Los Angeles Dodgers Shohei Ohtani swings for a first inning home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Fri Jul 10, 2026. Ohtani will have his left knee drained on Sun Jul 12, 2026 and will miss the All Star Game in Philadelphia (AP News photo)
MLB The Show podcast Charlie O:
#1 Will MLB owners and players reach a new Collective Bargaining Agreement before the 2027 deadline, or will a lockout begin?
#2 Los Angeles Dodgers two way star will have his left knee drained and will have to sit out the Alll Star Game in Philadelphia. How much of loss will this be for the Dodgers and for baseball at the Mid Summer Classic?
#3 Will Aaron Judge capture another American League MVP award after another dominant offensive season?
#4 Can Paul Skenes establish himself as the most dominant starting pitcher in Major League Baseball?
#5 Will Juan Soto live up to the expectations that come with his blockbuster contract and lead his team deep into the postseason?
Sacramento A’s Shea Langeliers hits a solo home run in the top of the first inning against the Chicago White Sox at Rate Field for the A’s only run in Chicago on Sun Jul 12, 2026 (AP News photo)
By Mauricio Segura
One disastrous first inning proved impossible to overcome as the Chicago White Sox rolled to a 9-1 victory sending the Sacramento A’s into the All-Star break on a sour note. Sacramento dropped its ninth straight game, extending what had already become the club’s longest losing streak of the season.
The afternoon actually began with promise. Jacob Wilson opened the game with a single, and after a double play quickly erased the early baserunner, Shea Langeliers wasted no time putting the Athletics on the board. The All-Star catcher crushed his 21st home run of the season over the left-field wall, continuing his impressive power campaign and giving the Green and Gold a brief 1-0 lead. Langeliers, who was recently voted the American League’s starting catcher for the All-Star Game, added another milestone to an already memorable season.
That advantage disappeared almost immediately.
Chicago answered with a six-run bottom of the first that completely shifted the afternoon. Sam Antonacci tied the game with a leadoff homer before Munetaka Murakami drew a walk and Miguel Vargas followed with a double. J.T. Ginn nearly escaped after striking out Colson Montgomery, but an intentional walk loaded the bases for Kyle Teel, whose two-run single put the White Sox in front. Moments later, Braden Montgomery turned the inning into a rout by launching a three-run homer to right, giving Chicago a stunning 6-1 cushion before many fans had settled into their seats.
For Ginn, who entered with a sparkling 3.10 ERA and had allowed two runs or fewer in 12 starts this season, it marked one of his toughest outings of the year. The right-hander settled down after the rocky opening inning and worked into the fifth, but the damage had already been done.
The Athletics had chances to respond but never found the hit they needed. Their best opportunity came in the fourth when Langeliers reached on an error, Jonah Heim singled and Joey Meneses added another base hit to load the bases with one out. Left-hander Noah Schultz dug deep, striking out Lawrence Butler before Henry Bolte grounded into a force play to end the threat. That sequence preserved Chicago’s five-run advantage and took the wind out of Sacramento’s comeback hopes.
Schultz grew stronger as the game progressed. After allowing Langeliers’ first-inning homer, the young left-hander kept the Athletics quiet through five innings before handing the ball to a bullpen that never allowed the visitors to gain any momentum.
Chicago added even more breathing room in the fifth. Colson Montgomery singled, Andrew Benintendi walked, and Teel collected his second RBI hit of the afternoon. Braden Montgomery followed with an RBI single before Tristan Peters brought home another run on a force play. A wild pitch by José Suárez, combined with a throwing error from Langeliers, allowed Teel to score the White Sox’s ninth run.
The White Sox received contributions throughout the lineup. Teel finished with three hits and three runs batted in, while Braden Montgomery drove in four with his homer and RBI single. Antonacci reached base twice, homered, and scored twice, while Vargas added two hits and a double.
For Sacramento, offense was scarce after the opening frame. Wilson collected another hit to continue his productive stretch, while rookie Joshua Kuroda-Grauer doubled in the eighth to cap another encouraging performance. The rookie continues to make an immediate impact since his promotion, tying the Athletics franchise record with 18 hits through his first 11 major league games.
