A’s Crush White Sox 8-0 with Power and Precision to Complete Sweep

Sacramento A’s Tyler Soderstrom slugs a top of the seventh inning home run against the Chicago White Sox at Rate Field in Chicago on Thu Apr 17, 2025 (AP News photo)

A’s Crush White Sox with Power and Precision to Complete Sweep

By Mauricio Segura

The Sacramento Athletics (9-10) arrived at Rate Field in Chicago this week with momentum and left with a sweep. Powered by a relentless offense and sharp pitching, the green and gold dominated the Chicago White Sox (4-14) 8-0 on Thursday afternoon, locking down their third straight win and continuing to turn heads around the American League.

It took only two batters to make it clear the Athletics meant business. Lawrence Butler opened the game with a ground-rule double to right and Jacob Wilson immediately followed with an RBI double, giving the A’s a 1-0 lead before the White Sox could blink.

It was a fitting start for Wilson, who has been a steady force for the Athletics lineup all season. Already boasting a hit in 16 of the team’s first 18 games, Wilson continues to lead by example with his consistency at the plate.

While the first-inning fireworks set the tone, the A’s continued to chip away patiently. Brent Rooker and JJ Bleday kept the pressure on with smart at-bats, and although a few early rallies fizzled, the green and gold showed they were just getting warmed up.

In the fifth inning, Lawrence Butler struck again. This time, he launched a no-doubt solo home run to right field, pushing the Athletics’ lead to 2-0 and sending a jolt of energy through the dugout. Butler’s performance was another chapter in his growing story as a key figure in the A’s youthful core.

The sixth inning is where the A’s broke the game open. Brent Rooker led off with a single and JJ Bleday followed by blasting a two-run home run into the right-field seats. It was Bleday’s second homer of the season and a much-needed boost for the A’s offense, which has found its rhythm in recent games. By the time the sixth ended, the Athletics were up 4-0 and showing no signs of letting the White Sox back into the game.

Meanwhile, JP Sears was quietly delivering one of his best outings of the year. Sears, who had previously struggled against Chicago in his career, flipped the script with six scoreless innings. He worked efficiently, mixing speeds and locations to keep the White Sox hitters off balance.

Sears did not allow a single runner past second base during his outing, and when he exited after six, the A’s bullpen kept the shutout intact with precision work from Noah Murdock, T.J. McFarland, and Jason Alexander.

In the seventh inning, the Athletics continued their barrage. Tyler Soderstrom, the breakout star of the early season, crushed a solo home run to right, marking his Major League leading ninth homer of the year. Soderstrom’s power has been a difference-maker for the A’s, leading the majors in home runs and producing runs at a historic pace for a player so early in his career.

The Athletics were not done yet. In the ninth, Max Schuemann tripled to start the inning and was immediately driven home by Jacob Wilson’s second RBI double of the game. Not wanting to be left out of the late-inning fun, Brent Rooker then launched a two-run homer of his own, his fifth of the season, capping off the A’s scoring at eight runs and putting the White Sox away for good.

The A’s offense finished the afternoon with 13 hits, four of them for extra bases, and showed the type of balanced attack that has defined their recent surge. Wilson, Butler, Rooker, Bleday, and Soderstrom all had key contributions, a sign that the lineup is becoming increasingly dangerous from top to bottom.

Defensively, the A’s were equally sharp. Solid outfield play from Bleday and Butler helped preserve the shutout, while first baseman Tyler Soderstrom anchored several key outs with sure hands and smart positioning.

For a team that spent much of the early season at the bottom of the standings, the sweep over Chicago is a statement. The A’s have now won five of their last six games and are beginning to look like a team ready to climb out of the basement. Their road record, a sparkling 7-3, is the second-best in the majors and shows a level of resilience that could prove critical as the season unfolds.

Next, the A’s head to Milwaukee for a three-game series against a strong Brewers team. With JT Ginn scheduled to start and the offense firing on all cylinders, the green and gold will look to keep the momentum going and continue surprising those who counted them out early.

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.

That’s Amaury News and Commentary:A’s not selling out a 14,014-seat park?

Sutter Health Park on Apr 4, 2024 the day the Sacramento A’s announced they will play all their home games in Sacramento at a press conference. The A’s have hosted two homestands into the 2025 season and have won two out nine home games so far. (AP News file photo)

A’s not selling out a 14,000-seat park?

