New York Knicks center Karl Anthony Towns (32) shoots in the second half in game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals at Rocket Arena in Cleveland on Mon May 25, 2026 (AP News photo)
NBA Finals podcast Tony Renteria:
#1 Which team will set the tempo in Game 1—the New York Knicks’ defense-first approach or the San Antonio Spurs’ offensive style?
#2 What adjustment will the Spurs make after a grueling seven-game Western Conference Finals series to handle the Knicks’ pressure defense?
#3 Which player is most likely to be the X-factor in Game 1 and swing the outcome beyond the star players?
#4 How important is home-court advantage for San Antonio in the opening game of the NBA Finals?
#5 What statistical category (rebounds, turnovers, three-point shooting, or points in the paint) will most strongly determine the winner of Game 1?
Oakland Ballers pitcher Aidan Risse (1-1) delivers a pitch against the Red Rocket Mobiles at Raimondi Field in West Oakland Sun May 31, 2026 (Oakland Ballers photo)
Monday, June 1
Oakland, CA
By Lewis Rubman
OAKLAND–In last week’s column, I discussed some of the challenges the Oakland Ballers and the Pioneer Baseball League as a whole were facing. The last week has thrown those challenges into sharper relief.
The league’s decision to save on travel expenses resulted in scheduling anomalies. Instead of playing a set of six game against each visitor, with night games Tuesday through Friday, a mid-afternoon game on Saturday, and an early afternoon contest on Sunday, the Ballers opened the season with a three game series against the Missoula PaddleHeads, the team they had defeated for last year’s championship, three games to two, by sweeping the final three games, all at home, of the five game series.. This year, Missoula took the series, 2-1, which began on Tuesday Mayo 19
On Frida the 22nd, some of the new kids on the block, the Long Beach Coast, came to West Oakland. The B’s came from behind with a 12-11 victory after having trialed 10-9 going into the eighth. Jeter Ybarra’s leadoff blast over the left field fence in the bottom of the ninth tied it up, and T.J. McKenzie’s sacrifice fly to center gave Oakland the win, evening their record at 2-2.
The teams split the last two games of the week. The Coast beat them, 15-12 on a four run top of the ninth in a seesaw battle on Saturday the 23rd, and the Ballers finished the week at 3-3 with a solid 11-5 triumph the next afternoon.
This raised an interesting question. The Coast (who also go by the moniker “Regulators”) and the Ballers had another three games between them scheduled for the following week. Would this be part of the original series or a new one? This is not an idle question, and one reason it was a new series shows how significant the question was.
The Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday contests had a different umpire crew from the three preceding game. Another reason to consider the trio of set-to’s a group of its own is the headline the Coast published in its May 28 recap. Read it and weep.
Grand Beginning Leads Coast to Series Sweep
The Long Beach Coast (6-3) blasted the OaklandBallers (3-6) 9-5
on Thursday night in the Bay Area to secure their first ever series
sweep .
The situation was made more unsettling by scheduling the Wednesday game, usually played at 6:35), for a 1:05 start to accommodate an Oakland Public Schools field trip.
Hardly a student was at sight among the intimate gathering of 1,122 attendees.
Thursday, the 29th, brought in another innovation: the RedPocket Mobiles, owned by the PBL’s cel phone provider. They’re a barnstorming team with no home stadium and, I assume a miniscule fan base. They also have a miniscule won-lost record. They were 1-8 when they hit town and 1-11 when the Ballers, now 6-6, got through with them.
This happy outcome for Ballers’ fans wasn’t just the result of the Mobiles weakness. Please bear with me while I try to relate the Ballers’ current situation to the challenges and shortcomings of the Pioneer League.
The circuit’s labyrinthine eligibility rules not only penalize successful teams by limiting the amount of time they can keep any given player (which is consistent with the PBL’s purpose, which is to develop players), but also fail to provide compensation to those teams that lose players who are—for want of a better expression—termed out. Each year is, as it were, a whole new ball game. This may mean that the Ballers’ marketing plan. which includes merited bragging rights about the team’s championship status, may be misplaced.
