Condors bury Barracuda 6-3 in final game at the Shark Tank

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The San Jose Barracuda Thomas Bordeleau (23) battles against the Bakersfield Condors at SAP Center in San Jose on Wed Apr 13, 2022 in a three goal loss (image from the San Jose Barracuda)

by Marko Ukalovic

SAN JOSE — The Bakersfield Condors didn’t follow the script.

They scored three goals in the third period to defeat the San Jose Barracuda 6-3 on Wednesday evening at SAP Center.

This was the last game the ‘Cuda played at the Shark Tank, a place they have called home since 2015. Their final home game is slated to be played at Solar4America Ice on Friday. They will open the ’22-’23 season at the brand-new Tech CU Arena.

San Jose extended their franchise worst losing streak to 11 games with four games remaining. Bakersfield has won three of its past four games.

The Barracuda (20-39-3-2) drew first blood exactly a minute into the game. Lane Pederson cleaned up the rebound off of a Thomas Bordeleau shot for his seventh goal of the season. The primary assist for Bordeleau was the first point since being signed to an amateur tryout agreement by the ‘Cuda on Monday.

Bordeleau, who was drafted by the San Jose Sharks as the 38th pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, finished his season with the University of Michigan with an appearance in the Frozen Four in just his sophomore season.

Bakersfield (33-19-5-5) answered back with two goals of their own in the first period.

Graham McPhee redirected a shot from the point by Darien Kielb that hit off ‘Cuda goalie Alex Stalock and trickled behind him into the back of the net for McPhee’s fifth goal of the season at the 6:13 mark.

Tyler Benson set up Dino Kambeitz in front of the crease and the rookie forward beat Stalock with a point-blank shot for his seventh goal of the season at the 18:27 mark.

San Jose tied it up early in the second period with a power play goal. Artemi Kniazev’s shot from redirected off the crossbar by Jasper Weatherby, who was able to clean up his own rebound for his fifth goal of the season at the 3:10 mark.

Bakersfield regained the lead 47 seconds later. A turnover by Stalock led to Kielb blasting a slapshot from the left slot for his first goal in his debut with the Condors at the 3:57 mark. Kielb finished with three points (1G, 2A).

The Barracuda scored the equalizer late in the middle frame. Bordeleau picked up his second assist of the game when he sent a rink wide pass off the boards where Patrick Holway rifled home a slapshot past Condor’s goalie Stuart Skinner for his fourth goal of the season.

Bordeleau finished with three assists in his professional debut.

Bakersfield scored two goals in the first seven minutes of the third period to take control of the game.

Veteran forward Adam Cracknell tipped home a shot from Seth Griffith for his 18th goal of the season at the 3:37 mark.

Then Cracknell returned the favor when he set up Griffith with a drop pass on an odd man rush. Griffith beat Stalock with a wrist shot on the right side of the crease for his 25th goal of the season.

Griffith sealed the deal with second goal of the game, an empty netter with 54 seconds left in the game to complete his four-point night (2G, 2A). Griffith with 72 points on the season has already set a Condors record for most points in a season.

Skinner (18-5-5) finished the game stopping 21 of the 24 shots he faced to earn the victory. Stalock (4-8-1) made 39 saves on 44 shots in the losing effort.

GAME NOTES: San Jose finished 1-for-3 on the power play. Bakersfield was 0-for-1.

The Three Stars of the Game were: 1) Bordeleau 2) Griffith 3) McPhee

UP NEXT: San Jose close out their home schedule on Friday 4/16 as they host the Abbotsford Canucks at 5:00pm at Solar4America Ice at San Jose.

Oakland Roots FC podcast with Morris Phillips: Roots selling out home games; Televising all road games on KTVU Fox 2

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Oakland Roots and the San Diego Royal tangle in their match at Laney College in Professional soccer action. Roots home games have sold out or nearly sold out. (Image from Oakland Roots twitter)

On the Oakland Roots podcast:

#1 Morris were taking in our first Oakland Roots game there’s been a lot of excitement about this club for team that’s not in the MLS and has been left out in some publications this league this team is still able to sell games out.

#2 The Roots are hosting their games at Laney College’s football field and needless to say it’s worked out.

#3 The Football stadium holds 5,000 plus and the fan experience has been positive and it has kept fans returning as this team was founded in 2018.