The Athletics finished with just six hits and struck out ten times as their offensive struggles continued. After producing only five runs during the entire road trip entering the finale, another quiet performance sent the club into the All-Star break searching for answers. Sacramento’s recent skid has now stretched to nine games, a frustrating finish to the first half after showing signs earlier in the season that it could remain in the American League West race.
After the All-Star festivities conclude, the Athletics return home to begin a three-game series against the Washington Nationals. The opener is scheduled for Friday at 6:40 p.m. Pacific, though both clubs have yet to announce their starting pitchers.
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 catcher Shea Langeliers (23) can only watch as Chicago White Sox Colson Montgomery (left) in the bottom of the sixth inning scores the game’s only run at Rate Field in Chicago on Sat Jul 11, 2026 (AP News photo)
By Mauricio Segura
The Sacramento Athletics hoped for one big swing, one timely bounce, or one mistake they could take advantage of. None of it ever came. Instead, the Chicago White Sox leaned on succesful pitching and a single clutch hit to edge the A’s 1-0 Sunday, extending Sacramento’s losing streak to eight games while keeping the visitors scoreless despite several promising opportunities.
For much of the game, it looked as though left-hander Gage Jump had rediscovered the form that made him one of the American League’s top rookie pitchers during June. After recent rough outings, the rookie settled into an impressive rhythm, matching Chicago’s pitchers inning for inning through five scoreless frames. He scattered just a handful of hits, mixed his pitches effectively, and repeatedly escaped traffic before the White Sox finally broke through in the sixth.
Chicago opened the afternoon with Bryan Hudson, who retired the first three Athletics hitters before giving way to Chris Murphy after just one inning. Sacramento threatened immediately against Murphy in the second when Joshua Kuroda-Grauer lined a single to center and Lawrence Butler worked a walk.
Carlos Cortes followed with a fly ball that Braden Montgomery misplayed for a throwing error, allowing both runners to advance into scoring position. The opening was there, but Jeff McNeil’s fly ball to left stranded them both.
The White Sox answered with a threat of their own in the bottom half as Chase Meidroth and Luisangel Acuña opened with consecutive singles. Jump calmly settled down, however, keeping the game scoreless and beginning what became an outstanding duel between the two clubs.
Erick Fedde took over for Chicago in the third and was every bit as effective. Sacramento struggled to square him up, managing only one baserunner through the next three innings while the veteran right-hander repeatedly got weak ground balls and routine outs. Fedde combined with Hudson and Murphy to keep the Athletics off balance throughout his five scoreless innings.
Meanwhile, Jump continued matching zeros. The White Sox put two aboard in the third after Randal Grichuk doubled and Munetaka Murakami drew a walk, but Sacramento escaped when Miguel Vargas bounced into a beautifully turned double play. Acuña added a double in the fifth, yet Jump stranded him as well to keep the contest deadlocked.
Sacramento finally mounted another serious opportunity in the sixth. Jacob Wilson singled with two outs before Tyler Soderstrom earned a walk, placing two runners aboard against Fedde. Once again, the Athletics could not deliver the decisive hit, leaving the inning empty.
Chicago finally cracked the scoreboard moments later. Colson Montgomery worked a two-out walk, bringing Meidroth to the plate. The White Sox second baseman drilled a line drive into left field for his 17th double of the season, scoring Montgomery all the way from first for the game’s only run. Luis Medina replaced Jump after the RBI double and prevented any further damage, but the White Sox suddenly owned a 1-0 advantage.
Jump deserved better than the final result. The rookie allowed just one earned run over 5 2/3 innings, continuing to show why the Athletics remain encouraged by his development despite the recent losses. His performance was a significant improvement after surrendering six runs in his previous start.
The Athletics made one last serious push in the seventh when Kuroda-Grauer ripped a leadoff double. Butler followed with another walk, putting the tying run in scoring position with nobody out. Sean Newcomb entered from the bullpen and escaped the jam, aided by a successful White Sox challenge that turned what was initially ruled a force play into a lineout by pinch-hitter Alika Williams.
Wilson delivered perhaps Sacramento’s best individual moment in the eighth, lining his first career triple into right field with nobody out. The opportunity could hardly have been better. Yet Chicago turned to hard-throwing Grant Taylor, who shut the door immediately. Soderstrom bounced out, Jonah Heim followed with another groundout, and the Athletics watched another golden scoring chance disappear.
