A’s Bullpen Implodes in 13-1 Loss to Tigers

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Jeffrey Springs #59 of the Athletics pitches against the Detroit Tigers in the top of the first inning at Sutter Health Park on July 31, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Mandatory photo credit: Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — After losing three of four games to the Boston Red Sox during the past week at Sutter Health Park, the A’s welcomed the Detroit Tigers to town for game one of a three-game series on Friday night.

The A’s fell to the Tigers on Friday night by a final of 13-1 in an ugly showing all the way around.

It was Jeffrey Springs who got the start for the series opener on Friday night. Springs, who is in his ninth season in the majors, is having the worst year of his career. Heading into Friday’s action, Springs led the league in losses (10), earned runs (72), and home runs allowed (27). In the series opener, Springs struggled with his command yet again as he was only able to get through four innings against the Tigers lineup. Across his four innings, Springs gave up two runs on four hits while walking a massive five batters and striking out just two. Springs managed to limit the damage, but it was certainly another underwhelming outing for the left-hander out of Appalachian State University in his 22nd start for the A’s this season.

“…Probably some fatigue and lack of strength in that front side led to a little bit of a lack of command tonight,” Mark Kotsay said of Jeffrey Springs after the game. “…Overall managing to get out of that fourth inning with only giving up one run and the pitch count was really high… he worked really hard for four innings… it shows some grit.”

The A’s bullpen had to cover five innings on Friday night after Springs was lifted following the fourth inning, and it pitched well until the eighth inning.

Hayden Juenger was first out of the bullpen for the A’s as he pitched the fifth inning. Juenger was effective, allowing just a walk and nothing else while also striking out two in his one inning of relief.

Brady Basso was next out of the bullpen for the A’s as he came in for the sixth, seventh, and eighth innings. Basso allowed just one hit and no runs in the sixth and seventh innings as it appeared he was going to cruise through three innings of relief. However, Basso ran into trouble in the eighth inning and was unable to record an out as he faced three batters and they all reached base. In the end, Basso went 2+ innings and gave up three runs on four hits while walking none and striking out two.

Unfortunately for the A’s, the implosion from the bullpen didn’t end with Basso. Mark Kotsay turned to Luis Morales for the rest of the eighth inning, and it went poorly, to say the least. Morales surrendered a grand slam in the inning to allow the Tigers to blow the game wide open. It also didn’t stop at that point for the Tigers. Morales was back out in the ninth inning, where he surrendered another four runs in a completely ineffective outing. When the dust settled, Morales went two innings of eight-run, six-hit baseball while walking one and striking out one.

As for the bullpen, Kotsay only has so much left to say. It needs to improve. On Morales specifically, the A’s are looking to go back to square one.

“We’re going to have to go back to the drawing board with Morales, and we’ve identified some things that he’s doing… he may be tipping his pitches, but at the same point, he still has to execute the pitches. Even though you throw 97, it’s got to be executed. It can’t be in the middle of the plate. So there’s still a lot for Morales to do from a standpoint of just making adjustments.”

On the offensive side of the ball, the A’s struggled to get things going against the Tigers’ bullpen game after the Casey Mize scratch earlier in the day. The A’s totaled just three hits and one run while walking three times against Detroit pitching over nine innings.

The A’s first and only run came in the first inning to help them jump out to an early lead. It was the red-hot Jonah Heim who stayed hot on Friday as he drilled an RBI double to center field that scored Jacob Wilson. It was Heim’s 12th double of the season and his 35th RBI.

That’s all she wrote on the offensive side for the A’s as they fell 13-1.

The A’s will take on the Tigers in game two of the series on Saturday at 6:40 p.m. PDT. Jack Perkins (2-4, 6.45 ERA) is scheduled to start for the A’s, while the Tigers will counter with Framber Valdez (5-7, 4.53 ERA).

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. 

San Francisco Giants podcast Lincoln Juarez: Susac home run key in Giants win to open series in San Diego

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Rafeal Devers slides in scoring on a San Francisco Giants Daniel Susac’s sacrifice fly as San Diego Padres catcher Luis Campusano is late with the tag in the top of the fifth inning at Petco Park in San Diego on Thu Jul 30, 2026 (AP News photo)

San Francisco Giants podcast Lincoln Juarez:

#1How important was Daniel Susac’s two-run home run in helping the Giants secure their 4-1 victory over the Padres?

