Let’s Go 2-0: Prepared, Physical Bears hold on for big win at BYU

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By Morris Phillips

If growth and maturity are gained with weekly gamedays, the identity-less Cal Bears reached the nascent stage on Saturday night in Provo, Utah.

Playing with the lead for the majority of the game, the Bears navigated the changing tides of the game, holding on for a 21-18 win to improve to 2-0. The Bears dominating defense led the way, holding BYU to fewer than 100 yards in offense in the second half.

“This defense really wants to just come and play every day and really dominate the football every single play,” defensive lineman Evan Weaver declared.

Without disruptive linebacker Cameron Goode, injured in the team’s opener against North Carolina, Cal’s defense figured to suffer without their singular star. Instead, Weaver, linebacker Jordan Kunaszyk and safety Ashtyn Davis played like stars, headlining Cal’s second half effort.

With Cal leading by 11 at key points of the third and fourth quarters, Cougars standout Squally Canada was limited on the ground, and quarterback Tanner Mangum was forced to throw. The Bears picked off Mangum twice to preserve their double-digit lead, with the interceptions being the byproduct of the Bears shutting down the BYU ground game.

“We didn’t do a great job in the first half of finishing tackling,” California coach Justin Wilcox said. “There were yards after contact for them. The possessions were a premium. In the second half, we made more of those plays on offense and that’s the difference.”

The two interceptions kept the Cougars in check, as did a three-and-out the Bears fashioned after Isaiah Kaufusi’s interception of Chase Garbers set up BYU at midfield with an opportunity to take the lead.

Offensively, the Bears fully committed to shuttling quarterbacks Garbers and transfer Brandon McIlwain in and out of the game, with last year’s starter Ross Bowers benched. Garbers connected with Kanawai Noa on a 52-yard pass play opening the third quarter, and McIlwain keyed Cal’s stubborn run game with 74 yards rushing. McIlwain bulled his way in from two yards to increase Cal’s lead to 21-10 at the outset of the fourth quarter.

Patrick Laird had a second, consecutive slow game, carrying the ball just 10 times for 30 yards. His production was seamlessly replaced by McIlwain and Garbers who combined for 129 yards rushing.

San Jose State gets blanked 31-0 by Washington State

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Photo credit: @SJSUSpartanFB

By: Ana Kieu

Following a depressing 44-38 loss to the UC Davis Aggies, the San Jose State Spartans were looking to flip the script at Martin Stadium against the Washington State Cougars on Saturday night.

The Spartans traveled to the Pacific Northwest in Blue and Gold gear. According to @SJSUSpartanFB, there was only one thing on the Spartans’ minds Saturday and that was to beat WSU. Most things, if not everything, had to go right for SJSU tonight.

Unfortunately, WSU got on the board first. Tay Martin scored a 15-yard passing touchdown off a throw by Gardner Minshew. Blake Mazza’s PAT kick was good. The Cougars led 7-0 at the 12:55 mark of the first quarter.

Just when you think it couldn’t get any worse, Martin scored his second touchdown of the game–a 36-yard passing touchdown off a throw by Minshew–and Mazza’s PAT kick was good. The Cougars led 14-0 with 5:45 left in the first quarter.

The Cougars continued to get it their way, as Mazza’s 36-yard field goal kick put themselves ahead 17-0 with 5:48 left in the second quarter.

The Cougars got a down-to-the-wire touchdown–a 1-year rushing touchdown by Minshew–and Mazza’s PAT kick was good. WSU took a 24-0 lead to the locker room at the end of the first half. While the Spartans’ offense was nonexistent, the Spartans’ defense was a bright spot, as Jesse Osuna led with 7 tackles and 1 interception at the half.

Neither team scored in the third quarter, but the Cougars capped off the scoring with a late touchdown with 4:39 left in the fourth quarter. James Williams caught a 3-yard passing touchdown off a throw by Minshew and then Mazza worked his magic one last time with a successful PAT kick. The Cougars blanked the Spartans 31-0.

