A’s Bats Erupt Early to Power Past Orioles 11-3 in Statement Win

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A’s Bats Erupt Early to Power Past Orioles 11-3 in Statement Win

By Mauricio Segura

The Sacramento Athletics didn’t waste any time reminding the Baltimore Orioles crowd that this wasn’t going to be an ordinary night at Camden Yards as the A’s blasted the O’s 11-3 on Saturday.

The first two pitches they saw didn’t even matter, Lawrence Butler worked a leadoff walk, and on the very next at-bat Shea Langeliers unloaded on a Brandon Young fastball, sending it on a low, screaming line into the left field seats. Just like that, the Green and Gold were up 2-0, and the tone was set.

Of course, the Orioles had an answer of their own in the bottom half. Jackson Holliday and Jordan Westburg opened with back-to-back singles before Gunnar Henderson launched a center-field shot that flipped the score in Baltimore’s favor, 3-2. For a moment, it looked like we might be in for one of those punch-counterpunch slugfests that test the stamina of both teams.

But instead, the Athletics turned it into a one-sided hitting clinic.

Langeliers got the rally started again in the third with a sharp single, and Nick Kurtz followed with another hit to set the table for Brent Rooker. Rooker didn’t miss, swatting his 24th home run of the season into the Baltimore night and reclaiming the lead, 5-3. Tyler Soderstrom, who seems determined to hit in every game he plays, doubled to extend his streak to ten straight, eventually scoring on a Darell Hernaiz sacrifice fly.

By the time the fifth inning rolled around, the Sacramento lineup decided it was time to bury Baltimore under a mountain of hits. Kurtz and Rooker kicked things off with another one-two punch, Rooker’s double plating a run.

The inning snowballed from there, JJ Bleday drew a walk, Hernaiz reached on a pitcher’s error, and Luis Urías brought home another with a single. That chased Young’s replacement Yaramil Hiraldo from the game, but the fresh arm didn’t slow the A’s.

Gio Urshela drilled a two-run double, Langeliers banged a ground-rule double to plate another, and the scoreboard blinked an eye-popping 11-3 by the time the Orioles could stagger back to the dugout.

Jack Perkins, meanwhile, quietly steadied the game for Sacramento after a bumpy first inning. Once he got the ball with a lead, he went to work, forcing weak contact and letting his defense back him up. The Orioles, who’d looked ready to slug along early, were suddenly reduced to a string of harmless fly balls and frustrated strikeouts.

Baltimore’s biggest problem wasn’t just that Sacramento was hitting, it was that the A’s lineup spread the damage around. Langeliers was a menace at the plate with three hits, including the opening home run, and drove in four.

Rooker was equally destructive with a homer and a double. Kurtz chipped in two singles, Urshela added a two-run double, and Urías joined the fun with two hits and two RBIs. Even the outs had sting to them, as several lineouts were ripped right at Baltimore fielders.

After the offensive explosion, the A’s bullpen kept things airtight. Michael Kelly took over in the seventh and, aided by a fine grab from Soderstrom in foul territory, kept the Orioles from building even a whisper of a rally. Hogan Harris slammed the door in the ninth with two strikeouts, ensuring the Athletics didn’t need to sweat the late innings.

For Sacramento, this was the blueprint game, patience at the plate, punishing mistakes, and pitching that tightens as the night goes on. They made an Orioles team fighting to stay in the playoff picture look like they were still in spring training mode.

The win also underscored the balance in the Athletics’ lineup. No single player carried the load; instead, they produced an assembly line of base runners and timely extra-base hits. They scored in four different innings, tallied 15 hits, and walked five times, giving their pitchers a cushion big enough to land a jumbo jet.

The Orioles, for their part, had no answer after the first inning. Henderson’s three-run blast was their only real highlight. Once Perkins and the bullpen adjusted, Baltimore went down in order in four separate innings and never truly threatened again. Even when they did put a man on, The A’s defense snuffed it out.

For fans of the Green and Gold, it was the kind of night that offers both entertainment and reassurance. Sacramento didn’t just win; they dictated every inning after the first. If this version of the Athletics shows up consistently, they’re going to make life miserable for opposing pitchers from now until the season’s final day.

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. 

