Sharks Hit 100-Point Mark With 4-2 Win Over Avs

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By Matthew Harrington

The San Jose Sharks chose the perfect time to pull out of a four-game losing skid, winning game No. 81 Thursday night at the SAP Center to keep Southern California foes Los Angeles and Anaheim at bay. San Jose topped the visiting Colorado Avalanche, a team clinging to the final Western Conference playoff spot by a point, 4-2 to stay two points ahead of the Kings for second place in the Pacific Division with just one game left to play in the regular season.

Justin Braun, Logan Couture, Joonas Donskoi and Tomas Hertl scored for San Jose and Martin Jones made 23 saves for his 30th win of the season. Mikko Rantanen and Blake Comeau scored for the Avs.

Braun opened the scoring in the first with a point shot that beat netminder Jonathan Bernier for a 1-0 lead 2:58 into the game. Braun’s fifth goal of the season, a career-high, would be the only action from either team until the third period.

The two teams traded power play goals, with Rantanen (4:43) and Couture (6:00) scoring on cross passes that resulted in open nets. Couture leads the Sharks with a career-best 34 goals.

Donskoi would add the game-winning goal 10:14 into the period after picking up a Dylan Demelo point shot rebound and backhanding it in the crease past Bernier. Comeau would score to pull Colorado within one with just under seven minutes left, but Tomas Hertl’s empty netter with two seconds left iced the game.

Game Notes: With a Kings overtime win Thursday, San Jose sits two points ahead of the Kings with one game to play. The Kings hold the tie-breaker with 43 regulation or overtime wins to San Jose’s 40. Anaheim (97 points) is three points behind San Jose, but has two games in hand and will face the Dallas Stars and Arizona Coyotes.

Los Angeles also draws the Stars who will wind up being one of the first teams out of the playoff race with only 90 points. The California team with the most points will host the first round, while the last place team will likely face division winning Vegas in the first round.

If San Jose wins Saturday night against Minnesota, they will host a first round match up.

Up Next: The Sharks host the Minnesota Wild this Saturday, April 7th at 7:30 pm PT.

Suddenly surging Giants to face Dodgers again

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By Jeremy Harness

The last time the San Francisco Giants saw the Los Angeles Dodgers, Joe Panik was the only one in a Giants uniform to generate any offense.

The second baseman accomplished a rare feat by hitting solo home runs in consecutive 1-0 wins to start the 2018 season, but the lack of offense caught up to the Giants last Saturday and Sunday, and the Dodgers were able to rally and get a split of the four-game series at Dodger Stadium.

Lefty Derek Holland will take the hill for Friday night’s series opener at AT&T Park opposite Dodgers righty Kenta Maeda, who shut out the Giants over five innings in a 5-0 win Saturday night.

Holland, meanwhile, was on the wrong side of that contest, as he gave up five runs – three earned – on three hits, walking three hitters and striking out four of them.

One thing that is drastically different for the Giants, which was nonexistent in the opening series of the season, is the offense. The Giants split a two-game series at home against Seattle, during which they scored 14 runs.

Even more remarkable was the 10-1 explosion Wednesday afternoon, most of those runs coming against Seattle ace Felix Hernandez. The day was punctuated in the fifth inning, when Pablo Sandoval, noticeably trimmer than his days in Boston, launched a three-run homer into McCovey Cove beyond the right-field bleachers.

Things figure to be a little tougher against Dodgers pitching, as Rich Hill will take the mound for the Dodgers on Saturday, as he faces Chris Stratton. To close out the series, Ty Blach will hope to follow up his stellar effort in the season opener in beating Clayton Kershaw head-to-head, and he will be opposite Kershaw again on Sunday.

Pacers complete season sweep with 126-106 win over Warriors

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By: Ana Kieu

The Golden State Warriors were hoping to extend their win streak to four games with a road win over the Indiana Pacers at the Bankers Life Fieldhouse Thursday night. Did it happen? Nope.

The Warriors’ starting lineup featured Kevin Durant, Draymond Green, JaVale McGee, Klay Thompson and Quinn Cook.