Wilson finished with two of Sacramento’s four hits, including the triple, while Kuroda-Grauer continued his remarkable start to his Major League career with two more hits, raising his total to 16 over his first 10 games. That ties the most by an Athletics player through his first 10 career contests in franchise history, matching marks set by Jack Hayden, Eddie Murphy and Mitchell Page.
Grant Taylor returned for the ninth and sealed the victory. Butler drew another walk to bring the tying run aboard, but Taylor struck out Colby Thomas before Acuña snagged Alika Williams’ line drive at shortstop to end another frustrating afternoon for the Green and Gold.
The loss dropped Sacramento deeper into its longest losing streak of the season, another setback during a difficult stretch in which offense has become increasingly difficult to find. Even so, the Athletics received encouraging pitching from Jump and another glimpse of Wilson’s and Kuroda-Grauer’s growing potential as the club searches for momentum before the All-Star break.
The series finale offers one final chance to head into the All-Star break with something positive. J.T. Ginn (7-5, 3.10 ERA, 86 strikeouts) gets the ball for Sacramento against Chicago left-hander Noah Schultz (2-6, 6.00 ERA, 43 strikeouts), with first pitch scheduled for 11:10 a.m. Pacific at Rate Field.
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.
Chicago White Sox Kyle Teel slides safely into home plate scoring on Sam Antonacci’s base hit in the bottom of the fifth inning against the Sacramento A’s at Rate Field in Chicago on Fri Jul 10, 2026 (AP News photo)
Sacramento A’s podcast Tony Harvey:
#1 The Sacramento A’s got neither pitching or run support to open their series against the Chicago White Sox at Rate Field in the South Side of Chicago. A’s reliever Aaron Civale pitched 2.1 innings in a bullpen game allowing six hits and four runs in the early innings of the Sox offensive run.
#2 Things were so bad for the A’s that the White Sox Tristan Peters went for the cycle the first time in nine years that a Sox hitter went for the cycle since Jose Abreu did it Sep 9, 2017. Tristan needed a triple and batted twice in the seventh inning and got it the second at bat.
#3 A’s fourth reliever Justin Sterner was also touched up for three hits and five earned runs and didn’t get a batter out he was sent packing when he was releived by Mason Barrett who pitched an inning allowed three hits and three earned runs.
#4 What happened to this A’s team who at one time held a two game lead in the AL West over the Seattle Mariners and now has dropped to next to last place and holding a 3 game lead over the last place Los Angeles Angels?
#5 It’s back to the drawing board for the A’s on Saturday night at Rate Field starting pitcher for Sacramento LHP Gage Jump (3-3 ERA 3.77) for Chicago RHP Erick Fedde (4-6 ERA 4.34) first pitch 11:10 AM 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.
Chicago White Sox Tristan Peters (right) goes in for the slide against the Sacramento A’s third baseman Joshua Kuroda-Grauer (center) in the bottom of the seventh inning at Rate Field in Chicago on Fri Jul 10, 2026 (AP News photo)
By Mauricio Segura
For four innings, the Sacramento Athletics and Chicago White Sox traded zeroes in a tight pitching contest. Then Chicago found every gap in the field, scoring 14 runs over its final four turns at bat and handing the Athletics a 14-1 loss.
Jacob Lopez opened for the A’s and retired five of the six hitters he faced. Aaron Civale replaced him with two outs in the second and struck out Chase Meidroth to complete the inning. Civale then worked through the third and fourth without allowing a run, giving Sacramento’s offense time to solve White Sox starter Sean Burke.
That solution never developed.
Burke retired the first 12 Athletics hitters before Jacob Wilson singled to right in the fifth. The chance disappeared one batter later when Joey Meneses grounded into a double play. Burke continued to control the Green and Gold, mixing strikeouts with routine contact and allowing only one run before leaving after seven innings.
Chicago broke the scoreless tie in the fifth, beginning with Meidroth’s double to left. Andrew Benintendi followed with an RBI double, and Kyle Teel drew a walk before Tristan Peters singled home Benintendi. Sam Antonacci added an RBI single that scored Teel and moved Peters to third.