There’s much to be enjoyed about Ballersball, but winning isn’t everything. It’s not even not caring if you won or lost but how you played the game; it’s about community, fun, and watching the players mature and improve. And don’t forget the innate beauty of the game, no matter on what level it’s played. And a whole lot more.The Ballers and their followers may have to learn to live with defeat. Remember, I said “may.”
The team’s management has made some moves to improve its personnel. They obtained Cam Bufford, a mainstay of the ’25 Ballers is heading back to his championship roots. Just six days into the Pioneer League season, the Sioux City Explorers have traded 1B/DH Cam Bufford to Oakland in exchange for players to be named later.
Pitchers Matt Lozovoy and UC Berkeley’s Michael Riley, as well as center fielder and third baseman Davis Drewek made their professional debuts on Sunday afternoon. Drewek took fa called third strike as a pinch hitter in the ninth. Lozovoy surrendered two hits but no runs in the eighth, and Riley gave up one hit, a home run, in the ninth.
The Ballers have improved the ballyard’s physical plant. The scoreboard has been improved; it’s now bigger and brighter, but often is too far behind action, and some of its fonts are too small to be read, especially through the protective screens in front of all but the cheapest seats.
The B’s currently are building higher fence in left center and the outfield lighting could be improved. Permit issues have delayed an important improvement, the installation of real toilets to replace the port-a-potties, which will come as a much needed relief.
Here’s a brief rundown of the scores of the Ballers first sweep of the season:
5/29
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
RedPocket Mobiles
0
1
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
2
6
2
Oakland Ballers
0
1
1
0
0
0
1
0
X
3
5
Winning pitcher: Langston Burkett (1-0) Save: Braydon Nelson (1)
Losing pitcher: Billy Rozakis (0-1)
The team will be on the road for the next two weeks, visiting the Glacier Range Riders,
Great Falls Voyagers, and Missoula PaddleHeads, before returning on Tuesday, June 16th, to the friendly confines of Raimondi Park, to try to wreck some vengeance on the Long Beach Coast.
5/30
RedPocket Mobiles
0
2
0
1
0
0
1
2
0
6
9
0
Oakland Ballers
1
1
2
0
2
1
1
0
X
8
13
0
Winning pitcher: Gabe Tanner (2-1) Save: Langston Burkett (1)
Losing pitcher: Matt Lauria (0-2)
Tanner lasted 7-2/3 innings and threw 111 pitches. It was, alas!, the best outing of a Ballers hurler so far this season.
Milwaukee Brewers Brice Turang watches his two run triple in the bottom of the second inning against the San Francisco Giants at American Family Field in Milwaukee on Mon Jun 1, 2026 (AP News photo)
By Barbara Mason
After the amazing game the San Francisco Giants (23-38) played in Sunday’s game three with the Colorado Rockies there were high expectations that they would continue with solid production at the plate as they took on the Milwaukee Brewers (36-21) in game one Monday.
It didn’t turn out to be anything close to what the Giants saw Sunday. The bats had gone silent finishing the game with only five hits and two runs losing 16-2. It just seems to be the ebb and flow of this year’s season for San Francisco.
Unfortunately more ebb than flow, a real decline in strength and power. The answers are slow in coming if anyone can figure out what those answers are.
Game recap: The Giants started off in the first inning with a Casey Schmitt strike out and Luis Arraez grounded into a double play and that was how this game got started for San Francisco. There was not much going on for the Brewers either in the first inning.
The Giants did have a productive second inning with three hits and scoring two runs taking a 2-0 lead. Chung Hoo Lee continued the amazing production at the plate that the Giants have all seen since his return hitting a single.