Golden State was ready to play basketball in the Pacers’ arena, which was supposedly built for basketball. McGee helped the Warriors get off to a good start with a nifty shift early in the first quarter. Durant also played a major role in the Warriors’ early start as he knocked down quite a few shots.

The Pacers, however, got on top with a 15-9 lead midway through the first. Around that time, Indiana benefited from Golden State’s four turnovers.

Glenn Robinson III went up for the pass from Lance Stephenson. The Pacers continued to dominate and merely led the Warriors 27-26 at the end of the first.

The Warriors tied the game at 28 apiece to start the second quarter. Golden State had a strong finish and Damian Jones converted on a three-point play. Thompson also made quite a few three-pointers and showed Warrior fans that he was in Splash Brother mode.
With two of those first-half threes, Thompson (1,543 career three-pointers) has passed Tim Hardaway (1,542) for 25th place on the NBA’s all-time threes list.

Despite the fact that Thompson had 13 points in the second and 16 to end the first half, the Warriors trailed the Pacers by 11 (62-51) at halftime.

Durant continued to make it rain with threes in the third quarter. Then, Green pulled up for a three of his own to surprise the Warrior fans and make them say “wow!” When Green hit his 435th career three, he passed Baron Davis (434) for seventh place on the Warrior’s all-time threes list.

Despite the Warriors’ flawless plays, they trailed the Pacers by 20 (97-77) at the end of the third.

Warriors head coach Steve Kerr kept telling his team to keep going and playing fast. Apparently, Golden State listened to Kerr since they went on a 8-0 run to start the fourth quarter. And, just like that, the Warriors were back in the game as Durant headed to the three-point line to hit a trey midway through the fourth.

The Warriors were down by 14 with a little over eight minutes left in the fourth, but Victor Oladipo and the Pacers continued to bring their A-game to the court even though they weren’t the defending NBA champions.

Pacers’ Bojan Bogdanovic hit a three of his own to make it a 21-point game for the home team. At the moment, Bogdanovic was 11-for-13 from the floor. The Warriors weren’t happy with this deep deficit at all.

The Warriors tried their best to claw their way back into the game, but they fell short by 20 points to the Pacers (126-106), who swept the season series this year.

Here are the Warriors’ final stats:

Notes
Warriors’ PR provided an update on Patrick McCaw just moments before the game.

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Warriors’ injury update: Kevon Looney (flu-like symptoms) is available to play. Nick Young (flu-like symptoms) is available to play. Andre Iguodala (left knee soreness) is out.

Up Next
The Warriors return home to host the New Orleans Pelicans Saturday, April 7 at 5:30 pm PT.

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: A’s First Homestand, Promotions and Attendance

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By: Amaury Pi-Gonzalez

I believe the Oakland Athletics’ future is bright, especially since they brought Mr.Dave Kaval as their President. He has the energy, vision and leadership to guide this great franchise into their next great chapter. The first homestand of the season ended today. There’s more on that below.

If you owned a restaurant and nobody was walking in, you might want to go on the street and grab five homeless souls and bring them in to eat for free, right? It would be a charitable mission but not profitable.In that case God will bless your heart, but not your pocket. But baseball is totally different. Unlike a restaurant, baseball is a seasonal business, where you have six months and days to sell as many tickets as you can. Baseball and professional sports in general sells in advance, like for example to season ticket holders, which gives you a guarantee revenue stream. When your season tickets holders are not plentiful, then you move to Plan B. The team’s 50th Anniversary in Oakland is part of Plan B. With countless of special days and promotions already programmed prior to the season. Nothing wrong with that, this is a great franchise with a total of nine World Series titles, only the New York Yankees with 27 and St. Louis Cardinals with 11, have won more than the A’s, who have been playing at this Oakland Coliseum since 1968.

The Oakland Athletics are on their way to their first road trip of the 2018 season. They will first travel to Anaheim to face Othani and Trout for three games, then by bus up North on Highway 5, some 35 miles to Dodger Stadium for a two-game inter-league set against the Los Angeles Dodgers, and conclude their trip with three games at Safeco Field in Seattle, before returning to Oakland for the last home-stand in April, where they will face the Chicago White Sox and Boston Red Sox.

