A’s rally falls short as Rangers outlast A’s 10-8 Monday night at the Ballpark in Arlington

Published on by rxsluggerLeave a comment

Oakland A’s centerfielder Ramon Luareano can’t get the handle on the baseball as it gets away for a inside the park home run hit by the Texas Rangers Josh Smith at the Oakland Coliseum on Mon Jul 11, 2022 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

There was good and bad news in the game that the Oakland A’s (29-59) lost to the Texas Rangers 10-8 Monday night. The good news was the A’s offense woke up late in the game to score six runs in the eighth. They sent ten men to the plate in that inning.

The A’s hitters blasted a two-run and three-run homer in the frame. For the game, they hit three home runs. Sheldon Neuse had a solo blast in the fifth, Ramon Laureano hit a two-run blast in the eighth, and Chad Pinder homered with two men on base later in the inning.

For the game’s first seven innings, everything went right for the Texas Rangers. They put runs on the board in every inning except the first and third. The A’s starter, Adrian Martinez, gifted the Rangers two runs in the bottom of the second.

The Rangers’ catcher, Jonah Heim, a former Oakland Athletic, singled to get the rally going. Heim went to second on a wild pitch. Martinez walked Kole Calhoun to put two men on with no out. Martinez retired Brad Miller for the first out.

Rangers’ center-fielder Leody Tavares reached on a fielder’s choice. Calhoun was out at second, and Heim advanced to third. Tavares promptly stole second. Heim scored the game’s first run when the umpires called a balk on Martinez.

Tavaras advanced to third. Tavaras scored when Martinez uncorked his second wild pitch of the innings. The Rangers scored two runs on one hit, a walk, two wild pitches, and a balk.

The A’s put their first run of the night on the board in the top of the fourth. Ramon Laureano reached safely on Rangers’ third baseman Josh Smith’s error. Sean Murphy singled, sending Laureano to second. Seth Brown singled to drive in Laureano. The A’s trailed 2-1 midway through the fourth.

The Rangers plated three more runs in their half of the fourth. Martinez walked Rangers’ first baseman Nathaniel Lowe to get things going for Texas. Jonah Heim reached safely on Seth Brown’s fielding error. Kole Calhoun singled to drive in.

Lowe with Texas’ third run. Heim went to second. Tavares singled to drive in Heim, and Calhoun went to third. Josh Smith fouled out to Elvis Andrus in short left field. Andrus collided with the third baseman Vimael Machin. Calhoun tagged up and scored the third run of the inning. The Rangers lead 5-1 after four.

Neuse cut the deficit to three when he hit his third dinger of the season. The ball traveled 418 feet into the second deck in left field. The A’s trailed 5-2. The Rangers’ star shortstop, Corey Seager, blasted his 20th homer to get the run back, and the Rangers led 6-2.

The Rangers added two more runs in the sixth and two more in the seventh to have a comfortable10-2 lead with just two innings left for Oakland to do anything.

In the fateful eighth inning, Rangers’ manager Chris Woodward brought in lefty Kolby Allard to pitch. Allard had been struggling this season, and his outing in the eighth was not his best effort. The A’s put six runs on the board.

This year, it was the most runs in an inning for the A’s. Here’s how they did it. Third baseman Vimeal Machin started the rally with a single, and Ramon Laureano atoned for a ball he misplayed in the sixth inning.

The misplay resulted in an inside-the-park, two-run home run for Josh Smith. Laureano homered for the seventh time this tear to make it a 10-4 game. Allard hit Sean Murphy with a pitch. Allard struck out Seth Brwon for the first out.

Elvis Andrus singled. Both men scored when Chad Pinder homered into the seats in left field. The A’s now trailed 10-7. Chris Woodward brought in Garrett Richards to pitch. Richards plunked Stephen Piscotty on the upper part of his left arm.

Piscotty was not able to continue. Tony Kemp doubled, sending Skye Bolt to third. Neuse grounded out 5-3 to drive in Bolt with the sixth run of the inning and the eighth of the night. The A’s could not score in the ninth and fell to the Rangers 10-8.

