Former New York Mets manager Dave Johnson (left) holds the Commissioner’s World Series trophy as presented by former MLB Commissioner Bud Selig (right) after the 1986 World Series victory over the Boston Red Sox. Johnson passed away on Fri Sep 5, 2025 (AP News file photo)
MLB The Show podcast Charlie O:
#1 Former New York Mets manager Davey Johnson who commandeered the Mets to the World Series Championship over the Boston Red Sox in 1986 has passed away at age 82. Mets media relations representative Jay Horwitz announced that Johnson’s wife Susan told him of his death after suffering a long illnes in Sarasota Florida. Johnson died on Friday. Johnson played second base for the Baltimore Orioles who won the Series titles in 1966 and 1970.
#2 Houston Astros outfielder Taylor Trammell will not be disciplined by Major League Baseball after umpires took Trammell’s multi colored bat after New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone requested that umpires check the bat after Trammell hit a double. Trammell said that appreciated MLB’s explanation that their was discoloration on the two colored bat.
#3 Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Shohei Ohtani threw for 3.2 innings, 70 pitches, 44 strikes, and topped out at 101.5 mph and allowed three hits and a walk and struck out five hitters. in spite of the good outing by Ohtani the Dodgers lost to the O’s 2-1.
#4 Los Angeles Angels minor league player Rio Foster is listed in critical condition after being involved in a auto accident on Friday morning. Foster was reportedly receiving medical care at a local hospital and played for the High A Tri City Dust Devils in Pasco. Tri City canceled it’s ball game against Hillsboro on Friday night. The Dust Devils said that thoughts and prayers are with Foster and his passenger who both in critical condition. Foster was hitting .267 with ten home runs and 40 RBIs.
#5 The Los Angeles Angels continue to stumble and the Sacramento A’s continue to run up the victory column. Neither will get into the post season but it’s been a race to get out of the cellar for the A’s who are now a game and half behind the fourth place Angels and with a win on Sunday the A’s would be within a half game of getting out of last place and sweeping the Angels in a three game series in Anaheim.
A view of the A’s Las Vegas ball park construction at the former Tropicana Hotel and Casino site on Sat Sep 6, 2025 at 1pm PT (A’s live stream camera still)
Sacramento A’s relocation podcast Daniel Dullum:
#1 The Athletics organization announced this week that they have moved forward on the construction of their Las Vegas ball park. The A’s sent a development agreement request to Clark County. The A’s have received a building permit to develop concrete work for $87 million.
#2 The development describes how the ball park will be constructed and the operations of the park and it was delivered to Clark County. A’s vice chairman Sandy Dean said that he was hopeful that the agreement will be heard by the Clark County Commission after officials review the documents.
#3 Clark County will set the agenda in a October meeting regarding the development agreement and zoning meeting in late September and a public hearing in October.
#4 Land permits were approved by Clark County and gave the A’s the ability to begin working on the development agreements and to keep the ball park construction on schedule and for the planned completion by 2028.
#5 The A’s will be paying for all costs that Clark County approves on the development agreement. Once the A’s spend their first $100 million. The A’s who are getting $380 million from the State of Sacramento A’s relocation podcast Daniel Dullum: A’s building vertical at Vegas ballpark after cement is poured in foundationNevada in public funds. However the A’s said they want to use only $350 million of that money.
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.
Texas Southern quarterback KJ Cooper was 19-35 for 137 yards with one touchdown against the Cal Bears at Memorial Stadium in Berkeley for week 1 in NCAA action on Sat Sep 6, 2025 (file photo by Texas Southern Tigers Football)
By Michael Roberson
BERKELEY, Calif. — The Texas Southern Tigers (0-2) made their first ever trip to the Bay Area, and Berkeley in particular; however they have been in California before. In 2008 they played Shaw University in Sacramento. The Tigers came, saw, but did not conquer the California Golden Bears (2-0) 35-3..