Valkyries Apply The D: Sparks Stopped Cold in 72-59 Loss

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By Morris Phillips

SAN FRANCISCO–The streaking Sparks arrived at Ballhalla having scored at least 100 points in each of five wins over their last six games. All that offense came to a halt Saturday night with an  uncurteous assist from the Valkyries.

The hosts clamped down, holding Los Angeles to 32 percent shooting in a 72-59 win that was critical for playoff positioning. The Valkyries clinched the season series between the clubs with a third win in four meetings, and created a one game cushion in the fight for the eighth and last playoff seed.

The visitors were essentially limited to a credible offensive showing in the second quarter then through two surges in the third quarter. That brought the Sparks to within 43-40 with 4:52 remaining in the quarter but they would get no closer the remainder of the game. The Valkyries closed beautifully, surviving a scoreless finish over the final 3:41 without relinquishing their double-digit lead.

Veronica Burton was a two-way menace with a team-best 16 points along with suffocating defense on Kelsey Plum, who was limited to 4 points and one made basket. In the season-opener, Plum exploded for 37 points, but this time was left visibly flustered.

“We were really connected defensively,” Burton said. “The communication was at an all-time high, we were in our shifts. Obviously I was guarding her a lot but I never felt like I was on an island.”

“Just Vee understanding the game plan, asking questions at shootaround… We understand the talent of Kelsey Plum, scorer on all three levels. Credit to Vee, and credit for her teammates having her back,” coach Natalie Nakase said.

The Valkyries scoring was characteristically balanced Cecila Zandalasini contributing 14 points, all in the first half, and Janelle Salaun adding 11. Twelve made threes were most damaging to the Sparks with Zandalasini leading the way with four of those. Also, the Sparks were plagued by turnovers early with eight of their total of 12 coming in the game’s first 15 minutes.

Dearica Hamby led Los Angeles with 15 points, and Julie Allemand and Rae Burrell scored 10.

Julie Vanloo was greeted with a warm welcome in her return to Chase Center after her controversial release following her return from the Eurobasket tournament. Vanloo had two points and four rebounds in 13 minutes for the Sparks.

Steph Curry and his wife Ayesha were present in support of family friend Cameron Brink. Brink had five points and two rebounds off the bench.

The Valkyries conclude their home stretch on Monday at 7:00pm against the Connecticut Sun.

Devers Homers Again but Giants Fall to Nationals After Whisenhunt’s Rough Start

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Carson Whisenhunt #88 of the San Francisco Giants pitches against the Washington Nationals in the second inning at Oracle Park on August 09, 2025 in San Francisco, California. (Mandatory Photo Credit: Eakin Howard/Getty Images)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

DOWNTOWN SAN FRANCISCO — The Giants and Nationals played game two of their three-game series on Saturday afternoon at Oracle Park. The Giants fell behind early and weren’t able to mount a comeback, falling to the Nationals 4-2 in the matinee affair.

Carson Whisenhunt wasn’t sharp from the get-go on Saturday, giving up a leadoff homer to James Wood in the top of the first inning. Whisenhunt would only go four innings, surrendering three runs — all on home runs — and giving up five hits while walking three.

“I didn’t have my best stuff,” Whisenhunt said after the game. “The home runs, I left pretty much through the middle of the plate. Just got to be a little better.”

Bob Melvin shared Whisenhunt’s sentiments after the game, chalking it up to a few missed pitches and a lack of command.

“Well, they [Nationals] were on his fastball,” Melvin said postgame. “They hit some fastballs for homers, so I think his stuff was as good as we’ve seen it today. But just kind of middle-middle… three fastballs and they hit three homers off [those pitches].”

On the other hand, the bullpen came in and pitched well, all things considered. Carson Seymour came in to relieve Whisenhunt and threw three innings of one-run ball, giving up four hits in his relief. Matt Gage, who served as the opener on Friday, came in to finish the game, throwing two scoreless innings while allowing two hits in his appearance.

In the end, the Giants’ offense wasn’t able to get enough done to mount the comeback they needed. However, just as he did on Friday, Rafael Devers got the Giants on the board with a solo home run in the sixth inning.

After the game, Bob Melvin spoke to Devers’ ability to get deep into counts and lay off tough pitches en route to some of the solid at-bats he’s been having.

“… He’s just a really good hitter who knows what his strengths are, and the fact that he does hit the ball the other way allows him to lay off some pitches when he’s feeling good.”