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

Although A’s players will not speak about it publicly, I am sure they will be pleased when they go on the road. It is not good business for any team not to sell out home games than when they play on the road, especially in a 14,014 capacity park, in Sacramento. MLB’s gate revenue (ticket sales) is typically split roughly 95-5 between the home and visiting teams.

The home team keeps approximately 95% of the gate, while the visiting team receives approximately 5%. So this could be terrible revenue news for the Athletics, win or lose, because when you go on the road to play, even if you win the game, you never win in money/ticket sales, that is ‘to be expected’, but at home?

Throughout decades in this business, I have learned that players usually like to win at home, where they get the most respect from fans and the best following, where generally more people come to see you play. It is only normal, this is your home park, you sleep on the same bed for 81 games, home cooking most of the time.

But not for the ATH playing at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento, at least not this 2025 season. However, the A’s will not be embarrassed this year for having the lowest attendance in baseball. Why is that? Because the Tampa Bay Rays are playing this 2025 season at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, their temporary home while Tropicana Field in St Petersburg is under repair from damage during Hurricane Milton, their capacity is only 11,026.

By the way, Steinbrenner Field is the spring training home of the New York Yankees. My good friend and Spanish broadcaster for the Tampa Bay Rays, tells me that although a small park is kept in “beautiful condition”, in his words.

Rare situation: While it is not the first time an MLB team has played in a minor league park, it’s unusual for two major league teams to do so simultaneously this season, for different circumstances. One is a temporary relocation, the other an act of God.

So, why are the A’s not selling at home regularly? There are many factors. It is a new city(never been a Major League town) with a smaller population and a much smaller park than Oakland. The A’s are not a team favorite to win anything this year. They share the field with the Triple-A Sacramento Rivercats.

What is already happening is embarrassing. More people attending the A’s game in Sacramento are rooting for the visiting team, which is not “normal” in baseball. It did happened in Oakland during the last few years, but ‘let’s face it’ when you play in a 14,014-seat stadium and 10,000 are rooting for the Cub and not the A’s, the Giants and not the A’s, the Yankees and not the A’s and so on during the whole season and that in any language is Embarrassing. The A’s are the most toxic franchise today in all sports, so this should not surprise anybody.

Such is the story for the 2025 A’s/ATH in Sacramento, originally one of eight franchises that founded the American League in 1901. The United States Steel Co. was created the same year, becoming the first billion-dollar corporation.

1901 Trivia: Nap Lajoie of the Philadelphia Athletics achieved the highest batting average in a single season, a record still standing today, a .426 batting average. He also became the first American League player to win the Triple Crown, leading in batting average, home runs, and RBIs.

FAMILY FUN THIS SUMMER – MAY TO SEPT  –   AQUA ADVENTURE WATER PARK @ 40500 PASEO PADRE BLVD, FREMONT  (880 S./ Stevenson Blvd E)

Amaury Pi-Gonzalez – Cuban-born Pi-González is one of the pioneers of Spanish-language baseball play-by-play in America. Began as Oakland A’s Spanish-language voice in 1977 ending in 2024 (interrupted by stops with the Giants, Mariners and Angels). Voice of the Golden State Warriors from 1992 through 1998. 2010 inducted in the Bay Area Radio Hall of fame.

Sacramento A’s game recap: Gio’s Triple the Difference as the Green and Gold Stay Hot in Chicago and upend Pale Hose 3-1

Sacramento A’s Gio Urshela swings for a two RBI triple in the top of the sixth inning against the Chicago White Sox at Rate Field in Chicago on Wed Apr 16, 2025 (AP News photo)

Gio’s Triple the Difference as the Green and Gold Stay Hot in Chicago

By Mauricio Segura

It took one jolt from the Sacramento A’s Gio Urshela to tilt the scales, and that was all the A’s needed.

On a chilly Wednesday night at Rate Field, the green and gold edged past the Chicago White Sox 3-1 in a tight and scrappy contest, fueled by timely hitting, gutsy pitching, and a bullpen that continues to lock things down late. Urshela’s two-run triple in the sixth was the game-winner, erasing an early 1-0 deficit and sealing the A’s second straight win to open the three-game series.

