Sacramento Kings game wrap: Warriors’ Thompson lights up Kings with 29 points in 119-97 win

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Golden State Warriors guard Donte DiVincenzo (0) defends against Sacramento Kings guard Davion Mitchell (15) during the first quarter at the Golden One Center in Sacramento on Fri Apr 7, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

SACRAMENTO–The Sacramento Kings were back in action on Friday night at the Golden One Center. The Kings were coming off a day off on Thursday after they finished up back-to-back on Wednesday night. On Friday, the Kings didn’t have much to play for in the regular season.

The Kings had already secured the third seed in the Western Conference. On the other hand, the Warriors were fighting for the sixth seed in the standings to avoid a play-in-game scenario and move to a playoff series. On Friday, the Kings fell to the Warriors 119-97.

In the first quarter, the Kings played a terrible quarter. Granted, the Kings sat De’Aaron Fox, Domantas Sabonis, and Kevin Huerter. However, the Kings didn’t put up much of a fight at all. In the first quarter, the Kings only scored 16 points against the Warriors defense.

In addition, the Kings couldn’t hit any of their shots. On the flip side, The Warriors offense started solid. The Warriors scored 32 points in the first quarter to jump to an early lead.

In the second quarter, the Kings showed significantly more effort. The Kings scored 32 points in the second quarter to make it a ballgame again. The Warriors could only score 21 points as the Kings defense stepped up. It was a positive sign for the Kings reserves, who did not play well in the first quarter.

The Kings got eight-point first-half performances from Harrison Barnes, Terence Davis, and Trey Lyles. Stephen Curry led the way for the Warriors with 13 points in the first half. The Kings trailed 53-48 going into the second half.

In the third quarter, the Warriors started to pick up the pace again. The Kings were outscored in the third quarter 33-25. The Warriors offense began to fire on all cylinders after taking a break in the second quarter. The Kings offense couldn’t match the output from the Warriors. The Kings would go into the final quarter trailing 86-73.

The final quarter was much ado about nothing. The Kings and the third-string players could not match the output from the Warriors. The Warriors played their starters almost the entire game to ensure no opportunity slipped away from them.

At the end of the day, practically no starters played for the Kings, and the result was as expected. The Kings were outscored in the final quarter 33-24 as the Warriors would win. Klay Thompson led the way for the Warriors with 29 points. The Kings best performance came from Trey Lyles, who scored 15 points.

Up Next: The Kings will travel to Denver to take on the Nuggets in the final regular season game of the year on Sunday at 12 PST.

Overtime thriller ends in disappointment for Barracuda against the Eagles 4-3

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Photo courtesy of San Jose Barracuda. Anthony Vincent fights off a forechecker from Colorado.

SAN JOSE- The Barracuda played a very important game for there playoff hopes on home ice and came up just short losing in overtime 4-3.

For San Jose Aaron Dell got the start while Keith Kinkaid made the start for Colorado.

Goal scoring in this game did not take long to get going as just 1:15 into the game Wyatt Aamodt scored breaking the ice early.

At the 8:32 mark Spencer Smallman was called for high sticking and San Jose took advantage as Derrick Pouliot scored tying the game back up at one.

Colorado did respond before the period ended as Mitchell Vande Sompel scored giving them the lead right back.

At the end of the first the shots favored Colorado at 14-11.

In the second period on a misplay by Kinkiad with the puck behind the net Nathan Burke capitalized as he took the puck and slammed it into open net. It was his third goal of the season with Will Riedell and Anthony Vincent getting the assists.

Continuing their momentum Shakir Mukhamadullin scored the first goal of his AHL career by ripping one from the top of the left circle.

The second period saw the shots still favoring Colorado at 26-18.

Looking to tie the game the Eagles came out swinging and connected tying the game at three with Sam Malinski.

That goal ended up being the only one of the period meaning overtime was next.

Overtime did not take long to finish as under a minute in Mikhail Maltsev scored giving Colorado the victory 4-3.