As they leave for Orange County, the first home-stand of the season was not that great at the box office. This was the attendance for the first eight games of the season in Oakland. Against the Angels on Opening Day, Thursday 27,764, followed by 27,655 the next day, Saturday 17,012 and then 14,644 on Sunday. The Texas Rangers came in on Monday for four games, Monday 7,416, Tuesday 9,597, Wednesday 7,909 and then last game of the home stand on Thursday afternoon 10,132. The first homestand, and first eight games of the season ended with a 3-5 record.

The Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday night games against the Rangers, brought me memories of the days when Charlie O Finley owned the team, and after he won the three consecutive World Series in 1972, 1973, 1974 when he didn’t wanted to retain those players because he just didn’t believe an owner should pay millions of dollars to baseball players. Catfish Hunter, Reggie Jackson, Campy Campaneris, among others, they all said Adios to Oakland, they wanted to get paid, and Finley would not paid them, as simple as that. Yes, those years after those three championships were really the dog days, I remember well because that is when I began in this business. The A’s average per-game attendance: 1976: 9,697, 1977: 6,157, 1978: 6,506.

After that, Finley sold the team to the Haas family and things changed for the better. There where pennants and World Series at the Oakland Coliseum. The Haas family revived this great franchise in Oakland, with Roy Eisenhardt, Andy Dolich, and a front office that went to work on marketing and reaching the community. But most importantly, they had the best promotion that all fans appreciate the most–winning. In 1988, the A’s were the first baseball team in the Bay Area to draw over two million fans, which at that time was considered very impressive for this market, and then they followed the trend by winning pennants and going to three World Series.

Celebrating their 50th Anniversary in Oakland has been fun already, with the reunion of 50 players in 50 years during that first home-stand, there is also the Tree House in left field, a new attraction for people to mingle, relax, drink, watch the game, inside or outside on the porch. There is a New Farm area in right field, which is very interesting. The A’s are also giving free tickets to the North Bay residents affected by the fires of 2017. On June 10, a Sunday vs the Kansas City Royals, and will include tributes to the first res-ponders and firefighters.

When the A’s return to Oakland Monday, April the 16 vs. Chicago White Sox, and the next day, April 17, everybody will be admitted free at the O.Co Coliseum.

A franchise in transition trying to build a new ball park in Oakland, with young promising players that could some day be All-Stars is moving ahead after a rough start at the box office. Yes, is has been cold, but there were other things happening, like the Warriors next door ending their regular season and limping on their way to the playoffs trying to repeat as champions.

Note: Now, outfielder Trayce Thompson is with the A’s, so he can just walk next door and watch his brother Klay Thompson (guard) with the Warriors during the playoffs.

March Madness with Villanova winning the national championship along with many other events in this very complicated entertainment world might have been a factor on the A’s attendance. The Bay Area offers many attractions and the entertainment ticket for sports here is always challenged. We are just beginning April and there is a long season ahead.

Among the many optimist here below is one of my favorites, and remember, the world belongs to the optimist.

“Even the darkest night will end, and the sun will rise.”
–Victor Hugo, Les Misérables.

Amaury Pi-González is the Spanish Voice of the Oakland Athletics, and a pioneer in establishing Spanish baseball radio in the Bay Area. Inducted into the Bay Area Radio Hall of Fame in 2010. Games are on KIQI 1010AM/990AM radio in the Bay Area and Northern California. They can also be heard in Spanish on the SAP on NBC Sports California. Total of 74 games (71 home games plus three on the road) from AT&T Park in San Francisco.

Rangers beat A’s 6-3 to earn a split of four-game series

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By Jerry Feitelberg

OAKLAND — The Oakland A’s finished the four-game series with the Texas Rangers on a sour note Thursday afternoon as they were defeated by the Rangers 6-3 at the O.co Coliseum.

Daniel Mengden started for Oakland, and he went 5 1/3 innings. He had a rough second inning when the Rangers put together four hits to score four runs. He committed a throwing error and almost had to leave the game when he was hit on his leg. He pitched well after the second inning, but the damage was done.