The early part of the night belonged to the pitchers. Osvaldo Bido, making his fourth start of the season, gave the A’s five innings of one-run ball. His only blemish came in the third inning, when Brooks Baldwin jumped on a pitch and sent it over the right field wall for a solo shot. But Bido, who entered the game with a 3.00 ERA and had yet to allow a home run in 2025, kept things from unraveling. He stranded two runners later that inning and finished with a solid line: five innings, six hits, one earned run, and no walks.

That composure on the mound bought the offense just enough time.

After going quiet through the first five frames against White Sox rookie Jonathan Cannon, the A’s came alive in the sixth. Tyler Soderstrom, who leads the majors in home runs, kicked things off with a single. JJ Bleday followed with a game-tying RBI single, then came Urshela’s moment, a sharp liner into the right field corner that brought home two and gave the A’s a 3-1 lead they would never relinquish.

Urshela, who had struggled early in the season, now has hits in five of his last six games and is showing signs of the veteran presence the A’s hoped for when they brought him aboard this offseason.

Lawrence Butler added to his steady stretch with two hits and two stolen bases, bringing his season total to four. He’s now reached base safely in 13 of the A’s 14 games he’s started, and his late-inning speed proved critical in applying pressure on the Sox bullpen.

And once again, the A’s bullpen did not blink.

T.J. McFarland, José Leclerc, and Tyler Ferguson tag-teamed to cover innings six through eight. Ferguson, in particular, impressed with a high-pressure groundout to escape a bases-loaded jam in the seventh. That handed the ball to fireballer Mason Miller for the ninth, and Miller slammed the door with authority.

The hard-throwing righty struck out the side, flashing triple-digit heat that has become his signature. Miller now has four saves on the season and remains unscored upon through six appearances. He’s also struck out 12 of the 21 batters he’s faced. According to team stats, Miller owns nine of the 17 fastest pitches in the majors so far this year.

For the Athletics, this win marks their sixth on the road this season, and with a 6-3 away record, they now rank among the best traveling teams in the majors. This is no small feat for a club still working to find its footing in a new market while carrying the weight of relocation rumors and a turbulent fanbase transition.

It also doesn’t hurt that this team, despite being under .500 at 8-10, is hitting .290 with runners in scoring position, second best in all of baseball, and doing it with contributions up and down the lineup.

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.

Sacramento A’s game wrap: Soderstrom Sparks the Green and Gold in Statement Win; Sacramento romps Chicago 12-3 at Guarantee Rate

Sacramento A’s slugger Tyler Soderstrom (21) slugs his fifth home run of the season in the top of the first inning against the Chicago White Sox at Guarantee Rate Field in Chicago on Tue Apr 15, 2025 (AP News photo)

Soderstrom Sparks the Green and Gold in Statement Win

By Mauricio Segura

On a chilly Tuesday evening at Rate Field, the Sacramento A’s bats brought the heat and then some. Tyler Soderstrom launched not one but two three-run homers as part of a 12-3 demolition of the Chicago White Sox, a win that gave the green and gold some much needed momentum to kick off their road trip. For Soderstrom it was home runs five and six of the season.

For a club that had been sluggish at the plate recently, with just one home run over their last four games, the power surge was both timely and emphatic. Soderstrom, now tied for the Major League lead with eight homers, continued his breakout campaign and showed why he’s become a fixture in the heart of the Athletics lineup.

The night began with a bang. Lawrence Butler and Brent Rooker set the table with back to back singles, and Soderstrom cleared them with a laser into right center. Just like that, it was three to zero.

But Chicago answered quickly. In the bottom of the first, Andrew Vaughn returned fire with a three-run homer of his own, tying the game and reminding everyone why no early lead is ever safe.

It didn’t stay tied for long. In the second, Gio Urshela delivered an RBI double, and in the third, Shea Langeliers added a solo homer, his fourth of the season, reclaiming a two-run cushion. Langeliers later doubled in another run in the ninth, finishing the game with three hits and two runs batted in.

Jeffrey Springs, who entered the game with a 4.20 ERA, held strong after the rocky first. He escaped a bases loaded jam in the third and worked through five innings without allowing another run. For a staff that had surrendered the fourth highest ERA in the majors coming into the night, Springs’ rebound effort was a stabilizing force.

The sixth inning is where things unraveled for Chicago. Max Muncy doubled, Butler knocked him in with a single, and Rooker followed with another base hit. That set the stage for Soderstrom’s second three-run blast, a majestic shot to right that silenced the home crowd and put the game out of reach at nine to three.

