Category: Uncategorized

By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO-Pawn Stars star Chumlee may have thrown out the ceremonial first pitch on Tuesday night, but what Angel Pagan did in the bottom of the first inning was just as impressive.

Pagan hit a leadoff home run off of Eric Stults in the bottom of the first inning, and after a Hunter Pence groundout, Buster Posey hit a solo home run, as the San Francisco Giants defeated the San Diego Padres 6-0 before a sellout crowd of 41,952, the 260th consecutive sellout at AT&T Park.

In a spot start due to an injury of original starter Matt Cain, Yusmeiro Petit pitched six innings, did not allow a run, gave up just three hits, allowed no walks and struck out four on his way to his second win of the season.

Cain was scratched from the game about an hour prior to the start of the game due to a cut on his right index finger that was suffered in a

Stults was able to retire the Giants in order in the bottom of the second inning, but the third inning was a different story for the former Giants pitcher.

The left-hander loaded the bases with nobody out, but then was able to get Michael Morse to ground into a double play that retired Pagan at the plate.

Stults then walked Pablo Sandoval intentionally, but the plan backfired, as Hector Sanchez hit a sharp two-run single up the middle that chased Stults.

Donn Roach allowed a sacrifice fly to Sanchez in the bottom of the fifth inning, but Roach did something in the top of the sixth inning that he will never forget.

Roach picked up his first major league hit, a double to the right-center field gap off of Petit.

By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO-In the early parts of this game, it definitely seemed that this was not going to be the San Francisco Giants day at the ballpark.

Luckily that is why they play nine innings and not the first one to three runs, as Hunter Pence came through with a huge two-run single in the bottom of the fifth inning and the Giants came back to defeat the Cleveland Indians 5-3 before a sellout crowd of 42,088, the 257th consecutive sellout at AT&T Park.

Pence’s single came with two out in the bottom of the frame, and it came after two out and the bases loaded for the suddenly streaking Giants.

Michael Morse got the inning started with a single off of Zach McAllister, after a Pablo Sandoval pop out to third base, Brandon Crawford singled, and then Brandon Hicks walked to load the bases.

Pinch hitter Gregor Blanco singled in Morse for the Giants for first run of the afternoon, then Angel Pagan got them within one run, as he hit a sacrifice fly to centerfield that scored Crawford from third base and then it was Pence’s turn at the plate.

Basically, with the game hanging in the balance, the right fielder laced a ball into right field to score Hicks and Blanco and give the Giants the lead for good.

Buster Posey put the finishing touches on the scoring, as he slammed a C.C. Lee pitch into the left field seats for his fifth home run of the season.

Tim Lincecum lasted just 4.2 innings, allowing three runs on nine hits, walking one and striking out three and what looked like it was going to drop his record to 1-2 on the season turned into a no decision.

Jason Kipnis got the Indians on the board in the first inning, as he singled to right field to Michael Bourn, who led off the game with a double of his own.

Kipnis drove in the Indians second run of the game in the top of the third inning, as he grounded out to Hicks at second base to score Nick Swisher from third base.

Swisher drove in what looked like could have been the last nail in the coffin for the Giants, as he doubled down the right field line to score Bourn, who led off the inning with a single.

McAllister went five innings, allowing four runs on five hits, walking just one and striking out six, as he lost for the first time this season.

By Robert D. Dávila
bdavila@sacbee.com

Ken Gimblin, an influential teacher and sports journalist who covered Northern California teams for many radio and TV stations, died April 15 of a heart attack, his family said. He was 76.

Decades before Ryan Seacrest turned up everywhere as a TV host, radio personality and producer, Mr. Gimblin was a expert multitasker who juggled careers as an educator and sportscaster. He started teaching at California Middle School in Sacramento in 1961 and later ran a successful student internship program at the state Capitol. Meanwhile, he reported on local high school and college sports for KROY radio and was the first sports anchor for KTXL Channel 40 in the 1970s.

“He told me once that he would get up, do a radio show, teach all day and then drive down to San Francisco to do an interview,” his sister Jean Cress said. “In the van on the way back, he’d sleep. Then he’d go into the station, write everything up and do the show. The next day, he did it all over again.”