#4 The Roots televise all their away games on on KTVU Fox 2 and that also has been huge for the football club getting a local draw which Roots Chief Revenue Officer Steven Powell said KTVU has strong ties with Oakland thus the huge draws they’ve been getting.

#5 Morris looking around and from what you’ve experienced so far what your impression about the football club and the field at Laney College?

Morris Phillips took in coverage of the Oakland Roots match on Wed Apr 13, 2022 at Laney College in Oakland for http://www.sportsradioservice.com

A’s down Rays 4-2 behind Frankie Montas’ great effort; A’s lead series 2-1

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Oakland Athletics’ Sean Murphy (12) get congratulated by Jed Lowrie (8) after Murphy’s three run third inning blast off Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Shane McClanahan at Tropicana Field in Tampa Bay on Wed Apr 13, 2022 (AP NEWS PHOTO)

By Jerry Feitelberg

On Wednesday evening, the Oakland A’s (3-3) sent their ace, Frankie Montas, to the hill to face the Tampa Bay Rays (4-2) at Tropicana Field. The A’s hoped to rebound from a loss Tuesday night to the Rays.

The A’s made three errors in that game, and A’s skipper Mark Kotsay wanted them to correct their ways. The Rays, winners of the AL East in 2019 and 2021, and playing the Dodgers in the World Series in 2020. The Rays, much like the A’s, are a small market team and do not draw well.

Their front office operates similar to the A’s. They do not have a huge payroll. They trade their expensive players for prospects. They develop pitchers as well as position players. Their young players include Brandon Lowe, Wander o, Rookie of the Year for 2021, and Randy Arozarena.

Add in Ji-Man Choi, Yandy Diaz, Manuel Margot, and Kevin Kiermaier, and one can see how the Rays have been built into a contender. Montas’ task was to shut down the Rays’ potent lineup. Frankie came through for his club.

He earned his first win of the season as he went six and one-third innings and allowed five hits and two runs. One of the runs was unearned. The A’s won the game 4-2 to even their record for 2021 at 3-3.

The A’s offense put three runs on the board in the top of the third. With one out, Rays’ starter Shane McClanahan walked Jed Lowrie and Stephen Piscotty. The next hitter, Sean Murphy, homered to put the A’s in the lead. For the third consecutive game, the A’s grabbed a 3-0 lead on the strength of a three-run dinger.

The Rays put a run on the board in the bottom of the fourth Rays first baseman Ji-Man Choi, a very hot hitter, hit a solo blast leading off the Rays’ half of the fourth. Montas settled down and retired the next three hitters.

The A’s added an insurance run in the top of the seventh. Shortstop Elvis Andrus continued his hot start with a double to left. Rays’ reliever Dusten Knight retired the next two hitters. A’s centerfielder, Cristian Pache, who came to Oakland from Atlanta in the trade for Matt Olson, singled to drive in Andrus with the A’s fourth run of the night.

Tampa scored an unearned run in their half of the seventh. Yandy Diaz led off the frame with a single. He went to second on an error by second baseman Sheldon Neuse. A’s manager Mark Kotsay brought in lefty Kirby Snead to pitch.

Snead gave up a hit to Rays catcher Francisco Mejia. Taylor Walls, pinch-running for Diaz, scored on the play. The A’s led 4-2 after seven.

Zach Jackson pitched a scoreless eighth for the A’s, and Lou Trivino shut the Rays down in the ninth to earn his first save of the year.

Game Notes- With the win, the A’s are 3-3. The A’s have earned at least a split of the four-game series. Game four will start at 10:10 am. Lefty Cole Irvin will go for Oakland, and the Rays’ have yet to announce their starting pitcher.

A’s catcher Sean Murphy hit his first home run of the year. He had 17 big flys last year. Montas is now 1-1 for the year.

The time of the game was three hours and one minute. Attendance at Tropicana Field continues to be dismal. Only 8954 people were on hand to see the A’s down the Rays.

Caught In A Webb: Padres no match for Giants’ consistent ace, fall 2-1 in series finale

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By Morris Phillips

SAN FRANCISCO–How good is Logan Webb?

Really good, consistently good, Tim Lincecum good, and since his truncated Major League debut that saw him pitch intermittently in 2019 and 2020, noticeably good.

And how good was he on this blustery Wednesday afternoon at Oracle Park? Good.

“Logan definitely held up his end of the bargain,” according to manager Gabe Kapler.