Notes
Prior to the kickoff, the Cougars led the series with the Spartans 7-4-1. These two teams met for the first time since 1996, where the Cougars routed the Spartans 52-16 behind four touchdown passes from Ryan Leaf, who currently works as a program ambassador for the Transcend Recovery Community, a group of sober living homes in Los Angeles, Houston and New York. The Spartans won the previous meeting 20-13 over the Cougars in 1986.

Cougars head coach Mike Leake is in his seventh season at WSU, while Spartans head coach Brent Brennan is just in his second season at SJSU. Despite the wide gap in experience, both head coaches did whatever they could to make things interesting for their respective fanbases.

Up Next 
The Spartans head to Autzen Stadium to take on the No. 23 Oregon Ducks on Saturday, September 15 at 2:00 pm PDT on the Pac-12 Network.

Stanford routed USC 17-3 at Stanford Stadium on Saturday night

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Photo credit: @StanfordFball

By: Ana Kieu

STANFORD, Calif. — The No. 10 Stanford Cardinal invited the No. 17 USC Trojans to Stanford Stadium for a Pac-12 showdown on Saturday night. The two teams were certainly ready to go head-to-head, but only one team managed to prevail in the end.

Like most other rivalries, the Stanford vs. USC rivalry is quite a ferocious battle. Seven of the past 12 meetings have been decided by eight points or less. Moreover, San Francisco 49ers cornerback Richard Sherman showed some love to his alma mater, Stanford University, on Twitter. Sherman is a Compton, Calif. native who played college football at Stanford from 2006-2010. Sherman also graduated with a degree in communications in 2010.

USC won the coin toss and deferred for the second half. The Trojans kicked the ball to start the first half.

The Cardinal got on the board first, thanks to Bryce Love’s 6-yard rushing touchdown. Jet Toner’s kick for the extra point was good. Stanford took a 7-0 lead at the 10:26 mark of the first quarter.

The Cardinal led the Trojans 7-0 after the first quarter.

Bobby Okereke was a bad man during the second quarter. Okereke helped the Cardinal’s defense spin around and forced a punt. Also, Trenton Irwin made his third catch of the night–the 100th of his career–and kept doing his thing.

Things got interesting late in the second quarter. K.J. Costello threw a pass to Colby Parkinson, who scored what looked like a 9-yard passing touchdown. The Trojans challenged the Cardinal’s play, but the call on the field stood. Toner kicked in the extra point. Stanford took a 14-0 lead with just 34 seconds left in the quarter.

The Cardinal led the Trojans 14-0 at the end of the first half. This was the first time Stanford pitched a first half shutout since Aug. 26, 2017 against Rice in Sydney, Australia. Moreover, Stanford allowed just 82 combined passing yards in the first half this season.

The Trojans finally got on the board early in the second half. Chase McGrath kicked in a 35-yard field goal to reduce the Cardinal’s lead to 14-3 at the 11:24 mark of the third quarter. Stanford threatened USC in the redzone prior to that eye-opening play.

Thanks to Toner’s 30-yard field goal, Stanford extended its lead to 17-3 with 6:04 left in the quarter.

The Cardinal’s strong safety, Ben Edwards, went down due to an apparent trip, but managed to get up off the ground. The game resumed its regular action after a delay that lasted for a couple of minutes.

The Cardinal defeated the Trojans by a final score of 17-3. Stanford has now won 19 of its last 22 games when scoring first. In addition, Stanford improved to 15-5 in games in which Love found the end zone.

Notes
On the Cardinal’s offensive line, A.T. Hall made his 27th career start and Nate Herbig made his 21st career start.

Red shirts were handed out to all fans in attendance, courtesy of Stanford Medicine.

Kailee Wong served as the Cardinal’s honorary captain for #BeatSC week. Wong was inducted into the Stanford Athletics Hall of Fame Friday night.

JJ Arcega-Whiteside, the third-best receiving game in Cardinal history, shared his Stanford story for the masses on Labor Day.

Up Next 
The Cardinal host the UC Davis Aggies on Saturday, September 15 at 11:00 am PDT on the Pac-12 Network.

