Oakland A’s podcast with Jerry Feitelberg: After getting swept by Astros, A’s go into lion’s den at Yankee Stadium Friday night

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On the Oakland A’s podcast with Jerry:

#1 The Oakland A’s got swept by the Houston Astros in Oakland Wednesday afternoon in a 4-1 loss to Astros pitcher Gerrit Cole.

#2 The Astros in their own right got some hitting production with runs in the seventh and eighth innings.

#3 The Astros got hitting production from Jose Altuve’ three hits and a run scored and the Astros catcher Max Stassi had two hits and a run scored.

#4 Cole had a quality start with six innings, four hits, one earned run and nine strikeouts.

#5 For the A’s, it’s onto New York for three games coming off this sweep. The A’s would like to get something going.

Jerry Feitelberg does the A’s podcasts each Thursday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Phillies blast Giants 11-3; SF’s losing streak hits 3 games

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By Jeremy Harness

The Giants have hit a serious skid, and things got bad in a hurry on Wednesday.

The Philadelphia Phillies jumped on the Giants early and never really let up, and by the time the game was over, starter Chris Stratton was battered and the bullpen did not fare much better in a 11-3 loss at Citizens Bank Park.

Stratton lasted only 4 2/3 innings and gave up five runs on five hits, including a solo homer to Maikel Franco in the fourth inning that gave the Phillies a 3-0 lead. He struck out seven innings but also walked four others.

Franco, meanwhile, had three hits for Philadelphia, as did first baseman Carlos Santana, who had an eye-popping five RBI on Wednesday.

Pierce Johnson was thrashed by the Phils upon taking over for Stratton, as he surrendered six runs on three hits and walking three while only recording two outs.

Meanwhile, Philadelphia starter Nick Pivetta cruised right along in the five innings he pitched on Wednesday. He gave up only four hits and did not surrender a single run, recording seven strikeouts and did not walk one batter.

The Giants didn’t score a run until the sixth inning, when Evan Longoria’s double brought in Brandon Belt. They would add a couple more runs in the ninth inning off the Phillies’ bullpen, but it was too little and much too late at that point.

Longoria and Brandon Crawford each had a pair of hits for the Giants, who will have one last chance to salvage at least one game on Thursday afternoon.

The series finale between these two teams is scheduled for 10:05 am PT.

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: American League West–Everybody Is Playing for Second Place

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By: Amaury Pi-Gonzalez

After the Houston Astros visited the Oakland A’s for the first time this season, I came to the early conclusion that everybody except for the Astros is playing for second place in AL West.

The world champion Houston Astros lineup leads with three of the very best players in the game. George Springer, the current World Series MVP, as well as José Altuve champion batted last year for the third time and perhaps the most talented of them all. shortstop Carlos Correa. The world champion Astros paid their first visit to the A’s in Oakland this week. The three-game series came right after the A’s dismantled the Orioles, sweeping them and collecting a total of 40 strikeouts against the wounded birds.

However, a significant change in play from the Orioles to the Astros might as well be like from Earth to the Moon. The reigning champion Astros is a better team compared to the 2017 club as they won the World Series in seven exciting games against the Dodgers. The Astros just swept the A’s in Oakland, outscoring the Green and Gold 24 runs to five runs. The A’s did not face Justin Verlander or Charlie Morton.

This season, the Astros have Gerrit Cole, the #1 pitcher of the Pirates until last year. They have had Justin Verlander from the very beginning, unlike last season when he joined the team at the end. But it is obvious that everybody here in the AL West is playing for second place because even the Angels’ highest aspiration would be to advance to the postseason as a Wild Card team. At this time, there is no better pitching rotation in baseball than the Astros with Cole, Verlander, Keuchel, Morton and McCullers along with a very efficient bullpen.

Teams that have set starting rotations are those that advance and go all the way and that was what the Astros have this season. For the Angels to take this division from the defending champions, they need much more pitching that they have shown so far. Mike Scioscia’s team is a better team that last year. They addressed their infield, acquired Zack Cozart and Ian Kinsler, and two-way Japanese rookie Shohei Ohtani.

Scioscia told me this when his Angels visited Oakland: “I really like my team this year.”

You might want to keep an eye on the Mariners as they seem to have some magic this year and could be a serious contender this summer. If the Angels cannot finish second, the Mariners are the most likely candidates for that position and a possible Wild Card team.

In other words: the race for second place here between Angels and Mariners could prove to be the most interesting. That could be the story this season.