Matt Chapman followed Lee with a home run to center and the Giants scored the two runs. The 2-0 lead did not last too long however. The Brewers had five hits and seven runs taking a 7-2 lead in the bottom of the second inning.
It was rough going for San Francisco pitcher Landon Roupp. He gave up a walk, two singles, two doubles and a triple. Roupp gave up three more walks before he was finally relieved in the fifth inning.
He was relieved by Wilkin Ramos. Roupp had allowed eight hits, eight runs, five walks with four strikeouts through four innings. The Brewers starting pitcher Shane Drohan also went four innings and allowed four hits, two runs, two walks with five strikeouts. He was relieved by Chad Patrick.
It was pretty quiet for the Giants for the rest of the game. They had a number of walks but only one single off the bat of Luis Arraez. They finished the game with only five hits. The Brewers had literally blown San Francisco away.
The Giants had given up 11 walks to go along with the 16 runs and 18 hits. After Sunday’s blow-out win over the Rockies Monday’s game was pure frustration, nothing was working. This was the Giants sixth loss in their last seven games.
It was just an awful outing for Roupp. He allowed a career high eight runs scored and his five walks in four innings was also a career high. This was a miserable way for San Francisco to get the series underway.
The Brewers continued to extend their lead scoring a run in the fourth inning, two in the sixth and two in the seventh finishing off the game with four runs in the eighth for a final score of 16-2. They finished the game with 18 hits and very nearly every player in their lineup had a hit.
Game notes: For the Giants it seems to be all or nothing. In Sunday’s game three with the Colorado Rockies they were hitting lights out; just couldn’t miss. Nothing could stop them; they probably could have knocked the ball out of the park blindfolded.
Monday San Francisco remained on the road opening a series with the Brewers for a four-game series. There is of course a vast difference between the Rockies and the Brewers but the hope was that the Giants would take Sunday’s momentum into the start of Monday’s series but it didn’t last long as San Francisco pitching allowed seven runs in the bottom of the second inning.
Every player in the San Francisco lineup had at least one hit in Sunday’s game. One could argue that at least a good number of that lineup would have a productive game Monday but the Giants scored twice in the top of the second inning and that’s all the runs they would get in this one.
Chapman said that his family was threatened on line on social media when a fan wrote that he hoped his family would die. Chapman said that he is longer on social media and will no longer respond to fans on line or on social media.
The Giants placed pitcher Jose Pegurero on the 60 day IL Monday due to a left hamstring strain and replaced him with right hand pitcher Wilkin Ramos and infielder Buddy Kennedy from triple A Sacramento. Pegurero went 0-0 ERA 2.38 and appeared in 11 games.
Tuesday the Giants will be looking to try and get something going in game two of the series. They plan on starting Trevor McDonald who comes into the game with a 2-2 win/loss record and a 4.34 ERA. The Brewers will start Kyle Harrison, a good one, with a 6-1 win/loss record and a 1.57 ERA. First pitch for this game is scheduled for 4:40 PM.
In the vibrant center of downtown San Francisco, Hotel Nikko offers a serene retreat defined by calm, understated luxury and the thoughtful precision of Japanese-inspired service. Each detail is designed to create a restorative experience where modern comfort and wellness come together effortlessly.
Guests are welcomed into spacious, contemporary rooms that blend clean design with subtle Japanese influences and intuitive, tech-enabled amenities. Throughout the hotel, a sense of tranquility is balanced with engaging, on-site experiences that elevate every stay.
At the top of the hotel, a glass-enclosed indoor pool offers a peaceful escape above the city an inviting space to unwind or, during the summer months, transform into a lively “dive-in” movie experience. Every Friday and Saturday night, families can enjoy classic kids’ films poolside, creating memorable moments in a truly unique setting.
Dining at Hotel Nikko is equally distinctive. ANZU Restaurant is home to San Francisco’s only Japanese breakfast buffet, offering an authentic and refined start to the day. In the evening,
Kanpai Sushi Lounge delivers an experiential dining atmosphere where craftsmanship and flavor meet in a sophisticated setting.