Rangers’ starter, lefty Martin Perez, was making his first start of the year and he picked up the win. Perez went 5 2/3 innings. He was touched for 10 hits, but the A’s could only score three times. They had their chances, but could not capitalize.

Things went south for Daniel Mengden in the top of the second inning. The Rangers’ third baseman Adrian Beltre led off the inning with a double to left. Nomar Mazara singled to put men on at first and third with no out. Second baseman Rougned Odor lined a single off Mengden’s ankle to drive in Beltre. Mengden dropped to the ground in pain. A’s manager Bob Melvin, and the trainer ran out to see the extent of the injury. Fortunately, Mengden was able to continue pitching. On the next play, Ryan Rua hit a slow roller past the mound. Mengden fielded it, but his throw to first went down the right-field line. Mazara and Odor scored, and Rua landed on third. Drew Robinson followed with a single. The Rangers scored four times and lead 4-0.

The A’s got two back in the bottom of the third. Shortstop Marcus Semien got the rally going with a single. Chad Pinder singled to put men on at first and second with no out. Jed Lowrie, hitting from the right side, doubled to drive in Semien with the A’s first run. Pinder stopped at third. Pinder scored on a sacrifice fly off the bat of DH Khris Davis. The A’s trail 4-2 after three innings of play.

The A’s added a run in the bottom of the seventh. Matt Chapman and Stephen Piscotty singled to put men on at first and third with one out. Matt Joyce, pinch-hitting for Jake Smolinski, drove in Chapman with a sacrifice fly to cut the deficit to 4-3.

The Rangers increased the lead to three in the top of the ninth when they scored twice with two men out. Juan Centeno singled, and that was followed by a home run to right-field by Shin-Soo-Choo that iced the win for Texas as the A’s failed to score in the bottom of the ninth. Texas wins 6-3.

Game Notes and Stats: A’s starter Daniel Mengden had a rough second inning when he was touched for four hits and four runs, three of which were earned. Mengden settled down and retired 11 in a row after the second-inning meltdown, but the damage was done. The A’s bullpen held the Rangers scoreless until Choo’s homer in the ninth. Mengden’s record drops to 0-2 and Texas starter Martin Perez recorded his first win of the year.

Jed Lowrie paced the A’s with three hits and an RBI. Matt Chapman had two singles to continue his hot start for Oakland. Stephen Piscotty also had two hits.

Rangers’ third baseman Adrian Beltre doubled in the second inning for his 3,054th hit in his illustrious career. Beltre passed Rod Carew for 25th all-time in hits and is now has the most hits of any Latin-born player in Major League history. He is a lock to make it to Baseball’s Hall of Fame.

Both teams are now 3-5 for 2018.

Up Next: The A’s go on the road for a four-game series with the Los Angeles Angels, two games with the Los Angeles Dodgers, and finish the road trip with three in Seattle against the Mariners before returning home to host the Chicago White Sox on April 16th.

Oakland A’s podcast with Jerry Feitelberg: Triggs and Manaea get A’s off to a good pitching start in opening homestand

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On the A’s podcast with Jerry:

#1 Going into the season there was a lot of doubt about the starting pitching but as Jerry was saying the two starting pitchers who are doing well out of the gate Andrew Triggs and Sean Manaea

#2 Manaea gave up only one run, three hits in eight innings in a 6-2 win Wednesday night

#3 For Manaea he pitched in his second start and has gone into the later innings against the Los Angeles Angels on Friday he pitched 7 2/3 innings with a 1.15 ERA.

#4 The talk of the A’s attendance being down with crowds of 7,000 plus on Monday, 9,000 plus on Tuesday, 7,000 plus on Wednesday. A’s president David Kaval has done all he can do promote and make the Coliseum fan friendly with a new restaurant out in the left field bleachers and food trucks lining the concourse of the outside of the Coliseum.

#5 The A’s conclude this homestand with the Texas Rangers as starter Daniel Mengden gets the call against the Texas Rangers Martin Perez.

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

 

Sports Headlines with Tony Renteria: The late Tyler Hilinski’s brother, Ryan, to play at South Carolina; Giants come back to rattle M’s 10-1; A’s attendance can only improve in time

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On the Sports Headlines podcast with Tony:

#1 Tyler Hilinski, the late Washington State quarterback who committed suicide last season in his dorm, has a brother named Ryan, who just committed to play at South Carolina’s football program. Knowing about Tyler’s suicide, should brother Ryan be concerned about CTE issues when playing at South Carolina?