Elvis Alvarado replaced Civale with Chicago already holding a 3-0 lead. After a replay challenge turned Munetaka Murakami’s plate appearance into a strikeout, Miguel Vargas lifted a sacrifice fly that scored Peters and completed the four-run inning.
The Athletics threatened in the sixth when Joshua Kuroda-Grauer singled and Henry Bolte was hit by a pitch. Jeff McNeil grounded into a double play, however, and Lawrence Butler struck out to leave Kuroda-Grauer at third.
Tyler Soderstrom gave the A’s their only run in the seventh, driving a solo home run over the right-field wall. Soderstrom, who had recently returned from the injured list, supplied Sacramento’s only extra-base hit. Wilson added his second single of the game later in the inning but was stranded when Meneses struck out.
Chicago answered with an eight-run seventh that ended any remaining doubt. Teel drew his second walk, and Peters followed with a two-run homer to right-center. Antonacci walked and scored on Murakami’s double before Vargas brought Murakami home with a ground-rule double.
Mason Barnett replaced Justin Sterner, but the White Sox kept moving. Braden Montgomery singled, Meidroth walked and Benintendi cleared the bases with a three-run double. Peters then tripled home Benintendi, giving him four RBI and leaving the White Sox ahead 12-1.
Peters finished 3-for-4 with a double, triple, home run, two runs and four RBI, missing only a single from becoming the first White Sox player to hit for the cycle since José Abreu in 2017. Benintendi also drove in four runs and collected three doubles. Vargas recorded a double, ground-rule double, sacrifice fly and solo homer while scoring three times and driving in three.
The final two runs crossed in the eighth against position player Carlos Cortes. Vargas opened the scoring with his home run. Colson Montgomery then singled, advanced to second on Butler’s fielding error and scored on Meidroth’s single.
Wilson was the only Athletic with multiple hits, finishing 2-for-3 before Alika Williams replaced him defensively. Kuroda-Grauer added another hit during an impressive beginning to his major league career. He has recorded 16 hits through his first ten games, matching Mitchell Page’s franchise mark for the most over that span.
The defeat extended the Athletics’ season-high losing streak to seven games and dropped them to 41-53. Chicago improved to 48-45 behind Burke, who earned his sixth victory after allowing one run on four hits over seven innings. Civale took the loss after surrendering four runs in 2⅓ innings.
The Athletics will ask rookie left-hander Gage Jump (3-3, 3.77 ERA, 41 strikeouts) to stop the skid in Game 2 against White Sox right-hander Erick Fedde (4-6, 4.34 ERA, 57 strikeouts), with first pitch scheduled for 11:10 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.
The Sacramento A’s IL is growing as left fielder grabs his leg after colliding into the left field fence while sliding trying to make the catch on Detroit Tigers Zach McKintry’s fly ball in foul ground in the third inning at Comerica Park in Detroit (AP News photo)
Tigers Finish A’s 4-1 for Yet Another Series Loss
By Mauricio Segura
Three swings was all it took for the Detroit Tigers to run away with a series win against the injury-plagued Sacramento Athletics.
The Tigers beat the Athletics 4-1, completing a three-game sweep and handing the Green and Gold their sixth straight loss. The A’s dropped to 41-52 after losing 10 of their last 11 and 14 of 17, while Detroit won for the eighth time in nine games. Framber Valdez did most of the heavy lifting from the mound, holding the Athletics to one run on three hits over seven innings, striking out nine without issuing a walk.
The Athletics tried a different pitching formula, using José Suárez as an opener one day after he threw two scoreless innings in relief. It was a rare assignment. Over the previous 44 years, the only A’s pitcher to start after throwing at least two innings the day before was Liam Hendriks in 2019. Suárez handled the unusual job well, retiring all three batters he faced in the first, including two flyouts after a leadoff strikeout.
Jack Perkins took over in the second and matched Valdez for an inning before Jake Rogers broke the scoreless tie in the third with a solo homer to left. The Athletics had almost nothing going against Valdez early. Through four innings, Shea Langeliers reaching on a hit-by-pitch was their only baserunner.
The fifth finally gave the A’s an opening. Jacob Wilson singled to left and Lawrence Butler was hit by a pitch. Colby Thomas moved Wilson to third with a fly ball, and Henry Bolte brought him home on a force play. The run tied the game 1-1, but the tie lasted only a few minutes.