Game Notes: The A’s are now 29-59, 30 games below .500. Texas improved to 40-44. Adrian Martinez was the losing pitcher. Spencer Howard picked up the win.

The line score for Oakland was eight runs, 12 hits, and one error. Texas’ line was ten runs, nine hits, and one error.

The time of the game was 3:28. 20,600 were in attendance.

The A’s meet the Rangers again Tuesday night at Globe Life Field. The game will start at 5:05 pm. The A’s will be starting All Star Paul Blackburn (6-4, 3.36) the Rangers starter will be right hander Jon Gray (5-4, 4.03) first pitch at 5:05 pm PDT at the Ballpark in Arlington

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: 2022 A’s what does the second half mean?

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

The Oakland A’s hopes for 2022 is for the pathway to a new waterfront ballpark at Howard Terminal in downtown Oakland the A’s have jumped two vote hurdles towards the project. (Artists rendition of the Howard Terminal ballpark San Francisco Chronicle image)

2022 A’s: What does the Second Half means?

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

OAKLAND–The main news for the 2022 Oakland A’s will not be on the field during this second half of the season, but the news that many are anxiously waiting that they will indeed stay in Oakland and build a new park right next to downtown.

I know people that told me; “there is no way they stay in Oakland, they will move to Las Vegas” and some told me that in a gleeful way, like hoping they move to Las Vegas because they (like many others) are understandable frustrated and are sick and tired of this ‘novela’ of the A’s building their new park, that has been going now for decades.

The odds at this time seems to favor the possibility of the A’s staying in Oakland and even building Howard Terminal. The man that ended his career with more World Series rings that the A’s and Giants teams combined, with 10 rings, Yankees Hall of Fame catcher, Yogi Berra once said ‘It ain’t over till it’s over’. And this is the way I also feel. I am just going by the difficulty to build it has become in the Bay Area to build any sports facility for baseball. I will definitely believe it when the shovels are inserted into the ground by home plate of the new Howard Terminal.

Let us now refresh our collective memories. The San Francisco Giants current park, which inaugurated in 2000 was build for only $357 million dollars (probably what they would have to pay Juan Soto if they want to lure him to the bay) and as of 2002 was the only privately financed major league stadium in 40 years anywhere in the country. Mount Davis (the monstrosity of solid cement at the Oakland Coliseum) cost approximately $500 million to build, with the cost shared by Alameda County and the city of Oakland.

Sports Illustrated current issue reported that Warriors owner Joe Lacob had a deal in place to buy the A’s from former A’s owner Stephen Schott for $180 million, but the deal did not get the approval by Commissioner Bud Selig at that time, which approved the sale to Lew Wolff and John Fisher, who were fraternity brothers of Selig in college. It always pays to have friend in high places.

According to -Statista- The Oakland A’s today are worth $1 billion 180 million.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the lead Spanish play by play for the Oakland A’s on Le Grande 1010 KIQI San Francisco and does News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

All Star Game report: Dodger Stadium employees call for strike ahead of All Star Game in LA

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Fans stand in line at a concession stand where they sell Dodger Dogs hot dogs before an exhibition baseball game between the Los Angeles Angels and Los Angeles Dodgers in Los Angeles, Friday, March 28, 2014. (AP file Photo/Danny Moloshok)

By Jerry Feitelberg

Los Angeles Dodgers stadium employees have voted for a strike ahead of the 2022 All Star Game in Los Angeles. Employees of Levy Restaurants as many as 1500 employees could walk out starting with the Futures Game slated for this Sat Jul 16th.

Local Union 11 Unite Here said that 99% of the employees voted to strike, “Stadium workers are proud of the role they play to bring fans the best game experience possible,” said Susan Minato, Co-President of Unite Here Local 11. “They are the backbone of our tourism and sports industry, yet many struggle to stay housed and to make ends meet.”

Dodger stadium associate pay is as low as $15 an hour and as high as $17 an hour. Dodger Stadium employees say they want a fair wage and the union has tried to negotiate with Levy Restaurant who is a subsidy of Compass Group who are a mega food service providing services to not only Dodgers Stadium but the Rose Bowl which hosts USC and the Rose Bowl games.