The Historically Black College/University, located in Houston, was a prohibitive underdogs (44.5); however, the Tigers clawed and fought the ACC sophomore Ursus Arctos Californicus during the first 15 minutes of the contest
“We have a very good team! Expressed TSU HC and former NFL DB Cris Dishman. “We can face anybody. If our guys play up to their capabilities, we can beat anybody.”
After the first quarter, Cal led the visitors from the Lone Star State 3-0, but the Tigers knew they were in the game and in position for a shocking upset victory. They also had to be cognizant that they let some opportunities get away from them. The Bears added another touchdown and a 2-point conversion to extend the slim lead to 11 by intermission, 11-0.
Halftime was a different story. Texas Southern’s highly acclaimed “Ocean of Soul” band put on a tremendous performance rarely seen west of the Mississippi River, or at a Predominantly White Institution (PWI). During the mid game show, TSU had a zero on the scoreboard, grading the football team’s performance, but the band had to have received 10’s from the thousands of excited fans in Memorial stadium.
Not only is Texas Southern an HBCU, they are also a member of the legendary Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC). The 12-team conference has produced some of the greatest players and pioneers in football history.
Texas Southern’s most renowned alumnus, or football player, would be Emmy Award winning TV host, analyst and football hall of fame honoree, Michael Strahan. His 15-year NFL (NY Giants) career garnered him two Super Bowl victories and countless individual awards. For his his professional career, he was inducted into the HOF in 2014. For his days at TSU (1989-92) he also entered the College Football (2025) and Black College Football (2014) halls of fame. Strahan even has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
A few other luminaries from the SWAC would include the incomparable Jerry Rice (Mississippi Valley State), Walter Payton (Jackson State), Doug Williams (Grambling State), Steve McNair (Alcorn State), and countless others from the gridiron.
Back to the second half of the game, this is when the heavy favorite started to open up the lead and continue the shutout. Cal scored two more touchdowns in the third quarter, changing the scoreboard change to 25-0 after 45 minutes of gametime.
In the final quadrant, Texas Southern got off of the “Goose Egg” with a 39-yard field goal, although the Golden Bears followed that score with anther touchdown of their own efforts. After 60 minutes of regulation Cal did not cover the spread with their 35-3 dominant victory, but did secure the home opening win and remained undefeated.
Despite the lopsided game result, Coach Dishman did find enjoyment during their trip to the Golden State. “It’s been great! I didn’t know we had that many California alums out here. They were at the hotel cheering us on to victory.” Stated Dishman. He also humbly and publicly apologized that the Tigers could not secure that victory for the TSU faithful.
Golden State Valkyries Temi Fagbenie (14) sinking the layup against the Minnesota Lynx at Chase Center in San Francisco in WNBA action Sat Sep 6, 2025 (photo by Mauricio Segura Golden Bay Times)
Purple Reign Near Miss For Valkyries
By Mauricio Segura
SAN FRANCISCO–The Golden State Valkyries’ fans were riding high, basking in yet another sellout crowd and record-smashing attendance at Chase Center, only to watch their team fall just short in a heated, back and forth battle that ended with a 78-72 loss to the league-leading Minnesota Lynx.
Even though the Valkyries entered the final minutes within striking distance, it was the scrappy and relentless Lynx, fueled by a season-high 24 points from Natisha Hiedeman off the bench, that delivered the killer blow. Hiedeman rose when it counted most, scoring nine of her 24 in the decisive third quarter and matching Golden State shot for shot whenever the momentum seemed to tip.
Golden State did not go quietly. Four Valkyries scored in double figures, with Janelle Salaün, Iliana Rupert, and Kaila Charles each finishing with 15 points to share team-high honors. Salaün and Charles also battled on the boards, each pulling down a team-high eight rebounds.
Rupert’s shooting touch mattered, knocking down three from beyond the arc and going a perfect 4-for-4 from the free throw line. Veronica Burton joined them in double figures with 14 points on an efficient 5-for-10 from the field, adding a team-best six assists and one three-pointer that gave her 99 for her career. It was a night that highlighted the balance of the starting unit, which scored 65 of Golden State’s 72 points.