#2What stood out about Robbie Ray’s six-inning performance, and how did he keep the Padres’ lineup under control?

#3How did Rafael Devers contribute offensively, and what impact did his three-hit game have on the Giants’ attack?

#4What role did Christian Koss play defensively, including his impressive barehanded play against Jake Cronenworth?

#5How effective was the Giants’ bullpen, particularly Erik Miller, in preserving the 4-1 lead and closing out the win?

Join Lincoln Juarez for the Giants podcasts each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Oakland about to lose another Sports team?

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The Oakland Coliseum may no longer be home of the Oakland Roots as the lease between the Coliseum and the Roots looks to be over after 2026 (photo by the Oakland Roots)

Oakland about to lose another Sports team?

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

OAKLAND–In the 1970s, the City of Oakland had the moniker City of Champions;  remember a big banner in front of Oakland City Hall  that read “Oakland City of Champions, however, things have changed since then.

The Oakland Roots are facing a serious financial dispute of $1.4 million in overdue rent plus game-day expenses owed to the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Authority. The team says it has paid upcoming fees in advance so they can keep playing. Team President Lindsay Barenz confirmed that the fees for the upcoming Saturday (August 1st) home match against the Pittsburgh Riverhounds have been paid in advance, ensuring the game will go on.

Unfortunately, these days the City of Oakland is well-known in sports because it cannot keep its professional sports teams in town. The Warriors left for San Francisco in 2019; they were followed by the Raiders in 2020, who packed and moved to Las Vegas, and then the Athletics in 2024, now temporarily playing in Sacramento with a final stop and new home in Las Vegas in 2028. This is unprecedented for an American city in recent history.

The Oakland Alameda-County Coliseum is a huge sports facility that seats 50,000 to 60,000 depending on what sport is played. The average home attendance for the Oakland Roots Soccer Club this 2026 USL Championship season is between 5,000 to 6,000 spectators.

Recently, Marketing Guru Andy Dolich, who was in charge of the Marketing for the Oakland A’s, said that the Roots need to play in a smaller venue, and I totally agree with Andy. This is what he said: “They should be playing in a smaller venue. They should find the right venue in which they know, early on, that they’ll sell out”

Is Oakland about to lose this Fútbol/Soccer team the same year that the FIFA World Cup took place in the United States, which was a great success financially and culturally? I hope not, but time will tell.

On the Oakland positive: The Oakland Ballers Baseball team of the Pioneer League started play in 2024, and they play their home games in Raimondi Park, Oakland. Our friend Lewis Rubman has been covering the B’s for this site since they first started play.

Bears moving? The Chicago Bears of the NFL have officially announced they have plans to build a new stadium in Hammond, Indiana, which is located in Northwest Indiana, just across the state line from Chicago. The Chicago Bears have played at Soldier Field in Chicago for 55 years. The move is expected to happen, but they have not yet determined the site for the new stadium and what year they will have their first kickoff in Indiana.

Amaury Pi-Gonzalez – Cuban-born Pi-González is one of the pioneers of Spanish-language baseball play-by-play in America. Began as Oakland A’s Spanish-language voice in 1977 ending in 2024 (interrupted by stops with the Giants, Mariners and Angels). Voice of the Golden State Warriors from 1992 through 1998. 2010 inducted in the Bay Area Radio Hall of fame.

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. 

Giants Cruise Past Padres In Series Opener 4-1

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San Francisco Giants second baseman Luis Arraez (left), first baseman Rafael Devers (center), and third baseman Christian Koss (right) celebrate their win against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park in San Diego on Thu Jul 30, 2026 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

The San Francisco Giants (47-62) took on the San Diego Padres (55-54) Thursday night in the first game of their four-game series winning at Petco Park in San Deigo. The Giants have been on a roll lately taking a series off the first place Milwaukee Brewers earlier this week.

San Francisco continues to amaze at times losing to underperforming teams and going on to beat some pretty darn good ones. It certainly is puzzling, the ebb and flow of the team this season.

Thursday night they took on another very good team the Padres although they have struggled off and on lately. They did come into this game on a 5-game winning streak that the Giants put an end to.