#2 The San Francisco Giants, who lost 6-4 to the Seattle Mariners on opening day on Tuesday, and who were also expected to have pitching issues, showed up the next day Wednesday and got both hitting and pitching to take the second game of the two-game series from Seattle with a 10-1 win. The Giants got quality pitching from pitcher Johnny Cueto and lots of hitting in the laugher.

#3 The Oakland A’s, who drew only 7,000 on Monday night and then on 9,000 on Tuesday, night never have seen low attendance numbers like this in years. The numbers will improve as the week goes on, but Mondays and Tuesdays at the Coliseum will be brutal for the A’s on nights that fans tend to stay away from.

#4  The Sacramento Kings season comes to an end next week. If there was one memorable moment this season, it was the two games where Kings fans couldn’t get in because of the Black Lives Matter protest. The Kings made it clear that they support the protest, but they need to conduct business and had barricades around the arena that allowed only ticketed fans into the Golden 1 Center.

#5 The Golden State Warriors are slowly coming out of their hibernation after having shelved their big four players, who are all of them except for Stephen Curry, should be ready their next game

Tony Renteria does the Sports Headlines podcast each Thursday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

Giants look the part, hitting four homers in rout of the Mariners

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By Morris Phillips

SAN FRANCISCO — Like a latenight infomercial, the Giants looked like the newest tonic for a more youthful, vibrant lifestyle on Wednesday.

In a 10-1 rout of the Mariners, the Giants hit, pitched, and played defense like it was… well, like it was 2012.

Johnny Cueto was exceptional, going six innings to pick up the win. Cueto won 19 games for the 2012 Reds, his breakthrough campaign, and after two starts this season, he again looks capable, allowing just one run in 13 innings of work. Cueto slipped and tweaked his ankle in his final inning pitched on Wednesday, but afterwards declared himself healthy and humorous.

“I struck him out everytime,” Cueto answered when asked if teammate Pablo Sandoval once again looked like a nightmare of an opponent after launching a three-run, splash-hit home run off Felix Hernandez. The Panda may not have impressed Cueto, but he’s impressed thus far, adjusting to a role as a reserve, and looking svelte as well. His home run off King Felix was smoked, the highlight of the Giants’ five-run fifth, and the end of the evening for the Mariners’ ace.

“He called it. He said he was going to hit a homer today,” Andrew McCutchen said of Sandoval.

Brandon Belt and Brandon Crawford also homered in the fifth, and both left the yard as authoritatively as did Sandoval. Of course, both Crawford and Belt first assumed starting roles in 2012, and with both coming off a subpar 2017, the two infielders need bounce back campaigns. Belt’s been the more impressive so far, hitting .353 after a 3 for 4 day.

Contrary to baseball’s ever-changing wisdom, the Giants brought back numerous pieces from last year’s 98-loss disaster, stubbornly maintaining that the group could rebound offensively. The opening weekend in Los Angeles wasn’t close, as the offense produced just two runs–only one earned–the worst opening to a season offensively by any club in 30 years.

But with 14 runs scored in a two-game split with the Mariners, the questions have subsided. And the work put in by the returners in the off-season has started to draw attention.

Sandoval is tremendous shape, following a fitness regimen that challenges him daily, the perfect counter to his reduced playing time. Gorkys Hernandez, who started in center field and homered in the third, is 10 pounds heavier after an off-season, weight lifting program. Belt has shortened his swing, emphasizing a more direct path to the baseball. Hunter Pence, who was scratched due to a hand injury, pinch hit in the eighth. Pence also has assumed a fitness, lifestyle program to keep himself healthier.

The Giants open a three-game set with the Dodgers on Friday night with Derek Holland facing Kenta Maeda in the opener.

