San Francisco Giant Rafeal Devers (16) gets a third inning single off Baltimore Orioles starter Tomoyuki Sugano at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Sun Aug 31, 2025 (AP News photo)
San Francisco Giants podcast Michael Roberson for Marko Ukalovic:
#1 San Francisco Giants Rafael Devers hit a home run, doubled and hit for two RBIs as the Giants won in a landslide on Sunday 13-2 at Oracle Park in San Francisco winning two out of three in the series.
#2 Giants starter Justin Verlander struck out ten hitters over five innings of work and threw 121 pitches his highest amount of pitches since June 2018.
#3 Verlander who has a Hall of Fame career for the 73rd time struck out ten hitters career and it was the first time since Oct 4, 2022 that he had ten since facing the Philadelphia Phillies on Oct 4, 2022. No doubt he was pitching against the Orioles who just struggled to get a hit off Verlander.
#4 The Giants Dominic Smith got a base hit for an RBI off Orioles pitcher Corbin Martin in the sixth inning where the Giants scored three runs. Also Devers, Heliot Ramos, and Drew Gilbert had three of San Francisco’s 16 hits.
#5 The Giants head to Colorado and Coors Field to open up a three game series against the Colorado Rockies Monday. Starting pitcher for the Giants RHP Kai Wei Teng (1-3 ERA 8.78) will be opposed by RHP Chase Dollander (2-11 ERA 6.55) for a 1:10pm first pitch.
Michael Roberson filled in for Marko Ukalvoic does the San Francisco Giants podcasts each Monday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com
San Francisco Giants pitcher Justin Verlander is congratulated upon entering the dugout after pitching five innings against the Baltimore Orioles at Oracle Park on Sun Aug 31, 2025 (Bay Area News Group photo)
By Vince Cestone
SAN FRANCISCO–The San Francisco Giants, all but left for dead, are not done yet, as they beat the Baltimore Orioles 13-2 at Oracle Park on Sunday afternoon.
With the New York Mets losing 5-1 against the Miami Marlins at Citi Field on Sunday afternoon, the Giants pulled to within 5 games of the third National League Wild Card spot.
The Giants still have an uphill road to climb, with a 1.9% playoff chance, according to Fangraphs, but with the Mets playing the next three games against the 80-58 Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park and the Giants playing the lowly Colorado Rockies for the next three games, the Giants have a chance to cut that deficit down to three or four games.
Even if the Giants ultimately fall short, an improbable late-September playoff push could prove to be a valuable experience for the likes of younger players Luis Matos, Drew Gilbert, Casey Schmitt, Jung Hoo Lee, and Heliot Ramos.
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Here’s what happened in Sunday’s game.
The Giants started off with a bang, as Rafael Devers crushed a home run to get the Giants going in the first inning. That’s all the Giants would need as Justin Verlander earned his third win of the year, going five shutout innings, amassing 10 strikeouts.
Devers would end up going 3-for-5 with a home run and double. He was a triple short of the cycle.
Verlander wasn’t perfect though–he pitched through two walks in the first inning and a walk and single in the second and fifth innings. His best inning came in the fourth when he struck out the side.
Justin Verlander just struck out double digits for the 73rd time in his epic career 👏👏👏 pic.twitter.com/Swc3W2g2WK
“He’s a battler,” Giants manager Bob Melvin said. “He threw a lot of breaking balls today against a team that hits the fastball pretty good. So, going into games, it’s not like he’s not prepared…it was nice to be able to get him another win.”
The Giants offense came through for Verlander, which wasn’t the case for much of the year. The Giants scored 13 runs on 16 hits for the future Hall of Famer.
The Giants tacked on two more runs in the third inning and four more in the 4th inning. The Giants four-run, fourth inning rally included six hits and a two-run triple by Drew Gilbert, who was acquired in the Mets trade for ace reliever Tyler Rogers.
With the help of an error by Orioles shortstop Luis Vasquez, the Giants added three more runs in the 6th inning.
San Francisco wasn’t done–scoring three more runs in the eighth inning off of Orioles catcher Alex Jackson, a position player who came into pitch with the score 10-0 Giants.
The Orioles would score two runs in the ninth inning off of reliever Spencer Bivens.
Melvin says it was important for the Giants to finish August strong, ending the month with a 5-1 homestand, including a sweep of the Chicago Cubs.
