Category: Sacramento A’s

Sacramento A’s game wrap: Sacramento A’s silence Tigers bats in convincing 7-0 shutout win

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Sacramento A’s Zack Gelof runs the bases after hitting a two run home run in the bottom of the second inning against the Detroit Tigers at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento on Wed Aug 27, 2025 (AP News photo)

Sacramento A’s silence Tigers bats in convincing 7-0 shutout win

By Mauricio Segura

The A’s wasted no time setting the tone Tuesday night, jumping on Detroit early and never looking back in a crisp 7-0 victory that showed off both timely hitting and steady pitching. It was one of those nights where everything clicked for the Green and Gold, while the Tigers could never quite find a foothold.

Rookie first baseman Nick Kurtz got the offense rolling in the bottom of the first with a sharp single to left, and the A’s quickly loaded pressure on Casey Mize. Shea Langeliers worked a walk, and after a Brent Rooker strikeout, Tyler Soderstrom delivered a line drive single to left to score Kurtz for the game’s first run. From there, Sacramento was off and running.

Luis Morales, the A’s young starter, made sure Detroit couldn’t answer back. He worked a clean first inning, getting Colt Keith swinging and Gleyber Torres to fly out before snuffing out Kerry Carpenter with a lineout to first. The Tigers went quietly, and the home crowd could already feel a rhythm developing.

That rhythm turned into a drumbeat in the second inning. After JJ Bleday struck out, Brett Harris grounded a single through short, and Zack Gelof followed with a booming homer to left-center, his first of the season, to give the A’s a 3-0 cushion.

Sacramento was not done yet. Kurtz added his second hit of the night, Langeliers doubled to right, and Rooker lofted a sacrifice fly to center to make it 4-0. Mize was clearly on the ropes, and the Tigers were left scrambling.

Detroit’s best chance to strike back came in the top of the second when Spencer Torkelson crushed a triple into the gap, but Morales bore down, striking out Wenceel Pérez and coaxing a lineout from Zach McKinstry to escape unscathed. That was the theme all night: when the Tigers threatened, Sacramento’s pitchers slammed the door.

The A’s padded the lead again in the fourth thanks to a hustle double from Harris and a throwing error from Mize that let Gelof reach safely while Harris crossed the plate. At 5-0, the Tigers’ demeanor and drive sagged, and manager A.J. Hinch had no choice but to turn to his bullpen, summoning Rafael Montero. It did not matter, the hole had already been dug too deep.

Meanwhile, Morales just kept dealing. He scattered a handful of baserunners but never let Detroit string anything together. Every time the Tigers put someone on, he found a way, whether it was freezing Spencer Torkelson with a third strike or jamming Keith into soft contact. By the sixth inning, Detroit had yet to push a man past third base, and Sacramento fans were already thinking about the “zero” glowing on the scoreboard.

The bullpen did not flounder. Justin Sterner entered in the eighth and promptly struck out the side, making the Tigers look overmatched. By then, the A’s offense had tacked on two more runs courtesy of Gelof once again, this time hammering a line-drive double to center that plated JJ Bleday and Harris. It was a fitting cap to Gelof’s night, as he not only went deep but also drove in four runs.

Detroit’s last gasp came in the ninth when Gleyber Torres worked a leadoff walk. Any flicker of hope was stomped out quickly though, as pinch-hitter Jahmai Jones rolled into a double play and Andy Ibáñez grounded out to short to end it. The Tigers had been blanked, and the A’s faithful were treated to a shutout win that checked every box.

Sacramento’s offense was efficient, stringing together 11 hits, including three from Kurtz and a monster performance from Gelof. Harris chipped in with two hits and two runs scored, while Langeliers reached base twice and guided the young arms behind the plate. On the mound, Morales earned the win with six scoreless frames, while Sterner and Brady Basso finished things off without breaking a sweat.

For a team still finding its footing in Sacramento, this was the kind of crisp, no-drama victory. The pitching was airtight, the defense was clean, and the bats came through with power and patience. If the A’s can bottle up this formula, the Green and Gold will make life miserable for plenty of opponents still in the race for post season.

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. 

Hernaiz’s Walk-Off Walk Lifts A’s Past Tigers 7-6 in 10

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Jacob Wilson #5 of the Athletics trots around the bases after hitting a three-run home run against the Detroit Tigers in the bottom of the first inning at Sutter Health Park on August 26, 2025 in Sacramento, California. (Mandatory Photo Credit: Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

WEST SACRAMENTO — The A’s and Tigers battled in game two of their three-game series on Tuesday night at Sutter Health Park. The A’s defeated the Tigers in an extra-inning walk-off thriller 7-6 in 10 innings.