After 4-3 loss in Milwaukee, Giants’ losing streak now stands at seven

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Photo credit: @SFGiants

By Jeremy Kahn

It seems that this nightmare of a road trip will never come to a close for the San Francisco Giants.

Gio Gonzalez made his debut with the Milwaukee Brewers a memorable one, as he received a standing ovation, as he allowed an unearned run on just three hits in 5.2 innings of work and the Brewers defeated the Giants 4-3 at Miller Park on Saturday.

Gonzalez, who was making his Brewers debut after being acquired from the Washington Nationals on August 31, also retired 16 of the 21 batters he faced.

The Brewers now lead the National League Wild Card by 2.5 games over the St. Louis Cardinals, who lost 4-3 to the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park.

Christian Yelich hit his 28th home run of the season, his first season with the Brewers after beginning his career with the Miami Marlins.

Travis Shaw also hit his 28th home run of the season, as he got the Brewers on the board in the bottom of the first off of eventual losing pitcher Chris Stratton.

The Brewers also got RBIs from Mike Moustakas, who drove in a run with a double and Orlando Arcia drove in a run with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the fourth inning.

Austin Slater drove in the Giants first run of the game in the top of the fifth inning, as he hit a line out to Yelich, to score Chase d’Arnaud, who was originally called out by home plate umpire Phil Cuzzi; however, after a review, d’Arnaud was called safe for the Giants first run of the evening.

Ryder Jones got the Giants within one run in the top of the eighth inning, as he hit a two-run pinch hit home run.

Stratton went just five innings, allowing four runs on four hits, walking three and striking out six, as his record fell to 9-9 on the season and the Giants have now lost seven games in a row.

NOTES: Brandon Crawford was not in the lineup again, but did make a pinch-hit appearance in the top of the eighth inning, where he walked. Brandon Belt was a late scratch at first base, as d’Arnaud started at first in his place.

UP NEXT: The Giants and Brewers conclude their series with a Sunday finale at 11:10 am PDT.

Madison Bumgarner looks to stop the losing streak on Sunday, as he takes the mound for the Giants. Zach Davies looks for his third win of the season, as the Brewers goes for the series sweep.

A’s outlast the Rangers 8-6 in a slugfest on Saturday at the Coliseum

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By Charlie O. Mallonee

OAKLAND — The Oakland Athletics’ 61-0 winning streak when they held a lead after seven innings was on the line Saturday versus the Texas Rangers. The A’s had a 6-4 lead after seven innings, but Texas veteran third baseman Adrian Beltre had other ideas about Oakland continuing that winning streak.

Beltre came to bat in the top of the eighth inning with teammate Nomar Mazara at first and his team trailing by two runs. With the count at 0-2, Beltre hit a Fernando Rodney pitch down the left-field line into the seats for a two-run home run to tie the game at 6-6. It was home run No. 11 of the season for Beltre and his second of the game (his first multiple home run game of the season). The crowd of 20,504 became very concerned.

The Rangers brought RHP Chris Martin into the game from the bullpen. The first batter he had to face was Matt Olson who entered the game in the seventh inning for Mark Canha. Olson hit the 0-1 pitch from Martin over the fence in left field for his 25th home run of the year to give the A’s a 7-5 lead. After Chad Pinder flied out, Jonathan Lucroy singled. Ramon Laureano struck out for the second out of the inning. Matt Chapman, who leads the majors in doubles since the All-Star Break, hit an RBI-double to right field that allowed Lucroy to score the A’s eighth run of the game to give them an 8-6 lead.

The A’s went to the top of the ninth with an 8-6 lead which meant it was “Treinen Time.” Treinen took the mound and struck out the first two hitters he faced. Shin-Soo Choo then stepped into the batter’s box and hit a soft line drive to Marcus Semien for the final out of the game.

The A’s won the game 8-6 and upped their record for the season to 86-57. They have now won three consecutive games and have guaranteed that they will win this series with the Rangers. The A’s are now 11-0-2 in their previous 13 home series which is the longest single-season home series unbeaten streak in Oakland history.

Ryan Buchter (4-0) received credit for the victory and Blake Treinen of the A’s picked up his 37th save. Chris Martin (1-4) of the Rangers was hung with the loss.