Details of how much of a wage increase and benefits have not been disclosed by Levy Restaurants or Local 11. In Northern California San Francisco Giants Bon Appetit employees settled as they had voted to strike in 2021. At one point Giants contractor Bon Appetit workers were offered just a 25 cents raise and threatened a strike to get their pay up from as low as $17 to $20. Local 2 president Anand Singh said at the time “Bon Appetit and the Giants’ approach to workers and fans’ safety during this latest surge of COVID-19 is completely inadequate and dangerously irresponsible,”

A walkout by Dodger Stadium food service workers would leave fans in a standstill and without food services, no ushers, engineers, maintenance and security. Workers at So Fi Stadium the home of the Los Angeles Rams got a new contract with increased wages, benefits, and health insurance and Dodger Stadium employees are asking for the same rights. Keep in mind though the Rams play ten home games a year versus the Dodgers who play 81 home games a season.

Jerry Feitelberg covers MLB for http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Oakland A’s podcast with Barbara Mason: A’s have tough time keeping Astros down; Oakland heads to Texas to open 3 game series

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Oakland A’s starter Cole Irvin delivers a first inning pitch against the Houston Astros line up on Sun Jul 10, 2022 at the Oakland Coliseum (AP News photo)

On the A’s podcast with Barbara Mason:

#1 Houston Astros rookie Korey Lee had his way with the Oakland A’s on Sunday with three hits in his big league debut at the Oakland Coliseum as he contributed to the Astros 6-1 win over the A’s.

#2 Astros starter Jake Odorizzi pitched seven innings of shutout ball giving up four hits, with one walk and seven strikeouts which was good enough to hold down the A’s.

#3 Astro outfielder Kyle Tucker hit his 17th home run of the season his efforts helped the Astros continue their winning ways with their 11th win in 14 games.

#4 The A’s got a home run from rookie Vimael Machin in the bottom of the eighth inning to end the shutout against Astro reliever Phil Maton. Machin just got the pitch over the rightfield fence.

#5 The A’s open up a three game series in Arlington against the Texas Rangers. The A’s will be going with Adrian Martinez (2-1, 6.00) for the Texas Rangers Spencer Howard (0-1, 10.97) at 5:05 pm PDT

Join Barbara for the Oakland A’s podcast each Monday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

San Francisco Giants podcast with Marko Ukalovic: All sorts of hitting for Giants in San Diego on Sunday; San Francisco opens up series with Arizona Monday night

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

The San Francisco Giants Wilmer Flores (right) gets the welcome at home plate from Austin Slater (13) after hitting a two run home run in the top of the third inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park in San Diego (AP News photo)

On the SF Giants podcast with Morris:

#1 On Sunday San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Alex Wood threw shutout ball against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park in San Diego and the Giants ended up winning in a laugher 12-0 to split the four game series with the Padres.

#2 Wood had his mojo going throwing no hit ball in the bottom of the sixth inning against the Pads until rookie CJ Abrams hit a single to leftfield to end the no hit bid.

#3 The Padres were in a no hit drought going back to Saturday’s game when they last got a hit in second inning going 12 innings without a hit until Sunday’s sixth inning.

#4 Marko knowing Padres manager Bob Melvin as well as you do these last two games have to be a little unusual play of the Padres and losing to the strengths of two strong pitchers for the Giants Carlos Rodon on Saturday and Wood on Sunday.

#5 The Giants open a three game series Monday night with the Arizona Diamondbacks at Oracle Park. The Diamond backs will be starting Merrill Kelly (7-5, 3.42) and for the Giants Alex Cobb (3-3, 4.74) for a 6:45 pm PDT first pitch at Oracle Park in San Francisco.

Marko is filling in for Morris Phillips on the Giants podcasts Mondays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Quiet Baseball: A’s offense missing in 6-1 loss to the Astros

Published on by moepeaLeave a comment

By Morris Phillips

OAKLAND–Two things are cropping up with the A’s these days: the losses and the length in time of the losses.

