team is now on another 5-game losing streak. The Tigers came into this series determined to keep their postseason alive. So with Detroit sweeping the Athletics, they keep their wild card hopes alive. Detroit (54-58) is only 2 1/2 games away from the third Wild Card slot with 50 games left in the regular season, keeping them firmly in the running for the American League playoffs.
Over the course of their three games in West Sacramento, where they were swept by an A’s squad that was then on a more hopeful run, the Tigers outscored the A’s 32-7. Sunday’s game-time temperature was 95 degrees, and it only got worse, but Detroit jumped out to the lead on Spencer Torkelson’s two-out, two-run double in the first inning and never looked back. That double would also be Torkelson’s 19th of the season.
The Athletics’ starting and losing pitcher of the game was Gage Jump. Jump would allow four hits, six runs, and six walks, but also record five strikeouts during his time on the mound. In the top of the fourth inning, Tigers’ Gleyber Torres singled on a ground ball to Athletics center fielder Henry Bolte, bringing in teammates Max Clark and Ben Malgeri to score. Zach McKinstry to third. Torres would bring in two runs in this game, and by then, the score was 4-0.
Still not done in the top of the fourth inning, Tigers’ Eduardo Valencia would join the swinging party in Sacramento, as he would slugger in a double, his second of the season, on a sharp line drive to left field. His double would bring in another two runs for Detroit as they finished the fourth inning with a total of four runs. Bringing the score now to 6-0.
Athletics’ offense was able to get some hits on the Tigers’ bullpen. They would be able to get up to seven hits in this one, but couldn’t get any of their runs to come home. The Tigers’ defense and their outfielders were ready to finish off this season series against the A’s. Detroit’s starting and winning pitcher, Keider Montero, performance was solid enough performance for them. Montero would put up two hits, two walks, and two strikeouts up there on the pitching mound.
Detroit wasn’t done with the Athletics, especially Eduardo Valencia. Valencia would get another double in the top of the eighth inning, making this one now his third of the season. His double would bring in another two runs for Detroit as the score jumped to 8-0. With no outs, Detroit just took advantage of that and started to tally up their score. They would finish the eighth inning with the score at 10-0.
In the final inning of the game, Tigers’ James Outman still had some fire in him as he would slam a home run in Sacramento. This home run was his fifth of the season and pushed the score to 11-0, which would be the final score of the game. The Athletics, in their last ten games, have now gone 2-8.
Athletics will get a quick rest Monday as the team heads to Cincinnati and takes on the Reds Tuesday night. The Reds are fifth in the National League Central. The Reds are coming off of a big win against Pittsburgh, 10-2. They are also 26-31 at home and are hoping to take the win in their three game matchup against the Athletics. The game will be on Tuesday, August 4th, and will be broadcast on MLB.TV at 3:40 p.m.
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.
Henry Bolte #33 of the Athletics standing on second base reacts after hitting a double against the Detroit Tigers in the bottom of the fourth inning at Sutter Health Park on August 01, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Mandatory photo credit: Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
By Jeremiah Salmonson
WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The A’s came into Saturday’s action against the Detroit Tigers in desperate need of a win. After losing three of four to the Red Sox and dropping game one to the Tigers, the A’s tried to get back on track against Detroit as the MLB trade deadline loomed and news broke during the game that Tarik Skubal had been traded to the Dodgers.
On Saturday, the A’s fell to the Tigers 8-6 and dropped another home series.
The A’s turned to Jack Perkins for the start on Saturday in hopes of winning game two and evening the series with the Tigers. Perkins, who was making his 27th appearance and ninth start for the club this season, was coming off a solid start against Boston last week in which he went five and two-thirds innings while giving up only two runs. On Saturday, Perkins struggled in his outing against the Tigers as they roughed him up for six runs on nine hits while he walked one and struck out nine. Although Perkins didn’t pitch as well as he would have liked, he did manage to get the A’s through five-plus innings, which was much needed.
“I think this is another outing that he can build on,” Mark Kotsay said of Perkins after the game. “… The positive is that he did have a nice night punching guys out with only one walk.”
The A’s bullpen has been heavily used over the last week during their homestand in Sacramento. On Saturday, the bullpen had to cover three and two-thirds innings.
First out of the bullpen and relieving Jack Perkins with one out in the sixth inning was Jose Suarez. Suarez got the last two outs of the sixth inning and recorded the first two outs of the seventh. In his one and one-third innings of work, Suarez gave up one run on no hits while walking one and striking out one.
To close out the seventh inning, the A’s turned to Scott Blewett. Blewett recorded the final out of the seventh and also pitched the eighth inning for the A’s. Blewett got hit around a decent amount but limited the damage as he gave up one run on four hits while walking none across his inning and one-third of work.
In the ninth inning, Mark Kotsay turned to Luis Medina for the final three outs. It wasn’t a clean inning for Medina. However, he did manage to allow no runs while scattering two hits across his inning of work and striking out one.
On the offensive side of the ball, the A’s had plenty of opportunities against the Tigers’ pitching staff, but they weren’t able to capitalize the way they needed to generate runs, at least until later in the game. The A’s finished with an impressive 15 hits and three walks, but they were only able to score six runs when it was all said and done.
The A’s first run came in the third inning when Lawrence Butler drove home Jacob Wilson on an RBI single to left field. It was Butler’s 29th RBI of the season as he continues to heat up a bit for the A’s after struggling for most of the season.
In the fourth inning, the A’s got their second run of the game when Jacob Wilson grounded out and scored Henry Bolte from third base to give Wilson his 34th RBI of the season and tie the game at 2-2.
The A’s next runs wouldn’t come until the eighth inning when they trailed the Tigers 8-2. In the eighth, the A’s scored three runs thanks to a Henry Bolte three-run home run over the wall in right-center field that scored Tommy White and Lawrence Butler. The home run, which traveled 411 feet and left the bat at 105.3 mph, was Bolte’s fourth of the season as he recorded RBIs 19, 20, and 21.
The A’s final run of the game came in the bottom of the ninth inning when Jeff McNeil laid down a textbook RBI bunt single to the left side of the diamond that scored Tyler Soderstrom from third base. It got the A’s to within two, making it an 8-6 game.
That was all the A’s offense could muster as they attempted the comeback but ultimately fell to the Tigers, 8-6.
With the loss, the A’s fell to 45-66 on the season.
Things got a bit chippy at the end of the game after the final out was recorded. The A’s and Tigers’ benches cleared, along with both bullpens, as a scrum formed along the third-base line. I couldn’t make out the cause, and after the game Mark Kotsay’s only comment was, “It was a little dispute over a play in the game.”
The A’s will take on the Tigers in the final game of the series and the homestand on Sunday at 1:05 p.m. PDT. The A’s will send Gage Jump (4-6, 4.00 ERA) to the mound, while the Tigers will counter with Keider Montero (7-6, 3.34 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.