San Francisco did score early, three runs in the first two innings something that they have struggled with for much of the season. Starting pitcher for San Francisco Robbie Ray was outstanding through six innings setting the stage for the win. The relief pitching for the Giants was equally solid in an impressive offensive and defensive game for San Francisco winning the opener 4-1.

GAME RECAP

The San Francisco Giants have struggled lately getting early leads but that was not the case tonight. They took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Rafael Devers sacrificed Heliot Ramos home.

They went on to score a couple more runs in the second inning with a great offensive at bat from Daniel Susac. Susac homered with Willy Adames on base giving the Giants a 3-0 lead.

The Padres would answer scoring a run in the bottom of the inning but that would be the only time they would score for the rest of the game. Xander Bogaerts singled Ty France home for a 3-1 deficit.

Starting for the Giants Robbie Ray would weave his magic through the next six innings winning his seventh straight start. He was impresssive snapping the Padres five-game winning streak. Ray gave up a few hits through the first three innings but pretty much breezed through the fourth, fifth and sixth innings when he was relieved by Caleb Kilian.

The Giants would tack on one more run in the fifth inning for the final 4-1 win.Susac who was instrumental in this win sacrificed Rafael Devers home for the final run and the Giants had won the first game of the four-game series.

GAME NOTES

San Francisco played an impressive game Thursday night. They jumped ahead early scoring in the first and second innings. Defensively they controlled the strike zone and the Giant’s pitching shut down San Diego’s middle of the lineup.

The Padres only got six hits in this game and the one run and their big bats were really absent, Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr. were unable to create any sort of rally. Something that has hurt the Giants this season has been big mistake innings and that was not the case Thursday night. They played some really clean baseball.

A huge reason for this win was the outstanding performance on the mound from Robbie Ray. He pitched six innings allowing the one run keeping the San Diego lineup off balance all night.

Ray’s command was excellent attacking the strike zone giving very few free baserunners. He did not overly rely on his fast ball but mixed it up. He got a lot of swings and misses as well as weak contact.

It is not a secret that San Diego has some dangerous hitters like Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr but Ray kept them at bay all night. This is just another example of why Ray has been one of the Giant’s most valuable pitchers this season.

He entered this game with a 3.16 ERA. In this outing Ray exposed one of the Padres biggest weakness. When San Diego falls behind early they have a lot of trouble stringing together enough quality at-bats making comebacks very difficult.

San Francisco finished the game with 11 hits. Rafael Devers had three hits with one run and one RBI. Susac was also impressive hitting the two run homer and had 3 RBIs. Nearly every player on the Giants roster had a hit in the game.

The Giants will be looking to win game two of the series continuing to score early with more solid offensive play. Their defense was solid today and they will need more of the same in game two looking to play an errorless game on Friday night.

Carson Whisenhunt will take the mound for San Francisco. He comes into the game with a 2-1 win/loss record and a 4.60 ERA. The Padres are still undecided as to who will take the mound Friday night. First pitch is scheduled for 6:45 PM.

Sacramento A’s podcast Jeremiah Salmonson: A’s can’t hold a lead; Sox Abreau and Contreras homer in 5-4 Bosox win

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Sacramento A’s Lawrence Butler slides in ahead of the throw as Boston Red Sox catcher Connor Wong waits for the throw in the bottom eighth inning at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento on Thu Jul 30, 2026 (AP News photo)

Sacramento A’s podcast Jeremiah Salmonson:

#1 Boston Red Sox sluggers Wilyer Abreau and Wilson Contreras hit back to back home runs in the top of the eighth inning to help the Sox edge the Sacramento A’s at Sutter Health Park on Thursday night 5-4.

#2 The Sox Ceddanne Rafaela had two hits for two RBIS and the Sox came back from behind in the top of the eighth for the comeback victory.

#3 The win for the Sox was their eighth in their last 12 games. The A’s lose the four game set to Boston losing three out four.

#4 For the A’s Lawrence Butler whose bat has come alive again got two hits and scored two runs. Jacob Wilson contributed with two hits and an RBI.