Add it up, not good, and neither was the 6-1 loss to the Astros in which they barely registered offensively. Only three A’s came to bat with a runner in scoring position, and they drew just one walk, and left four men on base.

Vimael Machin’s first Major League home run in the eighth was the highlight, and the whole thing was a rap in two hours, 39 minutes as the A’s saw a steady diet of strikes from three Houston pitchers and did little with them. The A’s have dropped nine of 13, and they haven’t exactly extended themselves in a majority of the losses.

But that’s A’s baseball these days, including the steady performance of their starters. Cole Irvin pitched six innings, allowing five hits and no walks, which looked good and was good, it just came without assistance, outside catcher Stephen Vogt.

“Little bit more curveball usage than I’ve had all season,” Irvin said of his afternoon. “Made my fastball look a little bit harder. Didn’t have good command of it early but it got better. I really wasn’t thinking too much out there. Vogter was calling a great game.”

In the absence of Yordan Alvarez, the impressive home run hitting first baseman for the Astros, who was both named to the All-Star team and placed on the injured list on Sunday, Kory Lee did his thing with three hits and three RBI. Lee, a 2019 first round pick from Cal, was feeling it, not so much from friends in attendance, but the Coliseum’s reputation for zaniness. Not a linear connection, but it worked as Lee put the Astros up 2-0 in the fifth, and doubled home two runs in the seventh for a 4-0 lead.

It’s crazy, being in Oakland,” Lee said. “The people here, the fans are really special so it was nice to get a little taste of home and do my thing here. It was a good day.”

It was a good day for Dusty Baker, who saw his club increase its AL West lead to 12 games and get five All-Star roster spots. And he didn’t get kicked out. In fact, Baker did little besides adjust his wristbands in the dugout, as opposed to getting ejected arguing calls as he did on Saturday.

“We got some timely hitting from some guys who played pretty good fundamental ball. Got ‘em over and got ’em in,” Baker said. “Korey Lee had a big day in front of all his folks. He put on a good display.”

GAME NOTES: The A’s have scored one run or no runs in 32 games thus far with little success (1-31). They entered Sunday’s game with a .209 batting average as a team and went 5 for 31 in the loss. The lowest team batting average over a full season since 1900 is .211 by the Chicago White Sox in 1910.

The A’s recalled Domingo Tapia from AAA Las Vegas and optioned Zach Logue, who started Saturday’s game.

The A’s open a three-game set in Arlington, Texas on Monday. Adrian Martinez and the Rangers’ Spencer Howard are the announced starters for Monday at 5:05pm.

Giants beat up Padres 12-0 in fourth game

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Alex Wood pitches to the San Diego Padres line up in the bottom of the fifth inning at Petco Park in San Diego on Sunday, July 10, 2022. 

Giants Beat Up Padres in Game Four 12-0

By Barbara Mason

The San Francisco Giants (43-41) were apparently fed up with losing. They came roaring into Petco Park Sunday and plowed through the San Diego Padres (49-38) lineup with ease. They tied up the four game series 2-2 but most importantly they are playing lights up baseball as evidence by the two final games of this series. Lots of hitting with an 11-0 win for the Giants ending their road trip at San Diego’s Petco Park.

The Giants got on the scoreboard in the second inning and never looked back. Nine players in the starting lineup had hits. By the fourth inning the Giants were leading 8-0 and there wasn’t much the Padres could do to stop the assault.

Alex Wood had a great start going seven innings allowing three hits and eight strikeouts, in fact, he was unhittable for five innings. He had a no-hitter going into the sixth inning. The Giants gave up nothing to the Padres. Yunior Marte finished off San Diego in the eighth and ninth innings for the 12-0 win. He also allowed three hits and had four strikeouts.

What a follow-up to the brilliant show that Carlos Rodon put out there in game three. San Francisco has really shown some encouraging signs of completely turning this whole season around. It is only two games but it is certainly looking good for the Giants.

Wilmer Flores had an outstanding game with four hits two of them out of the park with runners on base. This is first time that the Giants have won consecutive games since June 16-17 in Pittsburgh.