The Giants’ only other run came in the eighth inning when pinch hitter Wilmer Flores hit a sacrifice fly to center field to give the Giants their second run of the game. That was all she wrote for the Giants as they fell by the final of 4-2 while amassing eight hits total.

The Giants fell to 59-58 with the loss as the Nationals improved to 45-70.

On Sunday, the Giants and Nationals will play the rubber match at 1:05 p.m. PST at Oracle Park. Justin Verlander (1-8, 4.29 ERA) is set to go for the Giants as the Nationals counter with MacKenzie Gore (4-12, 4.29 ERA).

Teng Deals, Devers Shines on Both Sides, and Gilbert Debuts in Giants’ 5-0 Home Skid-Buster

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Kai-Wei Teng #66 of the San Francisco Giants pitches against the Washington Nationals in the top of the second inning at Oracle Park on August 08, 2025 in San Francisco, California. (Mandatory Photo Credit: Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

DOWNTOWN SAN FRANCISCO — Having lost their last eight home games and in desperate need of a home skid-snapping win, the Giants took care of the Nationals 5-0 at Oracle Park on Friday night.

Rafael Devers and Casey Schmitt headlined the offense on Friday night, but it was opener Matt Gage and longman Kai-Wei Teng who put the Giants on solid footing in the victory.

Bob Melvin and the Giants elected to go with Gage as the opener on Friday, and it worked perfectly. Gage worked a clean first inning while striking out one Nationals hitter.

Then came the longman out of the pen, Kai-Wei Teng. Teng, who made the majority of his 25 appearances out of the bullpen for Triple-A Sacramento this year, tossed five innings of scoreless baseball on Friday. Teng scattered three hits and a walk across his five innings while striking out four in his outing.

“It looked like he was on it right away for having to sit there and wait for the second inning,” Melvin said after the game. “A little different for him. He pitched some relief a little bit here, but you get a little anxious as a starter and you have to sit down there for an inning, and he looked like he was throwing strikes right away with his breaking ball and used his fastball better today. So it was really good.”

After Teng, the Giants got scoreless innings from Joey Lucchesi and José Buttó before Tristan Beck came in to close the game in the ninth inning. Beck got three fly balls to right field to end the game with a clean top of the ninth.

The Giants’ defense was on full display as well. Logan Gilbert and Rafael Devers stood out, both making spectacular plays in the field behind the Giants’ pitching staff.

Gilbert, who was also making his MLB debut on Friday, made a fantastic diving catch to end the third inning that took him to the edge of the grass and onto the warning track near the right-field line.

“… You get an open angle from right field, right-handed hitter, and I can kind of see that he was getting beaten a little bit,” Gilbert said after the win. “So I was able to get a better jump based off that, but I almost lost my footing in the dirt once I went over the line. So thankfully I was able to hold onto the ball.”

Devers added more sparkling defense as he turned a 3-6 double play and got a crucial out at home on a 3-2 putout as he was sliding to his right with the infield in.

After the game, Bob Melvin told me that Devers has been putting in a lot of work at first base and has been looking good.

“You watch him work, especially these night games — he’s working, and then he’s taking his batting practice, and he’s going back out there again. So whether it’s picks in the dirt, whether it’s turns to second, you try to create as many plays as he hasn’t seen, and he’s working through all of ’em, and you just see him more and more comfortable every day. If you can play third base in the big leagues, which he has, you’re going to be able to play first pretty well, but it’s just all the different plays, cutoffs, and relays — stuff like that — that he hasn’t been through before. But he’s looking pretty good over there right now.”

On the offensive end, the Giants put pressure on the Nationals’ staff all game long. The Giants totaled 10 hits and four runs on the night. Rafael Devers got the Giants going with a solo home run in the first inning that sailed over the right-center field wall. The shot traveled 427 feet and was a no-doubter off the bat of the Giants’ early deadline acquisition. Matt Chapman kept the party going in the first inning adding an RBI single that scored Willy Adames from second base. Casey Schmitt added two runs for the Giants in the sixth inning with a two-run moonshot to left field that went 374 feet but with a 40-degree launch angle. Patrick Bailey capped the scoring with an RBI infield single that scored Jung Hoo Lee from second after the Nationals failed to cover home when catcher Drew Millas pounced on the ball in front of the plate.

It was a classic Giants win where they got good pitching and timely hitting to seal the deal.