“I think at this point he’s ready for a full workload. I thought his sinker was particularly sharp today. And then the last inning of work in the eighth, he was really working fast. You could tell their was a full head of steam and a lot of confidence, and I thought that was his best inning.”

Webb became the first pitcher in either league this season to pitch eight innings, in what was the lengthiest stint in his career thus far, while befuddling the Padres in a 2-1 Giants’ win. The 25-year old threw 96 pitches, allowing four hits, a first-inning run and no walks. Kapler admitted he briefly thought about bringing Webb back out for the ninth.

“We haven’t hit our stride offensively yet,” Padres’ manager Bob Melvin said. “But Webb was really good today. Enough breaking balls too, to just keep you off the kind of the moving away fastballs, sinker/changeup. Yeah, he’s a pretty good pitcher.”

If anything, Melvin knows what it supposed to look like as a big league manager for nearly two decades following a lengthy career a big league catcher. And no doubt, his ringing endorsement confirms that Webb has what it takes. Keeping hitters off-balance, rarely allowing solid contact, and doing so by interchanging pitches that initially look the same but send big league batters into guess mode.

Jake Cronenworth’s RBI triple, and Manny Machado’s double that preceded Cronenworth were San Diego’s only highlights. After that Webb worked fast, and Padres’ batters sat down. The ninth inning offered an amazing opportunity as closer Camilo Doval had issues, allowing a hit, a walk then hitting Jurickson Profar to load the bases. But Doval dialed it back, getting three, successive strikes on sliders against pinch-hitter Matt Beatty to end the game.

The Giants didn’t do much against Sean Manaea, but what they did was enough. In the second, Heliot Ramos drew a walk, Mauricio Dubon–the subject of Tuesday’s flashpoint–singled, and Luke Williams doubled home two runs. After the third inning, the Giants got one hit: Wilmer Flores’ single that preceded Ramos hitting into a double play.

The crisply played ballgame also helped diffuse the bad feelings running through both clubhouses surrounding Dubon’s bunt single in Tuesday’s game with the Giants holding a big lead that frustrated the Padres, and led to a brief exchange between bench coaches Mike Shildt and Antoan Richardson. Richardson was ejected after Shildt’s choice of words infuriated Richardson, and led him to claim that Shildt’s words were racist in tone. In a mature gesture from both men, they met prior to the game, and spoke in conciliatory terms before discussing the incident with the media.

Almost overshadowed by the dustup and the ejection, was Alyssa Nakken’s debut as a first base coach, making her the first woman to be an on field participant in a Major League game.

The Giants’ rare opening week at home produced a pair of 2-1 series victories, and a 4-2 record that has them ahead of the Padres and Dodgers, but behind the 4-1 Rockies in the early, early snapshot of the NL West standings.

The Giants experience their only day off in the season’s first three weeks on Thursday before opening a three-game set in Cleveland against the newly-rebranded Guardians.

Golden State Warriors podcast with David Zizmor: Former Warrior Cousins says Nuggets need to be prepared for Golden State

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The Denver Nuggets DeMarcus Cousins says they have to really reach down deep in order to battle the Golden State Warriors who are the NBA’s toughest nemesis this Sat Apr 16 at the Chase Center in San Francisco for game 1 on (file photo from Denver Stiffs)

On the Warriors podcast with David:

#1 One thing for sure the Denver Nuggets DeMarcus Cousins knows the Golden State Warriors all too well and the Warriors potential to do some damage in the first round of the playoffs.

#2 Cousins was part of the Warriors success in previous teams and had an opportunity to play with Warrior stars Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. Cousins knows what they can do and says the Nuggets needs to bring their A game each night to the arena.

#3 David talk about Curry returning after spending weeks after suffering a foot injury how game ready do you think he’ll be ready for this Saturday.

Join David for the Warriors podcasts throughout the playoffs Wednesdays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

San Jose Sharks podcast with Mary Lisa Walsh: Preds Johansen shows that he can do it by himself gets gamer in overtime for 1-0 win

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The Nashville Predators and left winger Filip Forsberg (9) kept San Jose Sharks goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen (34) off balance night in a goaltending duel that went into overtime at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville (photo from San Jose Sharks)

On the Sharks podcast with Mary Lisa:

#1 Mary Lisa it was a battle that felt like it took all night both goaltenders for the San Jose Sharks (29-33-10) Kaapo Kahkonen and for the Nashville Predators (42-26-5) Juuse Saros. Saros got the perfect game stopping all 25 Sharks shots for the 1-0 overtime shutout. Kahkonen stopped 41 Predator shots.