“We needed to play better,” Melvin said. “We needed to play better at home too. So, to sweep the Cubs and take two out of three here, swing the bats better, score some runs, you know, going into Colorado feeling good about ourselves offensively…we think we’re in a much better place.”
Giants third baseman Matt Chapman left the game in the 6th inning after fouling a ball off of his foot. He was down for about a minute but got back up and finished the at-bat. He walked, but Casey Schmitt pinch ran for him, likely as a precautionary measure with the score being 8-0 Giants at the time.
The Giants have a golden opportunity to make up more ground in the Wild Card standings for the next three games. If they’re going to make a late-season push to get back into serious playoff contention, now is the time.
San Francisco plays the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field at 1:05 p.m. PDT on Labor Day. Giants rookie right-hander Kai-Wei Teng (1-3, 8.78 ERA) will take on the Rockies’ right-hander Chase Dollander (2-11, 6.55 ERA).
San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Carson Seymour (77) reacts as Baltimore Orioles’ Jackson Holliday (7) rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run in the third inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Saturday, Aug. 30, 2025. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Saturday, Aug. 30, 2025
Oracle Park
San Francisco, California
Baltimore Orioles 11 (61-75)
San Francisco Giants 1 (67-69)
Win: Trevor Rogers (8-2)
Loss: Carson Seymour (0-2)
Time: 2:40
Attendance: 37,711
By Stephen Ruderman
SAN FRANCISCO–The Orioles snapped the Giants’ winning streak with an 11-1 blowout in a game that really turned out to be a dud Saturday night.
Friday night, the Giants put up a season-high 15 runs, and a season-high 18-hits in their sixth-straight win to get to just a game under .500. Saturday, the Giants looked to get back up to .500 after being seven games under just eight days ago. They also looked to tie their season-high of seven-straight wins.
Saturday’s game was on FOX, which meant we had ourselves a 4:15 p.m. start, and shadows coming in the third inning. That would potentially bode well for Carson Seymour, who made the start for the Giants. Seymour got off to a shaky start, but he was able to escape a pair of jams in the first and second innings.
The Giants were up against the Orioles’ ace, Trevor Rogers, who set down the first two batters he faced in the bottom of the first. The ball has been carrying at Oracle Park on this homestand, and with today’s gametime temperature at 80 degrees, that would continue to be the case.
Willy Adames took advantage of that, and with two outs in the bottom of the first, he hit a home run to left. It was Adames’ 25th home run of the season, and he became the first Giant to have 25 home runs before the start of September since Barry Bonds in 2007.
The Giants struck first, but as the shadows started coming in, they would not be able to help Seymour in the top of the third. Jeremiah Jackson hit a two-run home run to left-center with one out to put the Orioles ahead. That wasn’t it. Gunnar Henderson then singled to left, and Ryan Mountcastle hit a two-run shot to center to make it 4-1.
Seymour ended up going three innings, and Tristan Beck took the ball for the fourth. Beck wouldn’t fare much better, as the Orioles scored three more runs to open it up to 7-1.
Though you gotta tip your hat to Beck. He ended up going three and two thirds innings, and made it so the Giants didn’t have to blow through their bullpen.
Rogers was just dominant for the Orioles. He gave up just one run and five hits over seven innings. He didn’t walk anyone, and he struck out five.
This was not on the Giants’ offense. Rogers was just that good, and this winning streak was going to come to an end at some point.
The Orioles scored another run off Beck in the top of the seventh, and three more off left-hander Matt Gage in the top of the eighth to make it a real laugher at 11-1. As a result, Bob Melvin brought in infielder Christian Koss for his fourth outing of the season, and Koss kept his ERA at a perfect zero with a 1-2-3 top of the ninth.
There just was not much to say about this game other than what I said in the lead: it was a dud.
Trevor Rogers gets the win, and Carson Seymour takes the loss
The Giants fall to 67-69. It was also frustrating, as with the Mets loss, the Giants could have just been five games back of the Mets for the third wild card spot in the National League with a win. The Giants remain six behind the Mets.
The Giants can take the series with a win in the rubber match Sunday. Justin Verlander, (2-10, 4.47 ERA), who has been pitching much better as of late, and who got his first win at Oracle Park against the Cubs on Tuesday, will take the ball for the Giants. Tomoyuki Sugano (10-6, 4.06 ERA) will take the ball for Baltimore.
