Pirates stomp Giants, 13-3; Bailey dealt to Cleveland trade might have impacted team

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San Francisco Giants’ Christian Koss is hit by a pitch during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Saturday, May 9, 2026 in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

By Ryan Hannagan

San Francisco — The Giants and Pirates faced off for game two of a three game series Saturday night. The Giants were hoping to maintain their momentum and win the series in game two after their 5-2 victory on Friday night but it was all for not as the Pirates won in a 13-3 laugher at Oracle Park on Saturday night.

In other news, the Giants traded two-time Gold Glove catcher Patrick Bailey to the Cleveland Guardians in exchange for left-handed pitching prospect Matt “Steamboat” Wilkinson and their CBA Round A pick (29th overall) in the morning before the game. 

Landen Roupp was given the nod for the Giants. Roupp had a 3.18 ERA and a 5-2 W/L record going into Saturday’s game. The Pirates went with Braxton Ashcraft, also a right-handed pitcher. Ashcraft, a second-year pitcher, had a 3.02 ERA and a 1-2 W/L record going into Saturday’s game. 

The first four innings of the game were scoreless. There was an eye opening difference between the two pitchers despite the scoreless tie. While Roupp struggled to complete his innings at a productive pace, Ashcraft was dominating the Giants lineup.

Roupp’s pitch count surged to 91 after four innings pitched. Despite only giving up one earned run, a sacrifice fly off the bat of Brandon Lowe shortly after he was pulled (Bart was the run that scored, Bart singled to begin the fifth when Roupp was still in) Roupp was only able to go 4 ⅓ innings due to his high pitch count. Replacing Roupp was relief pitcher Ryan Borucki.

The fifth inning was really where the flood gates slowly began to open for the Pirates. Borucki didn’t make it far in Saturday night’s affair, only facing four Pirates, retiring two and leaving the mound with an earned run of his own, an RBI single off the bat of Bryan Reynolds. Following Borucki’s departure, Ryan Walker came in with an attempt to stop the bleeding with the score sitting at 2-0.

Walker allowed an infield single to Nick Gonzales, but shortly after during the next AB, Gonzales was thrown out trying to steal 2nd effectively ending the inning. 

A positive came out of the Giants half of inning five. Rookie DH Bryce Eldrige hit his first career home run to open the bottom half of the inning, moving the score back within one, a 2-1 Pirates lead. A high soaring moonshot just short of a splash hit. That would be the only run the Giants scored in the bottom of the 5th.

Walker returned to the mound in the sixth, where the Pirates offense added two more insurance runs giving themselves a 4-1 lead, forcing manager Tony Vitello to pull Walker after only recording two outs, a recurring theme amongst the Giants pitching staff. Matt Gage was the fourth pitcher of the night to take the mound for the Giants, he went ⅔ IP just as Borucki and Walker did, though without an earned run allowed.

On offense, the Giants had another scoreless inning, quickly allowing the hot Pirate bats back out on offense. The seventh inning is where the score began to get out of hand. Vitello had JT Brubaker out to start the seventh. There was a lot of Pirate offense during Brubaker’s appearance.

By the time Brubaker got the hook, the Pirates had increased their lead to 7-1. Gregory Santos came in relief of Brubaker, and the Pirates didn’t let up. Another three runs allowed, this time by Santos, moved the score to 10-1 Pirates by the end of the inning.

No further offense came until the ninth inning when the Giants sent infielder Christian Koss to pitch. Koss allowed three more runs making the score 13-1.

The Giant’s offense did respond in the bottom of the ninth, but the hole was too deep to dig out of. Two Giants runs and three outs later the game was over with a 13-3 final.

With Saturday’s loss, the Giants have lost nine of their last 11 games.

Sunday is the series finale, 1:05 first pitch. Starting pitchers for Pittsburgh RHP Buba Chandler (1-4 ERA 4.76) for San Francisco RHP Tyler Mahle (1-4 ERA 5.00) first pitch at 1:05pm PDT.