Kerry Carpenter drew a leadoff walk in the bottom half, and Zach McKinstry followed with a two-run homer to right-center. Perkins’ outing ended after three innings of bulk work, with three runs allowed on two hits, one walk and three strikeouts. Luis Medina then steadied the game, getting five outs without allowing a run, but the Tigers found another homer against Hogan Harris in the seventh.
That one came with a wonderful twist for Detroit. Eduardo Valencia pinch-hit for Carpenter and homered to center, giving the Tigers a 4-1 lead. It was the final run of the game and another example of how quickly Detroit turned a quiet inning into damage.
The Athletics had chances to make the score closer, but Valdez kept ending rallies before they could grow. Langeliers and Jonah Heim hit back-to-back singles with two outs in the sixth, only for Valdez to strike out Wilson on a foul tip. In the eighth, Jeff McNeil singled off Kyle Finnegan, but Joshua Kuroda-Grauer grounded into a double play and Nick Kurtz struck out.
Kuroda-Grauer entered the game as one of the hottest hitters on the roster, batting .500 with 15 hits through his first eight Major League games. Only Mitchell Page, with 16 hits in 1977, had more hits over the first eight games of an Athletics career. The rookie went 0-for-4, ending a six-game hitting streak.
There was still one last chance in the ninth. Langeliers drew a leadoff walk from Kenley Jansen, and after Heim struck out, Wilson singled to right to put runners at the corners. Butler then lined out to shortstop Zach McKinstry, and pinch-hitter Tyler Soderstrom lined out to first baseman Spencer Torkelson to end it.
The final numbers told the story without much translation: one run, five hits and 11 strikeouts for the A’s. Detroit scored all four of its runs on homers, and Valdez gave the Tigers seven innings of control. The Athletics now leave Detroit with a six-game skid and one series remaining before the All-Star break.
The road trip continues in Chicago, where Sacramento’s LHP Aaron Civale (4-3 ERA 7.04) is expected to face White Sox right-hander Sean Burke(5-4 ERA 3.56), with first pitch scheduled for 4:40 p.m. Pacific.
Costa Rican-born Mauricio Segura has been covering sports in the Bay Area since 2001 for a variety of magazines and newspapers, as well as his own publication, Golden Bay Times.
Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.
⚡Craft cocktails? Check. 🔥Game-day bites? Oh yeah. 🏟️Steps from Golden 1 Center? You bet.
Open daily, Cyprus Grille is serving up local flavor with a front-row seat to the action. Stop by before or after the game—or make it your new downtown hangout.
Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.
📍Located inside the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena @ 300 J Street
Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm
Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in.
Sacramento A’s Shea Langeliers (23) is one of the leading hitters with a .261 average, 20 home runs, 45 RBIs, 88 hits is hoping to provide some run supports against the Chicago White Sox on Fri Jul 9, 2026 (AP file photo)
Sacramento A’s podcast Jeremiah Salmonson:
#1 Can Shea Langeliers continue his power surge and provide the Athletics with a big offensive spark against the White Sox pitching staff?
#2 How much of an impact will Jacob Wilson make now that he has returned from the injured list, and can he help stabilize the Athletics’ infield and lineup?
#3 Will Zack Gelof deliver the middle-of-the-order production the Athletics need to open the road series in Chicago?
#4 Can Nick Kurtz build on his promising season and give the Athletics another dangerous left-handed bat against the White Sox?
#5 If called upon, can Jeffrey Springs and the Athletics’ pitching staff keep the White Sox offense under control and give Sacramento a strong start to 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.
Debbie Sivyer founder of Mrs. Fields Cookies is seen on a Topps 1973 style card as a ball girl for the Oakland A’s during the A’s World Championship years
That’s Amaury News and Commentary
By Amaury Pi-González
Somebody who knew former A’s ball girl Debbi Fields is Nancy Finley the niece of former Oakland A’s owner Charlie O. Finley and the daughter of Carl Finley, who was the team’s General Manager. I asked Nancy about Fields. Nancy Finley is the author of the book “Finley Ball”, which details the behind-the-scenes administrative history of the A’s during the dynasty years in the 1970s. You can buy the book on Amazon and at many bookstores.