For entertainment, Feinstein’s at the Nikko brings world-class live music and cabaret performances directly to the hotel, offering an intimate and vibrant nightlife experience without ever leaving the property.
Located at 222 Mason Street near Union Square, Hotel Nikko places guests steps away from the city’s premier shopping, dining, and cultural attractions while offering a peaceful sanctuary to return to.
San Francisco Giants Bryce Eldridge watches the flight of his home run against the Colorado Rockies in the sixth inning at Coors Field in Denver on Sun May 31, 2026 (AP News photo)
San Francisco Giants podcast Marko Ukalovic:
#1 Which Giants player had the biggest offensive impact in the 19–6 victory over the Rockies, and what key hit helped break the game open?
#2 How did rookie Bryce Eldridge contribute to San Francisco’s season-high 25-hit performance at Coors Field?
#3 What role did starting pitchers Robbie Ray and Tanner Gordon play in the matchup, and which team gained the early advantage?
#4 The Giants snapped a lengthy losing streak with this win. How many consecutive games had they lost before defeating the Rockies on May 31?
#5 Several Giants players recorded standout performances. Which player collected a career-high five hits, and how many extra-base hits did the Giants accumulate as a team?
In the vibrant center of downtown San Francisco, Hotel Nikko offers a serene retreat defined by calm, understated luxury and the thoughtful precision of Japanese-inspired service. Each detail is designed to create a restorative experience where modern comfort and wellness come together effortlessly.
Guests are welcomed into spacious, contemporary rooms that blend clean design with subtle Japanese influences and intuitive, tech-enabled amenities. Throughout the hotel, a sense of tranquility is balanced with engaging, on-site experiences that elevate every stay.
At the top of the hotel, a glass-enclosed indoor pool offers a peaceful escape above the city an inviting space to unwind or, during the summer months, transform into a lively “dive-in” movie experience. Every Friday and Saturday night, families can enjoy classic kids’ films poolside, creating memorable moments in a truly unique setting.
Dining at Hotel Nikko is equally distinctive. ANZU Restaurant is home to San Francisco’s only Japanese breakfast buffet, offering an authentic and refined start to the day. In the evening,
Kanpai Sushi Lounge delivers an experiential dining atmosphere where craftsmanship and flavor meet in a sophisticated setting.
For entertainment, Feinstein’s at the Nikko brings world-class live music and cabaret performances directly to the hotel, offering an intimate and vibrant nightlife experience without ever leaving the property.
Located at 222 Mason Street near Union Square, Hotel Nikko places guests steps away from the city’s premier shopping, dining, and cultural attractions while offering a peaceful sanctuary to return to.
Sacramento A’s pitcher Jacob Lopez (center) leaves after being relieved by A’s manager Mark Kotsay (right) in the top of the third inning against the New York Yankees at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento on Sun May 31, 2026 (AP News photo)
Sacramento A’s podcast Barbara Mason:
1.The Sacramento A’s got exactly the start they were looking for in game three of their series with the New York Yankees. With the series tied at one apiece the A’s were looking to finish off the series with a second win.
2.The A’s had an amazing win in game two that was spearheaded by a slew of home runs-with Shea Langliers, Tyler Soderstrom and Nick Kurtz all chipping in en route to their win in game two.
3. After taking the 3-0 lead in the first inning Sunday, the A’s really dropped the ball in the third inning giving up a crazy 13 runs which was all the Yankees needed to take the series 13-8.
4. The A’s finished the game with 12 hits one more than the Yankees who had 11. They had a couple of home runs but had so much ground to make up after New York took the 13-3 lead in the third inning. After that third inning New York did not score another run.
5. Tuesday evening the A’ will begin a three game series with the second place in the National League Central the Chicago Cubs. The A’s will start Gage Jump (0-1 ERA 7.20). The A’s have lost their last four of five games and will be looking to get back on track with a win.