First pitch will be at 1:05 p.m PT.
Giants News and Notes:
Randy Rodriguez has indeed elected to have Tommy John Surgery, and will most likely be out through the end of next season, though no official time table has been established for his recovery and return.
Rodriguez admitted that he started experiencing elbow problems in his rookie season last year, but he was able to pitch through them to go 3-5 with a 1.78 ERA, and go to the All-Star Game.
Rodriguez took over as the Giants’ closer after the Giants traded Camilo Doval to the New York Yankees on July 31. He converted three saves in five opportunities as the Giants’ closer.
Unfortunately, his season on the field also ended in the worst way possible, as he gave up the walk-off home run to William Contreras last Friday in Milwaukee.
#1 San Francisco Giants closer Randy Rodriguez will need Tommy John surgery. Rodriguez was placed on the 15 day IL last weekend. Ryan Walker will assume the closer duties for the remainder of the season.
#2 The Giants win Friday night was their sixth straight starting last week Sat Aug 23, 2025. The Giants most consecutive wins is seven which happened on June 4-11.
#3 The Giants have hit home runs in 12 straight game for a total of 24 in that stretch. The streak started back on August 17th.
#4 On Friday every SF player got a hit in the line up this is the first time that’s happen since the Giants did it against the Pittsburgh Pirates on August 5th.
#5 Giants infielder Dominic Smith hit a his first career splash hit for his eighth home run of the season in the bottom of the fifth inning. Smith is hitting .433 since being called up back on Aug 21st.
#6 The Orioles are a struggling bench they have lost five straight, they are in dead last in the AL East and they got lit up by the Giants for four runs in the first inning on Friday. Starters for Saturday night’s contest for the O’s LHP Trevor Roberts (7-2 ERA 1.40) for the Giants RHP Carson Seymour (0-1 ERA 3.74). Roberts has the best record on the Orioles starting rotation. How do you see this match up tonight at Oracle Park.
Willy Adames of the San Francisco Giants gives thanks to the Almighty after hitting a solo home run in the top of the sixth inning against the Chicago Cubs at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Fri Aug 29, 2025 (AP News photo)
San Francisco Giants podcast Lincoln Juarez:
#1 San Francisco Giants Willy Adames slugged two home runs on Thursday afternoon against the Chicago Cubs on the way to a three game sweep defeating the Cubs 4-3.
#2 The win for the Giants was their tenth walk off this year and the Giants come into Friday night’s game against the Baltimore Orioles with a five game win streak.
#3 San Francisco’s Casey Schmitt walked with one out and advanced to second on Wilmer Flores base hit. Jung Hoo Lee singled to right for an RBI scoring pinch runner Christian Koss whose sliding into the plate while the throw went wide of the plate.
#4 The Giants open a three game series against the Baltimore Orioles starting Friday night for the Orioles RHP Dean Kremer (9-9 ERA 4.19) for the Giants LHP Robbie Ray (10-6 ERA 2.93). The O’s are a struggling bunch last place in the AL East having lost seven of their last ten games and are having troubles getting their pitching tracked. The O’s are coming off a four game series where they were swept by the Boston Red Sox. The Giants are coming off three game sweep over the Chicago Cubs.
#5 Sad news former Giants pitcher Randy Moffitt passed away at age 76 Friday his family said that Moffitt had died of an extended illness. Moffitt who is the brother of tennis star Billie Jean King pitched for San Francisco for the first ten years of his MLB career. Moffitt pitched for the Giants from 1972 to 1981. He then pitched for the Houston Astros in 1982 and the Toronto Blue Jays to round out his career in 1983. Moffit in his ninth season (1979) got easily exhausted, vomited frequently and lost close to 25 pounds. Doctors could not figure out what caused his sickness but one suggested that his problem was mental.
The thrill of victory as the San Francisco Giants Jung Hoo Lee (51) hits a walk off RBI single in the bottom of the ninth inning to defeat the Chicago Cubs at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Thu Aug 28, 2025 (AP News photo)
Thursday, Aug. 28, 2025
Oracle Park
San Francisco, California
Chicago Cubs 3 (76-58)
San Francisco Giants 4 (66-68)
Win: Ryan Walker (5-4)
Loss: Daniel Palencia (1-4)
Time: 2:09
Attendance: 32,187
By Stephen Ruderman
SAN FRANCISCO–Jung Hoo Lee walked it off with a base-hit in the bottom of the ninth inning, as the Giants completed the sweep of the Cubs with a big 4-3 win, and have now won five in a row.