#2 Mary Lisa there’s a lot that goes into throwing a shutout Saros had to defend against some of the Sharks top shooters Matt Nieto led with four shots, Sasha Chemlevski, Rudolfs Balcers, and Tim Meier had three each to no avail.

#3 Mary, talk about the goal by Ryan Johansen in the overtime stanza at 3:18 it was the game’s only goal and with Kahkonen defending the net as well as he was and the goal coming in the late part of the overtime it gave the Predators a great chance to wrap up the game.

#4 One other note the Predators defenseman Mark Borowiecki was crosschecked in the face and slashed on the hip on Sun Apr 10th by the Pittsburgh Penguins Evgeni Malkin. Malkin received a double minor and was suspended for the next four games. The league ruled the hit was intentional and not some defensive inadvertent move.

#5 It’s off to Chicago and the United Center and the Blackhawks who have lost eight straight games. The Hawks have not won a game since Mar 24 in a shootout over the Los Angeles Kings 4-3. Tell us how you see the Sharks and Blackhawks matching up Thursday night.

Join Mary Lisa for the SJ Sharks podcasts each Wednesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

San Francisco takes BP against Padres in 13-2 win; Series is tied 1-1 at Oracle Park

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San Diego Padres first baseman Eric Hosmer (30) congratulates San Francisco Giants first base coach Alyssa Nakken (92) for becoming the first female to coach first base in MLB history at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Tue Apr 12, 2022 (photo from the San Francisco Giants)

San Diego. 2. 5. 0

San Francisco. 13. 15. 0

Tuesday April 12, 2022

By Lewis Rubman

SAN FRANCISCO–Last night, the Giants never missed a chance to miss a chance against the visiting San Diego Padres. Tonight, behind ten year American League veteran Alex Cobb and four relievers, the Giants, after splitting four nail biters to open the season, clobbered the hell out of the visiting team from the south.

San Francisco’s batters faced a familiar and formidable opponent. Yu Darvish, who held the Diamondbacks hitless over six innings in last Friday’s opener, wasn’t that successful against the Giants last year when he went 1-1,5.82 against them even though Kapler’s crew managed only a meager .203 team batting average against the veteran righty. Of his 28 pitches, a dozen were balls.

The hometown heroes jumped all over the Darvish in the first frame. Brandon Belt followed Yastrzemski’s solid lead off single to left witih his second home run of the year, a no doubter that sailed over the National Car Rental advertisement in left field.

Ruf followed with a walk before Darvish notched his first out, Pederson looking. After that it was a walk to Crawford, back to back singles by Flores and Estrada, Duggar´s sac fly, and a single from the bat of Joey Bart, and the Giants were up, 5-0.

The Giants’ long top of the first, which didn’t end until they had batted around and Yaz looked at a called third strike, combined with the 51 degree game time temperature, probably hampered Cobb’s delivery.

The friars took advantage of that to convert a single by Luke Voit, who stole second, and scored on Wil Myers’ double to the right field corner that brought the Giants’ margin down to 5-1. (In the meantime, Cobb struck out three batters and uncorked a wild pitch).

San Francisco got that tally back in their half of the second. Singles by Belt and Pederson, interspersed with Ruf’s getting plunked by a Darvish offering, restored the Giants’ two run advantage in spite of the unassisted short to first DP Crawford grounded into.

Flores’ Texas League single sealed Darvish’s fate, and Nabil Crismatt entered the fray, only to be greeted with a double to left center by Estrada and single, followed by a stolen base, by Duggar.

When the inning finally ended with Bart’s striking out swinging, Darvish had logged a line of nine runs, all earned, on eight hits, one of which went the distance, two walks, and two strikeouts in 1-2/3 innings of hard labor. Of his 57 offerings only 34 counted as strikes.

The last Giant run of second was charged to Crismatt, who ended up hurling 1-1/3 frames and allowing that single tally on two hits, a walk, and a K. Of his 28 pitches, a dozen were balls.

His replacement, Austin Adams, took over mound duties in the bottom of the fourth. He threw 1-1/3 perfect innings, yielding to Denelson Lamet with one down in the fifth.

The Pads cobbled together Matt Beatly’s single to second, a walk to CJ Abrams, and two ground ball outs in their half of the fifth to score their second run.