Sacramento A’s game wrap: Rooker Rocks Camden As Civale Tames Birds 6-2; Sacramento’s third win in a row- A’s lead AL West by 2 games

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Sacramento A’s Brent Rooker swings for a home run in the top of the third inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards in Baltimore on Sat May 9, 2026 (AP News photo)

By Mauricio Segura

The Sacramento Athletics did not waste any time turning Saturday afternoon at Camden Yards into their kind of ballgame winning their third straight ball game and second in a row over the Baltimore Orioles 6-2 Saturday.

Before Baltimore could even settle into the rhythm of Game 2, Nick Kurtz ripped a sharp double to left, Shea Langeliers followed with a line-drive single, and the Green and Gold had a 1-0 lead. It was the kind of first-inning punch that tells a pitcher, a ballpark, and a home crowd that the visitors did not arrive just to politely take their cuts and go home.

Aaron Civale made that early run feel much larger. Baltimore put traffic on him, including a Gunnar Henderson single and an Adley Rutschman double in the first, but Civale kept answering with the calm of a man changing a tire while the car is still rolling.

Zack Gelof helped him escape the first by starting a crisp 5-4-3 double play, and Civale struck out Pete Alonso to end the threat. In the second, after Samuel Basallo singled, Civale struck out Leody Taveras, Dylan Beavers, and Coby Mayo in order, turning a possible Orioles rally into a three-swing warning label.

The biggest swing came in the third. Kurtz walked, Langeliers singled again, and Brent Rooker punished Shane Baz with a three-run homer to right field, his fifth of the season. In one clean crack, a 1-0 game became 4-0, and the Athletics had control. Rooker has enjoyed seeing Baltimore over his career, and this was another reminder that some matchups just seem to fit a hitter’s hands.

Kurtz kept applying pressure in the fifth, opening the inning with his second double of the game, then stealing third. Langeliers brought him home with a sacrifice fly, giving the A’s a 5-0 lead. Kurtz entered the day riding the longest on-base streak in the majors this season, and his afternoon only added to the story of a young hitter who keeps finding ways to matter. The A’s also entered the game alone in first place in the American League West, and performances like this are why that standing no longer feels like a cute early-season typo.

Civale’s line was not spotless, but it was tough. He allowed six hits and three walks over five scoreless innings, striking out six. His biggest escape came in the fifth, when Jeremiah Jackson singled, Henderson doubled, and Taylor Ward walked to load the bases with nobody out. Civale did not blink. He struck out Rutschman, got Alonso to fly to left, then retired Basallo on another fly ball to Tyler Soderstrom. That was the game’s spine.

Baltimore finally scratched back in the eighth against Mark Leiter Jr. Taveras singled, Beavers doubled, and pinch-hitter Colton Cowser lined a two-run single to center to cut the lead to 5-2. For a moment, Camden Yards had a pulse again. But Tyler O’Neill grounded into a forceout, and the inning ended before the Orioles could turn nervous energy into real danger.

The A’s answered in the ninth like a team that understood the value of breathing room. Langeliers walked, Rooker singled, and Colby Thomas, who had entered as a pinch-hitter and stayed in right field, lined a single to center to score Langeliers for a 6-2 lead. Thomas had also singled in the eighth, giving the bench a useful spark at the right time.

Joel Kuhnel handled the ninth with no drama, getting Henderson, Ward, and Rutschman on three straight groundouts. The Athletics finished a clean, sturdy 6-2 win with early offense, clutch defense, a sharp start from Civale, and enough late insurance to keep Baltimore from making the afternoon weird. In a season where the A’s are trying to prove their first-place grip is real, this was not a flashy masterpiece. It was better than that. It was professional, balanced, and convincing.

Game 3 Sunday will have the A’s looking to celebrate Mother’s Day by leaving Baltimore with a series sweep. For the A’s, Luis Severino (2-3 / 4.15 ERA / 43 K) will take the mound against Chris Bassitt (2-2 / 5.91 ERA / 20 K), with first pitch scheduled for 10:35am Pacific.

