Category: Uncategorized

By Daniel Dullum
Sports Radio Service
Thursday, May 29, 2014

Miguel Cabrera smacked a go-ahead sacrifice fly in the sixth inning for Detroit Thursday, and the Tigers hung on for a 5-4 win over the Athletics at the Coliseum in Oakland.

The A’s, who stranded 14 baserunners, have cooled off of late. Oakland is 2-2 on the current homestand and has lost six of its last eight games.

Rick Porcello (8-2) overcame a career-high six walks to pick up the win. Closer Joe Nathan survived a rough ninth inning to earn his 13th save.

In the ninth, Nathan surrendered a leadoff double to Josh Donaldson, a run-scoring infield single by Yoenis Cespedes, and an RBI double for Josh Reddick before retiring pinch-hitter Jed Lowrie on a game-ending groundout.

The Tigers built a 5-2 lead in the seventh when Victor Martinez hit a two-run double and Cabrera added an RBI groundout.

Nick Punto hit a two-run homer for the A’s in the fourth inning, his first round-tripper of the season. He also had a career-high tying three walks.

Losing pitcher Jesse Chaves (4-3) worked six innings, striking out three, walking two and giving up three earned runs.

Attendance was announced as 21,860. The A’s homestand continues with a three-game weekend series against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

A’s ACORNS: This weekend, the Athletics celebrate the 40th anniversary of their 1974 World Series championship, the third of three consecutive titles, something no other Bay Area major league franchise has achieved. Members of the ’74 A’s will take part in an autograph session in the Bar & Grille (formerly the Westside Club) on Friday, and a session with only Reggie Jackson and Rollie Fingers is scheduled for Saturday. Autograph tickets go on sale at 4:30 p.m. both Friday and Saturday at Section 216. Proceeds for all autograph sessions will benefit the Catfish Hunter ALS Foundation. … On Saturday, May 31, Oakland outfielder Josh Reddick will host a baseball fielding clinic for Richmond Little Leaguers when the A’s and PG&E dedicate Dr. Martin Luther King Field as part of the “Energize Your Field” program.

By Jeremy Harness

The Giants haven’t exactly been known as a hitting team for the past few years, but they have bucked that trend lately, and it has paid dividends.

The Giants used that wave of momentum to move past the St. Louis Cardinals in the opener of a four-game weekend series, 6-5, at Busch Stadium Thursday night.

For much of the season, Pablo Sandoval was stuck in a funk at the plate without a real end in sight. In fact, during the first two months of the season, Sandoval’s batting average hovered just above .200, which isn’t exactly what you wish for when you’re in the final year of your contract, a situation that he happens to be in.

But boy, have times changed. He has slowly brought his average back up to a somewhat-respectabe .247, to the point that manager Bruce Bochy has moved him back up to the No. 3 spot in the lineup, right behind slugger Michael Morse.

Sandoval justified Bochy’s move by launching a solo homer into left-center in the top of the sixth inning to tie the game at 3-3.

Meanwhile, Morse continues to make a serious case for becoming a National League All-Star this season. The big outfielder went 2-for-4 on Thursday and blasted a tape-measure shot that traveled halfway up the bleachers in left-center for a solo homer in the second inning to tie the game at 1-1.

Morse is currently batting .290 and has added more than his fair share of majestic shots into the bleachers that tend to have a lasting effect on fans who have a big part of the All-Star selection come July.

Six innings later, he broke a tie with a hard liner into right-center that skipped past center fielder Peter Bourjos and bounced all the way to the wall, a play that scored two runs and gave the Giants a 6-4 lead.

Starter Ryan Vogelsong didn’t have his best start, but he did give the Giants 6 1/3 innings while giving up four runs on seven hits, walking three while striking out four.

Thankfully, his bullpen was slightly better, particularly Javier Lopez – who earned the win Thursday, thanks to Morse’s go-ahead hit – and Jean Machi, who combined to completely shut down the Cardinals and give the ball to Sergio Romo in the ninth with a two-run lead.

Romo did surrender a run in the final inning, as Matt Carpenter scored Jon Jay with a single, but the closer settled down to get his 17th save of the season.

BY PAUL GACKLE OAKLAND — A hot-spring day in Oakland felt like October as the Detroit Tigers topped the A’s 5-4 at O.co Coliseum on Thursday.