San Francisco scored again in the top of the fifth, with Bart greeting Lamet with a single to left and Yastrzemski banging an RBI double off the National Car Rental sign, still in left field.

Unsurprisingly, Cobb exited after hurling five innings, for a total of 83 pitches, of which 30 were balls. He allowed two runs, both earned, on four hits, two walks and a wild pitch against ten strikeouts. Need I say that he was the winning pitcher and Darvish the loser?

After García’s four batter, two strikeout hitless sixth, it was new inning, new pitcher for the home team. Tyler Beede in the seventh.

Robert Suárez in the eighth. Yunior Marte, who replaced Tyler Rogers, who was placed on paternity leave before the game, made his major league debut in the ninth. He gave up an infield hit to Myers, was erased in a double play. CJ Abrams flew out to center for the final. out.

I won’t give you any details about Pederson and Dubón’s homers in the bottom of the eigth. except to say they came off Wil Myers, who played the first seven innings of the game in right field.

Ruff and Crawford were the only Giant starters not to register a hit, and the former left the game after his second at bat, which had resulted in his second inning double play. Mauricio Dubón, who took over for him at short, did notch a safety, a bunt single in the sixth off Lamet.

The Giants will play one more game against the Padres Wednesday at 12:45, before taking off for Cleveland. They’ll face Sean Manaea (1-0,0.00). Logan Webb (0-0,1.50) is scheduled to start for the home team.

Sharks Fall 1-0 to Predators in OT

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Nashville Predators’ Mattias Ekholm (14) celebrates with Ryan Johansen (92) after Johansen scored the winning goal against San Jose Sharks goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen (34) in overtime at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on Tue Apr 12, 2022 (AP News photo)

By Mary Walsh

The San Jose Sharks lost their seventh in a row 1-0 in overtime to the Nashville Predators Tuesday. Ryan Johansen scored the lone goal of the game. Juuse Saros made 25 saves for the win. The Predators moved into the first wild card spot with the win. Kaapo Kahkonen made 40 saves for San Jose in the loss.

Sharks goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen described what he saw from his team: “Good road game. We battled hard and we didn’t step back and did a lot of good things. We were in the game all game, just a tough result again. But I think a lot of good things for being on the road and playing a good team.”

Despite their current losing streak, the Sharks have been very close in many of their recent games, including this one. Sharks forward Rudolfs Balcers described the mood in the room after the game: “Frustrating, you know, trying to get that win here, it’s been too many losses. I mean, it’s just tough, you don’t score goals you don’t win a game. So, the guys are a little down.”

The Sharks put up a good fight, including fights in the first period and the third from Jeffrey Viel and Nicolas Meloche. In general, the team played well and certainly improved on their prior meeting with Nashville, when they lost 8-0. After the game, Sharks Head Coach Bob Boughner said:

“I think that we did a decent job of sort of establishing our game. I think I looked up at the clock at one point in time it was 11 or 12 minutes to play in the first period and the shots were 2-1. So, those were things that we wanted to come out and establish. You know, we stood up to them physically and [Couture] came out hitting, [Viel], Meloche, guys like that. We took the hit to make the play we gave hits, it was a physical grind and I thought we answered the bell.”

There were two goals from the Predators in the game, but the first one was called back when the Sharks challenged the play for offside. Ryan Johansen’s overtime goal came 3:18 into the the extra frame. Johansen took the shot from a bad angle and it seemed to deflect of off a Shark before slipping under Kahkonen and into the net. Assists went to Mattias Ekholm and Filip Forsberg.

The Sharks were outshot by the Predators 25-41 through the game. In the face-off circle, they did well in the first period but by the end of the game were down to 43%. The Sharks killed two penalties, allowing just three shots. Their power play had one opportunity and got one shot on goal. Matt Nieto led the team in shots with four.

The Sharks play again on Thursday in Chicago against the Blackhawks at 5:30 PM PT.

He Was A Giant? John Fitzgerald pitched for San Francisco for a lone season in 1958

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San Francisco Giants pitcher John Fitzgerald pitched for the Giants for just one season the first year of the team since moving from New York (file photo from pinterest)

He Was A Giant?

John Fitzgerald – LHP – 1958 – # 35

By Tony The Tiger Hayes

In 1958, John Fitzgerald Kennedy was preparing to launch his historic presidential campaign. That year the freshly minted San Francisco Giants briefly had their own John Fitzgerald, a 6-foot-3, left-handed pitcher out of Brooklyn, New York.