The Giants improved to 59-57 on the season and are now four games back of the New York Mets for the third wild card spot and eight games back of the L.A. Dodgers in the NL West.

Carson Whisenhunt (1-0, 4.35 ERA) will go for the Giants as the Nationals send Brad Lord (2-6, 3.42 ERA) to the hill on Saturday at 1:05 p.m. PST at Oracle Park.

Drew Gilbert makes his MLB debut

Acquired in the Tyler Rogers trade to the New York Mets, outfield utility man Drew Gilbert made his first appearance in the orange and black on Friday, getting the starting nod in right field. Gilbert didn’t disappoint defensively, recording five outs and making one spectacular diving catch.

After the game, Gilbert told me it was a dream come true and appreciated the fan support after his diving catch.

“… I don’t want to say it’s good to get it out of the way, but definitely awesome to get a win, that’s for sure… very cool experience.”

Gilbert went on to talk about the reception from fans in his later at-bats: “That was a super cool, super cool moment. Obviously, the at-bat doesn’t end how you want, but either way I’ll have that memory for the rest of my life. So I really appreciate the fans for that. And they brought it tonight, and they were behind us.”

At the plate, Gilbert went 0-for-4 but isn’t letting that faze him.

“… You’re going to be a little amped up in your debut, right? So I don’t want to say you throw results out the window, but you take everything with a little grain of salt just because it is an experience that you haven’t really felt, probably playing in front of 30-plus thousand people.”

Aces Squeak Past Storm For Third Win In a Row 90-86

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Las Vegas Aces center A’ja Wilson (22) goes for a lay up against the Seattle Storm’s forward Ezi Magbegor (13) in first half WNBA action at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas on Fri Aug 8, 2025 (AP News photo)

By Rich Perez

The Las Vegas Aces (17-14) won their third game in a row beating a tough Seattle Storm (16-15) team and moving into a tie with the Indiana Fever for fifth place in the standings at Michelob ULTRA Arena.

At one time in the third quarter, the Aces had a 19 point lead that the Storm slashed tying up the game in the fourth quarter. There had been a huge swing in the game but the Aces fought back and came out with the 90-86 win handing the Storm their fourth loss in a row.

Game recap: The Aces got a nice start to open this game. After the first ten minutes of play Las Vegas had a 23-17 lead and A’Ja Wilson already had nine points. The Arena was really fired up at full capacity. The Aces have an amazing fan base and they are playing a lot of games at home in August which is a great way to finish off the regular season.

Mid-way through the second quarter Wilson had already hit 11 points. They needed to continue to control the points in the paint and so far in this game they were 14-4 in the paint.

The Aces continued to extend their lead and at the half they had continued to dominant and led 47-36 their largest lead of the game. The Aces had out-rebounded the Storm and outscored them in the second quarter 24-19.

Wilson finished the first half with 18 points and 5 rebounds. Chelsea Gray had scored ten points in the half and Nalyssa Smith was having a solid game with six points and seven rebounds. None of the Storm had scored double digits.

Las Vegas had a great start to the third quarter taking as much as a 19 point lead but as the quarter wore on there was a real shift in the game. The Storm systematically chipped away at the Las Vegas lead and when the quarter came to an end that 19 point Las Vegas lead had been cut to a 71-63 lead.

The Storm roared to life in the fourth quarter tying up the game at 75 with just over five minutes left in the game. It was a new ball game. The Aces fought back and began to push their lead back out and with 4:37 left in the game had taken an 80-75 lead.

Las Vegas had to tighten up and they were having some untimely turnovers which really hurt. The Aces were getting possessions but not cashing in on them. This game was going down to the wire. Since the tie the Aces had gone on a 7-1 run.

With only three minutes left in the game the Storm had no choice but to turn their defense up and risk fouling. Seattle had a couple of fouls at the end that turned into four Las Vegas points. With under two minutes left in the game the Aces were clinging to an 86-81 lead.

It was crunch time and Young answered the call hitting a three with 51 seconds left on the clock. The Storm answered back and with 23 seconds left in the game Las Vegas was leading 90-86.

Wilson was playing with five personal fouls in one crazy game. With 5.4 on the clock Seattle’s Brittney Sykes missed an attempted three and that was the ball game. Las Vegas had pulled this game out winning 90-86.