#5 The A’s open up a three game set against the Detroit Tigers at Sutter Health RHP Casey Mize (4-6 ERA 2.70) make the start for Detroit for Sacramento LHP Jefferey Springs (3-10 ERA 6.23) first pitch 6:40pm PDT.

Join Jeremiah Salmonson for the A’s podcasts Thursdays 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. 

NHL podcast Len Shapiro: Sharks Celebrini’s five yr $94 million deal; Hughes-Wild talk contract worth $47.1 million

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San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini celebrates after scoring a goal against the Nashville Predators during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, File)

NHL podcast Len Shapiro:

#1 Len, talk about the San Jose Sharks Macklin Celebrini’s recent contract extension worth $94 million for five years worth $18 million which is a signing bonus?

#2 The Minnesota Wild met with Quinn Hughes on Tuesday. Hughes still has a year left on his $47.1 million contract with annual pay out of $7.85 million that contract ends July 1st 2027. He will finish his last year with the Wild of his contract that he signed with the Vancouver Canucks.

#3 Len, talk about the two year contract that goaltender Stuart Skinner signed on Jul 1st after spliting last year with the Pittsburgh Penguins and Edmonton Oilers. Skinner joins the Winnipeg Jets and will be a back up goaltender for Connor Hellebuyck. Skinner was 23-17-9 with a 2.92 goals against average.

#4 The Columbus Blue Jackets Cole Sillinger said that the players are obligated to get the Jackets to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Sillinger signed with the Jackets for $13.875 million, $4.625 million annual, for three years. Sillinger said he was ready to help lead the Jackets to the post season.

#5 Former Detroit Red Wing Patrick Kane said he was glad to play for the Red Wings and made friends with former teammate Alex DeBrincat and said that he would like have been a part in helping the Wings get to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Some of the reasons why Kane left Detroit might have been that Dylan Larkin requested a trade, Steve Yzerman as GM, and Chicago Blackhawks owner Danny Wirtz called Kane as soon as his free agency became available.

Join Len Shapiro for the NHL podcasts Thursdays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Aces Get Past New York In a Wild Game With An Even Wilder Finish 104-99

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Las Vegas Aces guard Jackie Young (0) drives on the New York Liberty’s center Jonquel Jones (left) and guard Sabrina Ionescu (20) in the first half at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas on Thu Jul 30,2026 (AP News photo)

By Rich Perez

The Las Vegas Aces (20-8) took on the New York Liberty (16-13) in was a highly competitive game between the two rivals. The Aces got a grip on Liberty with a 104-99 win at Michelob ULTRA Arena.

The Aces came out on fire with Jackie Young leading the charge hitting 22 points in the first half.

They took a 52-44 lead into the half and would need more of the same in the third quarter. The Liberty made some needed adjustments in the second half still unable to take the lead but getting to within a single point.

When it got so very close, the Aces pushed back taking a 70-61 lead with 3:25 left in the third. With a lot of time left on the clock this game was still up for grabs. A’Ja Wilson came alive in the third quarter scoring 18 points finishing with 28 through three quarters giving Las Vegas a 79-71 lead going into the fourth.

The final quarter was a wild one with the Aces coming out on top 104-99. There were some key plays down the stretch for Las Vegas and a little bit of luck thrown in as well.

GAME RECAP

The Liberty got off to a great start in the early minutes of the first quarter but the Aces came roaring back with Jackie Young taking charge. After less than four minutes into the quarter Young was on a heater leading the comeback rally giving the Aces a 14-12 lead. She demonstrated her ability to hit three-point shots going 3 of 3.

As the opening quarter wore on this game was off the charts competitive with the lead changing back and forth throughout. After the first ten minutes of play Las Vegas was hanging onto a 27-26 lead.

Las Vegas continued to fight back in an effort to push out their lead in the second quarter. Jackie Young had an incredible quarter scoring 22 points in the first half. She was on fire and the Liberty were unable to extinguish that fire.

A’Ja Wilson also had double digits in the first half but it was Young who had the hot hand. At the half the Aces had created a 52-44 lead. It was Las Vegas who was dictating the pace taking more and more control of this game throughout the second quarter.

The Aces hit 8 shots from downtown in the first half while the Liberty only hit four. Las Vegas had put themselves in a strong position although an eight point lead is not a safe lead against a team with the likes of Breanna Steward and Sabrina Ionescu aboard. Second-chance points could swing this game in the second half.