The Giants came into Thursday having won four in a row, and have looked like a completely different team. They have been pitching well; playing good defense; executing good situational hitting and keeping the line moving; and hitting for power. It’s how they got off to their 24-14 start at the beginning of the season.
Most importantly, the Giants have been much looser, and have been having a lot more fun. Maybe it has to do with the lack of pressure after falling out of the pennant race, or maybe they just found that spark. The fact of the matter is that they have been playing much better, and have crept their way back up to just three games under .500.
The best part was that Logan Webb was getting a rare start after a Giants’s win. However, things were a bit rough for the Giants’ ace in the top of the first inning.
Kyle Tucker slashed a double off the end of the bat and down the left field line with one out. Ian Happ then fired, or shall we say rolled the opening salvo with a seeing-eye ground ball that found its way into right-center field for a base-hit. Tucker scored, and the Cubs had a 1-0 lead.
Pete Crow-Armsrong singled Happ over to third, and Webb was staring an ugly inning right in the face. However, Webb got Nico Hoerner to ground into a double play to end the inning, and limit the damage to just a run.
Webb got a much-needed reprieve , and the Giants struck back against Cubs’ starter Shota Imanaga in the bottom of the first. Rafael Devers took a one-out walk, and with a slight wind blowing out and the ball carrying, Willy Adames hit a home run to left-center field to put the Giants ahead.
The Cubs tied it on a home run by Dansby Swanson in the top of the second, but both pitchers settled down, and kept the score at 2-2 going into the middle innings. Imanaga set down 12 of the next 14 men he faced after Adames’ home run. Webb retired nine of the next 11 he faced after Swanson’s home run.
Michael Busch led off the top of the sixth with a home run to center to put the Cubs back ahead, but Webb then retired the side in order. Adames responded with his second home run of the game, this one also to center, in the bottom of the sixth to tie it back up at 3-3.
This was Adames’ fourth multi-home run game this season, and his second in just the last week. Adames has 24 home runs this season, and with 28 games left to play for the Giants, Adames could feasibly become the first Giant to hit 30 home runs in a season since Barry Bonds did hit 45 of them in 2004.
Both pitchers were truly evenly matched, as Webb and Iminaga both finished the day with one, two, three, innings in the seventh. Webb gave up three runs and seven hits over seven innings, while striking out seven and not walking a single guy. Iminaga allowed three runs and five hits over seven innings, while walking one and striking out five.
Jose Butto came in for the top of the eighth, and ran into trouble when Matt Shaw hit a one-out double to left. However, Busch hit a bullet that second-baseman Casey Schmitt leapt and caught, and Schmitt threw to second to double off Shaw, who had nowhere to go, and end the inning.
Brad Keller threw a scoreless bottom of the eighth for the Cubs. Joey Lucchesi and Ryan Walker combined for a scoreless top of the ninth. Chicago brought in Daniel Palencia, and he got Matt Chapman to ground out to start the bottom of the ninth.
However, the Giants rallied. Casey Schmitt and Wilmer Flores both lined base-hits to center, and the Giants had runners at first and second with one out for Jung Hoo Lee. With the count at 1-1, Lee got a somewhat-nasty slider on the inside; and lined a base-hit to right; Schmitt was waved in and scored the winning run, and the Giants had their tenth walk off win of the season.
Ryan Walker got the win, and Daniel Palencia took the loss.
The Giants have won their fifth in a row, and improve to 66-68. Other than their seven games against the Dodgers, 21 of the Giants’ final 28 games will be against teams currently under .500. The Giants just need to go 16-12 to finish over .500. With the schedule the rest of the way, it is certainly doable.
The Baltimore Orioles will come in for a three-game series starting Friday night. Robbie Ray (10-6, 2.93 ERA) will take the ball for the Giants. Dean Kremer (9-9, 4.19 ERA) will counter for the Orioles.
First pitch will be at the old and familiar 7:15 p.m.