The three stars of the game were: 1st: Mikhail Maltsev 2nd: Shakir Mukhamadullin 3rd: Mitchell Vande Sompel

For the Barracuda they’ll get right back to it tomorrow at home against the Eagles this time at 6 p.m. which will be their final home game of the season.

Golden State Warriors game wrap: Warriors beat Kings in must win game 119-97

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Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) and forward Draymond Green (23) strip the ball away from Sacramento Kings guard Terence Davis, center, in the first quarter at Chase Center in Sacramento on Fri Apr 7, 2023 (AP News photo)

Warriors Beat Kings In Must Win Game 119-97

By Barbara Mason

Friday night the Golden State Warriors (43-38) traveled to Sacrament to take on the Kings (48-33) at Golden One Center. The Kings have absolutely nothing to play having already secured third place in the Western Conference. In contrast the Warriors were desperate to win this one.

The one thing that they want to avoid is the dreaded play-in game. This had been a real shoot-out in the wild wild Western Conference and the Warriors win this must win game 119-97.

The Warriors had everyone on board in the first quarter with the exception of Andrew Wiggins who we will not see in these final two games.

Golden State took early control of this game in the opening quarter leading after 12 minutes 32-16. The Warriors needed this game and they were sure playing like it. They had a great start and needed the same effort through three more quarters.

The Kings started to turn this game around in the second quarter outscoring the Warriors 32-21 but Golden State had the lead at the half 53-48. This game was becoming uncomfortably close heading into the third quarter.

The Warriors got back on track in the third quarter outscoring the Kings 33-25 taking a 86-73 lead with one more quarter to clock a win.

Golden State sent the memo loud and clear in the fourth quarter taking a 112-89 lead with under five minutes left in the game. They came to win and that’s just what they did tonight.

The Splash Brothers sure made a statement in this game scoring 54 points between them. Thompson had the high score with 29 points and Curry with 25. Kevon Looney continues his impressive defense with 16 rebounds.

Granted the Kings were shorthanded, but the Warriors did play a terrific game and need to take that up to Portland and into the playoffs.

On Easter Sunday the Warriors will finish up the 2022- 23 season up in Portland taking on the Trail Blazers. Tipoff is scheduled for 12:30 PM.

Oakland Falls to Undefeated Rays 9-5

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Oakland Athletics’ Ramon Laureano (22) prepares to get tagged out at home plate by Tampa Bay Rays catcher Christian Bethancourt while trying to score on an RBI single by Jace Peterson during the second inning at the Tropicana Field in St Petersburg on Fri Apr 7, 2023 (AP News photo)

Oakland Falls to Undefeated Rays 9-5

By Barbara Mason

Friday evening the Oakland A’s (2-5) took on the power house undefeated Tampa Bay Rays (7-0). The Rays come into this game after beating the Washington Nationals 7-2 while the A’s dropped one to the Cleveland Guardians 6-4 on Wednesday.

Neither team scored in the first inning but Oakland would score a run in the second inning. Jace Peterson hit a single to center driving Seth Brown home. Ramon Laureano was thrown out trying to score a second run. The Rays would have a very productive second inning driving in six runs. Harold Ramirez hit a solo home run but the fireworks began when Isaac Paredes hit a grand slam to extend the Tampa Bay lead to 6-1.

The A’s had a lot of work to do and single runs scored were not going to do it. They had one run in the third inning when Ryan Noda solo homered but the Rays would answer with a couple of solo home runs of their own. Both Manuel Margot and Christian Bethancourt knocked ball out of the park to extend their lead to 8-2.

Oakland got another run in the fifth inning when Aledmys Diaz ground rule doubled driving Esteury Ruiz home still trailing 8-3. The A’s would get another run in the seventh inning when Shea Langeliers knocked one out of the park for a 8-4 Oakland deficit.

The Rays Wander Franco would hit the fifth Tampa Bay homer in the eighth inning for the 9-5 win. The A’s got their final run of the game in the ninth inning when Kemp singled and Langliers scored.