The was a terrific win for the Aces with five players in double digits. The high was Wilson with 29 points and 12 rebounds. Young finished with 26 points and five rebounds. Chelsea Gray chipped in 13 points and Nalyssa Smith with ten. It was another good game for Jewell Loyd off the bench hitting ten points. The Aces are now tied with the Indiana Fever in fifth place.

Game notes: Friday night the Aces battled the Storm in Las Vegas and moved into sole position of fifth place. This was a huge game for the Aces. The finish line for the 2025 season looms in the distance for the Aces.

Wilson was celebrating her 29th birthday and Wilson got a birthday gift for a win Friday night after beating the Storm. The Aces got a win against the Valkyries for a second time in a row last Wednesday 78-72 in San Francisco. Seattle has been struggling losing their last four games.

The Aces will be back in action this Sunday in Las Vegas taking on the Connecticut Sun and looking for their fourth win in a row. Tipoff for that game is scheduled for 6:00 PM.

Sacramento A’s game wrap: Orioles Fly Away From Athletics 3-2 in Weekend Series Opener

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Baltimore Orioles Gunnar Henderson tosses the bat away after drawing a walk as Sacramento A’s catcher Shea Langeliers holds ball four in his glove in the bottom of the first inning at Camden Yards in Baltimore on Fri Aug 8, 2025 (AP News photo)

Orioles Fly Away From Athletics 3-2 in Weekend Series Opener

By Mauricio Segura

The A’s spent much of Friday night at Oriole Park trying to solve Baltimore’s pitching. The game that started with a thunderous roar from the Orioles ended with a quiet pop to left, leaving the A’s just a run shy of evening the score 3-2.

The tone was set almost immediately. After a scoreless top of the first where Carlos Cortes, Brent Rooker, and Nick Kurtz were retired in order, J.T. Ginn took the mound and looked sharp early, striking out the first two hitters he faced. But what appeared to be a smooth inning unraveled quickly.

The O’s Gunnar Henderson drew a two-out walk, and Adley Rutschman made the most of it, launching his ninth homer of the season into the right-center seats to give Baltimore a 2-0 lead. Before Ginn could regroup, Ryan Mountcastle added another long ball to center, and the A’s were suddenly staring at a 3-0 deficit.

The second inning brought no relief for Sacramento’s bats, as Shea Langeliers grounded out, Tyler Soderstrom struck out, and Darell Hernaiz’s two-out walk went nowhere after Lawrence Butler lined out to right. Ginn, however, bounced back, striking out two in a perfect bottom of the frame to keep the game within reach.

Sacramento had its first real chance in the top of the third. Gio Urshela and Luis Urías started things off with back-to-back singles, putting runners on first and second with no outs. But a sharply turned double play by Baltimore’s middle infield killed the momentum, and the rally fizzled when Rooker was hit by a pitch but Kurtz struck out for the second time in the game.

Ginn continued to navigate trouble, working around another Gunnar Henderson single in the third and holding Baltimore scoreless through the fourth and fifth. Meanwhile, the A’s offense finally scratched the scoreboard in the top of the fifth. Butler led off with a double to left, moved to third on Urshela’s groundout, and came home on a sacrifice fly from Urías, trimming the deficit to 3-1.

The sixth brought more scattered opportunities. Kurtz singled, Soderstrom followed with another hit, but a fielder’s choice ended the inning without a run. The bullpen took over from there, with Ben Bowden delivering a clean sixth and Tyler Ferguson erasing a seventh-inning walk with a double play ball to keep Baltimore stuck at three runs.

In the eighth, Sacramento made its move. Facing Yennier Cano, Rooker flied out before Kurtz picked up his third hit of the night, a single to right. Langeliers grounded out, moving Kurtz into scoring position, and Soderstrom came through again, driving a single to left to score Kurtz and cut the Orioles’ lead to 3-2. Hernaiz grounded out to end the inning, but the Green and Gold had life.

Elvis Alvarado set Baltimore down in order in the bottom half, setting the stage for one last chance in the ninth. Keegan Akin took over for the Orioles, and the A’s sent up pinch-hitter Colby Thomas for Butler. Thomas swung through strike three, Urshela grounded back to the mound, and Urías put a good charge into a fly ball but found Dylan Carlson’s glove in left to end it.