Costa Rican-born Mauricio Segura has been covering sports in the Bay Area since 2001 for a variety of magazines and newspapers, as well as his own publication, Golden Bay Times.

Sacramento A’s podcast Tony Harvey:Their getting the pitching and clutch hitting; A’s win opening game of O’s series

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Sacramento A’s pitcher Jacob Lopez deals against the Baltimore Orioles in the bottom of the first inning at Camden Yards in Baltimore on Fri May 9, 2026 (AP News photo)

Sacramento A’s podcast Tony Harvey:

#1 Tony, talk about the A’s they are getting the pitching and clutch hitting.

#2 The A’s Nick Kurtz is one of those clutch hitters with a two run triple in the top of the fifth and the A’s just got by the Baltimore Orioles with a 4-3 win.

#3 Orioles pitcher Kyle Bradish had some success against the A’s line up striking out ten hitters in seven innings. It was the Baltimore defense that let him down in the A’s three run fifth inning.

#4 A’s pitcher Jacob Lopez gave up two run and allowed three hit in 5.1 innings of work. The Orioles are struggling against left handed pitching as they are 0-9 against Southpaws this season thus far.

#5 A’s and O’s meet again Saturday starting pitchers for Sacramento Aaron Civale (3-1 ERA 2.95) for Baltimore RHP Shane Baz (1-3 ERA 4.99) first pitch 1:05pm PDT.

Join Tony Harvey for the Sacramento A’s podcasts Saturdays 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 Stanley Cup Playoffs Mary Lisa podcast: Sabres-Canadiens tied 1-1 battle it out for game 3 at the Belle Centre Sunday

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Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes (75) watches the puck during the first period in game 2 of the second round of the NHL Playoffs at the Key Bank Center in Buffalo on Fri May 8, 2026 (AP News photo)

NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs Mary Lisa podcast:

#1 Montreal Canadiens Alex Newhook scored two goals as the Buffalo Sabres were defeated by four goals 5-1 in the second round of the NHL playoffs in game two tying the series 1-1.

#2 More Habs who scored Mike Matheson, Alexandre Carrier and Nick Suzuki, Suzuki’s goal was an empty netter. The contribution was huge for the Canadiens knowing the Sabres have a dangerous offense.

#3 While the Canadiens pick up a huge win against the Sabres their offensive stars are struggling. Cole Caufield finally picked up a point after a five game slump and Juraj Slafkovsky picked up an assist his first in eight games.

#4 Montreal rookie goaltender Jakub Dobes stopped 27 shots in a critcal game like this the Canadiens depended on their goalie who allowed just one goal.

 #5 Series tied at 1-1 continues Sunday at the Belle Centre in Montreal both teams evenly matched how do you see this one turning out and do you see the Canadiens with a home ice advantage?

Join Mary Lisa for the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs podcast at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Giants back in win column with 5-2 victory over Pirates

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San Francisco Giants Rafael Devers went 2-4 with a home run Friday May 8, 2026 against the Pittsburgh Pirates (photo by Jay Choi SF Bay News)

By Ryan Hannagan

San Francisco — The San Francisco Giants took on the Pittsburgh Pirates in game one of a three game series Friday night at Oracle Park. The 14-23 Giants came into Friday’s contest on a bad cold spell, dropping eight of their last nine, as well as their last three series.

Looking to turn things around, manager Tony Vitello went with the former Cy Young winning, left-handed pitcher Robbie Ray (2-4, 2.95). On the other end, the 21-17 Pirates came in hot, winning four of their prior five. Pirates manager Don Kelly went with the fourth year right-handed pitcher Carmen Mlodzinski (2-2, 4.50) in an attempt to keep the success rolling. 