Astros beat A’s 4-1 to finish 3-game sweep

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By Jerry Feitelberg

OAKLAND — The Houston Astros rallied for two runs in the seventh and two in the eighth to defeat the A’s 4-1 to sweep the three-game series. The A’s starter, Daniel Mengden, pitched one of the best games of his career, but his effort was not quite good enough as opposing pitcher, Gerrit Cole, was a wee bit better. Cole, in his first year in the American League, improved to 4-1 and his ERA is just 1.43. Mengden’s record is now 2-4.

It was an old-fashioned pitching duel as Mengden and Cole baffled the hitters for the first five innings of the game. The A’s broke through in the bottom of the sixth after Matt Joyce singled with one and Jed Lowrie followed with a double. Cole walked Khris Davis to put men on at first and second with one out. Cole rose to the occasion as he struck Matt Olson and Matt Chapman to end the threat. The A’s led 1-0 after six.

Mengden was cruising along quite nicely until there were two outs in the top of the seventh. Former A’s prospect Max Stassi hit a bomb that went over the right-center-field wall for his third of the season. The next hitter Derek Fisher outdid Stassi as his home run went way, way back into the second deck of the bleachers in center field.

A’s manager Bob Melvin took Mengden out of the game and brought in Yusmeiro Petit to get the final out of the inning

Game Notes: The A’ s announced that starting pitcher, Trevor Cahill has been placed on the 10-day DL.

The A’s have five pitchers on the DL: Cahill, Paul Blackburn, Liam Hendriks, Jharel Cotton, and Ryan Buchter.

The A’s recalled Dustin Fowler from Nashville to fill the spot on the roster. Fowler had his first at-bat in the Majors in the bottom of the seventh, and he popped out to the Astros’ second baseman Jose Altuve.

The Astros used four pitchers to down the A’s on Wednesday. Cole got the win, but relievers Joe Smith and Will Harris were credited with holds and Ken Giles was credited with his fifth save of the season.

The A’s split the six-game home series with a record of 3-3.

Up Next: The A’s start a 10-game road trip on Friday in New York as they face the red-hot New York Yankees at 4:05 pm PT. Then it’s off the Boston for three and Toronto for four. It doesn’t get any easier as the A’s return home to play the Seattle Mariners and Arizona Diamondbacks. Whoever put this schedule together at MLB must have it in for Oakland.

This date in A’s history: Braden pitched 19th perfect game against Rays

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By: Ana Kieu

OAKLAND — The A’s are undoubtedly struggling against the world champion Astros at the moment, but here’s a positive fact to take your mind off the Green and Gold’s issues.

On this date in 2010, which happened to be on a Mother’s Day, Dallas Braden pitched the 19th perfect game in MLB history against the Tampa Bay Rays. It was the second by an Athletic and it came 42 years and one day after Catfish Hunter did it against the Minnesota Twins on May 8, 1968.

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Braden is the first pitcher to throw a perfect game against a team entering the day with the best record in the majors and it came in his 68th career appearance, which was third fewest among the pitchers with a perfect game at the time.

Braden’s no-hitter was the sixth no-hitter by an Athletic and the first since Dave Stewart on June 29, 1990 against the Toronto Blue Jays. Also, Braden’s astonishing performance was the 11th nine-inning no-hitter in A’s history.

San Francisco Giants podcast with Michael Duca and Morris Phillips: Giants look to get out of Philadelphia and shoot for a series win in Pittsburgh

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On the San Francisco Giants podcast with Michael Duca and Morris Phillips:

For the San Francisco Giants, it’s been almost regular for them to win a three-game series after not doing that and they have managed to string together four. Despite the injuries, the Giants have been looking good winning those series. This inspired them not having a rotation that they might have expected to have.

Before leaving San Francisco for Atlanta and Philadelphia the Giants had a great homestand. Then onto Atlanta where they swept the Braves and then in Philadelphia they dropped the first two games of the series. They play three teams that on this trip as they conclude this journey in Pittsburgh starting on Friday night.

 

NHL Stanley Cup Western Conference Finals podcast with Mary Lisa Walsh: Vegas goes into third round with momentum; Nashville takes home ice into Game 7

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On the NHL Stanley Cup Western Conference Finals podcast with Mary Lisa:

#1 How amazing are these Vegas Golden Knights in their last series win with San Jose after getting shutout 4-0 in Game 4, then coming back to win two straight–one in Vegas and the other in San Jose?