The third quarter proved fatal. Despite Golden State outscoring Minnesota in three of the four quarters, the Lynx dropped a blistering 30-16 edge in the third, shooting 64.7 percent in that frame alone. Hiedeman led the charge with nine points in the period, while Napheesa Collier chipped in a critical 20 points overall.
Jessica Shepard ran the offense beautifully, recording a double-double with 12 points and 13 assists, carving up Golden State’s defense with her vision and passing. The surge turned a halftime Valkyries lead into a deficit they could never fully erase.
For Golden State, there were bright spots. Charles tied her career high with seven made field goals, continuing to thrive by attacking the rim and finishing through contact. Salaün showed her range with three triples, shooting 37.5 percent from deep, while Rupert stretched the floor as well with her own long-range accuracy. Kate Martin gave important minutes off the bench, adding six rebounds that helped keep Minnesota from running away on the glass.
The broader storylines off the court carried equal weight. With 18,064 fans packing the house once again, Golden State closed its inaugural home slate with 22 consecutive sellouts, shattering league records for both average attendance at 18,064 and total fans at 397,408. No WNBA expansion team has ever seized the spotlight this quickly, and the Valkyries have done it with style, energy, and a brand that clearly resonates in the Bay Area.
The Valkyries now sit at 23-19, locked into the sixth seed in the playoff bracket with two games remaining. While the fifth seed is out of reach, the team has already made history by becoming the first expansion team to clinch a playoff berth in its debut season.
The only wrinkle is logistical: Chase Center will be unavailable due to the Laver Cup tennis tournament, forcing Golden State to stage its first-round home games at San Jose’s SAP Center, with Oakland Arena also was floated as a backup option.
So yes, the Valkyries lost this one, undone by a single quarter of hot shooting from the Lynx. But the big picture remains unchanged. They are rewriting WNBA history, proving they belong among the league’s elite, and building momentum that will carry into the postseason. Two more games to sharpen the edges, then a playoff run that will mark the next chapter in an already unforgettable first year.
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 Cody Thomas rounds the bases after slugging a three run home run in the bottom eighth against the Los Angeles Angels at the Big A in Anaheim on Sat Sep 6, 2024 (AP News photo)
Athletics Hammer Angels with Relentless Barrage 17-4
By Mauricio Segura
The Sacramento Athletics wasted no time lighting up the scoreboard at Angel Stadium, jumping all over Los Angeles pitching in a 17-4 massacre that was never in doubt after the opening attack.
The Green and Gold came out swinging in the first, setting the tone with a two-out rally. Nick Kurtz and Colby Thomas each drew walks before Jacob Wilson lined a single to load the bases. Tyler Soderstrom then cleared them with a bases-clearing double, giving the Athletics a quick 3-0 cushion.
Sacramento kept the pedal down in the second inning. After Brent Rooker’s RBI double extended the lead, Thomas followed with a towering three-run homer to left center, putting the A’s up 7-0 before the Angels had even recorded their sixth out. By the time Kurtz launched his 29th homer of the year in the fourth, the Angels were reeling, down 8-1 and looking for answers.
Sacramento’s offense wasn’t finished. In the sixth, Wilson singled and came around to score on a groundout to push the lead to 9-1. Then came the knockout punch in the eighth, when pinch-hitter Carlos Cortes drilled a three-run shot for his first big league homer. The onslaught continued with six consecutive hits, capped by Shea Langeliers’ two-run single that ballooned the score to 14-1.
Even after Los Angeles answered with back-to-back homers in the bottom of the eighth from Matthew Lugo and Jo Adell, the A’s refused to let the night end quietly. In the ninth, JJ Bleday crushed a three-run homer to right, giving Sacramento its final total of 17 runs on 20 hits.
Every part of the lineup contributed: Wilson collected three hits, Langeliers added four with three runs batted in, and Thomas homered and singled in a strong performance. Cortes’ storybook blast highlighted a bench that kept pouring it on.
