Sacramento A’s third baseman Zack Gelof makes the catch on a pop up by Cleveland Guardians Jose Ramirez in the bottom of the sixth inning at Progressive Field in Cleveland on Sun Sep 20, 2026 (AP News photo)
Sacramento A’s podcast Barbara Mason:
#1 Cleveland Guardians starter Gavin Williams had his mix of pitches working for him shutting out the Sacramento A’s at Progressive Field on Sunday 1-0.
#2 Taking a look at Williams numbers pitched seven innings, allowed three hits, struck out nine batters and moved into first place as the leading pitcher with 244 strikeouts.
#3 Things are getting tougher for the A’s who were coming off a 7-3 record in their previous ten games when they started this road trip which they started on Tuesday in Tampa Bay getting swept in all six games of the trip.
#4 Frustrations continue for A’s manager Mark Kotsay after A’s pitcher Jack Perkins fielded a slow ground ball in front of the pitcher’s mound but Perkins throw ended up hitting Guardians runner Jo Adell in the back in the basepath. Adell was allowed the base and Kotsay argued he was in the fielders lane rather than the runner’s lane and was ceromoniously tossed out for the third time this season.
#5 The A’s will try it again on Tuesday night at Sutter Health Field in West Sacramento after getting beat in all of their six road games. This time they host the Los Angeles Angels with a 6:40pm PDT start. Starting pitchers for Los Angeles LHP Yusei Kikuchi (1-6 ERA 5.02) for Sacramento LHP Brady Basso (1-3 ERA 4.50).
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 manager Mark Kotsay (right) argues with first base umpire Jordan Baker (left) after ruling that Cleveland Guardians base runner Jo Adell was in the base line running up first base after getting hit in the back with the ball thrown by A’s pitcher Jack Perkins. Baker ruled Adell was not out and was in the base running lane, Kotsay argued otherwise and was ejected. (AP News photo)
By Mauricio Segura
Gavin Williams kept finding a way to keep the Sacramento A’s off the board this afternoon in Cleveland. The Cleveland Guardians right-hander struck out nine over seven scoreless innings, and Jo Adell’s fourth-inning infield single supplied the only run the Guardians needed to finish a sweep of the A’s in Sunday’s 1-0 victory.
Rain delayed the start, and Williams made up for lost time by striking out Henry Bolte, Shea Langeliers and Lawrence Butler in order in the first. The A’s gave him his first real problem in the second when Zack Gelof singled to left and Donovan Walton followed with another single. Tommy White moved both runners up with a groundout, putting men at second and third with one out. Williams answered by striking out Alika Williams and getting Jonah Heim on a grounder to leave both runners stranded.
Jack Perkins matched Williams through the first three innings and kept Cleveland from turning early traffic into runs. Steven Kwan singled to begin the first and reached third, but Perkins escaped. In the fourth, José Ramírez doubled to right and moved to third on Chase DeLauter’s fly ball.
Adell then chopped a soft ball toward Perkins and reached on an infield single as Ramírez scored. An on-field delay followed, and Athletics manager Mark Kotsay was ejected by plate umpire Stu Scheurwater. Perkins recovered by getting Travis Bazzana to ground into a double play, keeping the deficit at one.
Perkins finished six innings with only that run against him, giving the A’s every chance to answer. That effort continued a better September stretch for the right-hander, who had posted a 4.30 ERA over his first three starts of the month after struggling through much of the summer. He also had thrown a career-high 6 2/3 innings in his previous start. The A’s, though, could not turn his work into support.
Bolte singled in the sixth, extending his September on-base streak to 18 games. He had reached safely in each of his first 17 games of the month before Sunday. Williams then picked him off first base. Butler drew a seventh-inning walk, only to be erased when Cleveland challenged a stolen-base ruling and the call was overturned. By then, A’s baserunners had become increasingly difficult to keep on the bases.