New York could not afford to give the Aces extra possessions. If Steward and Ionescu really get going attacking the paint then the Aces would have to work a lot harder getting open shots and they cannot have any sort of breakdown. We will for sure see some major adjustments from the Liberty and how the Aces handle that could very well determine the winner of this game.

There were fireworks in the first half of this game and the third quarter displayed more fireworks. After the Aces had pushed their lead out to 54-44, the Liberty pushed back and two minutes into the quarter New York was trailing by only four points 58-54.

The Liberty had even more energy than in the first half and they were making a real push in a one-possession ball-game four minutes into the quarter. Las Vegas needed to regain the energy they had in the first half.

The Aces were in foul trouble with Chelsea Gray and Nalyssa Smith both with four personals. A’Ja Wilson had hit 18 points in the quarter with 30 seconds left in the clock. Going into the fourth quarter Las Vegas had a 79-71 lead and they would need to continue to elevate their play to finish off this game.

The Aces started off the fourth quarter stripping the ball from Breanna Stewart and the race was on. After taking a ten-point lead the Liberty cut the Aces lead in half. They were not going down without a fight.

Despite getting close the Liberty had still been unable to take the lead although threatening throughout the fourth quarter. Both teams were coming away with empty possessions with 3:36 remaining in the game.

Las Vegas was still clinging to a 92-87 lead. It was crunch time in the final two minutes of the game with Las Vegas taking a 98-93 lead with 55 ticks left on the clock. Chelsea Gray fouled out with 20 seconds left in the game giving Ionescu a couple of free throws.

She made both but the Aces got a huge break when the officials missed a call that would have given the Liberty the ball trailing by 3 points with ample time to tie up this game. Las Vegas went on to win the game 104-99.

GAME NOTES

It was a wild game for Las Vegas. Both teams played their hearts out this game going down to the wire. An unfortunate break late in the fourth quarter for New York occurred when the officials missed a call that solidified the 104-99 win for the Aces.

A’Ja Wilson found her groove in the second half finishing with 33 points and 10 rebounds, a double double. Jackie Young had 29 points and Chelsea Gray finished with 16 points before fouling out.

This was an outstanding game for both teams and it was unfortunate when the officials, all three of them, missed a critical call that hurt the Liberty when they would have had then opportunity to at least tie up this game.

Not to diminish the Las Vegas effort but the bottom line is that these officials really blew it in the closing seconds something that cannot happen in a game the caliber of this one.

Brenna Ionescu had the high for the Liberty with 26 points and 11 rebounds also with a double double and Pauline Astier chipping in 19 points.

The Aces will now head out on the road; their first stop in Chicago taking on the Sky. They will face some challenges on this road trip with stops in Atlanta, Indiana, Minnesota and finally finishing off the trip taking on the Liberty once again. They will take it one game at a time with their first road matchup Saturday in Chicago with tipoff scheduled for 10:00 AM.

A’s Drop Series Finale to Red Sox 5-4 Despite Strong Start From Barnett

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Mason Barnett #63 Athletics pitches against the Boston Red Sox in the top of the first inning at Sutter Health Park on July 30, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Mandatory photo credit: Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — After dropping game three on Wednesday to the Red Sox, the A’s tried to split the series with Boston on Thursday in the final game of the four-game series.

The Athletics couldn’t salvage the series split on Thursday as they fell to the Red Sox 5-4 in nine innings.

Mason Barnett got the spot start for the A’s, who had floated the idea of going with an opener on Thursday. Barnett, who made his 15th appearance and first start for the A’s on Thursday, pitched well. Barnett breezed through the first four innings before running into trouble in the fifth inning. Barnett gave up three runs in the fifth that would ultimately lead to the end of his outing. All in, Barnett gave up three runs on four hits while striking out six and walking just one Red Sox hitter.

Mark Kotsay was pleased with Barnett’s outing and felt it was something he could continue to build on moving forward.

“I thought Barnett did a great job… the goal was to get through five innings tonight, keep building him,” Mark Kotsay said after the game. “… Ultimately thought he executed his pitches tonight… so we’re going to keep building with him, keep putting him out there.”