On the mound, Sacramento’s pitching was just as sharp. The Angels managed only scattered singles until Yoán Moncada tripled in the third for their first run. Starter J.T. Ginn and relievers Hogan Harris and Scott McGough combined to hold Los Angeles largely in check, striking out eight and stranding runners in nearly every frame.
By the end, the Angels were left searching for positives in a lopsided loss, while the Athletics cemented another statement victory powered by patience at the plate, timely hitting, and a relentless offensive attack. For Sacramento, the message was clear: when the bats wake up this early, the game can be decided before the sun even sets.
Starting pitchers for Sunday’s game at the Big A for Sacramento RHP Luis Severino (6-11 ERA 4.65) for Los Angeles LHP Mitch Ferris (1-0 ERA 1.80) first pitch 1:07pm PT.
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.
The Kansas City Current were putting it on net all night long and kept Bay FC goaltender Jordan Silkowitz seen leaping and stopping a shot busy all night long at Pay Pal Park in San Jose on Sat Sep 6, 2025 (Photo by: John Hefti-Imagn Images)
By William Espy
SAN JOSE–Bay FC returned to PayPal Park on Saturday night as they hosted Kayla Sharples and the league-leading Kansas City Current. The Current got goals from Michelle Cooper at the 45th minute and Temwa Chawinga at the 90 + 2 minute to shutout Bay FC 2-0 on Saturday.
New acquisition Sydney Collins was in the starting eleven for the first time since joining Bay, while Kelli Hubly was honored pregame for her 100th career game.
Both teams started out the game with physicality but it was Kansas City who had a great opportunity in the 12th minute. The attack forced Jordan Silkowitz to make a save then moments later, defender Joelle Anderson made a goal-line save of her own. Moments later, Silkowitz was forced to make another save which went out for a corner.
VAR stopped the play shortly after Maddie Moreau was taken down inside of the box, however upon review it was determined that there was no foul on the play.
Kansas City were getting quite a few shots, but they were all either off target or being saved by Silkowitz early on. Rocky Rodriguez was shown the game’s first yellow card in the 40th minute.
Kansas City took the lead in the 45th minute with a goal off the foot of Michelle Cooper. The Current would carry that 1-0 lead into halftime.
Bia Zaneratto nearly made it 2-0 with a shot from inside of the box, but it had just too much on it, as it went above the crossbar. Tess Boade had a similar chance in the 63rd minute that ended with the same result.
Silkowitz made a diving save to deny the Current in the 66th minute and she was called upon again in the 76th minute. Rachel Hill was shown Bay FC’s first card of the night in the 78th minute.
Bay’s attack really started to come alive around the 80th minute, but they still couldn’t get the ball into the net.
Temwa Chawinga added an insurance goal in stoppage time, and Kansas City walked away with a 2-0 win.
BYU Cougars linebacker Jack Kelly (top) assists with the tackle on Stanford Cardinal running back Micah Ford (below) at Bringham Young University in Provo on Sat Sep 6, 2025 (AP News photo)
By Daniel Dullum
Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025
Brigham Young shut Stanford out for three quarters Saturday, as the Cougars defeated the visiting Cardinal 27-3 in non-conference football at Provo, Utah.
The Cougars (2-0) outgained Stanford (0-2) 332 yards to 161 yards in total offense, and collected 18 first downs to the Cardinal’s 12.
BYU opened the scoring with 3:25 left in the first quarter on a three yard touchdown run by Bear Bachmeier. Will Ferrin booted field goals of 36 and 30 yards out in the second quarter. The Cougars added a safety with 5:14 left in the half, and BYU took a 20-0 lead into halftime.
Ferrin kicked a 21-yard field goal with 8:56 remaining in the third quarter, and just over five minutes later, Stone Moa ran in from eight yards out, boosting BYU’s lead to 24-0 after three periods.
Stanford got on the board hen Emmet Kenney kicked a 26 yard field goal with 10:31 to play in the fourth quarter. Ferrin added his fourth field goal of the night, this one from 23 yards to complete the scoring with 6:33 remaining.