Offensively, nearly everyone chipped in. Butler reached base four times and drove in a run, and Rooker added two hits. Even Miguel Andujar, who entered the night hitless in his last four at bats, capped things off with a sacrifice fly in the ninth. The A’s collected 14 hits in total, their highest mark since April 8.

From a statistical perspective, this performance defied recent trends. The A’s came in with the second worst run differential in the majors and had grounded into the most double plays. But Tuesday night, the swings were clean, the timing was sharp, and the results were undeniable.

The bullpen held steady, with Justin Sterner and Mitch Spence combining for four shutout innings. Spence, who had allowed three runs or more in each of his last four outings, was effective in closing down the seventh and eighth.

Tuesday, right hander Osvaldo Bido takes the mound as the A’s look to build on what might be a turning point in this young season. But for now, on a cool Chicago night, the green and gold found some warmth in the swing of Soderstrom’s bat and a comfortable win.

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.

Mets Senga gets shutout over A’s 8-0; New York four run ninth seals the deal in Sacramento loss

New York Mets starter Kodai Senga went seven innings against the Sacramento A’s at Sutter Health Park in Sacramento on Sun Apr 13, 2025 (AP News photo)

by Tony Renteria

West Sacramento– The Sacramento Athletics hosted the Visiting New York Mets on the most perfect of a Sunday afternoon that the City has seen since early October, The Mets ruined the day for the A’s crowd It was nice by handing the home team an 8-0 loss at Sutter Health Park.

It was a perfect 79 degrees at the start of the game. The A’s and Mets played a pretty uneventful game until the top the sixth when the red hot bat of Luis Torrens knocked in a RBI with a single to right field. Torres would continue to stay hot by going three for four with a double and two runs batted in.

Torres offense was not much needed as the Japanese sensation Kodai Senga pitched seven complete innings and only giving up four hits on the afternoon. Senga wins leaves him a 2-1 record in the early season with a earned run average of only 1.06.

The Mets would continue to scored in every inning remaining in the game and even topping of the ninth by adding four runs in that half inning alone. The Mets have started off the season pretty hot with this win bring their record to 10 wins and 5 losses.

The A’s have nearly the opposite record with 6 wins against 10 losses. The A’s have Monday off before hosting the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday. Starting pitcher for the A’s on Tuesday LHP Jeffrey Springs (2-1 ERA 4.20) for the Sox Sean Burke (1-2 ERA 6.08) first pitch 4:40pm PDT at Guaranteed Rate Field in the South Side.

The White Sox have completed a home stand over the weekend taking two of three from the visiting Boston Red Sox.

Ginn Shines as A’s Even Series with 3-1 Win Over Mets

Max Muncy on Saturday at Sutter Health Park in the game against the Mets (Photo: Athletics on X)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

WEST SACRAMENTO — The A’s and Mets were back in action Saturday afternoon for the second game of a three-game series. First pitch was tossed at 1:05 PM PST under immaculate 70-degree conditions at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento.

The A’s sent J.T. Ginn to the hill opposed by Mets starter David Peterson. Both pitchers threw well, but Ginn particularly shined in his five and one-third innings of work, allowing four hits, one run, and two walks while striking out six.

Peterson also delivered a solid outing, pitching six innings, allowing two runs on seven hits, and striking out five A’s hitters. The A’s took the second game of this three game set with a 3-1 win on Saturday.

The A’s got on the board first, scoring two runs in the fourth inning to take a 2-0 lead. Tyler Soderstrom singled home Jacob Wilson for the first run and later came around to score on an RBI groundout by JJ Bleday.

The Mets responded in the top of the sixth inning when Brandon Nimmo hit a solo home run to right field, tagging Ginn for his only run allowed on the day.

Sacramento quickly answered back in the bottom of the seventh inning as Jhonny Pereda doubled home Max Muncy, extending the lead to 3-1. That score would hold up the rest of the way. 

The A’s bullpen was excellent in relief, with Justin Sterner, Tyler Ferguson, and Mason Miller combining for three and two-thirds scoreless innings, allowing just one hit and striking out four Mets batters.

All nine A’s starters recorded at least one hit in what could be characterized as a solid team win. With the victory, the A’s improved to 6-9, while the Mets fell to 9-5 on the young season.