Their best shot was in the eighth. Jeff McNeil pinch-hit and singled off Hunter Gaddis, then Heim doubled to center to put runners at second and third with one out. Carlos Cortes struck out, prompting Cleveland to summon Cade Smith. Smith struck out Bolte to strand both runners and preserve the 1-0 margin.
Elvis Alvarado returned the favor in the bottom half. Kwan singled, Ramírez followed with another hit and DeLauter was intentionally walked to load the bases. Adell popped out to Zack Gelof, giving the A’s one final chance.
Smith stayed on for the ninth and struck out Langeliers before Butler grounded out. Gelof kept the game alive with a two-out single, his second hit of the game, but Walton struck out to end it. The loss completed an 0-6 final road trip for the Athletics after they had already dropped three games in Tampa Bay and the first two in Cleveland.
After Monday’s off day, the A’s host the Angels Tuesday with the A’s Brady Basso (1-3, 4.50 ERA, 28 K) facing the Angels Yusei Kikuchi (1-6, 5.02 ERA, 58 K), with first pitch set for 6:40 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.
Cleveland Guardians Travis Bazzana (left) puts the tag on Sacramento A’s Lawrence Butler (4) after a steal attempt was called out by second base umpire Junior Valentine (back left) in the top of the seventh inning at Progressive Field in Cleveland on Sun Sep 20, 2026 (AP News photo)
Sacramento A’s podcast Daniel Dullum:
#1 Cleveland Guardians starter Gavin Williams had his mix of pitches working for him shutting out the Sacramento A’s at Progressive Field on Sunday 1-0.
#2 Taking a look at Williams numbers pitched seven innings, allowed three hits, struck out nine batters and moved into first place as the leading pitcher with 244 strikeouts.
#3 Things are getting tougher for the A’s who were coming off a 7-3 record in their previous ten games when they started this road trip which they started on Tuesday in Tampa Bay getting swept in all six games of the trip.
#4 Frustrations continue for A’s manager Mark Kotsay after A’s pitcher Jack Perkins fielded a slow ground ball in front of the pitcher’s mound but Perkins throw ended up hitting Guardians runner Jo Adell in the back in the basepath. Adell was allowed the base and Kotsay argued he was in the fielders lane rather than the runner’s lane and was ceromoniously tossed out for the third time this season.
#5 The A’s will try it again on Tuesday night at Sutter Health Field in West Sacramento after getting beat in all of their six road games. This time they host the Los Angeles Angels with a 6:40pm PDT start. Starting pitchers for Los Angeles LHP Yusei Kikuchi (1-6 ERA 5.02) for Sacramento LHP Brady Basso (1-3 ERA 4.50).
.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 third baseman Zack Gelof makes the throw to first base to retire Cleveland Guardians Jo Adell in the bottom of the sixth inning at Progressive Field in Cleveland on Sat Sep 19, 2026 (AP News photo)
By Mauricio Segura
The Sacramento A’s gave themselves a two-run head start, then the Cleveland Guardians answered with a five-run first inning and never gave control back in a 12-6 Guardians victory. Sacramento opened with four straight two-out hits. Shea Langeliers singled, Lawrence Butler followed with another single, Zack Gelof drove Langeliers home, and Donovan Walton brought Butler across for a 2-0 lead. Walton then stole second, but the inning ended before the Athletics could add more.
Cleveland needed only five batters to erase it. Steven Kwan and José Ramírez singled before Chase DeLauter sent a three-run homer over the center-field wall. Jo Adell followed with a single, and Angel Martínez launched a two-run homer to center for a 5-2 advantage.
Jacob Lopez eventually got through the inning, but the damage had already changed the shape of the game. Lopez had posted a 3.60 ERA over his previous nine starts, yet Cleveland turned that recent success upside down.
Walton kept the A’s within sight. His third-inning single scored Butler and trimmed the deficit to 5-3, giving him two RBI singles in his first two trips. Cleveland responded with another long rally in the bottom half. DeLauter singled,
Martínez doubled, and David Fry drove both runners home with a double to left. Austin Hedges and Brayan Rocchio followed with RBI doubles. Lopez was replaced by Chris Roycroft, but Kwan singled home Rocchio, an inherited runner, leaving Lopez charged with 10 runs in 2 2/3 innings and giving Cleveland a 10-3 lead.