Sacramento A’s second baseman Max Schuemann (left) tags out Baltimore Orioles Greg Allen on an attempted steal in the bottom of the fourth inning at Camden Yards in Baltimore on Sun Aug 10, 2025 (AP News photo)
On the Sacramento A’s podcast with Barbara Mason:
#1 The Athletics took on the Baltimore Orioles over the weekend losing game one friday night but coming on strong in games two and three winning the series
#2 The Orioles won the first game of the series in a close one 3-2 which set the stage for games two and three. The Athletics were on fire in game two winning the game 11-3 and coming away with 13 hits to the Orioles 4 hits thanks in part to the pitching of starter Jack Perkins who only allowed 3 hits and the three runs going 6 innings
#3 Sunday the A’s won a close one tying up the game in the sixth inning 1-1 and finishing it off in the ninth inning scoring two runs to win the series
#4 Willie MacIver was the hero in game three hitting a double in the ninth which allowed Lawrence Butler and Darell Hernaiz to score and seal the deal. Elvis Alvarado closed out the game in the ninth inning
#5 The A’s will now head home to begin a three-game series with the Tampa Bay Rays at Sutter Health Park.
Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.
⚡Craft cocktails? Check. 🔥Game-day bites? Oh yeah. 🏟️Steps from Golden 1 Center? You bet.
Open daily, Cyprus Grille is serving up local flavor with a front-row seat to the action. Stop by before or after the game—or make it your new downtown hangout.
Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.
📍Located inside the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena @ 300 J Street
Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm
Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in.
Sacramento A’s catcher Willie MacIver (65) puts the tag on Baltimore Orioles Jeremiah Jackson (82) in the bottom of the fourth inning at Camden Yards in Baltimore on Sun Aug 10, 2025 (AP News photo)
Athletics Stun Orioles 3-2 with Late-Inning Heroics in Camden Yards Thriller
By Mauricio Segura
The Athletics spent most of Saturday afternoon looking for the big hit that just wouldn’t come. For eight innings at Oriole Park at Camden Yards, the A’s offense was a story of scattered singles, long outs, and missed chances. Then, in the top of the ninth, everything changed. A lineup that had been held to a single run suddenly found the clutch bats they had been searching for, and when the dust settled, the Green and Gold had stolen a 3-2 victory from the Baltimore Orioles.
For much of the day, the two clubs traded small jabs rather than haymakers. The early innings were defined by free passes and stranded baserunners. In the top of the first, Shea Langeliers popped out to start the game, Brent Rooker flied to center, and after a Nick Kurtz walk, Colby Thomas ended the frame with another pop out. Baltimore’s opening inning was equally frustrating. They drew three walks, including one to Jackson Holliday leading off, but Gunnar Henderson’s stolen base was all they had to show for it before Jeremiah Jackson struck out with the bases loaded.
Sacramento starter Luis Morales didn’t allow a hit through his first two innings but labored with control, handing out multiple walks. Tyler Ferguson came on in relief in the third and kept Baltimore quiet until the fifth, when Jordan Westburg finally broke the scoreless tie. With two outs, Westburg launched his 14th home run of the season, a fly ball that carried into the left field seats to give the Orioles a 1-0 lead.
Up to that point, the A’s only real threat had come in the third when Rooker singled, only for Kurtz to fly out and end it. That changed in the top of the sixth. Rooker, again the spark, doubled to left and moved to third on a groundout. Colby Thomas delivered the first RBI of the day for Sacramento, bouncing a sharp single into left to bring Rooker home and tie the game 1-1.
Justin Sterner and Sean Newcomb handled the sixth and seventh, but the bottom of the seventh saw the Orioles reclaim the lead. With the score still tied, Alex Jackson doubled on a ball the A’s unsuccessfully challenged for being foul. After a strikeout, pinch-hitter Coby Mayo ripped a double to center, scoring Jackson for a 2-1 Baltimore advantage. Sacramento avoided further damage thanks to Luis Urías’ unassisted double play, but the A’s trailed heading into the late innings.
Dietrich Enns and Keegan Akin kept the A’s bats silent in the seventh and eighth, and by the time the ninth rolled around, the Athletics needed a rally against Baltimore’s bullpen to avoid defeat. Darell Hernaiz worked a leadoff walk to set the table. JJ Bleday struck out, but Gio Urshela’s sharp single to left pushed Hernaiz into scoring position. Manager Mark Kotsay made the call for speed, sending in Lawrence Butler to run for Urshela. That move paid off almost immediately.
Willie MacIver, who had been active defensively all afternoon, turned the game on its head with one swing. He smoked a line drive into the left-field corner for a double, and both Hernaiz and Butler came charging home. Just like that, the A’s were up 3-2, and the dugout roared to life.