Up next, the A’s and Mets will face off in the rubber game of the series Sunday at 1:05 PM PST at Sutter Health Park.

Sacramento A’s Relocation podcast Daniel Dullum: Las Vegas Stadium Authority confident A’s will break ground mid June

Athletics President Marc Badain (left), Las Vegas Aviators President Don Logan (center) and A’s executive Sandy Dean (right) meet members of Laborers Union Local 872 at the Clark County Commissioner meeting on Wednesday, April 2, 2025. (Mick Akers/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Sacramento A’s Relocation podcast Daniel Dullum:

#1 Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority CEO and president chairman and Las Vegas Stadium Authority chairman Steve Hill said he was confident that the A’s will break ground at the Tropicana site by mid June.

#2 The A’s are counting on following the same steps that the Las Vegas Raiders took to get their ground breaking underway with zoning and land use permits all lined up and on a scheduled timeline to see shovels in the ground by mid June.

#3 The timeline the Raiders had was 68 days between Clark County approvals and when the Raiders started work on their current stadium Allegiant Stadium worth $2 billion. The A’s whose park would sit on nine acres at the Tropicana location will rest on 35 acres could follow through on the permits and be ready for construction by June.

#4 Hill said as of now there is a good amount of work being done at the Tropicana site. Contractors are clearing the rubble from the implosion of both Tropicana towers from last year.

#5 Hill said that the rubble is being cleared out and that material would be recycled and used for material would be used to build the A’s ballpark.

Daniel Dullum does the A’s Relocation podcasts each weekend at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

A’s fall just short in 7-6 loss to Mets

Sacramento A’s pitcher Mitch Spence (28) delivers a fifth inning pitch to the New York Mets at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento on Fri Apr 11, 2025 (AP News photo)

Friday, April 11, 2025

Sutter Health Park

New York Mets 7 (9-4)

Sacramento Athletics 6 (5-9)

Win: Griffin Canning (1-1)

Loss: JP Sears (1-2)

Save: Edwin Diaz (3)

Time: 3:21

Attendance: 9,632

By Stephen Ruderman

WEST SACRAMENTO–The A’s put up an impressive fight, but fell just short in a 7-6 loss to the New York Mets to open this three-game series at Sutter Health Park.

It was another beautiful night for baseball at the A’s rental home here in West Sacramento. The clouds illuminated a beautiful sunset on a 73-degree evening on the shores of the Sacramento River.

The A’s were looking for their second win in Sacramento, and they would face another strong team in the New York Mets. Like the Padres, the Mets had a large contingency of fans in attendance in their trip to valley.

The left-hander, JP Sears, would take the ball for Sacramento, as he would try to set the tone in this series. Sears got off to a good start by pitching a scoreless top of the first inning.

However, Brandon Nimmo led off the top of the second with a home run to right-center field. Later in the inning, back-to-back doubles by Luisangel Acuna and Luis Torrens plated another run to make it 2-0.

Mets’ starter Griffin Canning began his night with a 1-2-3 bottom of the first. The A’s then got on the board in the bottom of the second on a two-out base-hit the other way to right off the bat of Miguel Andujar.

Sears was in trouble again in the top of the third, but got out of it thanks to a nice sliding catch by right-fielder Lawrence Butler next to the side wall in foul territory. Canning, too, survived a jam in the bottom of the third. Brent Rooker tripled with one out, but he was cut down at the plate on a ground ball off the bat of Tyler Soderstrom.

Sears was back in trouble in the top of the fourth, as the Mets got a runner to second with nobody out. However, like the inning before, Sears was able to get out of it unscathed.

Unfortunately for Sears, he would not be able to work out of another jam in the top of the fifth. Juan Soto singled to lead off the inning, and Pete Alonso knocked him in with a double to left-center to make it 3-1. That did it for Sears, as Mark Kotsay made the move for Mitch Spence. Spence got out of the inning without any further damage to keep it a 3-1 game.

Sears threw 101 pitches over just four-plus innings, as he gave up three runs and six hits. Sears only walked one, and he struck out seven.

Meanwhile, Canning threw a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the fourth, and he survived a jam in the bottom of the fifth.