It was the five home runs that killed the A’s in this game. They had more hits than the Rays with 12 to Tampa’s 10 but it was the long ball that mattered in this game. Oakland was able to get players on base in this game but just could not bring them home.

The A’s will meet the Rays in game two of this three game series Saturday. For the A’s Shintaro Fujinami (0-1 ERA 30.86) for the Rays Jeffery Springs (1-0 ERA 0.00) First pitch is scheduled for 1:10 PM.

Oakland A’s podcast with Daniel Dullum: A’s open up road trip with a loss to Rays in Tampa Bay

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Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Ken Waldichuk delivers to the Tampa Bay Rays during the first inning at Tropicana Field in St Petersburg on Fri Apr 7, 2023 (AP News photo)

Oakland A’s podcast with Daniel Dullum:

#1 The A’s pitching staff has the fourth-highest ERA in Major League baseball. They have thrown six wild pitches, which is the second-worst. The A’s pitching struggled in the three game series with the Cleveland Guardians.

#2 The A’s defense has committed one or more errors in the first six games. It is the longest season-opening streak by an A’s team in the last 47 years.

#3 The Oakland A’s have won two and lost four in the first six games of the season. Oakland played a competitive and entertaining three-game series with the Cleveland Guardians. 

#4 The A’s defense has committed one or more errors is the shift change rule impact the A’s defense going into this season.

#5 Shintaro Fujinami the Oakland A’s left hander (0-1, ERA 30.86) will get the call to pitch against the Tampa Bay Rays right hander Jeffrey Springs (1-0 ERA 0.00) first pitch at Tropicana Field 1:10 pm PDT.

Join Daniel Dullum for the Oakland A’s podcasts Fridays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Sacramento Kings podcast with Jeremiah Salmonson: Kings close home season against Warriors tonight at Golden 1

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Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox (5) makes a move to the basket in front of Dallas Mavericks forward Christian Wood (35) and guard Jaden Hardy (3) during the first half at the American Airlines Arena in Dallas on Wed Apr 5, 2023. Fox will not be in the line up for Friday’s game against Golden State. (AP News photo)

On the Sac Kings podcast with Jeremiah Salmonson:

#1 Wednesday night the Sacramento Kings (48-32) took on the Dallas Mavericks (38-42) at American Airlines Center. The Kings have secured their spot in the playoffs and are chasing 50 wins with a possibility of 51 wins when all is said and done heading into the playoffs.

#2 The Mavericks picked up the win against the Kings playing desperately to stay alive for a 123-119. While the main motivation for the Mavericks were to stay in for the post season chase they really leaned on Kyrie Irving, Luka Doncic, and Tim Hardaway Jr for offensive help.

#3 Kyrie Irving scored 19 points in the final 12 minutes and willed his team to a 123-119 win keeping them alive although barely. The Kings were hoping to administer the last rites in Dallas but the Mavericks were on fire in the second half and refused to go away.

#4 The Kings did not have the fourth quarter magic that we have seen so often this season. Fox finished with the high score shooting for 28 points. Every starter finished with double digits and Sabonis had yet another triple double with 14 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists.

#5 Friday night the Kings will be back home taking on the Golden State Warriors at Golden One Center. This will be yet another team that is fighting for position in the playoffs. The Warriors do not want to have to end up in a play in game and so this is a critical game for them. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:00 pm.

Join Jeremiah for the Kings podcasts Fridays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

KC’s Pasquantino and Perez take SF’s Cobb deep in 3-1 win

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The Kansas City Royals designated hitter Vinnie Pasquantino swings for a home run against San Francisco Giants starter Alex Cobb, as the Giants catcher Roberto Perez watches from behind the plate at Oracle Park on Fri Apr 7, 2023 (@Royals photo)

Kansas City. 010 000 010. – 3. 9. 0

San Francisco. 010 000 000 – 1. 5. 1

Time: 2:23

Attendance: 40,915

Fri, April 7, 2023

By Lewis Rubman

SAN FRANCISCO–The skies over Oracle Park had just about cleared when the pregame ceremonies for Friday’s home opener had ended. Those skies were wonderfully clear when the last out of the exciting battle between the San Francisco Giants (3-4) and the visiting Kansas City Royals (2-6) had been recorded. The result wasn’t as sunny as the sky. Kansas City beat the Giants, 3-1 in a squeaker.