The Athletics did not fold. Alika Williams doubled in the fourth and scored on Henry Bolte’s single. Bolte had been one of Sacramento’s better September hitters, batting .298 with five home runs and seven stolen bases through 16 games. Cleveland answered again when Martínez hit his second homer of the game, this one to right field, pushing the margin to 11-4.
Walton took another swing at the deficit in the fifth. Gelof singled with two outs, and Walton drove a ball to right-center for a two-run homer, cutting Cleveland’s lead to 11-6. The blast completed a 3-for-3 performance for Walton with four RBIs, a home run and a stolen base. His production accounted for four of Sacramento’s six runs before Tommy White pinch-hit for him in the seventh.
There were other bright spots inside a rough score. Langeliers collected two singles and drew a walk after recently returning from surgery on a torn meniscus in his right knee. Bolte supplied an RBI single, while Gelof had two hits and scored twice. Carlos Cortes doubled in the fifth, and Williams doubled twice and scored once. The A’s also loaded the bases in the seventh after walks to Langeliers, Butler and Denzel Clarke, but Brian Serven grounded out to end the inning.
Cleveland added its final run in the sixth when Ramírez singled, moved to second on Adell’s groundout and scored on Martínez’s single to center. Martínez finished with four hits, two home runs, a double and four RBI, while DeLauter’s three-run homer supplied the early blow that flipped the game. After Walton’s fifth-inning homer, the Guardians’ bullpen kept the A’s scoreless over the final four innings. Slade Cecconi retired all six batters he faced in the eighth and ninth.
The trip wraps with brunch-hour baseball Sunday, when Jack Perkins (3-11, 6.14 ERA, 127 strikeouts) takes the mound for the A’s against Gavin Williams (13-8, 3.78 ERA, 235 strikeouts) for Cleveland, with first pitch scheduled for 10:40 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.
Cleveland Guardians Jose Ramirez (right) slugs a sixth inning home run off Sacramento A’s pitcher Seth Johnson while A’s catcher Jonah Heim looks on at Progressive Field in Cleveland on Fri Sep 18, 2026 (AP News photo)
Sacramento A’s podcast Tony Harvey:
#1 The Cleveland Guardians Jose Ramirez hit his 1000th RBI when Ramirez homered for the 12th time this season. Ramirez became the second Cleveland player since Earl Averall to hit for 1000 RBIs. Averall leads Cleveland on the all time RBI list with 1,084.
#2 Ramirez and rookie Travis Bazzana each homered as each of those home runs counted as the Guardians beat the Sacramento A’s by two runs on Friday 5-3. With the win the Guardians move one game in front of the White Sox by one game.
#3 Going back to the top of the first inning the A’s Zack Gelof slugged a 393 foot centerfield three run home run while the A’s struck first it wouldn’t last long.
#4 The A’s went through five pitchers allowing ten hits and five earned runs starter Mason Barnett got rocked the most allowing seven hits, three runs, and four strikeouts and raised his ERA to 7.11.
#5 A’s go back to the drawing board Saturday for Sacramento LHP Jacob Lopez (6-4 ERA 5.02) for Cleveland RHP Tanner Bibee (6-15 ERA 4.16) first pitch 3:10pm 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.
Cleveland Guardians Brayan Rocchio (right) hits a two run double off A’s pitcher Mason Barnett as A’s catcher Jonah Heim watches at Progressive Field in Cleveland on Fri Sep 19, 2026 (AP News photo)
Gelof Launches Early but Cleveland Takes Over in 5-2 win
By Mauricio Segura
Zack Gelof gave the Sacramento Athletics a three-run lead, but the advantage vanished by the fourth inning and never returned in a 5-3 loss to the Cleveland Guardians. Henry Bolte opened with a walk and Lawrence Butler drew another two batters later, putting two aboard for Gelof. The left fielder sent a fly ball over the center-field wall for his 19th home run of the season, extending the career high he had already set. It was also all the scoring the A’s would produce.