LJ Martin was the Cougars’ leading ground gainer, with 110 rushing yards on 18 attempts. Bachmeier completed 17 of 27 passes for 175 yards and no interceptions. Chase Roberts caught five passes for 84 yards.
Ben Gulbranson completed 17 of 32 passes for 142 yards for the Cardinal, but was picked off twice. Micah Ford ran for 21 yards on 12 attempts and Tuna Altahir gained 20 yards on six carries. Bryce Farrell caught five passes for 68 yards and CJ Williams made four receptions for 31 yards.
Next Saturday, the Cardinal’s home opener is an Atlantic Coast Conference contest with Boston College at The Farm. Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m
BERKELEY, CA–New faces, initial impressions, new surroundings… in this case, after an off-season of unprecedented upheaval, there was more of those elements on the home sideline than there were on the Texas Southern side.
Unusual? In a meeting of a FCS program traveling for a payday and a Power 4 program like Cal, almost unprecedented.
Accordingly, Cal started slow, managing just a 3-0 lead into the final 90 seconds before halftime. Slow wasn’t unsure as the Bears defense proved unyielding from the start. But not until quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele scored the game’s initial touchdown with 1:19 remaining before the break did the tension on the scoreboard relent.
“We had the energy going and some good defensive calls,” TSU coach Cris Dishman said. “We had some good drives going offensive, sustained some drives. So we keep them deep. We lost the field position. Football is mainly about field position. After we lost the field position, we couldn’t get it back.”
Cal’s defense maintained the pressure throughout and Sagapolutele’s touchdown triggered a 32-point explosion across five, consecutive possessions and the Bears pulled away to win 35-3.
Sagapolutele, who was a freshman sensation in Cal’s 34-15, season-opening win over Oregon State was less than that in completing 26 of 37 for 259 yards and one interception against the Tigers. Specifically, with Dishman’s acumen in a decade-plus NFL career as a cornerback, the visiting Tigers all but eliminated the deep outs that plagued Oregon State. Against TSU, Sagapolutele’s longest reception was 27 yards, forcing him to remain patient and work inside.
With a receiving crew with limited experience and even less star potential, Cal made it work. Mark Hamper, Jacob De Jesus and Mason Mini each had five catches and the offense clicked in the second half.
Kendrick Raphael was the only Bear to have a statistical history in Memorial Stadium, an illustration of a green offense that returns just one starter (OG Sioape Vatikani) along with rotation receiver Trond Grizzell. Raphael gained 10 yards in 6 carries last season as an NC State reserve back, but quickly made himself at home on Saturday.
Raphael pounded away in the run game, amassing 131 yards on 18 carries and his touchdown extended Cal’s lead to 18-0 in the third quarter.
Defensively, the Cal front led the way with constant pressure that kept TSU quarterback KJ Cooper off-schedule. Redshirt freshman Luke Ferrelli (11 tackles) and Cade Uluave kept Cal nearly perfect with no missed tackles.
Approximately 50 players departed Cal in the off-season, along with several assistant coaches. Impatient alumni complained loudly about ninth-year head coach Justin Wilcox. And the replacements almost entirely came from lesser programs where they had limited roles. Under those conditions, Cal’s 2-0 start is remarkable.
“If you keep the other team from scoring a touchdown, that’s really good,” Wilcox said. “However, there were just a lot of things we’re going to need to improve on.”
San Francisco Giants Matt Chapman (right) is tagged out by St Louis Cardinal catcher Jimmy Crooks (left) in the top of the sixth inning at Busch Stadium in St Louis on Sat Sep 6, 2025 (AP News photo)
By Barbara Mason
Going into the ninth inning the San Francisco Giants (72-70) were looking good leading 2-0 with ace closer Ryan Walker on the mound. Walker had not allowed a run in his last ten appearances. The St. Louis Cardinals (71-72) offense woke up in the ninth inning with four hits scoring three runs and coming away with the walk-off 3-2 Saturday night at Busch Stadium.