Elvis Alvarado, who had finished the eighth, handed the ninth to the A’s defense. Greg Allen struck out swinging for the first out, Dylan Carlson grounded to second for the second, and after Holliday worked yet another walk, the game ended fittingly, with Jordan Westburg, Baltimore’s earlier hero, swinging through strike three.
Sacramento’s win was built less on offensive fireworks and more on patience, timely hitting, and keeping the Orioles from breaking the game open when they had the chance. Pitching depth was key, seven different A’s pitchers combined to hold Baltimore to just six hits, with the bullpen striking out eight in relief of Morales. Brent Rooker’s multi-hit afternoon set the tone offensively, and Colby Thomas’ sixth-inning RBI kept the A’s in striking distance. But the lasting memory will be MacIver’s two-run double in the ninth, the hit that turned a frustrating afternoon into a statement of patient triumph.
The A’s return to Sutter Health Field in West Sacramento Monday night starting pitchers for theTampa Bay Rays RHP Ryan Pepiot (7-9 ERA 3.77) for the A’s RHP Jefferey Springs (10-7 ERA 3.89) first pitch 7:05pm 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.
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.
A’s Bats Erupt Early to Power Past Orioles 11-3 in Statement Win
By Mauricio Segura
The Sacramento Athletics didn’t waste any time reminding the Baltimore Orioles crowd that this wasn’t going to be an ordinary night at Camden Yards as the A’s blasted the O’s 11-3 on Saturday.
The first two pitches they saw didn’t even matter, Lawrence Butler worked a leadoff walk, and on the very next at-bat Shea Langeliers unloaded on a Brandon Young fastball, sending it on a low, screaming line into the left field seats. Just like that, the Green and Gold were up 2-0, and the tone was set.
Of course, the Orioles had an answer of their own in the bottom half. Jackson Holliday and Jordan Westburg opened with back-to-back singles before Gunnar Henderson launched a center-field shot that flipped the score in Baltimore’s favor, 3-2. For a moment, it looked like we might be in for one of those punch-counterpunch slugfests that test the stamina of both teams.
But instead, the Athletics turned it into a one-sided hitting clinic.
Langeliers got the rally started again in the third with a sharp single, and Nick Kurtz followed with another hit to set the table for Brent Rooker. Rooker didn’t miss, swatting his 24th home run of the season into the Baltimore night and reclaiming the lead, 5-3. Tyler Soderstrom, who seems determined to hit in every game he plays, doubled to extend his streak to ten straight, eventually scoring on a Darell Hernaiz sacrifice fly.
By the time the fifth inning rolled around, the Sacramento lineup decided it was time to bury Baltimore under a mountain of hits. Kurtz and Rooker kicked things off with another one-two punch, Rooker’s double plating a run.
The inning snowballed from there, JJ Bleday drew a walk, Hernaiz reached on a pitcher’s error, and Luis Urías brought home another with a single. That chased Young’s replacement Yaramil Hiraldo from the game, but the fresh arm didn’t slow the A’s.
Gio Urshela drilled a two-run double, Langeliers banged a ground-rule double to plate another, and the scoreboard blinked an eye-popping 11-3 by the time the Orioles could stagger back to the dugout.
Jack Perkins, meanwhile, quietly steadied the game for Sacramento after a bumpy first inning. Once he got the ball with a lead, he went to work, forcing weak contact and letting his defense back him up. The Orioles, who’d looked ready to slug along early, were suddenly reduced to a string of harmless fly balls and frustrated strikeouts.
Baltimore’s biggest problem wasn’t just that Sacramento was hitting, it was that the A’s lineup spread the damage around. Langeliers was a menace at the plate with three hits, including the opening home run, and drove in four.
Rooker was equally destructive with a homer and a double. Kurtz chipped in two singles, Urshela added a two-run double, and Urías joined the fun with two hits and two RBIs. Even the outs had sting to them, as several lineouts were ripped right at Baltimore fielders.
After the offensive explosion, the A’s bullpen kept things airtight. Michael Kelly took over in the seventh and, aided by a fine grab from Soderstrom in foul territory, kept the Orioles from building even a whisper of a rally. Hogan Harris slammed the door in the ninth with two strikeouts, ensuring the Athletics didn’t need to sweat the late innings.