Spence was back out for the top of the sixth, and the Mets would open it up. Jose Siri walked with one out, and Francisco Lindor reached on an error by second-baseman Max Muncy. Juan Soto then walked to load the bases for Pete Alonso, who knocked Siri in with a sacrifice fly to right to make it 4-1.

Up came the longtime veteran and former A, Starling Marte. Marte hit a double over the head of center-fielder JJ Bleday and off the bottom of the wall in straightaway center, and Lindor and Soto sored to make it 6-1.

However, the A’s bounced right back in the bottom of the sixth. Shea Langerliers doubled to lead off the inning, and Wilson knocked him in with a one-out base-hit off the end of the bat to right-center to make it 6-2. The throw home from right-fielder Juan Soto allowed Wilson to move up to second.

Up came Andujar, who hit one out to left, and just like that the A’s got all three runs back to make it 6-4. That also did it for Canning.

Reed Garrett came in for Metropolitans, and the A’s loaded the bases against him with two outs. Soderstrom then came up and hit a bullet to right, which got this crowd going, but it was right to Juan Soto, and that ended the inning.

Jose Leclerc came in for Oakland and threw a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the seventh. Leclerc was an out away from another 1-2-3 inning in the top of the eighth, but Pete Alonso hit a line-drive home run down the line in left to make it 7-4.

Ryne Stanek and A.J. Minter pitched 1-2-3 innings in the bottom of the seventh and eighth respectively for the Mets. Jason Alexander then threw a scoreless top of the ninth for the A’s.

The Mets brought in their electric closer, Edwin Diaz, to try and get the save in the bottom of the ninth. Diaz has struggled at the start of the season, and those struggles would carry into this one.

Lawrence Butler walked on four pitches to start the inning and advanced to second on defensive indifference. Soderstrom then walked on a wild pitch, and Butler went to third. Langeliers then lined a double down the left field line, which scored Butler to make it 7-5.

Bleday got Soderstrom home with a sacrifice fly to left-center to make it a one-run game at 7-6. The A’s had the tying run in Max Schueman, who had come in to pinch-run for Langeliers, at second. However, Wilson grounded out to second, and the A’s fell just short.

Griffin Canning got the win; JP Sears took the loss; and Edwin Diaz picked up his third save of the young season.

The A’s fall to 5-9 and last place in the American League West.

The A’s will look to bounce back against the Mets’ left-hander, David Peterson (1-0, 2.53 ERA) Saturday afternoon. The A’s have yet to announce their starter. First pitch will be at 1:05 p.m.

Padres Take Series from A’s in 2-1 Finale Win

A’s take on the Padres on Wednesday afternoon in West Sacramento (Photo: Athletics on X)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

WEST SACRAMENTO — Sutter Health Park in Sacramento hosted the rubber game between the A’s and the Padres on Wednesday afternoon. The Padres had taken the first game of the series on Monday, while the A’s responded with a 10-4 victory on Tuesday.

Wednesday’s matchup featured Osvaldo Bido on the mound for the A’s, facing Randy Vasquez for the Padres. Both pitchers delivered strong performances, but the A’s offense struggled significantly, managing only two hits and ultimately losing the series finale, 2-1.

The A’s got on the scoreboard first in the second inning when Luis Urias hit a sacrifice fly to center field, bringing home Shea Langeliers. Initially, Langeliers was ruled out at the plate, but after a quick review, the call was overturned, awarding the A’s the early 1-0 lead.

San Diego responded swiftly in the third inning, as Oscar Gonzales drove in Xander Bogaerts on a sacrifice fly, tying the game at 1-1. The Padres scored again in the fifth inning with another sac-fly, this time by Gavin Sheets, bringing in Bogaerts once more. That 2-1 lead would stand for the remainder of the game, as the Padres’ pitching silenced the A’s bats.

Despite the loss, Bido pitched reasonably well for Sacramento, throwing five innings and allowing two runs on nine hits while striking out five. Although the nine hits appear problematic, many resulted from soft contact that found gaps in the defense. On the Padres’ side, Randy Vasquez was effective over five innings, giving up just one run on a single hit with three walks and one strikeout.

Offensively, the A’s struggled throughout, producing just two hits and one run in the entire game. They’ll have a chance to regroup with an off day on Thursday before facing the New York Mets at Sutter Health Park on Friday night at 7:05 PM PST. Mets starting pitcher RHP Griffin Canning (0-1 ERA 2.79) for the A’s JP Sears 1-1 ERA 3.46.