The most disappointing of all was that the Giants could have pulled to within three games of the current third wild game which right now appears to be the New York Mets. New York lost to the Reds today so San Francisco did not lose any ground but could have made up some precious ground. It was a real heart-breaker..
Game recap: The first three innings of Saturday night’s game were quiet. San Francisco pitcher Justin Verlander had a lengthy 24 pitch first inning giving up a single before settling in and going three and out through the third inning. Neither team had much going on offensively until the fourth inning.
San Francisco got up on the scoreboard in the fourth inning scoring two runs. Casey Schmitt sacrificed Dominic Smith home for the early 1-0 lead. They extended their lead when Drew Gilbert doubled and Matt Chapman scored from third base for a 2-0 lead.
Justin Verlander kept the Cardinals off the scoreboard pitching through six scoreless innings. He had an exceptional game allowing three hits, no runs, no walks with six punch-outs. He was relieved in the seventh inning by Joey Lucchesi who breezed through the seventh.
With only two more innings left in the game, the Giants needed an insurance run or two and the long ball was strangely silent. Neither team had been hitting in this pitcher’s duel; fvie hits for San Francisco and three for St. Louis.
San Francisco took the 2-0 lead into the top of the ninth inning. The Giants had done a great job limiting the Cardinals hits only allowing five hits in game one and Saturday night only three through eight innings.
San Francisco went down one, two, three and now faced the heart of the St. Louis lineup in the bottom of the ninth inning. They would be looking to Ryan Walker to close out this game and take a 2-0 series lead.
Walker has not allowed a run in his last ten outings so a lot of hope was pinned on this guy. It was a shaky start for Walker allowing a Nolan Gorman single followed by a Masyn Winn single and the tying run was aboard and the go-ahead run was at the plate.
The Cardinals Jimmy Crooks was hit by a pitch and the bases were loaded with no outs. The Cardinals had a golden opportunity to turn this game around. St. Louis picked just the perfect time to start hitting.
They went into the inning with only three hits but finished the game with seven hits. With the bases loaded St. Louis were not about to let this game go. Thomas Saggese singled Gorman home and they topped this game off with a Jordan Walker double that drove Winn and Hampson home and that was the ball game.
The Cardinals had pulled off the walk-off after trailing for the entire game 3-2. San Francisco held for eight innings but it all fell apart in the ninth inning.
This was a heart breaking loss for the Giants after such an amazing run cutting short their home run streak as well as their five-game winning streak. They have now won 11 of their last 13 games hoping to come back strong tomorrow in game three to win the series.
The one bit of good news is that the Mets dropped their game to the Reds Saturday. San Francisco did not lose any ground but a win would have meant a lot. They will hopefully turn this all around in Sunday’s game three.
Game notes: Saturday evening the Giants battled the St. Louis Cardinals in game two of their three game series after winning game one Friday night 8-2 and losing Saturday night 3-2. Every game going forward is critical.
They are not far off for that third wild game despite many claiming they are out of the hunt. The way that this team has been playing all bets are off. The Giants trail the Mets by four games with 21 games left in the season.
San Francisco just needs to take care of their own business and they just might see some action in October. The New York Mets have a tough schedule to close out the season although the Giants remaining schedule is far from easy .
It’s just that the Mets schedule is a bear. The way the Giants had been playing right now they have certainly set the stage for one amazing finish. They are regarded right now as one of the hottest teams in the majors. The Giants who lost to the Cardinals Saturday didn’t lose any ground in the Wild Card race are still four games for the last wild card spot.
San Francisco will send Kai-Wei Teng (2-3 ERA 7.23) to the mound Sunday who had a great outing in his last game Monday against Colorado. The Giants will need more of the same from Teng. The Cardinals will start Sonny Gray who comes into this game with a 12-8 win/loss record and a 4.43 ERA. First pitch for game three is scheduled for 11:15 AM deciding the series.