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.
Sacramento A’s manager Mark Kotsay meets with the media before their game against the New York Yankees at Sutter Health Park on Fri May 29, 2026 (AP News photo)
Sacramento A’s podcast Daniel Dullum:
#1 Daniel, What was the turning point in the game when the Yankees scored 13 runs in the third inning, and how did that inning change the outcome?
#2 Which Yankees players had the biggest offensive contributions during the 13-run third inning, and what specific hits did they record?
#3 How effective was Yankees starting pitcher Will Warren, and what role did he play in securing the victory?
#4 After splitting the first two games of the series, what factors helped the Yankees win the rubber match against the Athletics at Sutter Health Park?
#5 The Yankees tied a franchise record by having 12 consecutive batters reach base. Why is that achievement significant, and how did it reflect the team’s approach at the plate?
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.
Major League Baseball Players Union has stated that they will never agree to a salary cap after MLB offered a $245 million firm salary cap to the MLBPA which they refused. (image from the Major League Baseball Players Association)
MLB The Show podcast Charlie O:
#1 Minimum Player Salaries The union sought substantial increases in the minimum salary for younger players. MLB proposed smaller increases. Revenue Sharing and Service Time The union argued that some teams were not spending enough despite receiving revenue-sharing funds.
#2 There were also concerns about “service-time manipulation,” where teams delayed promoting top prospects to gain extra years of team control.
#3 Charlie talk about the hard cap that MLB is proposing at $247 Million that the union is refusing to accept.
#4 San Diego Padres Fernando Tatis Jr got his first home of the season in the fifth inning agianst the Washington Nationals a 450 foot left field dinger. Tatis has five 20 homer seasons and hit 41 in 2021 but had not hit a homer in 240 at bats until Saturday.
#5 Charlie talk about the recent stadium proposal for West Sacramento. The Mayors of West Sacramento Martha Guerrero and Mayor of Sacramento Kevin McCarty both were on had presenting a rendering and a dream of building a park at the Sutter Health Park location to help lure an MLB expansion club. San Francisco Giants executive Dusty Baker a Sacramento native was on had for the presser as well and was pushing for it’s construction.
Mandatory Photo Credit: The Pitch media packet and rendering from Hart Howerton
By Jeremiah Salmonson
WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The greater Sacramento area officially threw its hat in the unofficial MLB expansion ring on Thursday, announcing a new entity called The Sacramento Pitch to lead the effort in luring MLB to expand to West Sacramento. “We come together to celebrate 175 years of a love affair for baseball and officially launch our campaign to bring a major league baseball expansion team right here to Sacramento,” Sacramento Mayor Kevin McCarty said at the press conference.
However, does the city have what it takes to make this bid real, and who are the players behind it?
This expansion desire isn’t a recent development or something that was hastily put into existence. The Sacramento area has been working for a while on exploring an expansion opportunity after the Athletics leave for Las Vegas after the 2027 season.
“We spent the last year working quietly behind the scenes to build the partnerships, the investments and the long-term vision in order to compete effectively for an expansion franchise,” Mark Friedman, founder and chairman of the Fulcrum Property Group, said at the event on Thursday.
It’s clear that Sacramento views itself as a real player in the MLB expansion sweepstakes, whenever that actually happens. With MLB facing a potential lockout and work stoppage following this season at the end of the current CBA, who knows when the expansion talks will actually formalize in MLB. However, it has seemed to be the writing on the wall that MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred would like to have the new teams in place by his departure at the end of his term in 2029. So, for the sake of clarity, let’s remove the current uncertainty of MLB from the equation and just evaluate the financial backing, the proposed site and the momentum that Sacramento has appeared to generate.
The Funding, for Now
The Pitch says it has assembled $1.8 billion in public and private financing.