The Kapler brain trust entrusted the start to Alex Cobb, who came to the ballpark with a 0-0, 2.45 record so far this young season. He’s been on a limited pitch count while recovering from a knee contusion he suffered in spring training. The 12 year right handed veteran features a splitter, which he throws about 42% of the time. Another 42% of his pitches are divided between his split finger fast ball and his slider

On the mound for the visitors was Brad Kelly, another righty. This was his 107th big league start and the first time he’d faced the Giants. He lost his only previous start of 2023, surrendering to runs on five hits, four walks, and a hit batter in a scant 4-2/3 frames a week ago against the Minnesota Twins. That unfortunate performance brought his lifetime figures to 35-50,4.24.

The Royals took an early lead with a one out single to left by Kyke Isbel singled to left and Hunter Dozier hit what could have turned out to be the second double play the Giants had turrned in as many innings if Thairo Estrada hadn’t broken towards second, leaving a hole big enough for Dozier to get a safety that sent Isbel scampering to third. Nicky López followed that up with an RBI single to right.

KC lost their slight advantage in the bottom of the frame. The sun broke through just as the Giants did. Brandon Crawford had just hit into a 4-6-3 twin killing that still allowed Mike Yastremski to take third base, from where he scored on Blake Sabol’s single to center.

Vinnie Pasquantino’s first hone run of the season, leading off the top. of the fourth, broke the short lived tie 366 foot drive to Levi’s Landing in right came off a 2-2 90mph spliter. It was the Royals’ designated hitter’s third RBI of ’23.

San Francisco was forced to make some defensive changes in the top half of the sixth episode. Isbel pilferred second with Dozier up and two down. Pérez, catching, suffered and right shoulder strain and had to leave the game. Sabol replaced him behind the plate, and Wade replaced Sabol in left field. Wilmer Flores replaced Wade at first, batting in Pérez’s spot.

Kansas City made a pitching change in the bottom of the sixth. Southpaw Ryan Yarbrough was brought in with two away to relieve Brad Keller. KC’s starter had thrown 94 pitches, 58 of them strikes, over 5-2/3 innings.

He allowed one run, and it was earned, on three hits and three walks. He also garnered three Ks. Yarbrough got the remaining out and stayed on to hurl the home seventh.

Cobb finished his work after seven innings of respectable labor, holding the Royals to two runs, both earned, on seven hits, one of which was a home run, and striking out six batters without issuing a walk. 73 of his 97 offerings were strikes. His replacement, Taylor Rogers, didn’t fare as well.

He was hit hard, and only a grand throw from Mike Yastrzemski to Crawford, which cut own Bobby Witt, Jr., who had singled hitting for MJ Meléndez, trying to advance kept Kansas City from scoring more than the one run that they got when Salvador Pérez parked a 91 mph fast ball 416 feet into left center field for his first round tripper of the year, giving the visitors a 3-1 lead.

Arnoldis Chapman set the Giants down with one hit in the eighth, and Camilo Doval set the Royals down in order in the top of the ninth.

Scott Barlow was Kansas City’s choice to attempt the save in the Giants’ last at bat. Pederson greeted him rudel with a triple off the right field fence off a 3-2 slider.

Yastrzemski took a controversial called third strike. Matt Duffy robbed Estrada of hit with a diving catch of his hard line drive down the third base line, bringing Brandon Crawford to the plate with two down and Joc Pederson still on third, He drew a full count walk. Sabol, one for three on the afternoon. He took a called third strike.