After a quick first inning for both teams, the Pirates opened the scoring in the top of the second thanks to a solo shot from veteran Marcel Ozuna. The 1-0 lead was short lived for the Pirates, as in the bottom of the second, Giants first Baseman Rafael Devers hit a response solo shot of his own, tying the score. 

The third inning went by with no damage done by either team. In the bottom of the fourth the tie score moved to 2-1 Giants after Heliot Ramos knocked in Casey Schmitt with a two out single to center. This RBI single came right after Willy Adames was robbed of a three run homer by Pirates left fielder and former Giants prospect Bryan Reynolds. 

The score stayed at 2-1 until the bottom of the seventh, when the Giants offense broke things open with a three-RBI inning. After Pittsburgh starter Carmen Mlodzinski exited following six innings, San Francisco quickly got to reliever Justin Lawrence, collecting four baserunners on three hits. Willy Adames led off the inning with a single before Heliot Ramos followed with a double, putting both runners in scoring position. Drew Gilbert then delivered an RBI single that brought Adames home for the Giants’ third run of the night. Lawrence was pulled without recording an out.

With Evan Sisk taking over on the mound, the Giants continued to add on. Following a Jung Hoo Lee lineout, Luis Arraez ripped a two-run single that scored Ramos and Gilbert, extending the lead to 5-1. No more runs crossed in the inning, but the four-run advantage put San Francisco in firm control late in the game.

The eighth inning went by with no offense for either side, leaving the Pirates a final chance to tie it up in the top of the ninth. 

Tasked with closing out the game cleanly, Caleb Kilian entered in the ninth and quickly recorded the first out on a Marcell Ozuna flyout. The Pirates then threatened after back-to-back walks to Oneil Cruz and Konnor Griffin put two runners on base. With runners at first and second, Spencer Horwitz lined a single into right field that scored Cruz and cut the deficit to 5-2.

After the RBI hit, Brandon Lowe popped out to Willy Adames in shallow center, leaving the Giants one out away from victory. Looking for a late rally, Pirates manager Don Kelly sent Ryan O’Hearn to pinch hit for Billy Cook, but O’Hearn grounded out to end the game as the Giants secured the 5-2 win.

Robby Ray took home the victory after 6.0 IP, 4 Hits, 1 Earned Run, 4 BB, and 7 strikeouts. The win moves Ray to 4-3 on the year with a 2.76 ERA. The Giants record now sits at 15-23. 

The next game of the series is Sat May 9th at 6:05 PM PST. Starting pitchers for Pittsburgh RHP Braxton Ashcraft (1-2 ERA 3.02) for San Francisco RHP Landen Roupp (5-2 ERA 3.18)

Sacramento A’s game wrap: Wilson’s Late Knock Keeps Orioles Caged 4-3

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Sacramento A’s shortstop Jacob Wilson makes a throw to first base against the Baltimore Orioles in the bottom of the first inning at Camden Yards in Baltimore Orioles on Fri May 8, 2026 (AP News photo)

By Mauricio Segura

For four innings Friday night at Camden Yards, the Sacramento Athletics looked stuck in a familiar baseball maze. Kyle Bradish was carving through the lineup, the Orioles had just enough traffic to keep things tense, and Pete Alonso’s fourth-inning solo shot had Baltimore in front. Then the fifth inning arrived, and the Green and Gold found the escape door.

The Athletics beat the Orioles 4-3 in the opener of the series, squeezing out a tough road win that mixed a sudden offensive burst, sharp defense, and one last ninth-inning sweat bath. It was not pretty in the way a blowout is pretty. It was prettier than that. It was a grind, the kind of game that tests whether a first-place team can hold its nerve when the whole thing starts wobbling late.

Jacob Lopez gave the A’s exactly what they needed after a stretch in which the pitching staff had been searching for steadier footing. He worked 5.1 innings, allowed just three hits and two runs, walked two and struck out five. Baltimore’s best early chance came in the first when Gunnar Henderson walked and Adley Rutschman singled him to third with one out, but Lopez escaped by getting Alonso to pop out and Tyler O’Neill to ground out. After that, he settled into a clean rhythm, retiring the side in order in the second and third.