This will be in part from a contribution from the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians in addition to an undisclosed amount from the United Auburn Indian Community. An article from the Sacramento Bee’s Annika Merrilees confirms the commitment and adds that a spokesperson from the tribes says each party will contribute $250 million to the effort.
The Pitch also states that the main contribution from the city of West Sacramento will come in the form of an EIFD.
I asked Friedman in an interview how the deal would work, and he explained the situation to me.
“The formal mechanism is called an EIFD, which is an enhanced infrastructure financing district,” Friedman told me Thursday. “But basically think about it as a property tax rebate. The city will rebate to us the share of property taxes that are created by the new development as a way of facilitating it. The taxes are only generated by the property — it doesn’t affect anybody else in the community, and it only relies on revenue that the project itself generates.”
That sounds like private financing with a city rebate to come later as the project generates revenue. Unlike a lot of projects that rely on county-issued bonds, like the A’s deal in Las Vegas, this deal seems to have a different structure.
The Site
The site itself seems to be the strongest part of the Pitch and its structure to bid for an MLB franchise during expansion. The 50-acre site that is under and adjacent to the current Sutter Health Park is fully entitled and zoned for a stadium project, often the most difficult part of any new stadium deal.
“It’s easier [getting funding/building] than the entitlements,” Friedman told me. “But in this case, we have a site that’s ready to go. It’s fully zoned, it’s entitled, we already have a stadium here — and that is more than half the battle in California. It’s getting the approvals to do a use of a particular area.”
The site would be picturesque. It’s one of the more ideally located spots in all of the city, and the Sacramento skyline would serve as the backdrop, much as it currently does for Sutter Health Park. As for how the actual design and layout of the park would be, we aren’t at that point in the process, but Sutter Health Park would most likely be gone as a result of any such project.
“The stadium takes about 17 acres,” Friedman said to me in my interview with him. “We haven’t gotten to the official design stage, but it could either be on the existing site [Sutter Health Park], next to it, or a combination of the two. We’ve got to go through a full planning effort to figure out what the sightlines look like and where the parking ought to be located before we finally settle on a formal location.”
Sacramento Appetite
At the conclusion of the press conference on Thursday, the crowd in attendance led a Sac-ra-mento chant that lasted for about a minute. There’s a tangible buzz and excitement around the area about a potential expansion opportunity with MLB. Unlike the A’s temporary move here, the idea of ownership is a new thing and a fresh baseball start in the city has garnered a lot of public support, at least at this launch event.
“We’re a bigger market than seven current major league baseball teams,” Barry Broome, CEO of the Greater Sacramento Economic Council, said during the press conference. “What’s going to put this over the finish line is the changing mindset inside our own community — shifting away from the naysayers to the doers. This is the doers’ town now.”
Former MLB player and Sacramento native Derek Lee was also excited about the launch of the bid for an expansion team.
“We’ve [him and Dusty Baker] been in all 30 big league cities, and this is a major league city, no doubt. This is a big deal. Let’s change the mindset. Let’s get it done.”
The city does seem to be a big league town. From solid attendance for the River Cats over the years, along with good attendance for the A’s in their temporary stop in the city, to regularly selling out Golden 1 Center for the Kings, the appetite for professional sports in Sacramento is real.
“Sacramento has always supported professional sports,” Sacramento Mayor Kevin McCarty said. “For four decades, this community has stood by the Kings — sellout after sellout — building one of the NBA’s most loyal fan bases.”
West Sacramento Mayor Martha Guerrero echoed the sentiments of others in her remarks to the crowd.
“For more than 25 years, baseball has been a part of West Sacramento’s identity,” Guerrero said. “The River Cats became one of the most successful and best-attended franchises in minor league baseball, helping demonstrate the long-term viability of professional baseball in the Sacramento market.”
In my opinion, the viability of MLB expansion is not only viable, it’s likely to be successful if it happens.
