Raiders host Seahawks Thursday in final preseason game; Lynch to play against former team

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Oakland Raiders running back Marshawn Lynch (24) has a laugh on the sideline during the 2017 NFL week 3 preseason football game against the Dallas Cowboys, Saturday, Aug. 26, 2017 in Arlington, Tex. The Cowboys won the game 24-20. (Paul Spinelli via AP)

By Joe Hawkes-Beamon
Sports Radio Service Writer

OAKLAND — With three preseason games now in the books, the Raiders (0-3) look to end the preseason on a high-note with a win over the visiting Seattle Seahawks Thursday night at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in both team’s preseason finale.

Seattle edged out the Raiders 23-21 in Oakland to close out the preseason schedule last year as both teams rested their starters, which should be the case again this preseason.

Sadly, Raider Nation won’t see new running back Marshawn Lynch carry the football against his former team. Lynch was the heartbeat for the Seahawks during his six seasons in Seattle where he help bring the franchise its first Super Bowl championship in 2013 before retiring after the 2015 season.

Lynch came out of retirement during the offseason and Seattle traded Lynch to his hometown team, where its been nothing but love for the former Oakland Technical High School and Berkeley running back.

Last week, Raiders quarterback Derek Carr looked sharp in Oakland’s 24-20 loss to the Cowboys in Dallas, completing 13-of-17 passes for 144 yards and two touchdowns before giving way to backup quarterback EJ Manuel late in the second quarter.

Carr, who saw the return of starting left tackle Donald Penn to the team following a 26-day holdout during training camp in search of a new contract, threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson that capped off a 10-play, 81-yard drive on Oakland’s first possession of the game.

Wide receiver Amari Cooper hauled in Carr’s second touchdown pass of the game, a 48-yard score that culminated a 4-play, 60-yard drive, faked out the camera man during the television broadcast. Cooper, who looks noticeably bigger in the upper-body to help beat the jam from cornerbacks at the line of scrimmage, led Oakland with 78 yards receiving and tied with Patterson with four catches in the game.

Defensively, Oakland still had some mental gaps in pass coverage but did see their defensive line create some pressure on the quarterback that was seemingly absent this preseason.

Rookie defensive tackle Treyvon Hester continues to make it hard for the coaches to cut him, sacking Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott on a third-and-13 for a 12-yard loss that led to Dallas’ first punt of the game.

Hester’s three sacks during the preseason is tied for most in the NFL.

Fellow rookie, linebacker LaTroy Lewis had one of the bigger plays on the night.

On second-and-5 from the Oakland 26-yard line, reserve cornerback Antonio Hamilton sacked Cowboys backup quarterback Cooper Rush and the fumble was returned by Lewis 65 yards for a touchdown.

The final game of the preseason will give Raiders head coach Jack Del Rio and his coaching staff more film to review before all 32 NFL teams must trim their official roster from 90- to 53-man on Sept. 2.

That means, guys like Hester, Lewis, and even rookie middle linebacker Marquel Lee (who still struggles getting off of blocks from offensive lineman), have to make every snap count on Thursday night against Seattle at 7:00 p.m. PT in front of Raider Nation.

Connor Cook and EJ Manuel, who are battling for the backup quarterback job behind Carr, will get extensive action this week. Cook completed 9-of-16 passes for 89 yards, while Manuel was just 2-of-4 for 8 yards against the Cowboys.

Shouldn’t be a surprise if Cook gets the start over Manuel, who was signed in the offseason as the logical backup to Carr, but Cook, who did make NFL history last year by becoming the first quarterback to make his debut in a postseason game, appears to be the front-runner to backup Carr.

Against Seattle last year in the preseason, Cook came into the game in the second quarter in place of former Raiders backup Matt McGloin and played well completing 15-of-30 passes for 145 yards, but did throw an interception that was returned by the Seahawks 42 yards for a touchdown.

Seattle (3-0) defeated Oakland’s bitter rival, the Kansas City Chiefs, 26-13, last week at CenturyLink Field. Super Bowl winning quarterback Russell Wilson completed 13-of-19 passes for 200 yards and a touchdown for Seattle in the first half of the game.