#2 How would you evaluate the Sharks season–as a hard effort in the second round, but a good season? That the Knights were just too much for the Sharks to get by in the last two games.

#3 The Nashville Predators and Winnipeg Jets face off with the series all tied up 3-3. The Preds won Monday night in Game 6 to force a Game 7. The Preds dominated with a 4-0 shutout and take the series back to Nashville for a Wednesday night face off.

#4 Game 7 will be in Nashville and this will be a tougher setting for the Jets than home ice. Mary Lisa gives us her take on how Game 7 will turn out.

Mary Lisa Walsh does the NHL Stanley Cup Western Conference Finals podcast at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

San Jose Earthquakes podcast with Ana Kieu: Timbers chop down Quakes; Dangerfield becomes Quakes Hall of Famer; plus more news

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On the San Jose Earthquakes podcast with Ana Kieu:

1. The San Jose Earthquakes lost to the Portland Timbers 1-0 at Avaya Stadium last Saturday. Give us a quick summary of that game.

2. The new version of the MLS app is completely redesigned and rebuilt with their fans in mind.

3. Former English footballer Chris Dangerfield is now in the Quakes’ Hall of Fame.

4. Mark Caliguire and Connor Robert Casey won the MOVEment Week juggling contest and will join Quakes players Tommy Thompson, Jackson Yueill and Jahmir Hyka for a juggling session at an upcoming training.

5. The Quakes recognized Evergreen community members Stacy Le, Brigitte Parman and Sukhdev Singh Bainiwal as part of Wells Fargo Neighborhood Nights.

Ana Kieu does the San Jose Earthquakes podcasts each week at SportsRadioService.com.

NHL Stanley Cup Eastern Conference Finals podcast with Marko Ukalovic: Ovi and Caps bring it to the last stanza of Eastern playoffs; Tampa Bay has some sharp shooters

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On the Eastern Conference Finals podcast with Marko:

#1 The Washington Capitals got a huge 2-1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday night to move onto the Eastern Conference Finals. It’s the first time the Caps have been to the Eastern Conference Finals in 20 years.

#2 It was a tight series between the Penguins and Capitals, who never gave an inch as it took six games. Marko reviews who will win in the East between the Lightning and Pens.

#3 Tampa Bay rolled over the Boston Bruins for a 4-1 series win in five games. The Bolts have some guys who can provide some offense in this series.

#4 Nikita Kucherov led Tampa Bay in goals and assists and was always a threat in the postseason.

Marko Ukalovic does the Stanley Cup Eastern Conference Playoff Finals podcast each Wednesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

Warriors close out Pelicans in five games 113-104; Rockets next

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@warriors photo: The Houston Rockets and the Golden State Warriors open their third round series starting next Monday at Golden State for game 1

By Daniel Dullum
Sports Radio Service
Tuesday, May 8, 2018

Golden State opened Game 5 of its NBA West playoff game at New Orleans with a third-quarter blitz that propelled the Warriors past the Pelicans 113-104, earning a 4-games-to-1 series triumph.

The Warriors now look forward to the much-anticipated Western Conference final against the Houston Rockets, who eliminated the Utah Jazz. It’s the fourth consecutive Western final for Golden State.

It was the Warriors’ 15th consecutive postseason win at home, tying the 1989-90 and 1990-91 Chicago Bulls for the longest such streak in NBA playoff history.

After a sluggish start, the Warriors opened the third quarter at Oracle Arena with a 25-4 run.

Stephen Curry shot 10-of -16 from the field, including 3-of-6 behind the arc, and he finished with a team-high 28 points, to go with eight assists, seven rebounds and a steal. It was Curry’s fourth game back in the lineup after missing five weeks with a sprained medial collateral ligament in his left knee.

Klay Thompson contributed 23 points, six rebounds three assists and a steal for Golden State, and Kevin Durant scored 11 of his 24 points in the second quarter. Durant also had seven assists, six rebounds and two steals.

Draymond Green kicked in 19 points, 14 boards, nine assists, three steals and blocked two shots.

Anthony Davis had a monster game in defeat for New Orleans, finishing with a game-high 34 points (13-of-26 field goals), a playoff career-high 19 rebounds and four blocked shots in 46 minutes. Jrue Holiday had 27 points, 11 assists and 10 boards, his first playoff triple-double.

The Warriors-Rockets series begins Monday in Houston.