The No. 1 obstacle standing in the way of the city achieving its goal is not being able to find a financial ‘whale’ and majority owner with the cash to make it happen and the popularity to win over the other owners’ favor in the inevitable expansion vote.
In the end, that search will define the success of this ambition for the region of Sacramento.
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.
Las Vegas Aces Brianna Turner (21) tries to pass after a rebound defended by Golden State Valkyries’ Veronica Burton (22) and Kiah Stokes (41) in the first half of a WNBA basketball game in San Francisco, Sunday, May 31, 2026. (Carlos Avila Gonzalez/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)
By Michael Roberson
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — The Golden State Valkyries (5-3) received a second half beatdown, 91-81 from the defending champion Las Vegas Aces (5-3) in the City by the Bay Sunday at Chase Center.
The Aces got on the board first to begin the contest. After that, there were four ties and three lead changes within the first ten minutes of the game. Gabby Williams (8) and Jackie Young (7) led their respective teams to a two point first quarter finish, with the home team up by two, 23-21.
The second stanza produced two additional ties and nine lead changes. However, the margin after two quarters was the same two points, but in the reciprocal form with the visitors in the lead, 43-41.
At the half, Williams (10) was the Golden State player in double-figures, while the Aces had two hoopers. A’ja Wilson scored 13 points and grabbed eight rebounds, and teammate Jackie Young added ten points.
The second half would be all Aces, which would be awesome in many card games, but the Sin City team parlayed that into an 18-point lead during the third period, and as much as 24 in the fourth quadrant.
Despite those vast leads, the Valkyries continued to fight back. Williams continued to lead the way for Golden State (12) in the third quarter, but the defending champs were keeping the team by the Bay at bay at that point in time. After 30 minutes of WNBA action, the Valkyries trailed by 18 points, 72-54.
Despite being behind by three touchdowns and a field goal, the Valkyries displayed strong pride and cut the deficit to single digits multiple times late in the game. Even with thal valiant effort, Las Vegas eventually won the game by 10 points, 91-81.
Gabby Williams led the Valkyries with 20 points, while Janelle Salaun offered 16 points, and Kayla Thornton put up 12 points. The Ace were led by superstar A’ja Wilson’s 28 points and 15 rebounds. Jackie Young contributed 23 points, nine assists and seven rebounds, while NaLyssa Smith chipped in 15 points and nine rebounds.. Stephanie Talbot also tallied ten points and seven rebounds.
The victory for the Aces evened both teams’ records (5-3) and maybe previewed an eventual playoffs battle in the future.
The Valkyries will next be in action Tuesday, June 2, as they host the expansion Portland Fire at 7 PM PT on KMAX/KPIX+. The Aces will head down to Southern California, on the same date, taking on the Sparks at 7 PM PT on The Spot.
Jacob Lopez #57 of the Athletics pitches against the New York Yankees in the top of the first inning at Sutter Health Park on Sun May 31, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Mandatory Photo Credit: Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
By Jeremiah Salmonson
WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Athletics and Yankees played the rubber game of a three-game series on Sunday afternoon at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento. The Yankees took the series from the A’s with a historic 13-8 victory on Sunday to cap the A’s homestand.
Jacob Lopez got the ball for the A’s to start the game as Mark Kotsay looked to fill his rotation after the injury to Luis Severino. Lopez really struggled on Sunday after getting off to a solid start, retiring the first six batters he faced. In the third inning, it unraveled as Lopez gave up seven runs on five hits while walking two, as he was unable to record an out in the inning.
“Jacob going out in that inning… the two walks became an issue right away,” Kotsay said after the game. “He gets himself in a jam, doesn’t cover first base, it’s a mental lapse there and it cost him, it cost him severely.”
Kotsay went on to describe how the abbreviated start from Lopez left the team in a bad spot, and he didn’t mince words.
“We needed a start from him today after dealing with Friday and an injury where we ran the pen hard,” Kotsay said postgame. “We ran the pen again last night to get a win. We needed five, six innings from Jacob today and we unfortunately weren’t able to get that.”