Nancy Finley explained to me how the whole idea of having Ball Girls came about: “I overheard Dad on the phone with Charlie, telling him how pretty Kathy’s sister, Debbi, was. Charlie asked Dad what they could do to bring Kathy into the office. This is when Charlie or Dad came up with the Ballgirl position. They briefly tried this in KC. That was in 1965. Dad said it would be better if they had a pair of Ballgirls, one for first base, and one for third base”.
“Dad asked Kathy if her sister could meet with him after school. I remember when Debbi arrived to meet with Dad. Dad offered her this position and asked if Debbie had a friend she could recommend for the other Ball Girl. This turned out to be Mary Berry. Debbie Sivyer and Mary Berry started as Ball Girls in 1971. I remember when we had the green-and-gold outfits designed”.
The A’s were the first team in Major League Baseball to introduce ball girls on the foul lines, under baseball innovator Charlie O’. Finley. The iconic program began in 1968 and famously employed future Mrs. Fields Cookies founder Debbi Fields in its early years. The tradition continued across the baselines until the franchise concluded its 57-year tenure in Oakland at the end of the 2024 season
Fields was destined to hit the jackpot in the Holding Company business, with help from an investor. Fields sold her Mrs. Fields cookie empire to an investment firm, Famous Brands International (formerly Mrs. Fields Holding Company), for $100 million in 1992. Currently, she doesn’t own the company; she continues to serve as the brand’s iconic spokesperson.
Fields opened her first store in Palo Alto, California, in 1977. By offering free samples to attract customers, she turned a small startup into an internationally recognized brand that now operates in over 250 locations. In addition to her baking empire, she has authored several cookbooks.
When I first began broadcasting Major League Baseball, back in the mid-to-late 1970s for the Oakland A’s. I usually had more contact with Mr. Carl Finley, who was the GM and oversaw the team’s daily operation, than with Charlie Finley, the owner.
Charlie O. Finley occasionally visited Oakland after the A’s won World Series titles in 1972-73-74. Remembered as a groundbreaking and innovative executive, he is not in the National Baseball Hall of Fame at Cooperstown, but he is a member of the Indiana Baseball Hall of Fame and the Athletics Hall of Fame.
I thank Nancy Finley for sharing these memories from her years with the Oakland A’s.
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.
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 second baseman Joshua Kuroda Grauer makes a diving tag on the base to beat the Detroit Tigers Zack McKinstry for the force out in the bottom of the sixth inning at Comerica Park on Wed Jul 8, 2026 (AP News photo)
Sacramento A’s podcast Bridget Mulchahy:
#1 With home runs from the Detroit Tigers Jake Rogers and Spencer Torkelson the Tigers won their fourth straight game over the Sacramento A’s at Comerica Park on Wednesday night.
#2 The Detroit Tigers Troy Melton improved his record to 5-1 with a win over the A’s going 5.1 striking out nine hitters. It was the Tigers seventh win in their last eight games.
#3 A’s starter Jefferey Springs dropped his record to 3-9 and the A’s have no lost their fifth straight and nine out of their last ten games. . Springs gave up six runs in 4.1 innings pitched. Springs drops to 0-9 in his last 15 games starting.
#4 Each of the A’s and Tigers lost an All Star player in Wednesday’s contest. Nick Kurtz left due to an illness and the Tigers catcher Daron Dingler had to leave after getting hit on his throwing hand.
#5 A’s and Tigers wrap up this series Thursday night at Comerica at 3:40pm PDT starting pitcher for the A’s RHP Jack Perkins (2-4 ERA 6.75) for the Tigers RHP Framber Valdez (4-6 ERA 4.29). A’s trail the series 0-2 can they avoid getting swept?
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 reliever Mason Barrett (63) pitches in relief in the top of the sixth inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park in Detroit on Wed Jul 8, 2026 (AP News photo)
By Mauricio Segura
The Sacramento A’s had seven hits, two walks and several chances to change the game’s direction. Detroit Tigers needed only three scoring hits to do all its damage. Riley Greene supplied the first hit, Jake Rogers turned a surprise appearance into a two-run homer, and Spencer Torkelson added the biggest blow with a three-run shot as the Tigers handed the Athletics a 6-1 loss. The defeat stretched the A’s skid to five games and gave them nine losses in their last 10.