How briefly? Fitzgerald’s big league inauguration, full-term, lame duck status and exit from the majors occurred all in a single game.

Why was he a Giant?

It’s kind of a mystery. Prior to making his major league debut with San Francisco, Fitzgerald had not pitched in a professional game since 1956, when he was drafted into military service.

When John Francis Fitzgerald made his major league debut and swan song on the final game of the 1958 season he was 25 years old.

It’s possible Fitzgerald mustered out of the service in the City at the Presidio making it convenient to have him swing by Seals Stadium to appear in the last game of the season.

The facts of him joining the big league club are as murky as the lone photo ever seen of southpaw in a Giants uniform.

Before & After

Signed by the Giants in 1953, Fitzgerald enjoyed significant success in the minors. As a 19 year old minor league rookie in 1953, Fitzgerald went 8-8, 4.64 for the St. Cloud Rox of the Northern League.

The Giants prospect really opened eyes in 1955 when he topped the Carolina League in strikeouts (233) while a member of the Class-D Danville Leafs. He finished with a stellar 14-7, 2.87 ledger and was named to the loop’s All-Star club.

But then, Fitzgerald’s pitching career was put into suspended animation for two seasons as he fulfilled his military obligations at about the same time Elvis Presley was also cleaning and carrying a rifle.

Then suddenly in September of 1958, as the Giants were winding down their inaugural season of fog ball, Fitzgerald was added to the big league roster.

Fitzgerald developed elbow issues the following spring and struggled the remainder of his professional career, spent entirely in the Giants organization.

He pitched two more seasons in the minor leagues (1959-60) before leaving organized baseball at the age of 27 after a winless season at Class-A Springfield in 1960.

He Never Had a Bobblehead Day. But…

Considering he had been on the shelf for two years, Fitzgerald had a stellar big league debut.

With the Giants in third place, 13 games back of Milwaukee, Giants manager Bill Rigney selected Fitzgerald to start the 79-74 Giants 1958 finale vs. the visiting St. Louis Cardinals.

Fitzgerald retired the lead off batter, left fielder Ellis Burton, on a ground out to shortstop Andre Rodgers, before walking shortstop Lee Tate. Fitzgerald faced the toughest batter of his life next, the illustrious Stan Musial. As expected, “Stan the Man” stung the San Francisco rookie’s first pitch, but the liner was snagged by second baseman Danny O’Connell, who then doubled Tate off first base.

With confidence surging through his left arm, Fitzgerald went to work in the second. “Fitz” struck out All-Star third baseman Ken Boyer and then fanned in succession catcher Gene Green and center fielder Bobby Smith.

Fitzgerald took a 3-0 lead into the third inning, but that changed quickly when St.Louis right fielder Joe Cunningham blasted a lead off homer over Seals Stadium’s right field fence. The long ball marked Cunningham’s career high 12th homer of the season.

Fitzgerald quickly regained his composure however and retired second baseman Eddie Kasko on a fly out to Willie Mays in center field. He nabbed pitcher Sam Jones – who would join the Giants in 1959 – on a ground out to Rodgers and notched Burton again on a ground out to third baseman Jim Davenport.

And with that, Fitzgerald exited the contest in favor of fellow rookie Dom Zanni. The fellow New York City native would go the next four frames, allowing one run, and was credited with the victory. Al Worthington recorded his 16th save in the 7-2 Giants win before 19,435 fans.

Fitzgerald would never appear in another major league contest.

Giant Footprint.

Fitzgerald was in the running for a roster spot in 1959, but his chances took a fatal blow when he broke down in an exhibition vs. the Cubs.

Fitzgerald suffered what trainer Doc Bowman described as a “shock to the ulnar nerve” of his left elbow, describing the pain as similar to “hitting your funny bone.”

Only Fitzgerald wasn’t laughing. Today, Fitzgerald would have probably been prescribed “Tommy John” surgery. But of course that baseball career altering ligament replacement surgery was still more than a decade away from being developed in 1959.

Fitzgerald tried pitching through the pain, but he was not effective.

After he left baseball, the trail runs as cold as a Candlestick Park hot dog on Fitzgerald.