The Astros beat the Red Sox on Saturday 5-3 in Boston so the A’s will stay 3.5 games back of Houston. The Mariners host the Yankees on Saturday night.

Bob Melvin analyzes the game

Performances worth remembering

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  • Khris Davis hit his 41st home run of the season in the home half of the first inning. He now has 10 round-trippers off Rangers pitching.
  • Jed Lowrie hit his 36th double of the year in this contest, which ties him with Nick Swisher for third most for switch hitters in A’s history.
  • Stephen Piscotty doubled in the seventh inning to extend his hitting streak to 10 games.
  • Matt Olson’s 25 home runs lead the American League for most HR’s by a first baseman.
  • Chad Pinder hit his 11th home run of 2018 in the sixth inning – a solo shot.
  • The Rangers Shin-Soo Choo has reached base in 15 out of 17 games versus the A’s this year.
  • Jurickson Profar hit his 16th home run of the season in the fourth inning off Jackson.

Pitching was a group effort in this game

A’s

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  • Starter Edwin Jackson was credited for just 3.0 innings and was dinged for four runs (all earned) off five hits. He struck out five and walked just one but gave up two home runs.
  • Shawn Kelley was back after his kitchen accident and pitched a perfect inning with two K’s.
  • Lou Trivino worked a perfect inning of relief.
  • Fernando Rodney was charged with blown save for giving up the two-run shot to Beltre.
  • The A’s used eight pitchers.
  • Oakland pitching gave up six runs (all earned) off six hits. They walked just one batter. A’s pitchers struck out 12 Texas hitters. They did give up three home runs.

Rangers

  • The Rangers used five pitchers in the game.
  • All but one of those hurlers gave up at least one earned one. Ouch!
  • Eddie Butler was the only reliever not to give up a run.
  • Texas pitchers gave up eight runs (all earned) on nine hits. They struck out seven and walked six. The Rangers also issued three home runs to A’s hitters.

Up next

The series wraps tomorrow at 1:05 PM when the Rangers send RHP Ariel Jurado (2-4, 6.00) to the mound to face the A’s RHP Trevor Cahill (6-3, 3.60).

MLB The Show podcast with Matt Harrington: Tigers’ announcers–will they be through after brawling?; Angels’ Ohtani and his Tommy John case; plus more

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Photo credit Detroit Free Press: Rod Allen, left, and Mario Impemba in the Fox Sports Detroit studio in 2006.(Photo: David P. Gilkey, DFP)

On the MLB The Show podcast with Matt:

#1 On Tuesday night, Detroit Tigers broadcasters Rod Allen and Mario Impemba got into a physical altercation in the broadcast booth in Chicago. The argument was over a chair. Both broadcasters have been suspended for the rest of the month.

#2 The Los Angeles Angels’ Shohei Ohtani can still swing the bats with no problem it’s that he can’t pitch and it’s looking pretty apparent that Ohtani will have Tommy John surgery. Ohtani is making good contact as a hitter, but the surgery will certainly set him back.

#3 Boston Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia won’t return for 2018 because of discomfort from surgery from last year with a cartilage replacement in the left knee. The Sox have been using Ian Kinsler for second base.

#4 How big is it to get Boston Red Sox pitcher Chris Sale, who will be activated from the DL Tuesday, against the Toronto Blue Jays? Sale is on tap to be used for openers for the rest of the way.

#5 The San Francisco Giants are playing the Milwaukee Brewers. The Giants are 10 games out of first place and have lost six straight. For the Giants, will we see them using the call up or will they be trying to be spoilers in Milwaukee?

Matt does the MLB The Show each Saturday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Laureano Better Than Big Mac, Canseco in A’s 8-4 Win over Texas

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Photo credit: @SportingGreenSF

By: Matthew Harrington

OAKLAND–Just think where the Oakland Athletics might be if they’d called Ramon Laureano up sooner. Maybe a 3.5 game division deficit is actually a division lead at this time. The 24 year old rookie has won games for the A’s with his glove, his arm, his baserunning and his bat since getting the call August 3rd and Friday night was no different.