A’s starter Osvaldo Bido pitched well in the first two innings but got into trouble in the third. Bido gave up all of his runs in the troubled third inning in what was three innings of four-run, three-hit baseball. Bido walked two batters in the game while striking out one Tiger hitter.

The Bullpen

After Bido covered the first three innings as a hybrid opener, Mark Kotsay turned it over to his bullpen for the final seven innings of the game. The bullpen pitched well, holding the Tigers to only two more runs in regulation and a single run in extra innings. 

Justin Sterner relieved Bido and tossed one and two-thirds innings of one-run, one-hit baseball.

Hogan Harris was next out of the pen and pitched a scoreless three outs that took place in the fifth and sixth innings.

Tyler Ferguson closed out the sixth inning and pitched the seventh for the A’s, giving up no runs on two hits.

In the eighth inning, Michael Kelly gave the A’s a scoreless frame while allowing a hit and a walk.

In the ninth and 10th innings, Elvis Alvarado was the guy for Mark Kotsay. Alvarado pitched a spotless ninth inning but ran into trouble in the 10th, giving up the go-ahead run. However, Alvarado pitched well overall, and Eduarniel Núñez got the final out of the 10th to keep the A’s within one.

The Bats

The A’s runs came early in the first and third innings of the game.

Jacob Wilson got the A’s on the board with a three-run shot in the bottom of the first inning to set the tone for the A’s.

The A’s kept the bats going in the third inning when they added two more runs on a Tyler Soderstrom RBI single and a Jacob Wilson RBI groundout.

However, the A’s wouldn’t score again until the bottom of the 10th inning.

Tyler Soderstrom singled home the designated runner, Brent Rooker, from second base to tie the game up at six in the 10th inning.

The A’s would then win the game on a bases-loaded walk from Darrel Hernaiz to secure the 7-6 victory.

Up Next

With the series win secured on Tuesday, the A’s improved to 62-72.

On Wednesday, the Tigers will send Casey Mize (12-4, 3.68 ERA) to the hill as the A’s counter with Luis Morales (1-0, 1.72 ERA) in the final game of the series.

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. 

Langeliers’ Grand Slam Lifts A’s Past Tigers 8-3

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Shea Langeliers #23 of the Athletics hits a grand slam home run off of Tarik Skubal #29 of the Detroit Tigers in the seventh inning at Sutter Health Park on August 25, 2025 in Sacramento, California. (Mandatory Photo Credit: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

WEST SACRAMENTO — It was a tale of two games at Sutter Health Park as the A’s defeated the Tigers in an 8-3 thriller on Monday night.

A’s starter J.T. Ginn and Tigers starter Tarik Skubal, an AL Cy Young favorite, engaged in a full-on pitchers’ duel in West Sacramento. Ginn, whose last home start didn’t go well and who refused to speak to the media afterward, was spinning a gem through five innings of shutout baseball with eight strikeouts.

On the flip side, Tarik Skubal was matching Ginn and setting a pace of his own with nine strikeouts through five innings.

The game totally shifted in the sixth and seventh innings as the offense started going for both teams. The Tigers scored three runs in the sixth inning, and the A’s scored five on Tarik Skubal and the Tigers in the seventh inning. From that point, the A’s took off and didn’t look back against the Tigers.

All in, A’s starter J.T. Ginn tossed five and a third innings of three-run baseball while giving up seven hits. Ginn added eight strikeouts in the game while only walking one.

The Bats

The A’s bats were quiet for the better part of the game against Skubal. Yet, they caught fire and never looked back in the sixth inning.

Jacob Wilson got the A’s on the board with an RBI groundout in the sixth inning. It was a big answer for the A’s after giving up three runs in the top half of the inning, and it pulled them to within two runs of the Tigers as the game was 3-1 at the time.

Then came the seventh inning.

Colby Thomas got the A’s their second run in the seventh inning with a solo home run to set the tone in the inning.

After the Thomas homer, three Athletics reached base to set the table for Shea Langeliers. Langeliers did not disappoint, launching a 2-1 fastball from Tarik Skubal an estimated 450 feet into the Sacramento night. Shea’s bomb put the A’s up 6-3 and in control of the game.