The only real dents against Lopez came from Baltimore’s big bats. Alonso opened the scoring in the fourth with his eighth homer, a line drive to right center that gave the Orioles a 1-0 lead. Rutschman later made it a one-run game in the sixth with his fifth homer, a fly ball to center that cut the Athletics’ lead to 3-2 and ended Lopez’s night. Still, for a pitcher who entered the evening trying to turn a rough May page, this was a composed and useful start.

The A’s offense finally broke through in the fifth, and it started with Jacob Wilson doing what Jacob Wilson keeps doing. Wilson singled to first, Lawrence Butler lined a single to left, and Zack Gelof slapped a ground-ball single through the left side to score Wilson and tie the game. Jeff McNeil then moved both runners with a groundout, setting up Nick Kurtz for the swing that changed the night.

Kurtz, whose ability to reach base has turned into one of the club’s most reliable daily features, ripped a ground-ball triple to right. Butler and Gelof scored, and suddenly the A’s led 3-1. Kurtz also singled earlier, extending a reaching-base streak that was already the longest in the majors this season entering the game. For a young hitter with patience, power, and a knack for making pitchers work, this was another reminder that his at-bats rarely feel empty.

Wilson added the eventual winning run in the eighth. After Shea Langeliers singled and Tyler Soderstrom reached on a forceout, Brent Rooker lined a sharp single to left. Carlos Cortes flew out, but Wilson followed by grounding a single to right, scoring Soderstrom for a 4-2 lead. That hit mattered even more later, and it also fit Wilson’s larger season. He entered the night with an 11-game hitting streak and a 76-game errorless streak at shortstop, the longest by a shortstop in Athletics history.

The bullpen made the lead hold, but not without some late drama. Justin Sterner finished the sixth cleanly after Rutschman’s homer. Scott Barlow handled the seventh with three ground-ball outs and a strikeout mixed in. Joel Kuhnel breezed through the eighth on a foul popout and two grounders. That was important for a bullpen that had taken its share of punishment recently.

Then came the ninth, because baseball likes to keep us writers from filing our recap early. Jack Perkins walked Rutschman, struck out Alonso, then struck out pinch-hitter Dylan Beavers. Rutschman moved to second on defensive indifference, and Samuel Basallo grounded a single to center to score him, trimming the lead to 4-3. Hogan Harris entered with the tying run aboard, walked Leody Taveras, and then ended the game by striking out Jeremiah Jackson on a foul tip.

Game 2 Saturday will feature Aaron Civale ( 3-1 / 2.95 ERA / 27 K) on the mound for Sacramento vs Baltimore’s Shane Baz ( 1-3 / 4.99 ERA / 33 K). First pitch set for 1:05pm Pacific.

Costa Rican-born Mauricio Segura has been covering sports in the Bay Area since 2001 for a variety of magazines and newspapers, as well as his own publication, Golden Bay Times.

San Francisco Giants podcast Lincoln Juarez: Giants open 3 game set with Pirates; Odds are against Giants in series

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San Francisco Giants pitcher Robbie Ray has been dealing but not getting in the win column due to a lack of run support. He faces the Pittsburgh Pirates Fri May 8, 2026 at Oracle Park in San Francisco (AP News photo)

San Francisco Giants podcast Lincoln Juarez:

#1 The San Francisco Giants are stuck in nuetral losing eight of their last nine games losing two of three in their last series to the San Diego Padres.

#2 The Giants in addition to losing the series to the Padres have lost their last three series in total while it’s early in the season how concerning is it?

#3 The Giants enter Friday night’s game nine games under .500 for the first time since July 5, 2019 it’s been a while but there only one way to go when your at the bottom?

#4 Lincoln talk about some of the things the Giants were missing, what went wrong, lack of hitting, bull pen problems in these last three seasons?