Saturday in Baltimore, the A’s send RHP Jack Perkins (0-0 ERA 3.97) to the mound to matchup against Orioles RHP Brandon Young (0-5 ERA 5.88).

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 podcast Lincoln Juarez: Two big swings beat the A’s in series opener in Baltimore on Friday

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Athletics’ Nick Kurtz is called out on strikes during the third inning of a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles, Friday, Aug. 8, 2025, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Alyssa Howell)

Sacramento A’s podcast Lincoln Juarez:

#1 A’s starter J.T. Ginn surrendered back-to-back home runs in the first inning of the series opener in Baltimore that ended up costing the A’s the win.

#2 Tyler Soderstrom drove in Nick Kurtz on an RBI single to make it a one-run-game in the eighth inning and continues to stay more consistent at the plate.

#3 The A’s put up seven hits but got held to just two runs Friday night in Baltimore. How good of a sign is it, though, to see the offense continue to rack up hits the last few weeks?

#4 Saturday in Baltimore, the A’s send RHP Jack Perkins (0-0 ERA 3.97) to the mound to matchup against Orioles RHP Brandon Young (0-5 ERA 5.88), what can we expect from the A’s starter in game two of the series?

#5 Friday morning the A’s released photos of concrete being poured at the stadium site in Las Vegas to try and excite fans. How far along, really, are the A’s on this process of the relocation?

Lincoln Juarez does the A’s podcast weekly 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. 

Las Vegas Raiders podcast Rich Perez: Raiders QB O’Connell throws for 205 yards in 23-23 tie in Seattle pre season game

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Las Vegas Raiders head coach Pete Carroll is pretty thrilled after the defense pick off a pass for an interception against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field in Seattle on Thu Aug 7, 2025 in the first pre season game for Las Vegas (AP News photo)

Las Vegas Raiders podcast Rich Perez:

#1 How special has it got to be to have Las Vegas Raiders head coach Pete Carroll and quarterback Geno Smith return back to their old haunt in Seattle at Lumen Field.

#2 Carroll felt right at home while coaching the Raiders to a 23-23 tie. Carroll spoke to many Seattle Seahawks players before the game during warm ups.

#3 Carroll said of being able to play in Seattle for the first pre season game, “It was cool to be here. I loved it here,” Carroll said. “But it didn’t translate to something crazy for me. It was just an opportunity to play in a great setting. Thanks to the league for putting us in this game.”

#4 As far as the game was concerned Raiders starting quarterback Adrian O’Connell went 18-30 for 205 yards and one touchdown and two interceptions.

#5 Raiders next will host the San Francisco 49ers in pre season game #2 on Sat Aug 16th at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. Talk about this match up it’s not a regular season game but the 49ers fans travel well so there should be lots of excitement for this one.

Rich Perez podcasts Las Vegas Raiders football for http://www.sportsradioservice.com

San Francisco Giants podcast Morris Phillips: Giants getting their offense together; Open their series with Nats Friday

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San Francisco Giants Patrick Bailey congratulates Jung Hoo Lee after Lee scored on a double by Dominic Smith in the top of the ninth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on Wed Aug 6, 2025 (AP News photo)

San Francisco Giants podcast Morris Phillips:

#1 Dominic Smith slugged a ninth inning double that got the San Francisco Giants the lead as the Giants picked up a 4-2 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday.

#2 Giants Jung Hoo Lee hit a double to right field off Nat’s pitcher Dennis Santana. Smith was pinch hitting for Christopher Koss that scored Lee on a double to right that put the Giants up 3-2 and Patrick Bailey added to the lead with an RBI single.

#3 The Giants got the relief pitching they were looking from Ryan Walker who struck out three batters in order in the eighth. Closer Randy Rodriguez also pitched a perfect ninth to get his third save of the season.

#4 Giant starter Robbie Ray in in six innings of work and allowed two runs and six hits.

#5 Giant starter Kai-Wei Teng is probable on the mound for San Francisco with a 0-0, 13.50 ERA. The Nationals will start Jake Irvin with a 8-6 win/loss record and a 4.89 ERA. First pitch for game one is scheduled for 7:15 PM this Friday night.