The Seahawks have won three of the last four NFC West crowns and enter 2017 as the favorite to win the division this year, thanks to a stout defense led by the “Legion of Boom” and the aforementioned Wilson, who has won at least one playoff game in each of his first five seasons as the starting quarterback for Seattle.

Both teams open up the 2017 regular season on the road, with Oakland traveling to Tennessee to take on the Titans in Nashville, and Seattle kicking off their schedule in Green Bay against the Packers.

 

Tarbell gets first MLS win as Quakes blank Galaxy on the road 2-0

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~ Photo credit: San Jose Earthquakes

~By Pearl Allison Lo

~ CARSON– San Jose ended their six game losing streak on the road with a 2-0 shutout over Los Angeles Sunday in the 2017 finale of the California Clasico.

It was head coach Chris Leitch’s first road win with the team as Andrew Tarbell also got his first MLS shutout, as he made three saves. Two of them came 31 seconds apart.

What made this game different, “today we had just the mentality that we weren’t going to let any obstacle set us back. We were going to overcome this thing…a bigger desire to win,” replied Quakes’ Shea Salinas.

San Jose’s Chris Wondolowski now has the league record for most goals on the road. He was also called to the U.S. National Team today.

With an announced crowd of 19, 237, meanwhile, the Galaxy continued a 10-game winless streak overall and at home.

Pele van Anholt had to leave in the first half due to a right knee injury and Los Angeles went down a man in the second half due to a red card.

The Galaxy started off with the shots, but they were all off target. The Quakes’ Tommy Thompson intercepted a pass on one side of the field and sent it forward to Marco Urena with only goalie Jon Kempin before him, but Urena shot the ball wide in the 8th minute.

The game’s first shot on goal went to Vako in the 15th minute followed by the game’s first blocked shot in the 16th.

Before Urena’s shot, which was on goal this time, he had a collision with van Anholt, who had to be carried off in a stretcher in the 26th minute.

Los Angeles’ first shot on goal came in the 38th minute.

Galaxy newcomer Jonathan dos Santos nearly had a goal in the 45th minute when he hit the crossbar.

Two minutes of stoppage time were just what San Jose needed as Salinas’ corner sailed over several players’ heads and bounced to Vako. Vako made a swift left kick and the ball went over Kempin for a 1-0 lead. It was Vako’s second goal in three games.

Los Angeles got a chance to recover from the break when Joao Pedro was awarded a penalty kick. However, video review called it off.

Chances got even dimmer when Nathan Smith, who came in for van Anholt, was given a red card. Smith was the only one with 100% accuracy for in the first half.

Less than a minute after entering in the 71st minute, the Quakes’ Danny Hoesen had an attempt on net.

In the 80th minute, Urena’s goal trickled in for San Jose’s second goal after he and the ball passed a sliding Kempin, who came off his line. Jackson Yueill got his first MLS assist. On how he felt, Yueill responded, “It was awesome. It was a great team win, and the assist was just a bonus…excited that Marco made a great run and I saw him.”

Urena, who had a game-high six shots, had his game-high fourth shot on target in the 91st minute.

Wondolowski capped the scoring with his 92nd minute goal.

Game notes: Post game, the LA Galaxy Special Olympics Unified team won 4-0 over the Earthquakes’ side. San Jose completes their long three-game road trip Saturday against Toronto FC at 2pm.

First String Offense Wakes Up in 49ers Loss 31-30

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San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brian Hoyer hands the ball off to running back Carlos Hyde, left, during the first half of an NFL preseason football game against the Minnesota Vikings, Sunday, Aug. 27, 2017, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)

By: Joe Lami

For the first time this preseason, the 49ers first string offense looked alive as they dominated most of the first half in Sunday night’s loss to the Minnesota Vikings.

Quarterback, Brian Hoyer got going early connecting on a huge deep ball to Marquise Goodwin for a 46-yard touchdown. Hoyer finished the first half passing 12 of 17 for 176 yards and two scores.