The A’s would add two more runs in the eighth inning as Nick Kurtz came off the bench and clubbed a pinch-hit homer to left field and gave the A’s the 8-3 lead.

The Bullpen

The A’s bullpen was lights out once again on Monday, allowing zero runs across three and two-thirds innings of work.

Sean Newcomb pitched one and a third innings of work, giving up a couple of hits but no runs.

Michael Kelly relieved Newcomb and also delivered a scoreless one and a third innings of work.

Elvis Alvarado, who many view as the A’s potential closer of the future, tossed a perfect ninth inning to seal the deal for the A’s.

Up Next

The A’s are now 61-72 after defeating the Tigers on Monday night.

The A’s will look to win the series as they take on the Tigers on Tuesday in game two of their three-game series. Osvaldo Bido (2-4, 5.37 ERA) is slated to go for the A’s as the Tigers plan to counter with Charlie Morton (9-10, 5.09 ERA).

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

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

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

Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.

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

Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm

Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in

Sacramento A’s podcast Barbara Mason: A’s get beat like a drum in Seattle 11-4; Sac opens three game set with Detroit Monday night at Sutter Health

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Sacramento A’s pitcher JT Ginn looks to the sky after being relieved in the top of the sixth inning against the New York Mets on Sat Apr 12, 2025 at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento. Ginn will be the starter against the Detroit Tigers on Mon Aug 25, 2025 at Sutter Health to open the three game series.

Sacramento A’s podcast Barbara Mason:

#1 Seattle Mariners Cal Raleigh slugged his 48th and 49th home runs against the Sacramento A’s which leads the Majors. Raleigh set a single season record for catchers with home runs.

#2 The M’s crushed the A’s 11-4 on Sunday and got plenty of offense against A’s pitching scoring twice in the first, three runs in the second inning, and six runs in the third inning that’s all the damage that Seattle needed to win the ball game.

#3 Raleigh who bats from both sides clouted both of his home runs in the first and second innings off A’s left hand pitcher Jacob Lopez giving the M’s a 5-1 lead.

#4 Despite Sunday’s loss the A’s finished 6-7 in Seattle against a very difficult and very challenging M’s team. When these teams met this season neither club never gave up.

#5 The A’s return to Sacramento to host the Detroit Tigers on Monday night at Sutter Health Park. Starting pitchers for the Tigers LHP Tarik Skubal whose having a Cy Young type year (11-3 ERA 2.32) for the A’s RHP JT Ginn (2-5 ERA 4.95) first pitch at 7:05pm PT.

Join Barbara Mason for the A’s podcasts Mondays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

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

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

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

Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.

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

Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm

Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in. 

Sacramento A’s Outslugged in Seattle 11-4 as Cal Raleigh Powers Mariners to Victory

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Seattle Mariner Cal Raleigh belts one his two home runs in the bottom of the first inning against the Sacramento A’s at T Mobile Field in Seattle on Sun Aug 24, 2025 (AP News photo)

Sacramento A’s Outslugged in Seattle 11-4 as Cal Raleigh Powers Mariners to Victory

By Mauricio Segura

The Sacramento A’s bus arrived at T-Mobile Park this morning looking to build momentum, but instead found themselves stuck in a nightmare that started early and never really stopped. The Mariners, fueled by Cal Raleigh’s booming bat and Randy Arozarena’s relentless presence on the bases, pounded the Green and Gold 11-4.

The loss was less a contest than a crash course in how quickly a game can spiral out of control when the opponent smells blood. Things unraveled almost immediately. After Sacramento’s top of the first fizzled with three straight outs, Seattle wasted no time in setting the tone.

Arozarena singled to left, and Raleigh followed with a two-run shot that landed deep in the seats. It was his 48th home run of the season, but he wasn’t done. The Mariners were up 2-0 before many fans had even settled into their seats.

The A’s showed a flicker of life in the second inning when rookie Jacob Wilson lined a solo home run to left. For a moment, it looked like the start of a back-and-forth slugfest. That illusion didn’t last long. Seattle responded immediately in the bottom half with Jorge Polanco drawing a walk and Arozarena ripping a run-scoring double.

Then Raleigh came up again and crushed another homer, his 49th, a two-run shot that pushed the Mariners ahead 5-1. Just like that, any sense of balance disappeared.

The bottom of the third cemented the rout. Sacramento starter Jacob Lopez, already shaky, walked Mitch Garver to open the frame and surrendered a single to Polanco. J.P. Crawford added another free pass to load the bases.