The speedy center fielder became the first Athletic to have two multi-homer games in his first thirty big league appearances, going deep twice in the A’s 8-4 win over the Rangers at the Coliseum on Friday night. He joins the Bash Brothers, Mark McGwire and Jose Canseco as the only players in A’s history to accomplish the feat in the first 50 games of their careers.

The A’s needed the win with the Astros rallying past the Red Sox and the New York Yankees dispatching of the team directly below the A’s in the Wild Card standings. A loss would have pushed Oakland 4 1/2 games back of each team. The A’s pounced on Rangers starter Yovani Gallardo, plating five runs of him in just 4 1/3 innings.

Laureano put the Rangers on the ropes in his first at bat of the game, working his way into the leadoff spot after earning manager Bob Melvin’s trust over a first cup of coffee that includes a .309 batting average in 81 at-bats. Laureano rewarded his manager with a solo shot to center field, his 4th homer of the year already, to give the A’s a 1-0 lead just one batter into their licks at the dish.

Marcus Semien hit his 12th long ball of the season with a runner on in the bottom of the 2nd inning, then the rally continued till Matt Chapman’s two-run single made it 5-0 A’s.

Joey Gallo did what he does best, crushing two-run homer off Chris Bassitt in the top of the 4th. Bassitt, the second man out of the pen after Liam Hendriks served as “opener” once again, allowed three runs over his three innings of work.

Yusmeiro Petit was credited with the win for his work pitching the fifth and sixth innings despite the A’s already being up 5-2. He got some major run support when Laureano blasted another solo shot, this time off reliever Adrian Sampson. Sampson would get tagged for another pair after an error and three straight singles put Oakland up 8-3.

It wasn’t all smooth sailing for the A’s. Fernando Rodney labored for his appearance in the seventh inning. He gave up one run, his fourth of September in just 2 2/3 innings and it could have been much worse. Ronald Guzman hit a ball that appeared to hit the top of the wall in right, but was ruled a double and scored only one run. Rodney walked the bases loaded with two outs, but Ryan Buchter came in and got the deep fly out from Rougned Odor to escape the big inning.

Jeurys Familia also struggled in his inning of work after getting one out, but giving up a hit to Nomar Mazara, a walk to Adrian Beltre and an RBI double to  Gallo to pull Texas within four at 8-4. He’d get the final to outs and turn the game over to the closer Blake Treinen. Treinen, a dark horse Cy Young candidate, finished off the ninth in his usual dominant fashion to give the A’s the final 8-4 lead.

The A’s and Rangers will continue their series with game two on Saturday afternoon at 1:05 pm PDT.

The A’s will send one of their few true starters to the hill, Edwin Jackson, a journeyman with a 5-3 record and 2.91 ERA. He’s locked in a battle with Mike Fiers to determine who will pitch in the one-game playoff come October if needed. He’ll be opposed by Yohander Mendez, a southpaw with a 1-1 record and 5.59 ERA.

Jesus Aguilar sends the Giants to their sixth straight loss 4-2

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Photo credit: @INDeporteVE

By Jeremy Kahn

Jesus Aguilar usually hits the ball very far, but the Milwaukee Brewers power hitter kept the ball in the ballpark and it helped his team in a huge way.

Aguilar hit a two-run double in the bottom of the seventh inning off of Tony Watson, as the Brewers defeated the San Francisco Giants 4-2 at Miller Park on Friday night.

Losing pitcher Hunter Strickland started the seventh inning, but after walking back-to-back pinch hitters in, Curtis Granderson and Eric Thames, Strickland was replaced by Watson, who gave up the eventual game-winning double to Aguilar.

With the victory, the Brewers increased their lead in the wild card race to a 1.5 games over the charging St. Louis Cardinals, who lost to the Detroit Tigers on a walk-off home run by Jose Castellanos in the bottom of the ninth inning at Comerica Park, by the final score of 5-3.

On the other side of things, it could not have gotten any worse for the Giants, who have lost six games in a row and are now a season-high six games under .500.