Pierre Garcon was also noticeable for the first time wearing red and gold, catching six passes for 64 yards.

Carlos Hyde and Matt Brieda saw most of the carries among the first stringers, as Hyde carried the ball seven times for only 19 yards, but more importantly was a weapon out of the backfield, catching three passes for 45 yards and a touchdown. Brieda also saw seven carries and led the 49ers in rushing yards with 29 yards.

However, leading the night out of the backfield was Raheem Mostert, who scored two touchdowns, both in the second half. Mostert turned a 3rd and 23 in the third quarter for an 87-yard touchdown, as C.J. Beathard hit him on the screen. He also ran in the 49ers final score of the game with 7:48 remaining from four yards out.

The 49ers backfield has impressed all preseason long, making debate on how many running backs the team should try and carry on the 53-man roster. At this point, Hyde and Brieda are locks and Mostert’s performance on Sunday night put him over the top for the roster. Now the decision will come with Joe Williams, who finished the 4th quarter with 16 yards on seven carries.

Despite the strong start to the game, the 49ers fell apart in the fourth quarter, allowing two touchdowns in the final six minutes of the game. Terrell Newby ran in the final score with no time remaining on the clock to cut the San Francisco lead to 31-30.

Minnesota decided to go for two and was successful on the conversion on a quarterback sneak from Taylor Heinicke for the victory.

On the defensive side of the ball, San Francisco fell apart as the game progressed, but once again the key figures had huge games. Rueben Foster led the way with eight tackles, including one for loss, as he continues to show why he was such a steal in the draft.

Sunday night’s game showed the biggest jump in the 49ers ability so far through the preseason and coming in week three gives little hope for the improvement of this team.

San Francisco closes out their preseason schedule at home on Thursday against the LA Chargers and is going to be vital for guys still vying for a spot on the 53-man and practice squad roster.

Not mailing it in: A’s sweep the Rangers behind resurgent Cotton

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Oakland Athletics pitcher Jharel Cotton works against the Texas Rangers in the first inning of a baseball game, Sunday, Aug. 27, 2017, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

By Morris Phillips

OAKLAND–Players Weekend was a resounding success for the Oakland A’s.

From the colorful uniforms and socks to the not always brilliantly inventive nicknames, and the familiar v-necks, the A’s made the three-day run their own with three, impressive wins over the Rangers, a team in the playoff hunt intent on using the Athletics as a stepping stone.

But it was the A’s that pitched and muscled their way through the weekend, and their youthful trade acquisitions and call-ups led the way.

The A’s are always looking for something to build on, and this was undoubtedly it. The team came in struggling through August, long presumed to become their team-record, tenth consecutive month with a losing record.

But with their first three-game win streak in almost a month, that losing record is no longer a certainty.

Jharel Cotton pitched six innings and struck out a career-best nine batters, and Matt Chapman had a career-best three hit game, a home run, and the game’s key play defensively as the A’s turned a close game into a 8-3 win.

Cotton’s second quality start in a row alone was good news for the A’s, who have been patient with their acquisition from the Dodgers in the Josh Riddick, Rich Hill trade through a season of ups and downs. That Cotton performed at the Coliseum was significant since his stats at home were among the worst among AL starters coming in.

“I’ve just been going game by game, trying to get better,” Cotton said. “I’ve found how to get better and better myself, and I’m doing that right now. It feels really good.”

Sporting the nickname “Squeaky,” a nod to Cotton’s overly noticeable bicycle of his youth, the 25-year old pitched hitters away on Sunday, a move born out of stubbornness aimed at reducing the numbers of home runs he’s allowed. But more importantly, according to manager Bob Melvin, Cotton expertly kept the difference between his heater and his changeup at or in excess of 10 mph, creating a conundrum for opposing hitters.

 

D-Backs explode with 9-run eighth, rout Giants, Cain 11-0

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San Francisco Giants’ Matt Cain, right, paces on the mound after giving up a three-run home run to Arizona Diamondbacks’ Paul Goldschmidt, left, during the eighth inning of a baseball game Sunday, Aug. 27, 2017, in Phoenix. The Diamondbacks defeated the Giants 11-0. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

By DANIEL DULLUM
Sports Radio Service
Sunday, August 27, 2017

PHOENIX, Ariz. – At the end of Sunday’s NL West game between San Francisco and Arizona, Matt Cain took one for the team, and the Diamondbacks made it hurt.