Victor Robles then drove in two with a sharp single, and the Mariners smelt blood. The Athletics turned to Eduarniel Núñez out of the bullpen, but he hit Arozarena with a pitch to reload the bases and extend the misery.

Raleigh, mercifully, struck out, but Julio Rodríguez picked him up with a two-run single. Josh Naylor delivered the knockout punch of the inning with a two-run double, stretching the Mariners’ lead to 11-1.

It wasn’t just that the Mariners scored, it was how they scored, aggressive baserunning, clutch hits, and walks that piled up as Sacramento’s pitchers struggled to find the strike zone. By the end of the third, the game was functionally over.

Sacramento’s offense, meanwhile, was almost invisible. Strikeouts came in waves, with Shea Langeliers, Tyler Soderstrom, and Darell Hernaiz combining for ten on the afternoon. Brent Rooker, the team’s most consistent power threat this year, went hitless with a pair of strikeouts.

The A’s lineup often looked overmatched by Mariners starter Logan Gilbert, who racked up nine strikeouts over six innings and allowed just one earned run, the Wilson homer in the second.

The only offensive spark came late, long after the Mariners had eased off the gas. In the seventh, Sacramento managed to string together a mini-rally when Wilson singled and JJ Bleday followed with another knock.

Willie MacIver drove in a run with a base hit, and after a hit-by-pitch brought in another, the A’s trimmed the deficit slightly. A Jacob Wilson RBI groundout in the eighth brought the final tally to 11-4, but by then, Seattle’s bullpen was simply managing traffic rather than facing any real pressure.

Wilson was a rare bright spot, finishing with two hits, including the home run and two RBI. MacIver also added an RBI single, but it was otherwise a quiet day for the Sacramento bats. The team finished with just eight hits compared to Seattle’s 11, and the strikeout total (16 in all) told the real story of how thoroughly the Mariners staff dominated.

Defensively, the A’s settled down after the early barrage, with Joey Estes providing three scoreless innings of relief to stop the bleeding. But by then, the damage had already been inflicted. Sacramento simply couldn’t match Seattle’s offensive firepower, and once Raleigh and Arozarena set the tone, the Mariners never looked back.

The Green and Gold now face the harsh reality of another lopsided loss, part of a season that’s been defined by inconsistency. Young players like Wilson, Butler, and Soderstrom continue to gain experience, but the gulf between rebuilding Sacramento and playoff-bound Seattle was on full display in this matchup.

For the Mariners, it was another showcase of why they’re feared in the American League down the stretch. For Sacramento, it was another reminder of just how long the road back to contention may be.

Starting pitchers for the Tigers LHP Tarik Skubal whose having a Cy Young type year (11-3 ERA 2.32) for the A’s RHP JT Ginn (2-5 ERA 4.95) first pitch at 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.

Sacramento A’s relocation podcast: Badain says Fisher has the money for construction for A’s Las Vegas park

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Sacramento A’s president Mark Badain says that 50 percent of the concrete has been poured into the A’s Las Vegas ballpark foundation and that the contractors will be building upwards sometime very soon (photo from Las Vegas Business Press)

Sacramento A’s relocation podcast:

#1 Sacramento A’s team president Mark Badain announced that the A’s have the funding to cover at least $2 billion for the construction costs for the A’s Vegas ballpark.

#2 A’s owner John Fisher had said before the costs for his share of the construction would run as high as $2 billion. There is no guaranteed maximum price that has been set as of yet.

#3 Badain said at the Las Vegas Stadium Authority that the A’s will have a budget and they will build on it. That Fisher’s word is he will have the financing in place for that dollar amount.

#4 It was also reported that there are at least 200 contractors on site and they are moving ahead with the construction of the stadium. Construction crews are working in the southeast side of Las Vegas Blvd and Tropicana Ave. The crews have been at it since April. Almost 600 pilings are in the ground and there are multiple cranes that are on the site with concrete being poured.

#5 Badain said that 50 percent of the foundational work is done and that later he expects the concrete work to go vertical and that passerby can see the work over the ten foot wall on the 35 acre site that was the former home of the Tropicana Casino and Hotel.

Join Daniel Dullum for the A’s relocation podcasts Sundays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

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

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

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

Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.

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

Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm

Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in. 

