Category: Sacramento A’s

Right hand pitcher Luis Morales gets the start for the Sacramento A’s against the Boston Red Sox on Mon Sep 8, 2025 at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento (AP file photo)

Sacramento A’s podcast Barbara Mason:

#1 Sunday was a tough one for the Sacramento A’s as they not only couldn’t get the sweep against the Los Angeles Angels but lost in a close one to the Angels 4-3 at Angels Stadium.

#2 The Angels Jo Adell hit his 35th home run for the season, Travis d’Arnaud hit an RBI double that broke a tie ball game and the Angels who looked as if they were going to get swept avoided it Sunday with a strong four run eighth inning.

#3 The A’s also faced some good pitching from the Angels relievers Luis Garcia, Reid Detmers, and Kenly Jansen combined held the A’s to one earned run in the last three innings of the game.

#4 The Boston Red Sox come into Sacramento Monday night. The Sox are just three games out of first place in the AL East and have won five of their last ten games. The A’s are battling to climb out of the AL West cellar before it’s over and the Sox are battling to move up in the standings for a better playoff spot.

#5 Starting pitchers for Monday night for Boston RHP Garrett Crochet (14-5 ERA 2.67) for Sacramento RHP Luis Morales (3-0 ERA 1.59) first pitch 7:05pm PT.

Barbara Mason does the A’s podcasts each Monday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

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

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

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

Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.

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

Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm

Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in. 

All Sacramento A’s outfielder Lawrence Butler can do is look over the fence on a Los Angeles Angels Jo Adell bottom of the first inning home run at the Big A in Anaheim on Sun Sep 7, 2025 (AP News photo)

Soderstrom’s Blast Not Enough as Athletics Fall Short in Anaheim 4-3

By Mauricio Segura

The Sacramento Athletics showed grit but could not quite steal one from the Angels on Sunday afternoon, falling 4–3 in a tight edged game down in Anaheim. It was a game where both teams traded blows, but a clutch double in the eighth inning by Travis d’Arnaud was the moment it got away from the green and gold.

The first inning set the tone as the Angels grabbed momentum early. After Mike Trout struck out to open the inning, Yoán Moncada was plunked by a pitch. Taylor Ward flied out harmlessly, but Jo Adell punished a center-cut pitch, blasting a two-run homer to center for his 35th of the season. The early deficit forced the A’s to play catch-up.

Sacramento cracked the scoreboard in the third thanks to Willie MacIver, who lined a solo homer to straightaway center, his third of the year, trimming the gap to 2 to 1. But the Angels answered quickly in the fourth. Chris Taylor was hit by a pitch, stole second, and scored when Bryce Teodosio ripped a ground-rule double down the right-field line, restoring Los Angeles’ two-run cushion at 3 to 1.

Sacramento struggled to solve starter Mitch Farris until the seventh, when Tyler Soderstrom turned on a pitch and launched his 24th home run of the season, cutting the deficit to one. Sacramento threatened again later in the inning, putting two men aboard, but a rally-killing double play snuffed out the chance.

The A’s still refused to fold, however. In the top of the eighth, Nick Kurtz and Brent Rooker reached safely, setting the stage for Colby Thomas. His deep fly to center plated Kurtz with the game-tying run on a sacrifice, tying things up at 3-3 with audible boos from the halo fans.

That tie did not last long. In the bottom half, reliever Osvaldo Bido got into trouble, walking Chris Taylor and hitting Oswald Peraza. With two aboard, Travis d’Arnaud, just inserted behind the plate, roped a ground-rule double to right-center, driving in Taylor for the go-ahead run. The Angels clung to their 4-3 edge.

Sacramento had one last chance in the ninth against veteran closer Kenley Jansen. Jacob Wilson grounded out, pinch-hitter JJ Bleday flied to left, and Lawrence Butler’s foul fly sealed the A’s fate.

Despite the loss, there were bright spots for Sacramento. Soderstrom continued to show his power stroke, MacIver added a rare long ball, and the bullpen held the Angels to just one run after the fourth inning. Still, the inability to capitalize with men on base haunted the A’s, as double plays and strikeouts ended several promising innings.

The Athletics now hop on a short hour and ten minute flight back to Sacramento having taken two of the three games on their Southern California road trip. Monday night as they say, is another ballgame, and that will be with hosting the Boston Red Sox. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05pm.

Starting pitcher for Monday night for Boston RHP Garrett Crochet (14-5 ERA 2.67) for Sacramento RHP Luis Morales (3-0 ERA 1.59) first pitch 7:05pm PT.

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 Cody Thomas rounds the bases after slugging a three run home run in the bottom eighth against the Los Angeles Angels at the Big A in Anaheim on Sat Sep 6, 2024 (AP News photo)

Athletics Hammer Angels with Relentless Barrage 17-4

By Mauricio Segura

The Sacramento Athletics wasted no time lighting up the scoreboard at Angel Stadium, jumping all over Los Angeles pitching in a 17-4 massacre that was never in doubt after the opening attack.

The Green and Gold came out swinging in the first, setting the tone with a two-out rally. Nick Kurtz and Colby Thomas each drew walks before Jacob Wilson lined a single to load the bases. Tyler Soderstrom then cleared them with a bases-clearing double, giving the Athletics a quick 3-0 cushion.

Sacramento kept the pedal down in the second inning. After Brent Rooker’s RBI double extended the lead, Thomas followed with a towering three-run homer to left center, putting the A’s up 7-0 before the Angels had even recorded their sixth out. By the time Kurtz launched his 29th homer of the year in the fourth, the Angels were reeling, down 8-1 and looking for answers.