Barracuda get two debut goals to shoot down Gulls in a 4-0 shutout victory

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By Marko Ukalovic

SAN JOSE — The saying goes you only get one chance to make a good first impression. For the San Jose Barracuda (29-26-4-4), the debuts of Sasha Chmelevski and Ivan Chekovich couldn’t have come at a better time for the team. Both scored in their Cuda debuts to help the Cuda dominate the San Diego Gulls (35-24-3-1) in a 4-0 shutout victory on Wednesday evening at the SAP Center.

Both players got the first two goals of the game for the Cuda. Adam Helewka started a 3-on-1 rush inside the Gulls zone. Captain John McCarthy then sent over a sweet backhand pass over to Chmelevski, drafted by San Jose Sharks in sixth round of 2017 draft (185th overall), who was wide open in between the circles. Chmelevski then made a nifty move around Gulls goalie Kevin Boyle (18-11-2) and buried the puck into the empty net for his first AHL career goal at 5:15 of the first period.

“I saw that I had a lot of ice so I just screamed for it (the puck),” said Chmelevski about his goal. “Luckily he (McCarthy) got it over to me and I was able to be creative and score a goal. It’s pretty surreal. It’s something you dream about as a kid to play professional hockey and I couldn’t be more happy.”

Chekovich, who was drafted by the Sharks in the seventh round of the 2017 draft (212th overall), was able to pick-pocket the puck off Julius Nattinen that bounced over to Rourke Chartier. Chekovich was able to get the puck back and fired a wicked wrist shot past Boyle into the lower right corner for his first goal of his AHL career at the 14:50 mark. Chartier received the only assist on the goal.

“The kids did real well (in their debuts),” said head coach Roy Sommer. “It’s hard to score in this league. Both of them got their first goals in the first period. So that was nice to see.”

“I just closed my eyes and shot the puck,” Chekovich said jokingly about his goal. “My first experience (playing) in a pro league, I was pretty excited.”

San Jose had a chance to increase their lead with a minute left in the first period with two great scoring chances by Heleweka and Rudolfs Balcers. Helewka skated in around the Gulls defense for a point-blank shot saved by Boyle. Balcers then had an empty net to shoot at seconds later only to be stoned by Boyle. The Cuda dominated the play in the first period, outshooting the Gulls 14-5.

Antoine Bibeau (20-14-4) made a sprawling leg save on Nattinen with just over 10 minutes left in the second period.  A shot ricochet over to Nattienen and his wrap around attempt was stopped by the Cuda netminder.

Balcers increased the lead to 3-0 at the 12:19 mark of the second period when he was rewarded for crashing the net. Tim Heed, sent down by the Sharks today, made a nice play by keeping the puck inside the blue line. He then sent a pass over to Radim Simek who one-timed the puck from the middle of the point. Balcers who was screening Boyle on the play was able to push home the rebound after Boyle failed to freeze the puck. It was Balcers’ team-leading 19th goal of the season.

The Gulls tried to climb back in the game early in the third period with Simek in the sin bin for tripping. Kalle Kossila, the Gulls leading scorer, was all alone in the left slot when he took a cross-ice feed, however, his shot that was headed into an empty net was sticked away at the last second by Bibeau, in what arguably could be the save of the year for Cuda.

“I didn’t have time to get my whole body (over to the left side),” said Bibeau. “I just tried to put some equipment in front and made the save.”

Baclers would get his second of the game and team-leading 20th of the season on a 5-on-3 power play. Chmelevski won the faceoff that Helekwa was able to kick over to Balcers, who lasered a wrist shot past the five-hole of Boyle at the 10:04 mark. The goal came just two seconds after Corey Tropp went into the penalty box to produce the 5-on-3 opportunity.

“(After) I scored, I was laughing (afterward),” said Balcers. “The puck just came out to me, the d-man was there and I just tried to whack it on the net and it just went through his legs.”

Bibeau was spectacular in the net, stopping all 27 shots he faced for his fifth shutout of the season. Boyle stopped 29 out of 33 shots in the loss.

“He was really good tonight,” said Sommer about his goaltender. “Especially on that save on the penalty kill (on Kossila). He deserved the shutout, well deserved.”

GAME NOTES: San Jose was 1/5 on the power play.

While San Diego, the league’s best power play, went 0/2.