Sacramento A’s game wrap: Langeliers Lifts Sacramento to 2-1 Extra Inning Thriller

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Sacramento A’s players are all about the congratulations after defeating the Seattle Mariners in ten innings at T Mobile Field in Seattle on Sat Aug 22, 2025 (AP News photo)

Langeliers Lifts Sacramento to 2-1 Extra Inning Thriller

By Mauricio Segura

For nine innings at T-Mobile Park, the Sacramento Athletics and the Seattle Mariners traded zeros like boxers circling one another, neither willing to blink. It was a heated contest where every pitch carried weight, every swing felt decisive, and both lineups discovered how elusive runs can be on a night dominated by pitching and defense. The A’s finally found daylight in the tenth, seizing a 2-1 victory that showcased grit more than fireworks.

Sacramento broke the stalemate first in the fourth inning when Jacob Wilson doubled to center and Darell Hernaiz followed with a line drive single to plate him. The early run gave Jeffrey Springs something to work with, and the left-hander responded by inducing weak contact and letting his defense shine behind him.

Tyler Soderstrom was particularly steady in left field, robbing Julio Rodríguez of sharp contact and turning potential damage into outs. But Seattle wasn’t about to go quietly. Randy Arozarena, who had been kept quiet in his first two trips, tied the game with a solo blast in the sixth, a reminder that one mistake can change everything.

From that point, the bullpens traded zeroes with an almost surgical precision. Michael Kelly, Sean Newcomb, and Tyler Ferguson combined for scoreless relief, striking out five over three innings. Seattle’s arms were equally stubborn, with George Kirby and his successors silencing Sacramento bats just enough to force the game beyond regulation.

By the ninth, both clubs were gasping for a breakthrough. The Athletics nearly broke through in the eighth after a leadoff walk, but a pair of pop-ups killed the chance. Seattle likewise threatened in the seventh, only to see Victor Robles stranded at second after swiping a bag.

It took the pressure-cooker rules of extra innings to finally crack the Mariners. Colby Thomas began the tenth on second base, and Brett Harris, fresh off the bench, executed a textbook sacrifice bunt to move him to third.

The Athletics had been searching all night for one swing with meaning, and Shea Langeliers delivered it, drilling a sharp double down the right-field line to bring Thomas home. The dugout erupted, finally exhaling after so many squandered chances. Sacramento added baserunners but couldn’t stretch the lead further, leaving Seattle three outs to respond.

The Mariners threatened in the bottom half, putting runners aboard when Jorge Polanco walked and J.P. Crawford reached on a fielder’s choice. With the tying run at second and the winning run on base, Hogan Harris was called upon to clean up the mess.

He got exactly what the Athletics needed: a grounder to third from Arozarena, where Brett Harris calmly initiated the force at second to end it. The final out was less a roar than a sigh of relief, the kind of finish that underscored just how fragile the margin was all night.

Langeliers’ double will rightfully be remembered as the decisive swing, but this game belonged equally to the Athletics’ arms. Springs kept Seattle off balance, while the bullpen backed him with shutdown efficiency.

Wilson’s early knock and Hernaiz’s timely RBI set the table, and Harris’ sacrifice in extras proved just as critical as the double that followed. Baseball purists might call it a throwback game, on scoring, tight defense, and just enough offense to matter. For Sacramento, it was a statement win that showed this club can grind as hard as anyone when runs are scarce.

Starting pitchers for Sunday’s contest at T Mobile: For the A’s LHP Jacob Lopez (7-6 ERA 3.28) for the M’s RHP Logan Gilbert (3-5 ERA 3.85) first pitch at 1:10pm 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. 

A’s Ninth Inning Charge Stopped Short in Seattle 3-2

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Fans cheer as the solo home run ball from Seattle Mariners’ Jorge Polanco flies over the fence past Athletics right fielder JJ Bleday during the seventh inning of a baseball game Friday, Aug. 22, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

A’s Ninth Inning Charge Stopped Short in Seattle 3-2
By Mauricio Segura

The Athletics opened their night at T-Mobile Park with a clean, heavy swing and a little electricity. Brent Rooker saw Bryan Woo’s early offering in the first and lined it into the left center seats for his 26th home run, a quick jolt that set the tone for a crisp, pitcher-forward game. The M’s edged the A’s 3-2 at T Mobile Field in Seattle.

Luis Morales met the moment early, rolling through the Mariners order with a mix of ground balls and harmless air, helped by clean reads from Lawrence Butler in center and JJ Bleday in right. Through four innings the Green and Gold carried a 1-0 lead that felt sturdy, the kind of narrow edge that rewards patience and punishes mistakes.