Of all the living players from the 1958 club, Fitzgerald was the only one author Steve Bitker could not locate for his 1998 book “The Original San Francisco Giants.” Some recent reports have him residing in suburban New Jersey.

Fitzgerald would be 89 years old making him one of the oldest living former Giants.

Rays outlast A’s 9-8 in ten innings; Series at Tropicana tied at 1-1

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Tampa Bay Rays’ Manuel Margot, center, is congratulated by teammates hitting an RBI walkoff single off Oakland Athletics relief pitcher Lou Trivino in the bottom of the tenth inning at Tropicana Field in Tampa Bay on Tue Apr 12, 2022 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Tampa Bay Rays (4-1) downed the Oakland A’s (2-3) 9-8 in ten innings Tuesday night at Tropicana Field. The game moved at the speed of a glacier as it took four hours and 13 minutes to play.

The game featured two pitchers making their Major League debuts. Neither pitcher fared well. Rays’ starter Tommy Romero went one and two-thirds innings. He allowed three runs, three hits, and walked five. The A’s starter, Adam Oller, lasted one and one-third innings. His line was five runs, five hits, three walks, and he gave up two home runs.

The A’s jumped off to an early 3-0 lead in the top of the first. Romero walked the first two batters he faced. A’s DH, Jed Lowrie, blasted his first homer of the year to make it 3-0. The Rays’ leadoff hitter, Brandon Lowe, homered to make it 3-1.

Tampa put four on the board in the bottom of the second. Rays’ catcher Mike Zunino doubled to start the rally. Zunino went to third on Oller’s throwing error. Second baseman Taylor Wall singled to drive in Zunino.

Brandon Lowe walked to put two men on with no out. Oller retired Wander Franco for the first out. Rays’ first baseman Ji-Man Choi put Oller’s pitch into the seats in right field to put the Rays ahead 5-3. Oller’s night was over.

In the bottom of the third, with Jacob Lemoine on the mound for Oakland, Brett Phillips sent Lemoine’s pitch into the stands to make it 6-3.

The A’s offense woke up from its slumber to put a run on the board. With two out and Seth Brown at second, Stephen Piscotty reached on an infield single. Brown, running hard, appeared to be thrown out at the plate. Rays’ catcher Mike Zunino had trouble holding onto the ball.

Brown slid in safely. The A’s trail 6-4. The Rays regained the three-run advantage in their half of the sixth. Wander Franco led off with a triple. Ji-Man Choi reached on an infield single. Franco was held at third. Unfortunately for the A’s, second baseman Tony Kemp could not handle Randy Arozarena’s ground ball. Kemp’s error allowed Franco to score. The score after six was 7-4 Rays.

The A’s refused to quit. With two out in the top of the seventh, the A’s plated three runs to tie the score. The fifth Rays’ pitcher of the night, Ralph Garza, walked Lowrie and Sean Murphy. Seth Brown singled to drive in Lowrie. Chad Pinder’s fly ball to rightfield went over Manuel Margot’s head and bounced up against the wall for a double. Murphy and Brown scored and tied the game at 7-7.

Neither team could score in the eighth or ninth innings. The game went into extra innings. The A’s scored a run to take the lead 8-7. Chad Pinder was the ghost runner at second base to start the tenth. A’s first baseman, Billy McKinney, singled to drive in Pinder.

The Rays’ Brandon Lowe was the ghost runner in the bottom of the tenth. Lou Trivino was now pitching for Oakland. Trivino had to face a tough customer in the person of Wander Franco. The young superstar doubled to drive in Lowe and tie the game.

Trivino retired Randy Arozarena for the first out. The A’s put Josh Lowe on first to set up a possible inning-ending double play. The strategy was for naught as Manuel Margot ended the game with a single to drive in Franco. The Rays win 9-8.

Game Notes- The A’s are 2-3 for the year with the loss. The Rays improved to 4-1. The A’s used eight pitchers, the Rays six. The Rays’ pitchers handed out nine free passes plus a hit batter. The A’s pitchers issued eight.

The line score for Oakland was eight runs, eight hits, and three errors. Tampa’s line was nine runs, 13 hits, and one error.

The time of the game was 4:17. Attendance was a paltry 7588 people in the stands. Neither team draws well at home.

Game three of the four-game series will start at 3:40m pm on Wednesday. Going for Oakland right hander Frankie Montas 0-1 ERA 9.00 for Tampa Bay Shane McClanahan 0-0 ERA 0.00.