The A’s failed to cash-in on several opportunities in the final contest of a four-game set with the Tigers, leaving 14 runners on base and going 2-for-13 with runners in scoring position, triggering memories of the team’s shortcomings in playoffs over the last two years.

“We had plenty of opportunities today,” Manager Bob Melvin said. “We had some situational at bats where we didn’t come through.”

The first bungle came in the second inning when the A’s loaded the bases with no outs but failed to score after Eric Sogard hit into an unconventional 1-2-3 double play and Coco Crisp bounced out to first.

The A’s botched another scoring chance in the fifth when they put runners on the corners with no outs before Josh Donaldson struck out, Brandon Moss popped out and Yoenis Cespedes was robbed of a hit by a diving J.D. Martinez in left field.

“That’s the game of baseball,” starter Jesse Chavez said, referring to the A’s missed opportunities. “That’s going to happen and, unfortunately, today we didn’t get that big hit.”

Tigers starting pitcher Rick Porcello tried to lend the A’s a hand in the sixth, walking Nick Punto and Coco Crisp and hitting Eric Sogard with a pitch to fill the bases with two outs. But pinch hitter Derek Norris popped up to first, leaving three more runners on base.

The A’s collected nine walks and nine hits in the contest.

The Tigers opened the scoring in the third when Ian Kinsler doubled off Chavez and Miguel Cabrera brought him in on a fielder’s choice.

The A’s jumped ahead 2-1 in the fourth when Nick Punto hit his first home run in an A’s uniform with Alberto Callaspo aboard, but the Tigers responded with two runs in the top of the fifth and they added two crucial insurance runs in the seventh off former-closer Jim Johnson, taking a 5-2 lead.

Johnson is now 0-2 with a 14.04 ERA at home this season. Once again, he was booed as he walked off the mound at the Coliseum.

Melvin said he’s uncertain about what Johnson’s role in bullpen will be going forward.

“We’ll continue to try to find a good spot for him and get him going,” he said.

Chavez (4-3) continued his May backslide, surrendering three earned runs on eight hits in six innings of work. After a dazzling April in which he went 2-0 with a 1.89 ERA, Chavez’s numbers are starting to even out. He posted a 2-3 record with a 3.90 ERA in May, giving up eight hits in each of his last two starts.

But the A’s made things interesting in the ninth, scoring two runs off doubles from Donaldson and Josh Reddick and a single by Cespedes. They put to go-ahead run on base with two outs, but Jed Lowrie grounded out to first to end the game.

The A’s return to action at O.co Coliseum on Friday taking on the second-place Los Angeles Angels, who have closed the gap in the American League West standings to two games.

By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO-If people thought that the injury to Brandon Belt would be devestating to the San Francisco Giants, they do not know this team.

Pablo Sandoval and Michael Morse have picked up the slack in place of Belt, and they showed it again in the second game of the three-game series against the Chicago Cubs.

Morse hit a run-scoring single in the bottom of the first inning, added a double in the bottom of the fourth, while Sandoval picked up a key hit in the bottom of the fifth inning and the Giants defeated the Chicago Cubs 4-0 before a crowd of 41,060, the 273rd consecutive sellout at AT&T Park.

Tim Hudson was his usual solid self, as he went seven innings, allowing zero runs on six hits, walking zero and striking out five, as he won for the fifth time against two losses.

By not walking anyone again, Hudson continues to not have broke the double figure plateau in free passes, as he stands at six walks with 44 strikeouts.

In six starts at AT&T Park this season, Hudson has issued just two walks, both coming against the Cleveland Indians on April 25.

Buster Posey drove in two runs for the Giants, as he hit two sacrifice flies, the first in the bottom of the first and only run that the Giants would need.

Posey drove in Angel Pagan from third base, after Pagan singled, and advanced to third on a Hunter Pence siand then scored on the sacrifice fly.

Following a Sandoval groundout to shortstop, Morse drove in Pence with a single.

Posey drove in the Giants third run of the evening after Ehire Adrianza singled to lead off the inning, stole his first career base and then scored the all important third run of the night for the Giants.

Following the Posey sacrifice fly, Sandoval blooped a single into left field that scored Pagan with his second run of the night, after he singled for the second time in the game.