Sacramento A’s centerfielder Lawrence Butler chases down a Los Angeles Angels Luis Rengifo fly ball in the eighth inning at Anaheim Stadium on Fri Sep 5, 2025 (AP News photo)
A’s Bats Break Out in Anaheim as Butler and Bleday Power Past Angels 10-4
By Mauricio Segura
For a club that has spent too many nights watching its offense sputter, the Sacramento Athletics finally flipped the script in Anaheim. What began as a sloppy first inning on both sides quickly turned into a showcase of the Green and Gold’s young power core, capped by Lawrence Butler’s ninth-inning blast and JJ Bleday’s statement swing in the third.
By the end of the Friday night, the A’s walked off with a 10-4 win that reminded everyone why they still rank among the league’s most dangerous lineups since the All-Star break.
The early frames hardly suggested excitement Rookie starter Mason Barnett, making just his second big league appearance, immediately found himself in a mess. After Nick Kurtz, Shea Langeliers, and Brent Rooker all walked to load the bases before a single out, Tyler Soderstrom’s grounder produced both a double play and the game’s first run.
Jacob Wilson followed with a sharp RBI single, giving Sacramento a 2-0 cushion. Barnett promptly gave it right back. He hit Zach Neto, walked Mike Trout, and watched Yoán Moncada and Luis Rengifo chip away. By the time Oswald Peraza lifted a sac fly, the Angels led 4-2 and Barnett had already thrown 40 stressful pitches. For a rookie trying to settle in, it looked like another long night.
But Sacramento’s offense, which entered the day leading the majors in doubles and ranking among the top five in OPS since the break, had other plans. In the third, the lineup erupted. Langeliers singled, Soderstrom followed, and Wilson worked a walk to load the bases.
Butler chopped a single to first to drive in a run, and Zack Gelof’s liner tied the game. A wild pitch pushed Sacramento back on top, setting the stage for Bleday’s thunderclap. The outfielder launched his 13th homer of the year into the left-field seats, a three-run shot that turned Angel Stadium into a library. Suddenly, it was 8-4, and the A’s never looked back.
The inning wasn’t done. Darell Hernaiz singled, stole a base, and eventually scored when Rooker wore a pitch with the bases loaded. Nine runs through three innings was more than enough for manager Mark Kotsay’s bullpen, which has been the club’s strongest unit for months.
Relievers Justin Sterner, Elvis Alvarado, and Michael Kelly combined for six scoreless innings, racking up strikeouts while keeping Trout and company swinging through air. It was the exact type of performance the organization envisioned when rebuilding the relief corps after Mason Miller’s departure earlier in the year.
From there, the only drama came in Butler’s final at-bat. Leading off the ninth, the 24-year-old belted his 19th homer, a shot to dead center that punctuated the Battle of Anaheim. Butler’s glove has been steady all season, ranking among the league’s best in outfield putouts, but his bat has lagged. If this swing sparks a September surge, Sacramento will happily take it.
There were other encouraging signs. Kurtz, the rookie phenom leading all first-year players in home runs, RBIs, and walks, reached base three more times. Wilson, who tops all rookies in hits and batting average, delivered again with two big swings.
Langeliers, who has been an extra-base hit machine since the break, kept the line moving with two more knocks. When the Athletics get contributions from all three, the lineup lengthens in a way that forces pitchers into mistakes.
The win pushed Sacramento to 65-77, still lodged in the cellar of the AL West but showing glimpses of a club better than its record. They have now scored 96 first-inning runs this year, second most in the majors, and continue to play spoiler with power. More importantly, they shook off a disastrous start from their rookie pitcher without ever looking rattled, a trait that bodes well for the final stretch.
For the Angels, the frustration deepens. Trout went hitless with two strikeouts, Moncada fanned twice, and their pitching staff unraveled under the weight of walks and wild pitches. By the late innings, the game felt less like a rivalry clash and more like a showcase for Sacramento’s next wave.
The A’s will try to build on the outburst with RHP J.T. Ginn (2-6 ERA 5.17) set to start on Saturday. If the lineup carries over the same swagger, Anaheim could be in for another long night. The Angels will start LHP Yusei Kikuchi (6-10 ERA 3.83).
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.
Sports Radio Service 