Seattle’s answer arrived in the fifth in the form of a veteran’s swing. Eugenio Suárez turned on a pitch and sent a liner over the left field wall for his 40th, a no-nonsense shot that reset the scoreboard and the mood. Morales limited the damage there, but Woo matched him and then some.

The Mariners right-hander ran seven innings with only the early Rooker blast on his ledger, living at the knees and inducing a string of routine outs as the middle innings tilted toward the home dugout. Oakland-area memories have taught A’s fans not to trust one-run cushions on the road, and the seventh confirmed the suspicion.

After Morales handed things to Elvis Alvarado, Julio Rodríguez bounced out to first and then the gates opened. Josh Naylor got a heater he could lift and sent his 16th out to right center for a 2-1 Seattle lead. Two batters later Jorge Polanco rode a fly ball to almost the same neighborhood for his 19th, and the inning that began with a tie ended with the Mariners up 3-1.

The A’s flirted with a counterpunch in the top half thanks to an error by second baseman Cole Young that put Tyler Soderstrom aboard, but a deep fly from Jacob Wilson died in center and Butler’s hard grounder turned into a 4-6-3 double play, the kind of two-step that drains a dugout.

Still, the A’s kept pressing. In the eighth, with two outs, Brett Harris gave way to pinch hitter Carlos Cortes, who sliced a sharp double into right to jolt the visitors, only for Gabe Speier to enter and end it with a strikeout. Justin Sterner returned a steady bottom of the eighth, aided by a successful challenge that flipped an out-call at first into a single for J.P. Crawford, only for Tyler Soderstrom to gun Crawford down trying for second. That throw mattered more than it looked in the moment because it kept the deficit at two and set the stage for a final act that had real weight.

Andrés Muñoz took the ball for the ninth, the building braced for velocity, and the A’s refused to blink. Shea Langeliers struck out to start the inning, but Rooker lined a single to left to restart the heartbeat. Soderstrom followed with a ground-ball single to left, Rooker eased into second, and the game tilted. Wilson then shot a grounder up the middle for another single, Rooker scored, and manager Mark Kotsay sent in Colby Thomas to run.

Butler showed patience and drew a walk to load the bases, one out, the tying run ninety feet away and the go-ahead run on second against Seattle’s closer. Darell Hernaiz lifted a fly to center that did not travel far enough to challenge Rodríguez, and Muñoz finally slammed the door with a strikeout of Bleday, his last fastball good enough to finish a 3-2 Mariners win that felt like it travelled the long way around to get there.

For the Sacramento A’s, the night carried both the promise and the frustration that define close losses on the road. Rooker’s bat remains a force, Soderstrom stacked quality at-bats, and Wilson delivered under pressure. Morales gave them the shape of a win through five and change, but two swings in the seventh turned the ledger. Woo earned the quiet star, scattering traffic and refusing to yield anything after the first inning. Seattle’s bullpen teased the ninth with doubt and then survived it, which is usually the difference between a good flight home and replaying every pitch while the cabin lights dim.

The A’s will point to the little margins. A double play in the seventh stopped a budding answer. A routine fly in the ninth kept a runner anchored at third. Three swings defined Seattle’s offense, and the final one belonged to Muñoz with the game on the line. It was a narrow loss and a useful snapshot of why margins matter, not a moral victory, just a reminder that the road from one run up to one run short can be a brutal statement in the show.

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. 

A’s Baseball Podcast Lincoln Juarez: A’s sweep Twins in Minnesota and win their second straight series

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Athletics’ Lawrence Butler (4) celebrates after hitting a three-run double during the second inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins, Thursday, Aug. 21, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

A’s baseball podcast with Lincoln Juarez:

#1 The A’s swept the Twins Thursday afternoon in Minneapolis and got their second consecutive series win. Tyler Soderstrom stole the show going 4-for-4.

#2 The A’s outscored the Twins 18-8 in the series and the offense has stayed hot. Yet again we see them putting up big numbers.

#3 Nick Kurtz went 2-for-4 Thursday with a homer. We know how much you love to talk about him, good to see him still swinging the bat well.

#4 The A’s have the 14th best record since the All-Star break at 18-13. What’s been the key to the team’s success the last month?