Cain, the former Giants ace, was called on in the bottom of the eighth to keep San Francisco in a two-run game. Ten batters and eight runs later, the D-Backs led 10-0 when Cain was mercifully removed.

In all, Arizona sent 12 batters to the plate in a nine-run eighth, cruising to an 11-0 victory, their fourth in a row.

The Diamondbacks (73-58) maintain a 1 1/2-game lead over Colorado in the National League Wild Card race, with Milwaukee and Miami trailing the Rockies by 5 and 5 ½ games, respectively.

Patrick Corbin (12-11) struck out eight and walked one in seven scoreless innings, earning his fourth straight win. D-Backs relievers Andrew Chafin, David Hernandez and Jake Barrett combined to complete the shutout.

For the second game in a row, the Giants saw a quality start come up short of a victory. Chris Stratton (2-3) gave up four hits and two earned runs in six innings while striking out 10 with five walks.

After giving up a one-out single to Gregor Blanco and walking A.J. Pollock in the Arizona seventh, Josh Osich left after Jake Lamb flied out to deep right. Kyle Crick struck out Paul Goldschmidt to end the threat.

San Francisco (52-80) had runners at first and second with nobody out in the eighth before pinch-hitter Brandon Crawford hit into a double play and Gorkys Hernandez lined out to center.

Then, for the Giants, came the disastrous Diamondback eighth.

Cain, making his fourth appearance out of the bullpen, walked J.D. Martinez and Daniel Descalso singled. After Adam Rosales reached on a well-placed bunt single, Chris Hermann singled to right, driving in Martinez and Descalso.

Pinch-hitter Brandon Drury delivered a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Hermann, and the rally continued. Cain issued a walk to Blanco and Pollock flied out to right before the veteran righthander hit Lamb with a pitch.

Goldschmidt belted his 31st home run of the season to left, a three-run blast, followed by Martinez’s second homer of the game. Cain was pulled in favor of Cory Gearrin, who was greeted by Descalso with a home run to right.

A manufactured run in the bottom of the third inning gave Arizona the first lead of the game. Hermann led off with a walk, was sacrificed to second, and went to third on David Peralta’s infield ground out. Hermann then scored when Stratton uncorked a wild pitch on strike three to Ray Fuentes.

In the D-Backs sixth, after Paul Goldschmidt walked and was thrown out trying to steal second, Martinez homered to right, making it 2-0.

Kelby Tomlinson had two of the Giants’ five hits.

The Giants move on to San Diego for a three-game series with the Padres. Jeff Samardzija (6-12, 4.67) faces Jhoulys Chacin (11-9, 4.10) Monday in a matchup of righthanders.

GIANT JOTTINGS: San Francisco has dropped 7 of its last 11 games against the Diamondbacks. … A 54-second video challenge overturned a possible fielder’s choice for Buster Posey, and was reversed to a 6-4-3 double play that ended the Giants’ first inning. … Arizona’s David Peralta was ejected after striking out in the fifth inning. It was his first career ejection. … Giants RHP Chris Stratton has thrown 18 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings over his last three starts. … It was the sixth time in team history the D-Backs hit back-to-back-to-back home runs. The last time was on July 21 against Washington. … Martinez’s 12th and 13th home runs with Arizona give him 29 overall on the season. This was Martinez’s fourth multi-home run game this season, and the fifth of his career. … Attendance at Chase Field was 21,210. The roof was closed – 106 degrees outside, 78 inside.