Join Morris for the Giants podcasts each Thursday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Sacramento A’s game wrap: Green and Gold Silence the Bats in D.C. with Complete 6-0 Shutout

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Sacramento A’s pitcher Jacob Lopez was dealing against the Washington Nationals going seven plus innings allowing three hits, and striking out ten at Nationals Park in DC on Thu Aug 7, 2025 (AP News photo)

Green and Gold Silence the Bats in D.C. with Complete 6-0 Shutout

By Mauricio Segura

The Sacramento Athletics rolled into Nationals Park on Thursday afternoon and left the nation’s capital with a statement win, blanking Washington 6-0 in a game where the A’s pitching staff didn’t just slam the door, they locked it, bolted it, and threw away the key.

From the first pitch, Sacramento looked locked in. Shea Langeliers started the game by lining out sharply to center, but the A’s got their first baserunner when Nick Kurtz drew a walk. However, a quick forceout and a fly to right ended the opening frame without much noise.

Washington’s half of the first wasn’t any better. Jacob Lopez, making the start for the Green and Gold, coaxed three quick outs from CJ Abrams, James Wood, and Paul DeJong.

The second inning is where the A’s offense began to hum. After Darell Hernaiz worked a walk, rookie Colby Thomas announced himself with authority, launching his first career home run deep to center. Just like that, the Athletics were up 2-0.

Luis Urías kept the rally alive with a single, and Max Schuemann followed with a double to right, pushing Urías to third. Langeliers brought him home on a sacrifice fly to center, giving Sacramento a 3-0 cushion before the Nationals could blink.

Lopez kept Washington in check in the bottom of the second, and after an on-field delay, the Nationals went down quietly again. By the time the third inning rolled around, the game already had the feel of one where the A’s pitching staff could take full control.

In the top of the fourth, Hernaiz again sparked the offense, this time ripping a triple down the line into left. Thomas followed with a deep sac fly to score him, making it 4-0. That was all Lopez and company would need, but Sacramento wasn’t done adding insurance.

While the middle innings saw the Nationals occasionally put a man on, Lopez and the bullpen never wavered. Washington hitters were flailing, piling up strikeouts while the Green and Gold defense vacuumed up any hard contact. By the end of the sixth, Lopez’s afternoon had been a masterpiece: efficient, confident, and completely suffocating to the Nats’ offense.

The A’s offense had another spark in the eighth when Tyler Soderstrom decided one long ball on the day wasn’t enough for Sacramento. He crushed his 21st homer of the season to right, extending the lead to 5-0. Darell Hernaiz added a single moments later but was thrown out trying to steal second, a rare blemish in an otherwise crisp A’s attack.

By the ninth, the Green and Gold were ready to put the game to bed. Schuemann led off with his third double of the afternoon, showing off the gap-to-gap pop that’s been quietly steady all year. Langeliers followed with a single to left, and after Kurtz’s groundout plated Schuemann, the score swelled to 6-0. That would be more than enough for relievers Justin Sterner and the defense to close the door without drama.

In the Nationals’ final at-bat, it was more of the same. Hassell, Abrams, and Wood were retired in order, as Sacramento finished off the shutout in a dominant win.

This was the kind of win that can give a team a midseason jolt. The pitching staff combined for a dazzling performance, allowing just five hits and racking up strikeouts like it was batting practice, for the pitchers, that is. Lopez set the tone early, and each reliever kept the zero on the board. The defense was flawless, turning two double plays and making routine outs look even easier than they were.

Offensively, Sacramento didn’t overwhelm with constant traffic on the bases, but they came up big in their moments. Thomas’ first career homer, Soderstrom’s milestone blast, Schuemann’s extra-base hit spree, and the timely sac flies from Langeliers and Thomas all painted a picture of an offense that knew exactly when to strike.

The Nationals, on the other hand, looked out of sync from start to finish. Outside of Hassell’s double and Adams’ lone single, they struggled to mount any meaningful threats. Their lone baserunning gamble backfired in the second inning, and the strikeouts, piled up far too quickly for a team trying to claw back into the game.

It’s off to Baltimore for a three game set which starts on Friday night at Camden Yards. Starting pitchers for Sacramento RHP JT Ginn (3-2 ERA 4.28) for Baltimore RHP Tomoyuki Sugano (8-5 ERA 4.42) first pitch 4:05pm PT.

Costa Rican-born Mauricio Segura has been covering sports in the Bay Area since 2001 for a variety of magazines and newspapers, as well as his own publication, Golden Bay Times.

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

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

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

Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.

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

Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm

Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in.