#5 Looking ahead, the A’s match up against the Mariners for three games this Friday and the weekend, it seems like a good opportunity for them to play spoiler. The A’s will start RHP Luis Morales (1-0 ERA 1.86) the M’s have not announced a starter as of yet.

Lincoln Juarez does the Athletics podcasts each week 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. 

Rookies and Redemption Fuel Sacramento in 8-3 Rout Over Minnesota

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Minnesota Twins Kody Clemens (18) slid into the tag out by Sacramento A’s catcher Willie MacIver (left) in the bottom of the fourth inning at Target Field in Minneapolis on Thu Aug 21, 2025 (AP News photo)

Rookies and Redemption Fuel Sacramento in 8-3 Rout Over Minnesota

By Mauricio Segura

In a ballpark where the Twins typically dance to their own beat, it was the Sacramento Athletics who brought the bass drum and snare roll to Target Field Wednesday afternoon, hammering Minnesota 8–3 in a statement win defined by clutch hitting, patient at-bats, and a power display from a blossoming rookie.

Sacramento’s explosive second inning looked like something out of a hitting clinic, complete with base-to-base fundamentals and just enough chaos to unsettle starter José Ureña. After a one-out hit-by-pitch and a couple of timely singles, the Athletics loaded the bases and broke the game open.

Nick Kurtz, the young first baseman showing flashes of future All-Star credentials, drew a composed walk to push runners around. Then Lawrence Butler doubled home three, Brent Rooker doubled home another, and by the time the dust settled, it was 6–0 Green and Gold with the home crowd stunned into silence.

Ureña never found his footing again. His second inning unraveling included a wild pitch, two more walks, and a barrage of hard contact that left Minnesota scrambling for answers. He lasted only five innings, tagged for six earned runs.

His opposition, Jack Perkins, pitched four and two-thirds innings of gritty baseball. While he flirted with danger in the fourth when the Twins loaded the bases with no outs, a bizarre force-out at home and alert defense limited the damage to just two runs.

Despite a late rally attempt, Minnesota never closed the gap to within striking distance. Sacramento’s bats kept breathing in the middle innings. Kurtz, making good on his second-inning RBI walk, delivered a solo shot to dead center in the sixth off reliever Michael Tonkin.

It was Kurtz’s 26th homer of the season and a no-doubt blast that seemed to symbolize the Athletics’ intent: a team in rebuild mode that’s no longer waiting around to be competitive.

Tyler Soderstrom, who manned left field, also had himself a day at the plate, collecting three hits including a double and two sharply-hit singles. He reached base four times, consistently applying pressure and pushing the pace offensively. It’s becoming more apparent that Soderstrom, still only 23, is growing into the kind of versatile player Sacramento can lean on both now and in the years ahead.

Ben Bowden, Osvaldo Bido, and the rest of Sacramento’s bullpen picked up where Perkins left off. After allowing a run in the fourth, they shut the door across the next five frames, giving up just three hits combined. Minnesota managed a final gasp in the ninth when Royce Lewis doubled in Kody Clemens, but it was far too little too late.

While Butler’s bases-clearing double was the highlight reel moment, Sacramento’s offense functioned like a well-tuned orchestra. Nine hits scattered across the lineup. Seven different players reached base. And the A’s demonstrated not just power but a patient eye, drawing five walks to Minnesota’s four.

Max Schuemann added an RBI single in the seventh to make it 8–2, while catcher Willie MacIver, despite finishing hitless, contributed behind the plate with steady game-calling and a throw that cut down a runner at home in the fourth.

Minnesota’s promising young trio of Buxton, Larnach, and Lee were mostly neutralized. Buxton went 0-for-4, lining out twice to center fielder Lawrence Butler who covered a lot of ground and made multiple strong reads. Larnach did double in the fourth and score, but it wasn’t enough to change the momentum. Meanwhile, James Outman struck out three times in the loss and left runners stranded in key moments.

Managerial decisions, particularly the timing of Minnesota’s pitching changes, could be questioned in hindsight. Ureña was allowed to face one batter too many during Sacramento’s second-inning barrage, and by the time Tonkin entered in the sixth, the game was largely out of reach.

It was a win that reminded fans and pundits alike that the Athletics, though relocated and retooled, aren’t merely a placeholder franchise. They’re young, they’re scrappy, and as they proved Wednesday, they’re capable of outplaying anyone when things click. With a new identity in Sacramento and a clubhouse built on grit, the Green and Gold might just be laying the groundwork for something special.

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.