#5 The trotted out pitcher Trevor McDonald from triple A Sacramento Mon May 4th during the San Diego series and McDonald kept the Padres off balance all game long. He look good enough to complete the game.

Lincoln Juarez is a San Francisco Giants reporter at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs podcast Len Shapiro: Sabres shake off power play troubles with game 1 win over Habs; Knights-Ducks face off for game 3 Friday

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Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes (right) defends against the shot of the Buffalo Sabres right wing Alex Tuch (89) in the first period of game 1 of the second round of the NHL Playoffs at the Key Bank Center in Buffalo on Wed May 6, 2026 (AP News photo)

NHL podcast Len Shapiro:

#1 How did the Buffalo Sabres manage to revive their struggling power play in Game 1 against the Montreal Canadiens after going 1-for-46 in their previous 13 playoff games?

#2 Which young stars were expected to have the biggest impact entering the May 6, 2026 Game 1 matchup between the Montreal Canadiens and Buffalo Sabres, and how did their regular-season meetings hint at the series outcome?

#3 Could the Anaheim Ducks carry over their strong 5-on-5 play from Game 1 and finally convert on the power play against the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 2?

#4 On Wednesday the Ducks tied the series 1-1 over the Knights with a 3-1 win. Talk about the Knights goal scoring in game 2 of this second round.

#5 Would Vegas improve after coach John Tortorella admitted the Golden Knights “were not good” despite winning Game 1 of the series?

NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs podcast with Len Shapiro are heard Thursdays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

NBA Playoffs podcast David Zizmor: Knicks go up 2-0 over Sixers, Pistons take control of Cavs; Lakers no match for Thunder

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New York Knicks Karl-Anthony Towns smiles after committing a foul in the second half against the Philadelphia 76ers at Madison Square Garden in New York during game 2 in the second round of the NBA Playoffs on Thu May 7, 2026 (AP News photo)

NBA Playoffs podcast David Zizmor:

#1 Dave,how surprised are you that the New York Knicks who beat the Philadelphia 76ers 108-102 on Wednesday night as the Knicks move up 2-0. Can the Knicks keep this moving and win the series?

#2 The Detroit Pistons get a 107-97 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers and take a 2-0 lead. The Pistons Cade Cunningham led the Pistons with 25 points and Cunningham was the most essential part of the Pistons success in game 2.

#3 Three core scorers for the Oklahoma City Thunder Chet Holmgren, AJay Mitchell and Shea Gilgeous. were key in the Thunder’s win over the Los Angeles Lakers 125-107 as the Thunder take a 2-0 lead.

David Zizmor does the NBA Playoffs podcasts at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Sacramento A’s game wrap: Langeliers Lights the Fuse as A’s Blast Phillies 12-1 at Citizens Bank

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Sacramento A’s Jacob Wilson (5) celebrates his two run home run off Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Andrew Painter. A’s Carlos Cortes (26) congratulates Wilson at Citizens Bank Ballpark in Philadelphia on Thu May 7, 2026 (AP News photo)

By Mauricio Segura

The Sacramento Athletics turned Citizens Bank Park on its side Thursday night, leaving the Phillies completely dumbfounded. After losing the first two games of the series and dropping four of their last five overall, the A’s were trying to avoid a sweep in a city where the franchise carries more history than most road trips. By the end of the first inning, they had already changed the entire mood of the night. By the final out, they had turned it into the 12-1 statement they had been eager to make in the two games before.

Nick Kurtz set the tone immediately by working a walk to open the game, continuing his excellent habit of refusing to disappear from the bases. Then Shea Langeliers, freshly back from the paternity list after the birth of his son Owen, stepped in and delivered the kind of swing that makes a dugout wake up in a hurry.

Langeliers drove his 11th home run of the season to left-center, giving the Athletics a 2-0 lead before Philadelphia starter Andrew Painter had recorded an out. Tyler Soderstrom followed with another walk, and Brent Rooker made Painter pay again, sending his fourth homer of the season to left. Just like that, it was 4-0, and the Phillies were chasing the game before many fans had settled into their seats.