TAGS: San Francisco Giants,Arizona Diamondbacks,NL Wild Card,Sports Radio Service

MLB Podcast with Daniel Dullum: Brewers, D-Backs, and Rocks jockeying for position in wild card; Dodgers Bellinger on DL

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Los Angeles Dodgers’ Cody Bellinger bats against the Detroit Tigers in the ninth inning of a baseball game in Detroit, Friday, Aug. 18, 2017. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

On the MLB Podcast with Daniel

1 MLB hands down five suspensions in Yanks-Tigers brawl

2 Brewers hanging in NL Wild Card race with Arizona and Colorado; AL Wild Card getting interesting

3 Nationals get ninth straight win against Houston

4 Dodgers place Cody Bellinger on DL; Phillies rookie hits 10th homer in first 17 games

5 Waiver/postseason eligibility trade deadline on Aug. 31 – still some possibilities for a deal

Daniel does the MLB Podcast each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

Categories MLB

NCAA Football Podcast with Michelle Richardson: Stanford’s win a no brainer; Alabama and Ohio should right in the top three in the polls

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Stanford Cardinal quarterback Keller Chryst (10) ready to take the ball from Stanford Cardinal center Jesse Burkett (73) at the college football game between Stanford Cardinal and Rice Owls on August 26, 2017. Stanford Cardinal won the game 62-7. (Photo by Steven Markham/Icon Sportswire) (Icon Sportswire via AP Images)

On the NCAA Football Podcast with Michelle:

1 Stanford look like they had an offensive plan taking on Rice in a offensive landslide over the Owls 62-7 in the season opener. The Cardinal exhibited a true offense

2 Alabama tops the AP Polls again as head coach Nick Saban says the offensive plan is going to schedule. Michelle talks about how impressed she is with the Crimson Tide this season

3 The Ohio State Buckeyes open their season against Indiana University. The Buckeyes are rated in the top three in the AP Poll

Michelle Richardson does the NCAA Podcast each weekend for http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

Stanford Cardinal overwhelm Rice Owls in the Sydney Cup game 62-7

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Paydirt: Bryce Love of the Stanford Cardinal scores a touchdown. Photo: AAP

by Jerry Feitelberg

Sydney, Australia

The Stanford Cardinal, coached by David Shaw who is now in his seventh year at the helm, overwhelmed the Rice Owls in the first game of the 2017 football season by a score of 62-7. Stanford dominated the game on offense, defense, and virtually every facet of the game as they were relentless in their offensive onslaught and just as dominant on defense. Rice could not do anything and scored their only touchdown of the game late in the fourth quarter when all the Stanford starters were on the bench.

The Stanford Cardinal dominated the hapless Rice Owls in the first half of the game. The Cardinal took four plays to get on the board. The key play was Bryce Loves’s sixty-two-yard scamper on the first play from scrimmage. Keller Chryst completed a pass to tight end  Colby Parkinson in the end zone for the tally.

The Cardinal defense rattled the Owls the first time they had the ball. They started their first drive with a false start, delay of game, and another false start. Rice kicked to the Cardinal and Stanford took it down the field for another score. They went 43-yards on eight plays and used up 3minutes and twenty-three seconds. The Cardinal defense continued to dominate. The third time in the first quarter that the Cardinal touched the ball, the scored a touchdown. Bryce Love carried it in for the touchdown. Stanford is way ahead 21-0 after the first quarter.

It was more of the same in the second period. Stanford went 71-yards in four plays. Cameron Scarlett’s 29-yard run was the key play on the drive.  Stanford did not score on their fifth drive of the game. However, the next time they had the ball, they put more points on the board. The key play was a 55-yard pass and run to Cameron Scarlett. Ryan Burns came in for one play at quarterback, and he made a nice nine-yard run to the goal line. Scarlett scored the TD. The Cardinal’s defense had an answer for everything Rice tried to do. The Cardinal’s Jet Toner kicked a 48-yard field goal to end the first half. Stanford had an overwhelming advantage 38-0 with 30 minutes of play left in the second half.

In the second half, Stanford scored three touchdowns and a field goal to put 62 points on the board. Keller Chryst engineered the first score in the third quarter when Chryst hit Parkinson in the end zone to make it 45-0. With Ryan Burns at the helm, Ryan Burns hit Kaden Smith for his first passing touchdown, and the lead was extended to 52-0. Coach Shaw sent in K.J. Costello to play quarterback near the end of the quarter.