The Giants offense was totally on task with 17 hits and walking four times. San Francisco sent three shots out of the yard two of them with a runner on base. It was a near perfect offensive defensive effort by the Giants.

Next up for San Francisco will be the Arizona Diamondbacks on Monday with first pitch scheduled for 6:45 PM PT. Alex Cobb will take the mound for San Francisco. He comes in with an ERA of 4.74 with a 3-3 W-L. Arizona will send Merrill Kelly with a 7-5 W-L and a 3.42 ERA.

Rodon goes nine innings for SF win over San Diego 3-1

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

San Francisco Giants starter Carlos Rodon expresses his excitement after getting the win over the San Diego Padres at Petco Park in San Diego on Sat Jul 9, 2022 (AP News photo)

Rodon Goes Nine Innings for SF Win Over Padres 3-1

By Barbara Mason

Saturday night the San Francisco Giants (42-41) took on the San Diego Padres (49-37) in game three of their four game series. The Giants dropped games one and two and needed a win if they want to have a chance at an even series by game’s end on Sunday and even the series they did with a 3-1 win over the San Diego Padres at Petco Park.

After a quiet first inning, the Giants scored a run in the second inning. Brandon Crawford hit a sacrifice fly and Brandon Belt scored for the early 1-0 lead.

The Padres tied up the game in the second when Jose Azocar grounded into a fielders choice to first and Jorge Alfaro scored for a 1-1 game.

It was a pitchers duel through the next five innings. Neither team was able to get much offense going until things turned around for San Francisco in the eighth inning. Wilmer Flores belted a rocket out of the yard and with Joc Pederson on base, he gave the Giants a 3-1 lead.

San Francisco pitcher Carlos Rodon had a masterful performance on the mound. He went nine innings allowing only 3 hits, 2 walks with 12 strikeouts. He finished the game with 112 pitches. At one stretch he retired 22 in a row. His fast ball was dominating from start to finish bringing home the 3-1 victory. The win put the Giants just over five hundred still trailing the first place Dodgers and the second place Padres.

This series will wrap up on Sunday in game four. Alex Wood will take the mound for San Francisco coming in with an ERA of 4.83 and a 5-7 win-loss record. The Padres will send Mackenzie Gore who has a 3.18 ERA and a 4-3 win-loss record. First pitch is scheduled for 1:10 PM PT.

Frantic finish by Earthquakes leads to 2-2 draw with Toronto FC

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

San Jose Earthquakes defender Marcos Lopez (27) battles for the ball with Toronto FC forward Deandre Kerr during the first half at BMO Field on Saturday Jul 9, 2022. (Nick Turchiaro/USA TODAY Sports)

by Marko Ukalovic

TORONTO — Jack Skahan was at the right place at the right time to rescue the San Jose Earthquakes off of life support.

Skahan, who came off the bench in the 83rd minute as a sub for Jan Gregus, scored the equalizer in the second minute of stoppage time to earn a point for San Jose in a 2-2 draw with Toronto FC on Saturday evening at BMO Field.

San Jose is unbeaten in three of its last four matches and continued its winless streak on the road this season (0-6-3). Toronto FC earned a point in four of its last 12 matches.

Seemingly left for dead at the start of stoppage time, a clearing attempt by
Ifunanyachi Achara hit off ‘Quakes captain Jackson Yueill that sprung Skahan down the right wing. Skahan rifled a shot into the lower left corner past Toronto FC goalkeeper Quentin Westberg for his first goal of the season to allow San Jose to escape with a point north of the border.

‘Quakes head coach Alex Covelo needed to make one change to the starting 11 with midfielder Jamiro Monteiro was away on the birth of his child. Judson started in Monteiro’s place.

San Jose (4-7-8) drew first blood in the 26th minute off of a turnover. Benji Kikanovic centered a ball into the box where Jeremy Ebobisse got behind the defense and beat Westberg with a right footed shot to the left corner of the net for his team-leading 10th goal of the season.

Ebobisee, who tied for third in the MLS goals scored, snapped a three-match goal less draught.