Mason Barnett made that lead stand for three innings while working around steady traffic. Cleveland loaded the bases in the first after walks to Steven Kwan and Chase DeLauter and a Jo Adell single, but Travis Bazzana grounded into a double play.
The Guardians threatened again in the second when Nathaniel Lowe and Brayan Rocchio singled and Kwan drew another walk, yet Barnett struck out José Ramírez to leave the bases full. Barnett had just returned from Triple-A Las Vegas after throwing his first professional complete game, a six-hitter in a 3-2 victory, and followed that outing with three scoreless innings against Cleveland.
The fourth finally broke his grip. Patrick Bailey and Petey Halpin opened with singles, then Rocchio doubled to right to score both runners and cut the A’s lead to 3-2. Barnett struck out Kwan, but Ramírez followed with a ground-ball single to center that brought Rocchio home with the tying run. Barnett’s outing ended there after 3 1/3 innings, seven hits, three earned runs, four walks and four strikeouts.
Scott Blewett got the final two outs of the fourth, but Bazzana put Cleveland ahead in the fifth with a solo homer to center. An inning later, Ramírez added another solo shot, this one to right off Seth Johnson, stretching the Guardians’ lead to 5-3. Luis Medina and Elvis Alvarado kept Cleveland scoreless over the final two innings, but the Athletics’ bats never found a second burst.
Joey Cantillo was the reason. After Daniel Espino allowed Gelof’s homer in the first, Cantillo took over in the second and held the A’s scoreless for six innings. The Athletics managed only two hits against him, singles by Jeff McNeil and Alika Williams, while Cantillo struck out five. Hunter Gaddis handled the eighth, and Cade Smith finished the ninth by striking out Butler and Gelof before McNeil grounded out.
The A’s finished with only three hits, and two potential rallies disappeared on double plays. Tommy White grounded into one after McNeil singled in the fourth, and Shea Langeliers did the same after Bolte was hit by a pitch in the eighth. Butler also was caught stealing in the sixth.
Bolte still reached base twice, extending his September run of reaching safely to 16 games, while Langeliers went hitless and saw his career-best 12-game hitting streak end. The A’s began the game leading the majors with 26 September home runs, and Gelof quickly added another, but Cleveland answered with ten hits and enough power of its own to send the Green and Gold to a fourth straight loss on their final road trip.
The A’s get another crack at Cleveland Saturday behind A’s starter Jacob Lopez (6-4, 5.02 ERA, 107 K) against Guardians starter Tanner Bibee (6-15, 4.16 ERA, 140 K), with first pitch set for 3:10 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.
Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero celebrates after the Rays defeated the Sacramento A’s at Tropicana Field in St Petersburg on Thu Sep 17, 2026 (AP News photo)
Six-Run Fourth Buries A’s 10-1 in Tampa Bay
By Mauricio Segura
The Tampa Bay Rays turned the fourth inning into a runaway train and finished off a 10-1 win. The loss completed a three-game sweep and dropped the Sacramento A’s to 61-92, while Tampa Bay took all six meetings in the season series. The A’s had been 0-5 against the Rays with one game remaining before the finale.
For three innings, Jeffrey Springs matched Drew Rasmussen zero for zero. Sacramento even put pressure on the Rays in the third when Denzel Clarke singled with two outs, stole second, and then took third as Henry Bolte stole second behind him. Jeff McNeil grounded out to end the threat, leaving two runners in scoring position. Bolte had been tied for the Major League lead in September stolen bases before the game, and the A’s showed early that their speed could create trouble.
The game broke apart in the fourth. Jonathan Aranda opened the inning with a double, Junior Caminero drew a walk, and Liam Hicks followed with another. Springs got Jonny DeLuca on a force play at the plate, but Chandler Simpson lined a two-run single to center for a 2-0 lead. Ryan Vilade was then hit by a pitch, loading the bases again.