Keller was the winning pitcher. He now is 1-1, 2.61. Cobb was charged with the tough loss. His rcord now stans at 0-1, 2,53, The save went to Barlow, his first.

Tomorrow’s game, the second in the three game series is scheduled to start at 1:05 . Brady Singer (0-1,1.80) will toe the rubber for the Royals, and Ross Stripling (0-1,7.20) will handle the pitching chores for their hosts.

Colorado dominates San Jose in second of back to backs 6-2

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Photo courtesy of San Jose Sharks. Noah Gregor gets warmed up.

By Titus Wilkinson (@TitusWisme)

SAN JOSE- The second of backs to backs against Colorado was none to kind to San Jose as the Sharks lost 6-2.

In between the pipes for the Sharks was Kaapo Kahkonen and for Colorado it was Alexander Georgiev.

Offense took awhile to get going but unsurprisingly Erik Karlsson was the one to get things going as he scored at the 15:43 mark getting the Sharks on the board.

Before the end of the first Colorado was able to respond as Mikko Rantanen scored a big goal his 50th of the season tying the game back up.

At the end of the first the shots favored Colorado 7-6.

Rantanen continued his momentum in the second by scoring another goal just 2:32 into the second period breaking the tie.

A little later in the period Nathan MacKinnon scored his 37th goal of the season with Samuel Girard and Rantanen getting the assists.

Completing the hat trick Rantanen got his third of the game bringing his goal total up to 52 this time MacKinnon and Devon Toews got the assists on the goal. After the goal Kahkonen was pulled and Reimer was subbed in.

After the Avalanche went on their four goal run Karlsson dished a beautiful pass to Steven Lorentz who tapped it home to make the score 4-2.

Colorado did respond before the buzzer went off as on a breakaway Ben Myers scored his second goal of the season.

At the end of the second the shots favored Colorado 22-14.

The third period began with more Avalanche offense as Ben Myers scored just 3:12 into the final period of play getting his second goal of the game.

That goal ended up being the last goal of the game as Colorado won 6-2.

The three stars of the game were: 1st: Mikko Rantanen 2nd: Nathan MacKinnon 3rd: Matt Nieto

The Sharks next game is Saturday against the Oilers at 1 p.m. at home.

That’s Amaury News and Commentary Baseball 2023: Not only new Rules but a new Pitch, the sweeper

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Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Angels delivers the sweeper pitch a pitch that fools Angels catcher Max Strassi. Catchers have had a tough time handling the pitch this one coming on Jun 9, 2022 (file photo mlb.com)

Baseball 2023: Not only new Rules but a new Pitch, the sweeper

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

When Shohei Othani (Japan) struck out his good friend and teammate with the LA Angels Mike Trout (USA) to seal the 2023 World Baseball Classic title for Japan, Shohei did it with a “sweeper” what is always been known as a slider. You can ask any broadcasters and they will tell you that is what a slider is now called in all 30 major league parks this season.

According to baseball statisticians, Shohei Ohtani threw more sweepers in 2022 than any other pitcher. Did they change the slider to sweeper because of the Japanese sensation? Not really, but it is indeed a sweeper now all the time, at every game in every park/city.

I recently spoke with my good friend, Enrique Oliu, Nicaraguan-born Spanish broadcaster for the Tampa Bay Rays, where the Oakland A’s open a series this weekend at Tropicana Field, and he told me; “yes it is a sweeper here in Tampa too”.

So there you have it, like it or not, baseball now has changed the name of one of the most used pitches in baseball. Another good friend told me, “I think baseball is in the mood to change everything since they have set new rules this season also. Maybe the Fuller Sweeper will have a selling re-birth this season.

You probably have heard radio and television announcers using “sweeper” for a slider already, so it might not be news to you, but in the words of many baseball philosophers “it is what it is”. So what is the sweeper? Driveline classified sweepers in 2021: 77mph, 6.5 inches of glove-side movement after 40ft of ball flight, and -two inches of depth after 40ft of ball flight.