Toronto FC (5-10-5) had a golden scoring chance to even the game in the 44th minute. Deandre Kerr’s attempt from 10 yard out was blocked away by ‘Quakes goalkeeper JT Marcinkowski. The rebound by Jonathan Osario was knocked out of bounds by a diving Marcos Lopez.

On the ensuing the corner kick, Kerr’s header hit the crossbar and went over the net.

Toronto FC controlled the play for most of the second half and broke through twice in a four-minute span.

In the 71st minute, Kerr received the ball from Osario just past midfield. San Jose’s defense allowed Kerr to dribble all the way up to the box before he beat Marcinkowski with a left footed shot for his third goal of the season.

Then four minutes later in the 75th minute, Kerr returned the favor as his centering pass hit off of Judson and onto the foot of Osario, who was all alone versus Marcinkowski, and he chipped the ball into the net for his fifth goal of the season.

Marcinkowski finished the match with four saves on six shots on target to earn his eighth draw of the season. Westberg made one save on three shots for his fifth draw.

GAME NOTES: San Jose finished the match with three corner kicks. Toronto had seven.

San Jose is unbeaten in its last four meetings with Toronto (W1 D3). The Earthquakes are unbeaten in its last two matches against Toronto FC at BMO Field.

The ‘Quakes are one of three teams (Toronto, Colorado) without a road win in 2022 (D3 L6).

UP NEXT: San Jose concludes its two-game road trip in Los Angeles when they take on the Galaxy on Wednesday 7/13 at 7:00pm at Dignity Health Sports Park.

A’s cash in on wild pitches, slip past Astros 3-2

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Oakland Athletics’ Sean Murphy (12) scores on Houston Astros catcher Martin Maldonado, right, and pitcher Framber Valdez (59) in the top of the fourth inning at the Oakland Coliseum Sun Jul 9, 2022 (AP News photo)

By Daniel Dullum

Saturday, July 9, 2022

OAKLAND – Houston’s Framber Valdez threw a complete game on Saturday. Unfortunately for the Astros lefthander, his eight innings of work also included a wild pitch and a passed ball, which both contributed to Oakland’s 3-2 come-from-behind win at the Coliseum.

Sean Murphy opened the Athletics’ fourth with a single to right and moved to second on a one-out walk to Elvis Andrus. Stephen Piscotty then singled to left-center to load the bases.

Seth Brown reached on a fielder’s choice that drove in Murphy and moved Andrus to third and Piscotty to second while Brown was out trying to advance on the throw, A passed ball charged to catcher Martin Maldonado allowed Andrus to score and Piscotty to move to third. Piscotty scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch by Valdez (8-4).

From there, the A’s bullpen did the rest after A’s starter Zach Logue (3-4) was pulled after five innings. A.J. Puk, Domingo Acevedo, Azch Jackson and Sam Moll held Houston scoreless on one hit between the sixth and eighth innings.

In the Astros ninth, Lou Trivino issued a one-out walk to Kyle Tucker, followed by a single by Yuli Gurriel before retiring pinch-hitter JJ Martinez on a line out to center to earn his seventh save.

Houston took a 2-0 lead in the top of the second on a run-scoring single by Chas McCormick and an infield groundout by Martin Maldonado. Both runs were charged to Logue.

Valdez gave up three runs – two earned – on four hits and two walks while striking out three. He threw 96 pitches. Gurriel was 2-for-4.

Murphy had two of Oakland’s four hits.

The A’s and Astros wrap up their weekend series on Sunday at the Coliseum. :Lefthander Cole Irvin (3-6, 3.35) will start for Oakland, facing Houston rigfhthander Jake Odrorizzi (3-2, 5,04 First pitch is scheduled for 1:07 p.m.

A’s ACORNS: The Athletics traded catcher-infielder Christian Bethancourt to the Tampa Bay Rays Saturday in exchange for a pair of minor leaguers – righthander Christian Fernandez and outfielder Cal Stevenson. Bethancourt is expected to bolster the Rays’ catching depth. … Astros manager Dusty Baker was ejected from the game in the eighth inning for arguing balls-and-strikes. … Attendance was 10,054.