The Rice Owls scored their only TD of the game with just 6:19 to play. Costello scored the final touchdown of the night when he ran 25 yards for the TD. The Cardinal wins 62-7.

Game Notes- It was a banner night for the Cardinal quarterbacks. Chryst was 14-for-24 good for 253 yards and 2 TDs. Costello was 5-for-9 for 80 yards, and he has one rushing TD. Burns was 2-for-4 for 36 yards and one TD. Bryce love led the running game with 13 carries for 180 yards and a TD. His longest run was 62 yards. Cameron Scarlett had eight carries for 59 yards and 3 TDs. Connor Weddington led the receivers with six catches. Kaden Smith had four catches and a TD, and Colby Parkinson finished the night with 3 catches and 2 TDs.

The Cardinal amassed 656 total yards. They had 369 yards passing and 287 rushing. Total time of possession was 31 minutes and thirty-five seconds.

The Cardinal does not play next weekend as they have a long flight home from Sydney on Sunday. They will meet the University of Southern California Trojans on Saturday, September 9th in Los Angeles. The Trojans’ Sam Darnold will be running the show for USC. Darnold took over last year when the Trojans were 1-3 and took them to the Rose Bowl. This game could be one of the biggest of the year for Stanford.

 

Cowboys Rush by Raiders late get 24-20 win

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Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr (4) throws a pass in the first half of a preseason NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys on Saturday, Aug. 26, 2017, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Ron Jenkins)

By Jeremy Kahn

Yes, it is the preseason, but one can imagine that the Oakland Raiders are not very happy when they see their record through the first three games.

Derek Carr went 13-for-17 for 144 yards passing before he was replaced by E.J. Manuel in the second quarter, as the Dallas Cowboys defeated the Raiders 24-20 at AT&T Stadium.

Donald Penn, who returned to the Raiders this week as he ended his camp-long hold-out played 17 snaps over to series.

The first Raiders series where they scored lasted 10 plays for 81 yards that ended with a Carr 17-yard touchdown pass to Cordarrelle Patterson. Carr also threw a 48-yard touchdown pass to Amari Cooper that gave the Raiders a 13-10 halftime lead.

Ezekiel Elliott, who is suspended for the first six regular season games played sparingly for the Cowboys, as he had eight touches in 10 plays in his only series of the game.

Elliott finished the game with six carries for 18 yards, as he scheduled to an appeal hearing in New York and he will not play in the preseason finale against the Houston Texans. If the suspension is upheld, Elliott will return to the field on October 29 against the Washington Redskins.

The sixth and final game of the scheduled suspension for Elliott is on October 22 against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium.

LaTroy Lewis extended the Raiders lead up to 20-10 in the third quarter, as he returned a Cowboys fumble 65 yards for a touchdown; however, it was not enough to put the Cowboys away.

Cowboys backup quarterback Cooper Rush threw two touchdowns in the fourth quarter, as the Cowboys came from a 10-point deficit.

Rush cut the Raiders lead down to three points, as he found Ronnie Hillman for a seven-yard touchdown pass. On their next series, Rush found Lance Lenoir for the game-winning 44-yard touchdown pass to give the Cowboys the lead.

Connor Cook led the Raiders on the final drive of the game and he got them all the way down to the Cowboys nine-yard line, but his third-and-goal toss on the final play of the game to Keon Hatcher fell incomplete and the Cowboys held onto win.

NOTES: These two teams will face each other on December 17, as the Cowboys head to the Coliseum in the home regular season finale for the Raiders.

The Raiders close out the preseason on Thursday night, as the Seattle Seahawks venture into the Coliseum.

Solo homers by Snakes derail MadBum, Giants 2-1

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San Francisco Giants’ Madison Bumgarner throws a pitch against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the first inning of a baseball game Saturday, Aug. 26, 2017, in Phoenix. The Diamondbacks defeated the Giants 2-1. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin

By DANIEL DULLUM
Sports Radio Service
Saturday, August 26, 2017

PHOENIX, Ariz. – It happens so often over the course of a baseball season – Madison Bumgarner pitching well enough to win on Saturday at Chase Field with nothing to show for it.