Richie Palacios followed with the swing that turned the inning from damage into disaster. His double to right brought home DeLuca and Simpson, and Vilade also scored after the throw got away from catcher Jonah Heim. Palacios advanced to third on the error and scored when Taylor Walls dropped a bunt single toward third. By the time Geoff Hartlieb replaced Springs, Tampa Bay had scored six times.
It was a rough ending for Springs in a familiar place. Before joining the Athletics, the left-hander pitched for Tampa Bay from 2021 through 2024, going 18-8 with a 2.63 ERA in 86 games, including 35 starts. He allowed six runs on five hits and two walks over 3 1/3 innings, striking out four. Rasmussen went the other direction, holding the A’s scoreless over five innings while giving up four hits and two walks with three strikeouts.
Lawrence Butler finally gave the Green and Gold something to celebrate in the sixth. Casey Legumina replaced Rasmussen, and Butler greeted him with a solo homer to right, his 17th of the season. Butler also had a fourth-inning single, finishing with two of Sacramento’s five hits. The A’s began the day with a Major League-best 25 home runs in September, but Butler’s blast was all the power they could produce.
Tampa Bay answered before the A’s could build anything around Butler’s homer. Simpson singled, stole second, and then stole third as pinch-runner Cedric Mullins took second. Richie Palacios walked to load the bases, and Chris Roycroft issued bases-loaded walks to Walls and Aranda, pushing the score to 8-1.
The Rays added two more in the eighth after an error by Bolte helped extend the inning. With the bases loaded, Hicks hit a two-run infield single that scored Walls and Aranda. Drew Rom got the final out, but the damage had already pushed Tampa Bay into double digits.
Sacramento never found another answer. Alex Cook retired Tommy White, Alika Williams and Jonah Heim in order in the ninth, ending an afternoon in which the A’s managed five hits and left seven runners on base. The first two games of the series were decided by one run, but the finale offered no such suspense.
The road trip now shifts to Cleveland, where the A’s Mason Barnett (1-4, 7.08 ERA, 38 strikeouts) is set to face the Guardians Daniel Espino (0-0, 2.92 ERA, 21 strikeouts), with first pitch scheduled 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.
Tampa Rays Chandler Simpson (right) scores ahead of the throw as Sacramento A’s catcher Jonah Heim waits for the ball on a three run double by Richie Palacios in the last of the fourth inning at Tropicana Field in Tampa Bay on Thu Sep 17, 2026 (AP News photo)
Sacramento A’s podcast Jeremiah Salmonson:
#1 Can’t put out a team that’s on fire like the Tampa Bay R as the Sacramento A’s were landslided 10-1 at Tropicana Field in St Petersburg on Thursday afternoon.
#2 Once again A’s starter Jeffrey Springs got lit up pitching 3.1 innings, allowing five hits and six earned runs. Springs picks up his 15th loss against only four wins for the season.
#3 Springs pitched shutout ball until the bottom of the fourth inning and that’s when the Rays let into him with a six run rally and it was difficult to stop the bleeding.
#4 The A’s couldn’t get any offense going just picking up one run in the top of the sixth by Lawrence Butler whose been swinging a hot bat of late hit a solo shot for the A’s only run.
#5 The A’s will try and turn the page after getting swept in Tampa Bay this time in Cleveland on Friday night against former A Stephen Vogt and the Guardians at Progressive Field. Starting pitchers for Sacramento RHP Mason Barnett (1-4 ERA 7.08) for Cleveland RHP Daniel Espino (0-0 ERA 2.92) first pitch 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 Henry Bolte is congratulated by third base coach Bobby Crosby before heading home after hitting his 11th home run of the season against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field in St Petersburg on Wed Sep 16, 2026 (AP News photo)
By Mauricio Segura
The Tampa Bay Rays did all of its scoring before the Sacramento Athletics could answer on Wednesday night, then protected a one-run lead the rest of the way. The Rays scored twice in each of the first two innings against Brady Basso and held off Sacramento for a 4-3 win, handing the A’s their second straight loss in the series.