Despite taking the loss, Jake Arrieta pitched admirably, as he went six innings, allwoing four runs on seven hits, walking just one and striking out six.

By George Devine, Sr.

The Oklahoma City Thunder took game 3 in the west from the San Antonio Spurs, 106-97, to head off a sweep and make it a 2-1 series. The hometown crowd roared with enthusiasm after the team’s return from Texas, and even more so when Serge Ibaka was seen in uniform and ready to play. The popular and effective defender was considered finished for the year with a calf strain but was back in action for just under thirty minutes. He made the difference, and likely prevented more points than he scored.

Ibaka did score 15 points, or an average of a point every two minutes. Just as importantly, he had 4 blocks and 7 rebounds, 5 of them on defense. He was not the high scorer. That honor went ot Russell Westbrook with 26; he also contributed 7 valuable assists and 8 boards. Kevin Durant was close behind in points with 25 and had 10 rebounds. Reggie Jackson matched Ibaka at 15 points and had 5 assists.

Oklahoma City outscored San Antonio in all quarters but the first, and dominated from the floor with a 45.7 percentage as distinct from the visitors’ 39.6; the Spurs led in the other offensive categories, however (93.8-85.9 from the line and 38.5-27.8 on treys).

For the Spurs, Manu Ginobili hit for 23, Tim Duncan had 16 points and 8 rebounds; Kawhi Leonard had 10 points and Tony Parker was held to 9.

The series continues with Game 4 at 9 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, May 27.

By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO-It seems that the San Francisco Giants have found their groove, and they just love feasting on teams from the American League Central.

Michael Morse hit a bases clearing double in the bottom of the fifth inning that broke open what was a close game, as the Giants defeated the Minnesota Twins 8-1 before a crowd of 42,590, the 271st consecutive sellout at AT&T Park.

It was a huge day for Morse at the plate, as he doubled three times in four at-bats and added a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the first inning.

The Giants are now a perfect 6-0 versus the American League Central this season, after sweeping the Twins this weekend and having swept the Cleveland Indians from April 25-27.

Not to be out done, but Madison Bumgarner was absolutely solid against the Twins, as he went seven innings, allowing just one run, on only three hits, walking zero and striking out 10 and improves to 6-3 on the season.

By striking out 10 Twins on the afternoon, it was the 15th time in Bumgarner’s career that he topped the double figure plateau in strikeouts and the second time during the 2014 season.

Bumgarner also struck out 10 against the Los Angeles Dodgers on April 5, a game that the Giants won by the final score of 7-2 at Dodger Stadium.

Pablo Sandoval got the Giants their first run of the game in first inning the bottom of the first inning, as he singled in Hunter Pence.

Morse then followed Sandoval with a hard hit sacrifice fly to left field that scored Buster Posey, who singled with one out.

Brian Dozier drove in the only Twins run of the afternoon in the top of the second inning, as he hit a sacrifice fly to center field that scored Eduardo Escobar.

Hunter Pence gave the Giants a three-run in the bottom of the third inning, as he supplanted a Ricky Nolasco offering into the left field bleachers for his sixth home run of the season.

Tyler Colvin drove in the eighth and final run of the afternoon in the bottom of the eighth inning on a great play by Joe Mauer.

Other than great play at first base by Mauer, this is a day that he will probably by the time the Twins get on the plane and head back to Minneapolis that he would love to forget.

Mauer struck out three times versus Bumgarner, just the fifth time in his major league career that Mauer struck out three times in the same game.

In the series, Mauer went 4-for-13 with a double, a run scored and a RBI, the fourth hit of the series for Mauer came in the top of the ninth inning, as he singled off of George Kontos.

The other pitchers to turn the feat were C.C. Sabathia on two different occasions, John Lackey and Ryan Dempster

It was not a good day for Nolasco, as he went 4.2 innings, allowing seven runs on nine hits, walked one and struck out three and saw his record fall to 2-5.

By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO-Pablo Sandoval continues his hot hitting against that is thrown to him at the plate, and he proved that in his first at-bat of the evening.

Sandoval homered off Samuel Deduno in the bottom of the second inning, as the San Francisco Giants defeated the Minnesota Twins 2-1 before a crowd of 41,724, the 270th consecutive regular season sellout at AT&T Park.