In 2021 Fangraphs chart contrasting pitch types by movement depict how the sweeper fits in with other pitches. Driveline is a Data Driven high tech company that lists these as their clients: MLB, NPR, New York Times, Rapsodo, AXE, KMotion and Lululemon.

Some pitching coaches like Peter Maki of the Minnesota Twins speak about one of his best pitchers, Pablo López and his new sweeper pitch and so it goes around baseball with terminology. But to be fair we live in a time of change in language.

Not long ago if an area of the country was going to get hit by a storm, the weather person would call it a “storm” basically “lots of rain and wind”, now they call it “atmospheric river”, basically the same thing but sexier to say. Some other things in our culture are changing, and thinks that were deemed offensive now have changed.

A good example in baseball would be Eddie Gaedel who played with the St Louis Browns in 1 game in 1951; he was the smallest player to ever appear in the history of the major leagues, at 60 pounds and 3 feet 7 inches in height. Not very long ago, he was called a midget, today that is considered an insult. Today the correct way to call Gaedel, would be a “vertically challenged player.”

Whatever Gaedel was called he was very short. The same thing happens with the slider and the sweeper, it is the same thing, but baseball is now in a changing mood, so things get changed for whatever reason, commercially or socially.

The great Hall of Fame pitcher Gaylord Perry pitched for 8 different teams in a career from 1962 to 1983, won 314 games, and was the first pitcher ever to win the Cy Young in both leagues. He threw his very famous “spitball”, which would be considered today gross and totally out of all norms.

There is nobody throwing the spitball anymore, although players are famous for spitting during games all the time, but obviously, not on the ball anymore.

In 1849 French writer Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr wrote “plus ca change, plus c’est la méme chose” – the more things change, the more they stay the same.

Like the great Al Jonson said in the first talkie “The Jazz Singer” in 1919 “You ain’t heard nothing yet”

Wait until AI (Artificial Intelligence) gets hold of baseball.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the lead play by play announcer on the Oakland A’s Spanish radio networks 1010 KIQI San Francisco and 990 KATD Pittsburg and does News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

NHL podcast with Len Shapiro: Rangers closing in on second place; Flames win ties them with Jets for Wild Card spot; plus more

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Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy (88) stands near the goal as the New York Rangers celebrate a goal by Chris Kreider during the third period at Madison Square Garden in New York on Wed Apr 5, 2023 (AP News photo)

On the NHL podcast with Len:

#1 The New York Rangers Chris Kreider and Tyler Motte scored a goal each in the Rangers win over the Tampa Bay Lightning to notch closer to second place in the Metro Division. The Rangers picked up a 6-3 win at Madison Square Garden and are now just three points behind first place New Jersey Devils.

#2 The Calgary Flames are in a tie with the Winnipeg Jets for a second wild card for the Stanley Cup Playoffs in the Western Conference. The Flames defeated the Jets 3-1 at Canada Life Centre Wednesday night. You wanted to say something Jacob Marston.

#3 The Edmonton Oilers are having a great season and their closing in on first place in the NHL Pacific Division picking up their sixth straight win defeating the Anaheim Ducks 3-1. The Oilers Ryan Nugent-Hopkins reached 100 points and goaltender Jack Campbell stopped 27 shots. The Oilers extended their points streak to 12 games.

#4 The Minnesota Wild Kirill Kaprizov got to practice on Wednesday for the first time since Mar 8th due to a lower back injury. Kaprizov wore a non contact sweater during the practice. Kaprizov will sit out Thursday’s game against the Pittsburgh Penguins. However Kaprizov could return on Saturday against the St Louis Blues.

#5 The Washington Capitals will miss their first post season for the first time in eight years It’s the first time the Caps have missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs since 2013-14 season. The Capitals played .500 hockey (34-34-9) but was not good enough to make the playoffs. The Caps are in 13th place in the Eastern Conference.

Join Len Shapiro for the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs podcasts each Thursday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com