For Sacramento, this was the blueprint game, patience at the plate, punishing mistakes, and pitching that tightens as the night goes on. They made an Orioles team fighting to stay in the playoff picture look like they were still in spring training mode.
The win also underscored the balance in the Athletics’ lineup. No single player carried the load; instead, they produced an assembly line of base runners and timely extra-base hits. They scored in four different innings, tallied 15 hits, and walked five times, giving their pitchers a cushion big enough to land a jumbo jet.
The Orioles, for their part, had no answer after the first inning. Henderson’s three-run blast was their only real highlight. Once Perkins and the bullpen adjusted, Baltimore went down in order in four separate innings and never truly threatened again. Even when they did put a man on, The A’s defense snuffed it out.
For fans of the Green and Gold, it was the kind of night that offers both entertainment and reassurance. Sacramento didn’t just win; they dictated every inning after the first. If this version of the Athletics shows up consistently, they’re going to make life miserable for opposing pitchers from now until the season’s final day.
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.
Baltimore Orioles Gunnar Henderson tosses the bat away after drawing a walk as Sacramento A’s catcher Shea Langeliers holds ball four in his glove in the bottom of the first inning at Camden Yards in Baltimore on Fri Aug 8, 2025 (AP News photo)
Orioles Fly Away From Athletics 3-2 in Weekend Series Opener
By Mauricio Segura
The A’s spent much of Friday night at Oriole Park trying to solve Baltimore’s pitching. The game that started with a thunderous roar from the Orioles ended with a quiet pop to left, leaving the A’s just a run shy of evening the score 3-2.
The tone was set almost immediately. After a scoreless top of the first where Carlos Cortes, Brent Rooker, and Nick Kurtz were retired in order, J.T. Ginn took the mound and looked sharp early, striking out the first two hitters he faced. But what appeared to be a smooth inning unraveled quickly.
The O’s Gunnar Henderson drew a two-out walk, and Adley Rutschman made the most of it, launching his ninth homer of the season into the right-center seats to give Baltimore a 2-0 lead. Before Ginn could regroup, Ryan Mountcastle added another long ball to center, and the A’s were suddenly staring at a 3-0 deficit.
The second inning brought no relief for Sacramento’s bats, as Shea Langeliers grounded out, Tyler Soderstrom struck out, and Darell Hernaiz’s two-out walk went nowhere after Lawrence Butler lined out to right. Ginn, however, bounced back, striking out two in a perfect bottom of the frame to keep the game within reach.
Sacramento had its first real chance in the top of the third. Gio Urshela and Luis Urías started things off with back-to-back singles, putting runners on first and second with no outs. But a sharply turned double play by Baltimore’s middle infield killed the momentum, and the rally fizzled when Rooker was hit by a pitch but Kurtz struck out for the second time in the game.
Ginn continued to navigate trouble, working around another Gunnar Henderson single in the third and holding Baltimore scoreless through the fourth and fifth. Meanwhile, the A’s offense finally scratched the scoreboard in the top of the fifth. Butler led off with a double to left, moved to third on Urshela’s groundout, and came home on a sacrifice fly from Urías, trimming the deficit to 3-1.
The sixth brought more scattered opportunities. Kurtz singled, Soderstrom followed with another hit, but a fielder’s choice ended the inning without a run. The bullpen took over from there, with Ben Bowden delivering a clean sixth and Tyler Ferguson erasing a seventh-inning walk with a double play ball to keep Baltimore stuck at three runs.
In the eighth, Sacramento made its move. Facing Yennier Cano, Rooker flied out before Kurtz picked up his third hit of the night, a single to right. Langeliers grounded out, moving Kurtz into scoring position, and Soderstrom came through again, driving a single to left to score Kurtz and cut the Orioles’ lead to 3-2. Hernaiz grounded out to end the inning, but the Green and Gold had life.
Elvis Alvarado set Baltimore down in order in the bottom half, setting the stage for one last chance in the ninth. Keegan Akin took over for the Orioles, and the A’s sent up pinch-hitter Colby Thomas for Butler. Thomas swung through strike three, Urshela grounded back to the mound, and Urías put a good charge into a fly ball but found Dylan Carlson’s glove in left to end it.
Saturday in Baltimore, the A’s send RHP Jack Perkins (0-0 ERA 3.97) to the mound to matchup against Orioles RHP Brandon Young (0-5 ERA 5.88).
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.
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