Josh Hader pitched two strong innings to pick-up his fifth win of the season, Joakim Soria got through the Giants in the top of the eighth and then Jeremy Jeffress closed it out to notch his ninth save of the season.

Bruce Bochy was not around to see the end of the game, as the Giants manager was ejected in the top of the ninth inning after arguing the strike zone with home plate umpire Adam Hamari. Bochy was ejected from the game after Nick Hundley was called out on a low strike call, and then Bochy came out to add his two cents before he got the heave-ho from Hamari.

Derek Holland once again pitched a great game, as he went six innings, allowing two runs on just two hits, walking five and striking out a season-high tying eight. It was the fourth time this season that Holland notched eight strikeouts in a game.

The Brewers got on the board in the bottom of the first inning when they got their only hits off of Holland, as Lorenzo Cain singled and then after then two outs later, Ryan Braun hit his 15th home run of the season.

Chris Shaw got the Giants on the board in the top of the fourth inning, as his groundout scored Evan Longoria, who hit back-to-back singles with Brandon Belt and the two advanced an additional 90 feet on a Chase Anderson wild pitch and then Longoria scored the first run of the night on the Shaw groundout.

Alen Hanson tied up the game, as he led off the top of the fifth inning with his eighth home run of the season off of Anderson, who gave up his National League leading 29th home run of the season. Anderson, who like Holland, did not fare in the decision, went five innings, allowing two runs on five hits, walking one and striking out five.

NOTES: Once again, Brandon Crawford was out of the starting lineup for the Giants, but he was available to pinch-hit for the Giants. Crawford last started for the Giants on Monday after missing the previous three games with a sore left knee. Crawford last played on Tuesday, but sat out Wednesday’s game against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field and with the off-day on Thursday, Bochy said that he is listed as day-to-day.

UP NEXT: The Giants and Brewers play in game two of the series on Saturday at 4:10 pm PDT.

Chris Stratton will go for his 10th win for the Giants, while the Brewers will send Gio Gonzalez to the mound. This will be the first start as a member of the Brewers for Gonzalez, who was acquired from the Washington Nationals on August 31.

The Fantasy Football Doctors Podcast for Week 1 of the 2018 NFL Season is here

Published on by Charlie O. MalloneeLeave a comment

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Podcast hosts Dr. Vasu “the Partyman” Vaddiparty & Dr. Charlie O. Mallonee

sit-start

  • What did we learn from the Falcons vs. Eagles game?

  • Who are the hot the Quarterbacks going to be this Sunday?

  • Which QB’s should you keep on your bench?

  • Which Running Backs are going to tear up the turf?

  • Don’t you dare waive Le’Veon Bell!!!!!

  • Keep that back on the bench!

  • Who is going to have softest hands on the field Sunday?

  • Who’s going to suffer from a lack of concentration in the passing game?

DiehardFIN

The answer to these questions and more on this week’s podcast “the Partyman” and Charlie O.

Oakland A’s podcast with Joey Friedman: A’s need every win in this Rangers series starting tonight

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Photo credit: @Athletics

On the Oakland A’s podcast with Joey:

#1 The Houston Astros never quit. They’re just 3 1/2 games ahead of the A’s with five straight wins and a convincing win over the Minnesota Twins 9-1 on Wednesday at Minute Maid Field.

#2 Alex Bergman hit for five RBIs on Wednesday as the Astros have some different player to come through every other day and they manage to stay ahead of the A’s in what can be called a real race in the AL West.

#3 The A’s meanwhile beat the New York Yankees two out of three and they out foxed and outbombed the Bronx Bombers’ best pitcher Luis Severino 8-2 with some early hitting.

#4 The A’s go up against the Texas Rangers tonight. The Rangers are 26 games out of first place. The season is finished for the Rangers, but as they say in the show, anything can happen on any given day and the A’s need every game of this series.

#5 The A’s need this series if they want to continue to chip away at the Astros. It starts Friday night at the Coliseum, the Rangers will start Yovani Gallardo (8-3) and the A’s will start Chris Bassitt (2-3).

Joey does the A’s podcasts each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com