For more than 50 years, Mr. Gimblin hustled harder than many top-dollar athletes as one of the most respected sports journalists in Northern California. In addition to college teams – from Sacramento State to Stanford and UC Berkeley – he covered the San Francisco Giants and 49ers, the Oakland A’s and Raiders, and the Golden State Warriors and Sacramento Kings for major Sacramento and Bay area media outlets.

“When I was covering the Giants at Candlestick (Park) in the 1970s and ’80s, Ken helped me so much,” said Amaury Pi-Gonzalez, a Spanish-language Major League Baseball announcer. “He was a real gentleman who treated everyone with respect, no matter who it was. He was a very talented man, and we’re going to miss him.”

Besides working as sports director at KTXL, Mr. Gimblin built a loyal following in Sacramento reporting for KCRA, KGMS and KWOD radio, including live coverage of the Camellia Bowl at Hughes Stadium. While working as a sportscaster for KXTV Channel 10, he eased into game shows as the popular host of “Bowling for Dollars,” a nationally syndicated program. In addition, he spent spent many years as a spokesman for the California State Fair.
Widely admired for his extensive knowledge of professional sports and teams, he founded his own company, Multi-Media News and Sports, as an umbrella organization for his services as a journalist, public relations expert and tour host for Giants and Raiders booster clubs. He was spotted in the press box at a Giants game a few days before he died, family and friends said.

“Ken was top-notch,” said Lee Leonard of Sports Radio Service. “He was always giving tips and helping people who were trying to break into the business. He had relationships with so many people in radio and TV. He was a classy guy.”

Kenneth Earl Gimblin was born Dec. 2, 1937, in Sacramento. He began doing on-air sports for KXOA and KFBK radio while attending McClatchy High School and earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education and social studies from California State University, Sacramento.

He taught for many years in the Sacramento City Unified School District and oversaw Practical Politics, a program that placed high school students in internships at stage agencies and Capitol offices. In recent years, he was a substitute teacher at Capital City School, a Sacramento City independent studies program.

Mr. Gimblin was divorced and is survived by two daughters, Carolyn Bonanno and Jennifer. In addition to Cress, he is survived by two other sisters, Catherine Wilson and Nancy, and a granddaughter.

A memorial is set for 1 p.m. May 10 at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, 8701 Elk Grove-Florin Road, Elk Grove. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Sacramento State, through a secure site accessed at http://www.csus.edu/giving.

NOTE: This story was written by Robert D. Dávila of the Sacramento Bee

By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO-Tim Hudson continues to be a great addition to the pitching staff for the San Francisco Giants thus far in the early going during the 2014 season.

Hunter Pence drove in Angel Pagan for the Giants first run of the game, as he tripled to the right-center field gap in the bottom of the first inning and the Giants would go on to defeat the Cleveland Indians 5-1 before a sellout crowd of 41,296, the 256th consecutive sellout at AT&T Park.

Michael Morse added another run in that bottom of the first inning, as he hit a sacrifice fly to David Murphy in right field that scored Pence from third base.

That would not be the only run of the night that Morse would drive in, as he slammed a solo home run to lead off the bottom of the fourth inning.

Angel Pagan got the hit parade started in the bottom of the first inning, as he singled off eventual losing pitcher Carlos Carrasco.

With the loss, Carrasco tied a dubious Indians record, as he lost for the 17th consecutive start, tying Justin Masteron, who turned the feat from 2009-2010.

Carrasco’s last win as a starter came on June 29, 2011 against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field, a span of 33 months.

Not only did the Giants continue to get better at the plate, but Hudson continued to be a dominant pitcher early on this season, as he went seven innings, allowing just one run, scattering four hits, walking two and striking out five and raised his record to 3-1 on the season.

When Hudson walked Carlos Santana in the top of the first inning, it was the first walk allowed by Hudson in 30.2 innings this season.

The 30.2 innings of not allowing a walk to begin a season is a new Giants record.

That walk by Hudson left him 2.1 innings short of tying Tiny Bonham for the second longest streak to start a season, as Bonham went 33.0 innings from April 25-May 14, 1944, a span of four games.

Grover Cleveland Alexander went 51 innings in 1923, a span of six games and that is the longest streak by a pitcher since 1914.

Carrasco went six innings, allowing four runs on five hits, while walking one and striking out six; however his record fall to 0-3 on the 2014 season.

Brandon Crawford drove in the Giants fifth run of the game, as he singled in the bottom of the seventh inning to score Pablo Sandoval from third base.

