San Francisco Giants game wrap: Trevor Rogers dominates, and Orioles snap Giants’ winning streak with 11-1 laugher

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.

San Francisco Giants podcast Stephen Ruderman: Giants Rodriguez needs Tommy John surgery; Seymour gets the start for SF against O’s tonight

San Francisco Giants podcast Stephen Ruderman:

#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.

Stephen Ruderman is a San Francisco Giants beat writer for http://www.sportsradioservice.com

San Francisco Giants podcast Lincoln Juarez: Giants open three game set with Orioles Friday 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.

Lincoln Juarez is a MLB podcast contributor at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Webb solid over seven; Adames hits two home runs; and Jung Hoo Lee walks it off for fifth-straight 4-3 win and sweep of Cubs

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 podcast Barbara Mason: A’s on roll have won six of last ten

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.

Barbara Mason does the Sacramento A’s podcasts each Monday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

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 game wrap: Athletics Stun Orioles 3-2 with Late-Inning Heroics in Camden Yards Thriller

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

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. 

Sacramento A’s game wrap: Orioles Fly Away From Athletics 3-2 in Weekend Series Opener

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.

Sacramento A’s podcast Lincoln Juarez: Two big swings beat the A’s in series opener in Baltimore on Friday

Athletics’ Nick Kurtz is called out on strikes during the third inning of a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles, Friday, Aug. 8, 2025, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Alyssa Howell)

Sacramento A’s podcast Lincoln Juarez:

#1 A’s starter J.T. Ginn surrendered back-to-back home runs in the first inning of the series opener in Baltimore that ended up costing the A’s the win.

#2 Tyler Soderstrom drove in Nick Kurtz on an RBI single to make it a one-run-game in the eighth inning and continues to stay more consistent at the plate.

#3 The A’s put up seven hits but got held to just two runs Friday night in Baltimore. How good of a sign is it, though, to see the offense continue to rack up hits the last few weeks?

#4 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), what can we expect from the A’s starter in game two of the series?

#5 Friday morning the A’s released photos of concrete being poured at the stadium site in Las Vegas to try and excite fans. How far along, really, are the A’s on this process of the relocation?

Lincoln Juarez does the A’s podcast weekly at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

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. 

Lopez, Newcomb Lead A’s to First Series Win in over a Month; A’s defeat O’s 5-1 at Sutter Health

Denzel Clarke and Brent Rooker celebrate after the A’s 5-1 win over the Orioles on Sunday afternoon. (Photo: NBC Sports/Athletics on X)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

WEST SACRAMENTO–The A’s and Orioles competed in the rubber match of a three-game series on Sunday afternoon in West Sacramento. After the A’s won game one and the Orioles took game two, the A’s defeated the Orioles 5-1 on Sunday to take the series.

With the win, it marked the A’s first series victory in over a month, their last coming in early May against the Marlins in Florida. Sunday’s performance resembled the wins the A’s were earning earlier in the season.

Jacob Lopez started the game for the A’s and pitched well, albeit without his best command. Lopez turned in four innings of one-run, four-hit baseball before turning it over to Sean Newcomb in the fifth. Newcomb, who can serve as a multi-inning option for the A’s, did just that on Sunday. He tossed three scoreless innings, allowing three hits while striking out five. The Orioles couldn’t get much going against the A’s two hybrid starters.

In the eighth, the A’s went with Grant Holman, who recorded two outs after giving up a single. Mark Kotsay then turned to T.J. McFarland, who induced a groundout to end the frame and preserve the A’s 4-1 lead. In the ninth, Mason Miller came in and tossed a clean 1-2-3 inning to secure the 5-1 win.

On offense, the A’s collected nine hits, doing most of their damage early. They scored right away in the first inning on a Tyler Soderstrom RBI single that brought home Lawrence Butler. In the second, Jhonny Pereda doubled home another run, Butler added a fielder’s choice RBI, and Jacob Wilson capped the rally with an RBI single to make it a 4-1 ballgame. The A’s offense went quiet until the eighth inning when Max Muncy sent a towering home run onto the clubhouse in left field. The solo shot put the A’s up 5-1 and traveled 431 feet with an exit velocity of 104.7 MPH off the bat of the A’s third baseman.

With the win, the A’s improved to 26-41 on the season and have seemingly put their 1-20 stretch in the rearview mirror.

The A’s now head out on the road to face the Los Angeles Angels on Monday at 6:38 PM PST at Angel Stadium in Anaheim. The A’s have yet to announce a starter, while the Angels will send Yusei Kikuchi (1-5, 3.23 ERA) to the mound.

The A’s will look for better results against the Angels, who recently swept them at home in May.

Note of the day: Lawrence Butler and Jacob Wilson continue to lead the A’s out of their franchise-worst 1-20 slump. Wilson is now hitting .372 on the season and, as of this writing, is tied with Aaron Judge for the most hits in MLB with 93. Meanwhile, Lawrence Butler is back. After struggling early in the season with plate discipline and consistency, he has resurrected his batting average to .273 and now has nine home runs and 22 doubles. Butler had 24 doubles all of last season and is on pace to surpass that mark with ease.