Jeffrey Springs had history on his side against Detroit, carrying a 2-1 record and a 0.53 ERA through three previous career starts against the Tigers. That history disappeared quickly. Dillon Dingler reached on an infield single in the first and moved to second on Zack Gelof’s throwing error. Kevin McGonigle and Torkelson drew walks, and Greene lined an RBI single to right for a 1-0 lead. The A’s limited the inning to one run when Gelof forced McGonigle at home before Springs struck out Ben Malgeri.
Rogers was not even in the original lineup. He pinch-hit for Dingler in the second and immediately changed the game. After Zach McKinstry drew a one-out walk and Matt Vierling fouled out, Rogers drove a ball over the wall in left-center for a two-run homer and a 3-0 Detroit advantage. He was not finished. Rogers singled in the fifth and later drew a walk, reaching base in all three of his plate appearances.
The A’s had their first real chance in the second when Lawrence Butler doubled and Joshua Kuroda-Grauer followed with an infield single. Troy Melton ended the threat by striking out Carlos Cortes. Sacramento finally scored in the fourth after Tyler Soderstrom doubled and Jacob Wilson reached on McKinstry’s throwing error, allowing Soderstrom to score. Kuroda-Grauer collected another infield hit later in the inning, but Melton again escaped with a strikeout of Cortes.
Melton made the A’s work for almost everything. The right-hander allowed four hits and one unearned run over 5 1/3 innings, striking out nine and issuing one walk. He struck out the side in the fifth, getting Henry Bolte, Gelof and Jeff McNeil in order, and left after walking Soderstrom with one out in the sixth.
Detroit then ended any thought of a comeback. Rogers singled with one out in the fifth, McGonigle followed with a single to right, and Torkelson sent a three-run homer to left for a 6-1 lead. Greene drew a walk, ending Springs’ outing after 4 1/3 innings. The left-hander allowed six runs on six hits, four walks and two home runs while striking out four. Springs had allowed at least one homer in nine straight outings before this start, and the Rogers and Torkelson blasts extended that streak to 10. His personal losing streak also reached nine consecutive decisions, with his last victory still dating to April 14.
The A’s kept creating small openings but never found the hit to cash them in. In the sixth, Soderstrom and Wilson drew walks before Butler moved both runners with a groundout, but Kuroda-Grauer grounded out to end the inning. In the seventh, Cortes singled and McNeil later sent a single to right that moved Bolte to third, only for Shea Langeliers to ground out. Detroit’s bullpen covered the final 3 2/3 innings without allowing a run.
Kuroda-Grauer remained the brightest part of the A’s offense, finishing with three singles in four at-bats. He had already produced 12 hits through his first seven major league games, tied for the fourth-most in Athletics history over that opening stretch and the most since Ben Grieve had 13 in 1997. Three more hits gave Kuroda-Grauer 15 through his first eight games. Soderstrom, reinstated from the injured list before the game, doubled, walked and scored the Athletics’ only run.
There was at least one encouraging piece for the A’s after the game had tilted away from them. Justin Sterner, Mason Barnett and José Suarez combined for 3 2/3 scoreless innings, with Suarez striking out four over his two frames. It kept the margin from growing, but the offense never answered after Detroit’s fifth-inning homer.
The A’s get one last swing at the series Thursday, when Jack Perkins (2-4, 6.75 ERA, 70 strikeouts) faces Detroit left-hander Framber Valdez (4-6, 4.29 ERA, 78 strikeouts), with first pitch scheduled for 3:40 p.m. Pacific.
Costa Rican-born Mauricio Segura has been covering sports in the Bay Area since 2001 for a variety of magazines and newspapers, as well as his own publication, Golden Bay Times.
Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.
⚡Craft cocktails? Check. 🔥Game-day bites? Oh yeah. 🏟️Steps from Golden 1 Center? You bet.
Open daily, Cyprus Grille is serving up local flavor with a front-row seat to the action. Stop by before or after the game—or make it your new downtown hangout.
Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.
📍Located inside the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena @ 300 J Street
Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm
Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in.
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