The San Francisco lefthander scattered five hits over seven innings, struck out seven and his only walk was intentional. But two of those hits were solo home runs by A.J. Pollock and J.D. Martinez, providing Arizona with enough offense to earn a 2-1 win over Bumgarner the visiting Giants.

It was the third win in a row for the Diamondbacks (72-58), who continue to lead the National League Wild Card race by 1 ½ games over Colorado and 5 ½ over Milwaukee.

It was Bumgarner’s ninth start since returning to the Giants from a three-month stint on the disabled list (left shoulder sprain). Bumgarner (3-6) threw 109 pitches before giving way to Hunter Strickland in the eighth.

“(Bumgarner) looked fine; looked like he’s back to normal,” Giants Manager Bruce Bochy said. “Throwing 109 pitches isn’t that uncommon. He felt fine. He could have gone back out there.

“Two solo home runs given up in this ballpark, that’s a great job. These days, you don’t give up as many hits, but you’re giving up more home runs. That’s how the game is today.”

Early on, it was looking like Diamondbacks starter Taijuan Walker (7-7), looking for his first win since June 21, would be the night’s hero. Walker retired the first 11 batters he faced until Giants leftfielder Jarrett Parker broke up Walker’s no-hit bid with two out in the fourth, driving a towering home run to center, tying the game at 1-1.

“Jarrett squared one up and that was it,” Bochy said. “(Walker) was good. He has great stuff, throws around 95, has good movement.

“We had our chances, but didn’t take advantage of them today.”

It was the long ball that got the job done offensively for Arizona. A.J. Pollock’s seventh home run of the season put the Diamondbacks up 1-0 with two out in the bottom of the first inning.

After Parker’s solo blast, Arizona regained the in the bottom of the fourth on J.D. Martinez’s home run off Bumgarner that landed in the seats just left of the 413-foot marker. It was the 11th home run for Martinez as a Diamondback, and his 27th of the season.

“The 3-2 pitch to Martinez, was spotted more toward the middle. I thought I would beat him, and I didn’t,” Bumgarner said. “Pollock has gotten real good at hitting high fastballs in the last year or two, because he’s hit two of them off me this year in almost the same spot.”

The Giants (52-79) threatened in the fifth when Brandon Crawford led off with a single and advanced to third on Joe Panik’s single. But Walker struck out Ryder Jones and Bumgarner to end the rally.

“I’ve been feeling pretty good at the plate, seeing the ball good,” Bumgarner said. “I felt good going up there today and that just didn’t work out. That’s the way it is sometimes and I was glad to stay in the game.”

Bumgarner added that, at the same time, he has no interest in seeing electronic umpires working the plate.

“I’ve said this many times before, I’m not advocating for the stupid electronic strike zone,” he said. “I don’t even like replay. I wish we’d go back to playing baseball the way it’s supposed to be played. That’s just my opinion; everybody has one.”

“Bum is pretty good with a bat so I let him hit there in that situation,” Bochy said. “That was a tough pitch he was called out on. I got word the pitch was off the plate. He’s a pretty good hitter, he shortens up with two strikes. He saw it good, the call went their way, and that’s a tough break.”

Relievers Andrew Chafin, David Hernandez and Fernando Rodney blanked the Giants over the final 2 2/3 innings. Rodney struck out Crawford and Pablo Sandoval to close out save No. 32.

The two teams complete their weekend series Sunday, with righthander Chris Stratton (2-2, 3.98) pitching for San Francisco, while the D-Backs counter with lefthander Patrick Corbin (11-11, 4.09).

GIANTS JOTTINGS: Arizona SS Ketel Marte left the game in the sixth inning with left hamstring tightness. He’s day-to-day. … Attendance was 25,709 as fans sought to escape the 110-degree heat. It was 78 degrees inside with the roof closed.

TAGS: Madison Bumgarner,San Francisco Giants,Arizona Diamondbacks,Sports Radio Service,NL Wild Card