Mason Barnett was also pleased with his outing, albeit with the caveat of the fifth inning.

“I felt good,” Barnett said after the game. “Stuff felt great, especially early on. Glad I was able to get four strong ones out there. The last one, that last inning, started off with a fastball getting away from me. And then after that I was trying to get the ball on the ground and did that, but they just put it in places where it’s tough to make plays. Sometimes that’s just how baseball goes, but overall I felt good and think I can build off it.”

In the sixth inning, the A’s went to the bullpen for the first time in the game in relief of starter Mason Barnett. Scott Blewett was the first out of the bullpen for the A’s, and he impressed in his two innings of work. He immediately got himself into a jam in the sixth inning but managed to get out of it without allowing a run. Blewett allowed no runs on two hits across his two innings of work while walking none and striking out one.

In the eighth inning, Mark Kotsay went with Luis Medina, who had pitched well over his last five appearances, allowing just two runs. However, the Red Sox weren’t kind to Medina, greeting him with back-to-back home runs to open the eighth inning. However, that would be all the damage done to Medina as he finished the frame allowing just those two hits while striking out one in his one inning of work.

In the ninth inning, now down by a run, the A’s turned to Elvis Alvarado to keep the game within one run. Alvarado turned in a solid performance as he faced the minimum in the ninth thanks to a 1-6-3 double play to end the inning after issuing a leadoff walk. Alvarado allowed one walk and no hits across his one inning of relief while striking out one.

On the offensive side of the ball, the A’s kept a steady diet of offense going throughout the game, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the Red Sox. The A’s finished with nine hits and two walks while scoring four runs.

The A’s first run of the game came in the third inning when Jacob Wilson hit an RBI single to center field that scored Carlos Cortes. It was Wilson’s 33rd RBI of the season.

In the fourth inning, it was Lawrence Butler, who has been heating up as of late, who recorded an RBI double to score Jonah Heim. It was Butler’s 27th RBI of the year.

Later in the inning, it was Donovan Walton who hit an RBI single that scored Lawrence Butler to give the A’s their third run of the game and make it a 3-0 game at the time.

In the sixth inning, the A’s scored their final run of the game on a Carlos Cortes sacrifice fly that scored Lawrence Butler from third base. It was a close play at the plate as Butler scored on a shallow fly ball to left field.

The A’s will stay home to take on the Detroit Tigers in game one of a three-game series on Friday at Sutter Health Park. The Tigers plan to start Casey Mize (2-6, 2.70 ERA), while the A’s will counter with Jeffrey Springs (3-10, 6.23 ERA).

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. 

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast: Welcome to Baseball Trading Season

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Detroit Tigers Tarik Skubal tips his cap to the crowd after striking out his 1000th career batter against the Baltimore Orioles at Comerica Park in Detroit on Wed Jul 29, 2026 (AP News photo)

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

According to history, the first baseball trade took place on August 29, 1885, when the Louisville Colonels of the American Association traded John Connor and $750 to the minor leagues for pitcher Toad Ramsey of the Chattanooga Lookouts.

The most famous deal: owner of the Boston Red Sox Harry Frazee sold Babe Ruth to the New York Yankees for $100,000 plus a $300,000 loan because Frazee needed money to finance a Broadway musical called My Lady Friends.  This created the “Curse of the Bambino” keeping the Red Sox from winning the World Series for 86 years, and the start of the New York Yankees dynasty.

With about 60 games left this 2026 season, buyers and sellers are poised to begin dealing as soon as August 3 at 6 pm ET.

For the Giants: They are legitimate sellers. Their biggest and most impactful trade in their history took place in November 1996, bringing Jeff Kent, along with José Vizcaino, Julián Tavarez, and José Roa, to San Francisco from the Cleveland Indians; in return, the Giants sent one of their fan-favorite players, Matt Williams, to Cleveland.

But the most recent deal for the Giants that made big baseball news was when they acquired Boston Red Sox Rafael Devers, taking on the remainder of his very nice (for Devers) 10-year, $313 million contract. This deal took place June 15, 2025, just over a year ago. In return, the Giants sent left-handed pitcher Kyle Harrison, right-handed pitcher Jordan Hicks, outfield prospect James Tibbs III, and minor-league right-hander José Bello.