The Green and Gold did not stop there. In the third, Soderstrom walked again, moved up on Rooker’s deep flyout, and scored when Carlos Cortes punched a single into center. Cortes, who has been one of the club’s hottest bats, became part of another rally moments later when Jacob Wilson launched his third home run of the season to left.

Wilson’s two-run shot stretched the lead to 7-0 and kept his strong offensive stretch rolling. For a player already known for steady contact and sharp defense, it was another reminder that his bat can do more than just spray singles around the yard.

While the lineup was busy turning the night into a batting clinic, J.T. Ginn gave the Athletics exactly what they needed on the mound. Making his first career appearance against Philadelphia, Ginn carved through the Phillies with calm efficiency. He struck out Trea Turner to open the bottom of the first, retired Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper on lineouts, and kept Philadelphia quiet through the early innings.

When Brandon Marsh singled in the second, Bryson Stott quickly erased the threat by grounding into a double play. Ginn also got another spotless frame in the third, retiring Edmundo Sosa, Justin Crawford and Rafael Marchán in order.

Schwarber finally got Philadelphia on the board in the fourth with a line-drive home run to right, his 12th of the season. But even that swing barely dented the night. Ginn walked Harper afterward, then benefited from another quick defensive answer when Adolis García lined into a double play to Jacob Wilson, who flipped the game right back into the A’s control. The Athletics’ defense, already one of the cleanest units in baseball, played like a team determined not to give Philadelphia any extra oxygen.

The A’s kept adding on in the middle innings. In the fourth, Langeliers singled, Soderstrom singled, and Rooker dropped a soft liner that scored Langeliers for an 8-0 lead. In the fifth, Lawrence Butler walked and Zack Gelof ripped a triple to left, bringing Butler home. Kurtz then lined a single to right to score Gelof, pushing the lead to 10-1. The inning showed the depth of the night’s damage: walks, singles, power, pressure, and the kind of traffic that wears out a pitching staff.

Gelof saved his loudest swing for the seventh. After Butler opened the inning with a sharp double to left, Gelof drove his third homer of the season to left-center, giving the Athletics a 12-1 lead. It was a strong night for Gelof, who finished with a triple, a homer and four total bases that mattered. Butler also reached base twice and scored twice, helping turn the lower part of the order into a second wave instead of a soft landing.

The bullpen handled the rest. Ginn worked through eight sharp innings of one-run baseball, allowing only scattered trouble and keeping the Phillies from building anything serious. Brooks Kriske took the ninth and made his A’s debut with plenty of room to breathe. Philadelphia put two runners aboard on singles by Felix Reyes and García, but Marsh grounded out to Kurtz to end it. It was a fitting final play for a night when the Athletics controlled the field, the scoreboard and the pace.

For the A’s, this was more than a lopsided win. It was a correction. Langeliers returned and immediately changed the first inning. Rooker shook loose with a big early swing. Cortes kept hitting. Wilson added power to his contact-heavy game. Gelof delivered the late thump. Ginn gave the pitching staff length and relief. After two frustrating nights in Philadelphia, the Athletics did not sneak out of town. They acknowledged their limitations and left with the series’ most definitive answer.

The A’s now jump on the team bus for a two-hour drive down I-95 to begin a weekend series against Baltimore tomorrow night at 7:05 p.m. Eastern, 4:05 p.m. Pacific. Jacob Lopez gets the start for Sacramento, bringing a 2-2 record, 6.60 ERA, and 23 strikeouts. Baltimore counters with Kyle Bradish, who enters at 1-4 with a 5.03 ERA and 35 strikeouts.

Costa Rican-born Mauricio Segura has been covering sports in the Bay Area since 2001 for a variety of magazines and newspapers, as well as his own publication, Golden Bay Times.

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.