Sacramento’s offense wasn’t finished. In the sixth, Wilson singled and came around to score on a groundout to push the lead to 9-1. Then came the knockout punch in the eighth, when pinch-hitter Carlos Cortes drilled a three-run shot for his first big league homer. The onslaught continued with six consecutive hits, capped by Shea Langeliers’ two-run single that ballooned the score to 14-1.

Even after Los Angeles answered with back-to-back homers in the bottom of the eighth from Matthew Lugo and Jo Adell, the A’s refused to let the night end quietly. In the ninth, JJ Bleday crushed a three-run homer to right, giving Sacramento its final total of 17 runs on 20 hits.

Every part of the lineup contributed: Wilson collected three hits, Langeliers added four with three runs batted in, and Thomas homered and singled in a strong performance. Cortes’ storybook blast highlighted a bench that kept pouring it on.

On the mound, Sacramento’s pitching was just as sharp. The Angels managed only scattered singles until Yoán Moncada tripled in the third for their first run. Starter J.T. Ginn and relievers Hogan Harris and Scott McGough combined to hold Los Angeles largely in check, striking out eight and stranding runners in nearly every frame.

By the end, the Angels were left searching for positives in a lopsided loss, while the Athletics cemented another statement victory powered by patience at the plate, timely hitting, and a relentless offensive attack. For Sacramento, the message was clear: when the bats wake up this early, the game can be decided before the sun even sets.

Starting pitchers for Sunday’s game at the Big A for Sacramento RHP Luis Severino (6-11 ERA 4.65) for Los Angeles LHP Mitch Ferris (1-0 ERA 1.80) first pitch 1:07pm PT.

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 centerfielder Lawrence Butler chases down a Los Angeles Angels Luis Rengifo fly ball in the eighth inning at Anaheim Stadium on Fri Sep 5, 2025 (AP News photo)

A’s Bats Break Out in Anaheim as Butler and Bleday Power Past Angels 10-4

By Mauricio Segura

For a club that has spent too many nights watching its offense sputter, the Sacramento Athletics finally flipped the script in Anaheim. What began as a sloppy first inning on both sides quickly turned into a showcase of the Green and Gold’s young power core, capped by Lawrence Butler’s ninth-inning blast and JJ Bleday’s statement swing in the third.

By the end of the Friday night, the A’s walked off with a 10-4 win that reminded everyone why they still rank among the league’s most dangerous lineups since the All-Star break.

The early frames hardly suggested excitement Rookie starter Mason Barnett, making just his second big league appearance, immediately found himself in a mess. After Nick Kurtz, Shea Langeliers, and Brent Rooker all walked to load the bases before a single out, Tyler Soderstrom’s grounder produced both a double play and the game’s first run.

Jacob Wilson followed with a sharp RBI single, giving Sacramento a 2-0 cushion. Barnett promptly gave it right back. He hit Zach Neto, walked Mike Trout, and watched Yoán Moncada and Luis Rengifo chip away. By the time Oswald Peraza lifted a sac fly, the Angels led 4-2 and Barnett had already thrown 40 stressful pitches. For a rookie trying to settle in, it looked like another long night.

But Sacramento’s offense, which entered the day leading the majors in doubles and ranking among the top five in OPS since the break, had other plans. In the third, the lineup erupted. Langeliers singled, Soderstrom followed, and Wilson worked a walk to load the bases.

Butler chopped a single to first to drive in a run, and Zack Gelof’s liner tied the game. A wild pitch pushed Sacramento back on top, setting the stage for Bleday’s thunderclap. The outfielder launched his 13th homer of the year into the left-field seats, a three-run shot that turned Angel Stadium into a library. Suddenly, it was 8-4, and the A’s never looked back.

The inning wasn’t done. Darell Hernaiz singled, stole a base, and eventually scored when Rooker wore a pitch with the bases loaded. Nine runs through three innings was more than enough for manager Mark Kotsay’s bullpen, which has been the club’s strongest unit for months.

Relievers Justin Sterner, Elvis Alvarado, and Michael Kelly combined for six scoreless innings, racking up strikeouts while keeping Trout and company swinging through air. It was the exact type of performance the organization envisioned when rebuilding the relief corps after Mason Miller’s departure earlier in the year.

From there, the only drama came in Butler’s final at-bat. Leading off the ninth, the 24-year-old belted his 19th homer, a shot to dead center that punctuated the Battle of Anaheim. Butler’s glove has been steady all season, ranking among the league’s best in outfield putouts, but his bat has lagged. If this swing sparks a September surge, Sacramento will happily take it.

There were other encouraging signs. Kurtz, the rookie phenom leading all first-year players in home runs, RBIs, and walks, reached base three more times. Wilson, who tops all rookies in hits and batting average, delivered again with two big swings.

Langeliers, who has been an extra-base hit machine since the break, kept the line moving with two more knocks. When the Athletics get contributions from all three, the lineup lengthens in a way that forces pitchers into mistakes.

The win pushed Sacramento to 65-77, still lodged in the cellar of the AL West but showing glimpses of a club better than its record. They have now scored 96 first-inning runs this year, second most in the majors, and continue to play spoiler with power. More importantly, they shook off a disastrous start from their rookie pitcher without ever looking rattled, a trait that bodes well for the final stretch.

For the Angels, the frustration deepens. Trout went hitless with two strikeouts, Moncada fanned twice, and their pitching staff unraveled under the weight of walks and wild pitches. By the late innings, the game felt less like a rivalry clash and more like a showcase for Sacramento’s next wave.

The A’s will try to build on the outburst with RHP J.T. Ginn (2-6 ERA 5.17) set to start on Saturday. If the lineup carries over the same swagger, Anaheim could be in for another long night. The Angels will start LHP Yusei Kikuchi (6-10 ERA 3.83).

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.