Many players will change uniforms over the next few days/weeks, but the most coveted player is Tarik Skubal, currently pitching (maybe for the last time with the Detroit Tigers. Tarik Skubal was born in Hayward, California, a Bay Area kid, but the Giants will not trade for Skubal.

Quote on trades: Joe Garagiola,Baseball Broadcaster  “Is like your 100th birthday. not ideal, but  it beats the alternative”

For the young readers: Garagiola lived to be 90 years young, broadcasted for 58 years. I met him in 1986 during the World Series for NBC Sports. while Juan Vené and yours truly called the 1986 World Series betwen the Mets and the Red Sox on the old CBS Hispanic Radio Network, under great producer Armando Talavera.

Saludos to Cooperstown! Congratulations to the Baseball Hall of Fame: Great inductiong ceremony forJeff Kent, Carlos Beltrán and Andruw Jones.

Amaury Pi-Gonzalez – Cuban-born Pi-González is one of the pioneers of Spanish-language baseball play-by-play in America. Began as Oakland A’s Spanish-language voice in 1977 ending in 2024 (interrupted by stops with the Giants, Mariners and Angels). Voice of the Golden State Warriors from 1992 through 1998. 2010 inducted in the Bay Area Radio Hall of fame.

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.

Bay FC match wrap: Purce long goal stands up for Gotham FC in 1-0 shutout

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Bay FC forward Alex Pfeiffer winds up to kick the ball during a match against Gotham FC on Wednesday, July 29, 2026 at PayPal Park in San Jose. (Courtesy of Bay Area News Group)

By William Espy

SAN JOSE–Bay FC was back on the pitch at PayPal Park on Wednesday night for a midweek matchup against Gotham FC, and Bay brought some reinforcements. Taylor Huff and Abby Dahlkemper were both available for Wednesday’s game, but started the night on the substitute bench. Gotham also has some new weapons, though, as they reunited the former Chelsea pairing of Guro Reiten and Sam Kerr, both of whom were in their starting lineup.

Off of a corner in the third minute, Gotham took a 1-0 lead as Midge Purce was able to get the ball past Jordan Silkowitz and into the back of the net. Purce’s goal stood up for the Gotham win.

Moments after a run by Karlie Lema that drew out the keeper but failed to result in a scoring chance, Bay FC were seemingly able to tie things up with a goal by Kennedy Fuller in the eighth minute as the ball slowly trickled across the goal line. After a lengthy discussion with the VAR, Joshua Encarnacion, referee Servando Berna initiated a review for a possible offside. Eventually, Berna ruled that the play was offside and Gotham kept their 1-0 lead. 

Alex Pfieffer challenged Shelby Hogan in the 15th minute, but the Gotham goalkeeper was able to make the save. 

After having the goal called back, Bay FC had a few noticeably sloppy plays that resulted in losing possession, even in the defensive third of the pitch. Around the half-hour mark of the match, Gotham started playing very physical, resulting in multiple Bay players getting taken down in dangerous fashion. In the 30th minute, Pfieffer got another shot on target, but Hogan made the save with no problems.

In the 41st minute, Pfieffer was able to earn a corner after a great run up the right side of the pitch, kicking the ball off of a closing defender. Nothing came of the corner besides a bit of pinball in front of the goal and another corner chance that Gotham would ultimately clear. 

In the 50th minute, Jordan Silkowitz made a big fingertip save to deny Gotham’s second goal of the night, but she landed awkwardly due to a collision with teammate Joelle Anderson and went down, taking all energy out of PayPal Park momentarily. She appeared to be holding her back, and the trainers took the field to attend to her. She returned to her feet moments later and remained in the game. 

Maddie Moreau was shown a yellow card, the first of the night, in the 60th minute. 

In the 76th minute, Bay FC made their first substitution of the night as Taylor Huff entered the match for Cristiana Girelli. 

Rose Lavelle was shown a yellow card for a dangerous challenge on Hannah Bebar in the 81st minute. Caroline Conti and the returning Abby Dahlkemper entered the match in the 83rd minute, looking to spark Bay FC and salvage a point. Unfortunately, that plan wouldn’t come to fruition, as Gotham held on to win 1-0.