Sandoval tripled to leadoff the inning against former Oakland A’s reliever Josh Outman with a long triple to the right-center field to almost the exact same spot as Pence hit his in the bottom of the first inning

By DANIEL DULLUM
Sports Radio Service
Thursday, April 24, 2014

What sophomore jinx?

Josh Donaldson is doing his best to face down that old baseball superstition. He belted two home runs Thursday in Oakland’s 11-1 rout of the Astros at Houston.

This was Donaldson’s first career multi-home run game. The hard-hitting third baseman connected in the first inning and the seventh.

Alberto Callaspo added a two-run homer in the third inning, Coco Crisp and Brandon Moss each hit an RBI single, and Jed Lowrie collected three hits – including an RBI double – for the Athletics.

A’s starter Scott Kazmir (3-0) struck out seven in six innings while giving up five hits and one run. In the process, Kazmir lowered his earned run average to 1.62.

Brett Oberholtzer (0-4) took the loss for Houston. He surrendered six runs on eight hits in 3 2/3 innings. The Astros scored their only run on a bases- loaded walk issued to former A’s farmhand Chris Carter in the bottom of the first inning.

The Astros, one of the better fielding teams in baseball, were plagued by five errors.

The four-game series continues Friday, with Jesse Chavez (1-0) on the mound for Oakland, facing the Astros’ Brad Peacock (0-2). Game time is 5:10 p.m. Pacific.

By George Devine, Sr.

The Giants are looking at their second homestand — this one involving interleague play — and monitoring the physical condition of their players. At the same time they are wondering how to put together the elements in the recipe for success in 2014.

Missing from the roster at this time is Marco Scutaro, on the 15-day DL retroactive to March 21. His projected return is uncertain since the back inflammation which pestered him last season is a persistent issue. Also sidelined is LHP David Huff, on the 15-day DL retroactive to April 22 after he was injured on an infield single on April 21.

The batting order is strong on paper, but the games are not played on paper. An increase in timely hitting can bring the team back to first place. They are now 12-10, 2 games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers. San Francisco’s leading hitters at this time are Angel Pagan (.329, 12 rbi), Michael Morse (.279, 15 rbi, 5 hr) and Brandon Belt (.299, 13 rbi, 7 hr). Buster Posey is batting .229 and has 10 rbi with 4 hr.

The first series of the homestand is against the Cleveland Indians of the American League, who are slated to send Carlos Carrasco up against fellow RHP Tim Hudson in the first game on Friday, April 25; it will be the former Oakland Athletic’s first time against the Tribe. In the last series between the two teams at AT&T Park three seasons ago, the Giants swept, 3-0; they are 5-4 against Cleveland in general.

In a lighthearted promotion, the first 40,000 fans will receive a bobblehead commemorating the lone home run hit by former Indians’ infielder Duane Kuiper, later a Giant and now a renowned broadcaster for the two-time World Series champions. The souvenir is presented by Comcast SportsNet for whom “Kuip” calls the games. Had Kuiper hit one out of the park for San Francisco, he would have the distinction of one home run in each league, but it was not to be. Also, special event ticketholders will receive a limited edition Lou Seal plush golf head cover, featuring the Giants’ uniquely whimsical mascot.

On the following afternoon, the first 30,000 through the turnstiles will receive a 1954 replica World Series ring, honoring the sixtieth anniversary of the 1954 Giants, sponsored by AT&T. Sunday, April 27, is Little League Day at AT&T Park. Prior to the game, little leaguers who purchased special event tickets will be able to attend a Q&A session with current Giants players and coaches and participate in a parade around the warning track. The first 7,500 fans ages 14-and-under will receive a Pablo Sandoval Kids Bat, presented by Diamond of California. Following the game, all kids 14-years and younger are invited to come run the bases.

The Giants wrap up their homestand with a three-game series against the Padres (April 28-30). On Monday, April 28, the Giants will host Korean Heritage Night. Golfing legend, Se-Ri Pak, a 2007 inductee of the LPGA and World Golf Hall of Fame, will be in attendance to throw out the first pitch. Prior to the game, Korean cultural performances will take place on the field for fans to enjoy. Fans who purchase a special event ticket will receive a collector’s edition Se-Ri Pak Bobblehead.