“We talked about it. You gotta stay out of the box against them as that’s the key against that team. They can light you up,” said Sommer on limiting San Diego’s power play opportunities.

FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT! Emerson Clark and Mike Liambas exchanged fisticuffs 16 seconds into the second period. Clark also got into it with Boyle later on in the second period after Boyle shoved Clark in attempt to help out his teammate who was tussling with Clark after the whistle had blown. Colby McAuley and Corey Tropp also exchanged pleasantries with one another at the 12:23 mark of the third period.

The announced crowd was 3,395.

UP NEXT: The Barracuda travel up to Stockton to take on their NorCal rival, the Heat, to start a home and home series on Friday, April 6 at 7 pm PT.

A’s hammer Rangers 6-2 behind Sean Manaea’s dominant pitching

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By Jerry Feitelberg

OAKLAND — The A’s sent out their big lefty Sean Manaea to face the Texas Rangers Wednesday night at the O.co Coliseum. Manaea pitched well in the A’s second game of the season, but took the loss. However, he was dominant against the Rangers. He mixed up his pitches, and he allowed the Rangers just three singles. The A’s gave Manaea some run support as they led 5-0 after four and he was on cruise control.

The A’s scored the first run of the night in the bottom of the second inning. With one out, Matt Chapman singled. Fister struck out Chad Pinder for the second out, but he could not get by Bruce Maxwell. Maxwell lined a double into the gap in left centerfield to drive in Chapman with the A’s first run.

The A’s sent eight men to the plate in the bottom of the fourth. The A’s scored four runs on two hits, and only one of the runs was earned. The A’s loaded the bases with no out. Chapman singled, Pinder was hit by a pitch, and Bruce Maxwell walked. Boog Powell hit a grounder to the first baseman, Joey Gallo. Gallo’s throw home appeared to nail Chapman, but catcher Robinson Chirinos could not handle the throw and the run scored, and the bases were still loaded. Marcus Semien hit a drive to centerfield that was caught at the base of the wall. Pinder scored, and Maxwell and Powell tagged up and advanced to third and second. Fister struck out Matt Joyce for the second out, but Jed Lowrie ended Fister’s night when he singled to drive two more runs. The A’s lead 5-0 after four complete innings.

The Rangers scored their first run of the game in the top of the fifth. Manaea gave up a single to Nomar Mazara and followed that by walking Chirinos. Jurickson Profar hit a long fly to the rightfield corner. Chad Pinder made a wonderful running catch for the first out, but Mazara was able to tag up and advance to third base. Ryan Rua then hit into a fielder’s choice to drive in Mazara. The A’s added a run in the bottom of the seventh when they loaded the bases with no out. Matt Olson singled to knock in the run, and the bases were still loaded, but they could do no more. The A’s lead 6-1 after seven innings.

Bob Melvin pulled his starter Sean Manaea after he finished the eighth inning. Yusmeiro Petit started the ninth for Oakland, and it did not go well as the Rangers’ DH hit a home run on the second pitch he saw from Petit. Petit settled down and retired the next three hitters to secure the win for Oakland.

Game Notes and Stats: Sean Manaea won his first game of the year as he went eight innings and allowed just one run and three hits. He dazzled the Texas hitters and kept them off balance all night. Manaea pitched well his last time out but did not get any run support and lost to the LA Angels.

The A’s offense came to life Wednesday night. The A’s did not hit any home runs, but they got key hits when they needed them. The hitting stars for Oakland were Jed Lowrie and Matt Chapman. They each knocked in two runs to pace the A’s attack.

Manaea went eight innings and allowed just one and three hits. He threw 94 pitches. He probably wanted to finish the game, but A’s manager Bob Melvin saw things differently. Manaea is 1-1 and Texas starter, Doug Fister, lost his first of the year and is also 1-1.

It was another sparse crowd again. There were 7,908 fans in the seats on a fairly chilly night.

The good news was the time of the game. They played the game in two hours and 23 minutes and everyone gets to go home early.

Up Next: Game four of the four-game series will be Thursday afternoon at 12:30 pm. Daniel Mengden (0-1) will go for Oakland, and the Rangers will counter with lefty Martin Perez (0-0).