This was the Giants fifth straight win in interleague play against zero losses, as they look to complete their second consecutive interleague sweep on Sunday afternoon.

Last month, the Giants swept the Cleveland Indians from April 25-27 and next face an interleague opponent on June 17, when they travel to the South Side of Chicago to face the Chicago White Sox for a quick two-game series.

It was the fourth home run in the last six games for Sandoval, and continues to stay hot after beginning the season 19-for-114, a .167 clip.

Ryan Vogelsong went 6.2 innings, allowing zero runs on three hits, while walking just one and striking out seven, as he won for the third time this season against two losses.

This was the first interleague for Vogelsong since June 15, 2012, when he defeated the Seattle Mariners at Safeco Field

Over his past six starts, Vogelsong has thrown 40 innings, a 1.35 earned run average with 35 strikeouts.

In his last 13.2 innings, opponents have not scored against the right-hander and the last time he allowed a run was to the Atlanta Braves on May 13, a 5-0 loss at AT&T Park.

Vogelsong did not allow a run to the Miami Marlins on Sunday afternoon in seven innings of work, as the Giants would go to defeat the Marlins 4-1.

Despite the early home run to Sandoval in the bottom of the first inning, Deduno settled down, as he went 5.2 innings, allowing two runs on four hits, walking three and striking out four; however his record fell to 1-3 on the season.

Sandoval added a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the sixth inning, driving Angel Pagan from third base, who led off the inning with a single, advanced to second on a Hunter Pence walk and to third on a Buster Posey Fielders’ Choice that retired Pence at second base.

Josmil Pinto broke up the shutout in the top of the ninth inning, as he took a Sergio Romo over the left field wall for his seventh home run of the season.

Romo settled down to retire Jason Kubel on a groundout to shortstop, Eduardo Escobar struck out for the second and former Oakland A’s catcher Kurt Suzuki ended the game via a groundout to Romo, who picked up his 16th save of the season in 18 opportunities.

By DANIEL DULLUM
Sports Radio Service
Thursday, May 22, 2014

Tampa Bay’s Sean Rodriguez smacked a dramatic three-run home run with two out in the bottom of the 11th inning Thursday, lifting the Rays past Oakland 5-2, salvaging the third game of their midweek series against the Athletics at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Rodriguez hit his team-leading fifth homer of the season off A’s reliever Luke Gregorson after Desmond Jennings delivered a two-out game-tying single off losing pitcher Dan Otero (4-1).

The loss ended Oakland’s five-game winning streak, and snapped Tampa Bay’s four-game skid. It was also the Athletics’ second loss in their last 13 games.

Rays’ reliever Josh Lueke (1-2) finished the 11th inning to get the win. The A’s took a 2-1 lead in the top of the 11th on a sacrifice fly by Yeonis Cespedes, who also drove in the first Oakland run with an RBI double in the ninth inning off TB closer Grant Balfour.

Tampa Bay took a 1-0 lead in the seventh inning on an RBI single by Yunel Escobar.

A’s starter Sonny Gray tossed eight innings to reduce his American League-leading earned run average to 1.99. Alex Cobb, making his first start for the Rays since April 12, threw 6 2/3 scoreless innings. Cobb has spent 35 days on the disabled list with a strained left oblique.

Cobb also tied a Rays record with his third consecutive scoreless start.

Tampa Bay’s rally in the ninth ended on a replay. Jennings was ruled to be caught stealing after the play was originally ruled safe. The replay challenge took two minutes and 13 seconds.

A’s ACORNS: Oakland OF Coco Crisp and SS Jed Lowrie returned to the Athletics’ lineup after both were sidelined with sore necks. … The A’s travel to Toronto for a weekend series. On Friday, LHP Scott Kazmir (5-1) faces Blue Jays knuckleballer R.A. Dickey (4-4). … A’s INF Eric Sogard will distribute eye glasses to over 50 deserving children on Tuesday, May 27, at Franklin Elementary School in Oakland. Sogard, one of the few major leaguers to wear glasses on the field, will make the visit in conjunction with Vision To Learn, a nonprofit that provides free eye exams and glasses to children in low-income communities.