Kotsay’s frustrations weren’t just words. Jacob Lopez met with the media at his locker after the game and informed reporters that he had been sent down to Triple-A.
“I mean, it’s kind of been a common thing all year,” Lopez said in the clubhouse. “So, I’m going to go to Triple-A and figure it out.”
Aside from his demotion, I asked Lopez if he had ever been part of such a wild inning at any level of his baseball career.
“No, I’ve never been a part of a 13-run inning.”
Having to go to the bullpen early yet again, Mark Kotsay went with Michael Kelly to try and clean up the mess in the third inning. Kelly struggled mightily, and the bleeding continued for the A’s and their pitching staff as he was only able to get two outs in the inning.
Kelly threw 42 pitches to get those two outs while giving up six runs on six hits and walking two Yankees hitters. Lopez, combined with Kelly out of the bullpen, was part of one of the worst innings in MLB history. The Yankees scored 10 runs in the inning before Kelly was able to get the first out, tying the 2003 Boston Red Sox, who did the same thing.
Kotsay had to turn to Jack Perkins, his third pitcher of the third inning, to close out the frame. He got Trent Grisham to fly out and closed the book on the disastrous inning for the A’s pitching staff. All told, Jacob Lopez and Michael Kelly gave up 13 runs, 11 hits, and four walks in the disastrous third inning.
Perkins went on to pitch another two innings for the A’s, trying to provide some length out of the bullpen. Perkins pitched the fourth and fifth innings, going three up, three down in both frames and needing only 30 pitches across his two and one-third innings of work.
Mark Leiter Jr. was the next man up for the A’s as he pitched a scoreless sixth inning while allowing just one walk.
Luis Medina pitched the seventh and eighth innings for the A’s and was on fire, allowing no hits or walks while striking out four Yankees hitters.
Jose Suarez capped the pitching effort for the A’s as he tossed a scoreless ninth inning while striking out one.
On the offensive side of the ball, the A’s battled but ultimately couldn’t overcome the historically bad third inning.
Believe it or not, the A’s actually had a three-run lead in the game as they scored the first three runs in the bottom of the first inning.
Jonah Heim got the A’s on the board first when he reached on a fielding error in center field that allowed two A’s runners to score and gave the A’s a quick 2-0 lead.
One batter later, Lawrence Butler got the A’s their third run of the inning as he lined an RBI single to left field that scored Heim from second base and gave the A’s a 3-0 lead.
The A’s wouldn’t score again until the seventh inning when Brent Rooker homered to left-center field to give the A’s their fourth run of the game, albeit in a 13-4 contest. Rooker’s homer was his eighth of the year and his 26th RBI. The shot left his bat at 109 mph and traveled 404 feet over the wall in left field.
Later in the seventh inning, the A’s got three more runs on a three-run shot from Jonah Heim to right field that brought them back within six runs and made it a 13-7 ballgame. It was Heim’s second home run of the year and increased his RBI total to 11. The home run left the bat at 106 mph and traveled 409 feet.
Nick Kurtz, who reached base four times on Sunday, got the A’s their final run of the game with a booming RBI double in the bottom of the eighth inning that left his bat at 107 mph. It was Kurtz’s 12th double of the year and his 41st RBI of the campaign.
The A’s offense tallied eight runs on 12 hits while drawing five walks.
With the loss, the A’s fell to 28-31 on the year while the Yankees improved to 36-23 and took the series, 2-1.
The A’s will travel to Chicago on Sunday night and spend an off day in the Windy City before a three-game series with the Cubs that begins Tuesday at 5:05 p.m. PST. The A’s will send Gage Jump (0-1, 7.20 ERA) to the mound to make his second major league start, while the Cubs are scheduled to counter with Jameson Taillon (2-4, 5.37 ERA) in the series opener.
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.