Tuesday, April 29, is Chinese Heritage Night, presented by Graton Resort & Casino. Special event ticket holders will receive a Giants-themed “Year of the Horse”item. Partial proceeds from each special event ticket sold will benefit local Chinese base charities. All fans will be able to enjoy pre-game cultural entertainment, including drummers, dragon lion dancers and fan and ribbon dancers. On Tuesday, the Giants will also host a Sports Antique Show for special event ticket holders from 5:00-7:00 p.m. in Seals Plaza. Fans who purchase a special event ticket will receive a Chumlee Bobblehead and have an opportunity to showcase their items at the pre-game antique show, where Chumlee, a cast member on the History Channel’s show Pawn Stars, will be serving as the curator. It is also Say Hey Tuesday as CSN Bay Area will host Yahoo! Sports Talk Live from Willie Mays Plaza. Fans are invited to come out early and watch their favorite sports analysts.

Wednesday, April 30, is the Giants annual Until There’s A Cure Night, raising awareness of prevention education, care and services, in an effort to help find a cure for AIDS, presented by the Giants Community Fundand Gilead. A portion of every special event ticket sold will go directly to the Until There’s A Cure Foundation. The first 20,000 fans in attendance will receive an Until There’s A Cure postcard. Wednesday is also Irish Heritage Nightat AT&T Park. Special event ticket packages include admission to the Irish Heritage Night pre-game party in Seals Plaza from 5:00-7:00 p.m. and an Irish-themed Giants T-shirt. Partial proceeds from each special event ticket sold will benefit local Irish charities. All fans will be able to enjoy an on-field performance by Healy Irish dancers prior to the game. In addition on Wednesday, Sharon Robinson, Consultant, Community Affairs and Educational Programming for Major League Baseball and daughter of Jackie Robinson will honor Raymond Beasley V, a 5th grade student from R. Paul Krey Elementary School in Brentwood, in a pregame ceremony. Raymond is the winner of the Breaking Barriers Essay Contest which encourages children to write about barriers and obstacles they have faced or are still facing in their lives and how they used the values exemplified by Jackie Robinson to deal with those barriers or obstacles.

By Jeremy Harness

The Giants had been in a serious funk ever since taking two of three from the Dodgers last week at AT&T Park.

Hector Sanchez made sure that cold snap did not extend into Wednesday.

With the winds swirling around Coors Field, bringing back memories of Candlestick Park, Sanchez uncorked a grand slam in the 11th inning off Colorado reliever Chad Bettis to bring the Giants to victory over the Rockies.

However, the Giants still managed to make things interesting in the bottom half. Closer Sergio Romo entered the game and gave up a two-run homer to Justin Morneau and then surrendered a one-out walk to Drew Stubbs.

But as the “oh-no” feelings started to rise up again, Romo came up with a big pitch that got the Giants the win, a grounder off the bat of Brandon Barnes that led to a double play.

Sanchez’s slam could not have come at a better time, as the Giants were on the verge of being swept in the three-game series in a ballpark that has always created problems for the Giants, regardless of how good the two teams are at given time.

By Jeremy Kahn

When you play at Coors Field, you know there is going to be alot of home runs hit; because of the altitude in the City of Denver, but the one thing you do not expect is a low scoring game.

Nolan Arenado hit a solo home run off of Madison Bumgarner leading off the bottom of the fifth inning, as the Colorado Rockies held on to defeat the San Francisco Giants 2-1 at Coors Field.

Arenado’s home run broke a 1-1 tie that lasted all of one-half inning, as Hunter Pence hit his second home run of the season in the top of the inning that tied up the game between these National Western Division rivals.

Troy Tulowitzki put the Rockies on the board in the bottom of the fourth inning ,as he hit his third home run of the season off of Madison Bumgarner.

Through the first two games of the series, both won by the Rockies, they have hit a whopping seven home runs off of Giants pitching.

Franklin Morales allowed just one run on seven hits in seven innings, as he matched the longest outing of his career.

On the other side of things, it was a tough loss for Bumgarner, who threw a complete game, allowing two runs on nine hits, walking just one and striking out six; however he lost for the second straight outing.

LaTroy Hawkins came on in the top of the ninth inning to pickup the save for the Rockies, despite the fact that he allowed a pinch-hit walk to Brandon Crawford and then a pinch-hit single to Gregor Blanco; however the eteran was able to regroup to strikeout pinch hitter Hector Sanchez and got Angel Pagan to ground out to Tulowitzki at shortstop to end the game.