Basso was two outs into the first before Tampa Bay strung together three consecutive doubles. Junior Caminero started the run with a drive to center, Jonny DeLuca followed with an RBI double to left, and Chandler Simpson sent another double into right to score DeLuca. The Rays went right back to work in the second. Jorge Mateo singled, stole second and scored on Nick Fortes’ double. Ryan Vilade later singled home Fortes for a 4-0 lead.
Basso never found room to settle. He allowed four runs on seven hits in 2 2/3 innings, with no walks and no strikeouts, and took the loss to fall to 1-3. The left-hander had thrown seven scoreless innings across his previous two starts, but Tampa Bay broke that stretch quickly.
The Athletics answered in the third, and two young hitters supplied the power. Tommy White opened the inning with a solo homer to left, his third of the season. After Carlos Cortes and Brian Serven were retired, Henry Bolte drove a solo shot to center for his 11th homer, trimming the deficit to 4-2. White’s homer carried a little extra meaning after he spoke about the memories he shared with his father at that ballpark and how he fell in love with baseball there.
Bolte’s blast continued a strong September. He began the game batting .313 for the month with four home runs, six stolen bases and a .450 on-base percentage. He also had already reached 20 steals for the season, the most by an Athletics player age 22 or younger since Rickey Henderson stole 56 at age 22 in 1981.
Once Basso left, Sacramento’s bullpen gave the offense every chance to finish the comeback. Seth Johnson retired all seven batters he faced and struck out four over 2 1/3 innings. Drew Rom, Scott Blewett and Hogan Harris followed, and the four relievers combined for 5 1/3 scoreless innings while allowing only two hits, issuing no walks and striking out six.
The A’s moved within one in the sixth. Jeff McNeil doubled off Kevin Kelly and Shea Langeliers followed with a single through the middle to score him. The hit extended Langeliers’ career-best hitting streak to 12 games. The catcher had only recently returned after surgery on a torn right meniscus, making his continued production one of the brighter parts of the late-season stretch.
Sacramento had chances to find the tying run but could not produce another hit when it mattered most. Tommy White singled in the fifth and again in the seventh, finishing 3-for-4 with the homer. McNeil went 2-for-3 with a double and a run scored. Lawrence Butler singled in the fourth, but Donovan Walton grounded into a double play to end that inning.
Tampa Bay starter Nick Martinez worked five innings, allowing two runs on five hits with three strikeouts and no walks to earn his 15th victory. The Rays then used Kevin Kelly, Cam Booser and Cole Sulser to cover the final four innings. Sulser retired Zack Gelof, Walton and White in order in the ninth for his third save.
The series wraps Thursday with Jeffrey Springs (4-13, 5.93 ERA, 105 K) starting for the Athletics against Drew Rasmussen (14-5, 2.81 ERA, 160 K) for Tampa Bay, with first pitch scheduled for 10:10 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.
Sacramento A’s Lawrence Butler (right) is tagged out by the Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Jorge Mateo (left) i the bottom of the fourth inning at Tropicana Field in St Petersburg on Wed Sep 16, 2026 (AP News photo)
Sacramento A’s podcast Bridget Mulcahy:
#1 It was the Tampa Bay Rays Nick Martinez who pitched five innings for his 15th win over the Sacramento A’s for a 4-3 win
#2 The Rays Jonny DeLuca helped the offense with and RBI double going 2 for 4 Wednesday night in Tampa for the Rays fifth straight win in a row.
#3 The A’s Tommy “Tanks” White homered in the top of the third inning for a 347 foot home run in left field and Henry Bolte clubbed his 11th home run of the season.
#4 The A’s Shea Langeliers got a RBI single in the sixth inning and extended his hit streak to 12 games.
#5 The A’s conclude this three game series with the Rays Thursday with LHP Jeffrey Springs (4-13 ERA 5.93) and for the Rays RHP Drew Rasmussen (14-5 ERA 2.81) first pitch is 10:10AM PDT at Tropicana Field in St Petersburg.
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.