With this loss, the A’s fell to 5-8 on the year, while the Padres improved their early-season record to 10-3.

Note: Jacob Wilson continued his impressive start to the 2025 season, recording another hit on Wednesday and extending his hitting streak to 13 games.

Six-run bottom of the first leads A’s to first Sacramento win at Sutter Health, 10-4 over Padres

Athletics’ Gio Urshela watches his single during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres, Tuesday, April 8, 2025, in West Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
 (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Tuesday, April 8, 2025

Sutter Health Park

San Diego Padres 4 (9-3)

Sacramento Athletics 10 (5-7)

Win: Jeffrey Springs (2-1)

Loss: Dylan Cease (1-1)

Time: 2:37

Attendance: 9,018

By Stephen Ruderman

WEST SACRAMENTO–The A’s finally got their first win in Sacramento, as they responded to a three-run top of the first inning by the Padres with a six-run bottom of the first en route to a 10-4 win.

I’ll be honest, it was a less-beautiful night at Sutter Health Park with the absence of clouds. However, it was still a rather-nice evening, and it was the perfect backdrop for the A’s first win in Sacramento if they could get it.

Jeffrey Springs made the start for the A’s tonight, and things seemed to be going well for him, as he retired the first two men he faced. However, things completely changed with two outs.

Manny Machado hit an opposite-field home run to right, and that was just the start. Xander Bogaerts lined a base-hit to left, and then Yuli Gurriel shot a double into the gap in left-center that knocked in Bogaerts to make it 2-0. Springs was getting lit up, and now that I think back on it, even the first out of the game was a loud out.

Springs then walked Jake Cronenworth, but he finally seemed to be on his way out of the inning on a ground ball to third by Jose Iglesias. Unfortunately, the throw from third-baseman Gio Urshela was high, which took first-baseman Tyler Soderstrom off the back. Iglesias was able to reach first as a result, and Gurriel scored to make it 3-0

The A’s were quick to respond against Padres’ starter Dylan Cease in the bottom of the first inning. Okay, somewhat quick. Lawrence Butler singled to lead off the inning, and Soderstrom walked with one out, With two outs, JJ Bleday smoked a double to right-center, which scored both runs to make it 3-2. Miguel Andujar then fisted a base-hit up the middle to center to knock in Bleday, and just like that, it was tied.

The A’s were not done yet. Jacon Wilson lined a base-hit to left, and Urshela lined a double to the wall in left, which put the A’s ahead 5-3. Max Muncy capped it all off with a base-hit to left, which scored Urshela to make it 6-3.

The Padres scored a run in the top of the second to make it 6-4, and it looked like it was going to be a wild seesaw affair. However, he A’s went down scoreless in the bottom of the second, and Springs threw a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the third.

The A’s then got things going again in the bottom of the third. Bleday led off the inning with a walk, and Andujar singled him over to second. Wilson singled to left past the diving shortstop, Xander Bogaerts, to load the bases, but after left-fielder Oscar Gonzalez overran the ball, Bleday and Anujar both scored, to make it 8-4. Urshela followed that up with a double to left, and it was now 9-4.

From there, the game really settled down. Springs settled down from his early doldrums to retire 14 of the final 16 men he faced to cap off what was a solid six-inning performance.

Cease, on the other hand, was done after giving up nine runs and nine hits over a rough four innings.

Jose Leclerc pitched through a jam in the top of the seventh on his way to a scoreless inning. Bleday then led off the bottom of the seventh with a home run to right to make it 10-4.

Justin Sterner threw a scoreless top of the eighth, and Tyler Ferguson ended it with a scoreless top of the ninth.

At the end of the game, “California Love” by Tupac played as the A’s new victory song, replacing “celebration,” which of course was used for decades at the Coliseum.

Jeffrey Springs got the win, and Dylan Cease took the loss. The A’s improve to 5-7, and they can take the series with a win in the rubber match tomorrow afternoon.

Osvaldo Bido (5-3, 3.41 ERA) will take the ball for Oakland, and Randy Vasquez (0-1, 1.69 ERA) will go for the Fathers. First pitch will be at 12:35 p.m.

A’s News and Notes:

Tyler Soderstrom had to leave the game with tightness in his right calf. More on his condition should be available shortly.