Tag: Cleveland Guardians

Preview of A’s series with Cleveland Guardians; Oakland coming off two game split with San Francisco

Published on by rxsluggerLeave a comment

Oakland A’s second baseman Tony Kemp (5) completes a double play after retiring the sliding San Francisco Giant Brandon Crawford (35) at second base in the bottom of the second inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco Wed Apr 27, 2022 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

OAKLAND–The Oakland A’s return home to face the Cleveland Guardians for three games. The A’s split the two-game set with the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park. Chad Pinder’s leadoff home run was the only run scored in the game. The A’s hope their offense wakes up as the team has had a hard time putting runs on the board in their last five games.

The Guardians, managed by Terry Francona, got off to a good start starting the season at 7-5. However, the team has lost six in a row and are playing the Los Angeles Angels Thursday afternoon in Anaheim. With a record of 7-11, the Guardians are in fourth place in the A.L. Central Division. Francona is hoping to get a win over the Angels before heading to Oakland this weekend.

The pitching probables for the series will see the A’s sending their ace, Frankie Montas, to the mound. Montas is 2-2 for the year with an ERA of 3.28. Montas pitched well against the Texas Rangers last week, but the A’s offense failed to give him any support.

Aaron Civale will go for Cleveland. Civale is 0-2 with an ERA of 9.58. For his career, Civale is 19-17 and has a career ERA of 3.99. On Saturday, Lefty Cole Irvin will be seeking his third win of the season. Irvin is 2-1 with a 3.52 ERA.

Irvin has pitched well in his last two starts. 2020’s Cy Young award winner, Shane Bieber, will go for Cleveland. Bieber is 1-1 with an ERA of 3.27. Bieber is 42-19 lifetime and has a career ERA of 3.27. Neither team has announced their starting pitcher for Sunday’s game.

Key players on Cleveland’s roster are first baseman Owen Miller, second baseman Andres Gimenez, third baseman Jose Ramirez, left fielder Steven Kwan, center fielder Myles Straw, right fielder Josh Naylor, and designated hitter Franmill Reyes. Miller, Gimenez, Ramirez, Kwan, and Naylor are all hitting over .300.

The A’s offense has gone south in the last five games. The A’s have scored just six runs in these five games. Cole Irvin beat the Rangers 2-0 last Sunday, and Paul Blackburn and the A’s bullpen shut out the Giants 1-0 on Wednesday.

A’s manager Mark Kotsay has to be pleased with the bullpen’s work. Dany Jimenz has recorded four saves. Domingo Aceveda, A.J.Puk, Kirby Snead, Sam Moll, Zach Jackson, and Justin Grimm performed well.

The series will see two teams that do not have a lot of familiar names. It will be an opportunity for the fans to see how the new A’s roster performs against many new Cleveland players.

The A’s would like to win at least two of the three games before meeting the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday. On Saturday, the A’s will have their work cut out for them as they face Shane Bieber. It should be a fun series.

San Francisco Giants podcast with Morris Phillips: Giants face evenly matched Mets tonight to open three game series

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

San Francisco Giants second basemen Thairo Estrada, right, is congratulated by shortstop Brandon Crawford after sweeping the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on Sun Apr 17, 2022 (AP News photo)

On the San Francisco Giants podcast with Morris Phillips:

#1 Morris, the Giants wind up getting a sweep on their first leg of this road trip against the Cleveland Guardians. Giants pitcher Alex Wood threw for over five innings giving up just four hits in the 8-1 win.

#2 Wood gave up just one run and had real good command of his pitches. In the third inning the Guardians had two runners on but Wood would get out of the inning and the Giants continued with the lead.

#3 Thairo Estrada supplied the offense in the second inning with a homer to left and with Wilmer Flores on second after hitting a double it was a 2-0 lead for San Francisco.

#4 Brandon Belt would homer in the seventh inning to extend San Francisco’s lead to 8-0. Belt would bring Austin Slater home from first.

#5 For tonight’s game opening up in New York, the Giants will start Alex Cobb (1-0 ERA 3.60) and for the New York Mets (7-2)Tyler Megill (2-0 ERA 0.00). First pitch is scheduled for 4:10 PM PDT at Citi Park in Flushing.

San Francisco Sweeps Cleveland 8-1; Wood gives up only four hits and Estrada homers gets four RBIs

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Alex Wood pitches in the first inning to the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field in Cleveland on Sun Apr 17, 2022 (AP News photo)

San Francisco Sweeps Cleveland 8-1; Wood gives up only four hits and Estrada homers and gets four RBIs

By Barbara Mason

After taking the first two games in their series against the Cleveland Guardians (4-5) the San Francisco Giants (7-2) went for the sweep Sunday afternoon defeating the Guardians by seven runs 8-1.

It was a quiet first inning for San Francisco but the second inning was anything but quiet for the Giants. Thairo Estrada homered to left and with Wilmer Flores on second after hitting a double it was a 2-0 lead for San Francisco.

The Guardians would threaten in the third inning but Alex Wood would get out of a two runners on jam and the Giants held on to their two run lead.

San Francisco would strike again in the fourth inning. Thairo Estrada grounded into a fielder’s choice to shortstop and Joc Pederson would score. Brandon Crawford was just behind him off a throwing error by Owen Miller. The Giants now had a 4-0 lead.

In the sixth inning the Giants would add a couple more for a 6-0 lead. Peterson would score from second off a double by Estrada. Estrada would go on to score when Duggar hit an infield single.

Brandon Belt would homer in the seventh inning to extend San Francisco’s lead to 8-0. Belt would bring Austin Slater home from first.

The Guardians got up on the scoreboard in the bottom seventh inning when Amed Rosario scored off a single from Austin Hedges. Cleveland trailed by a heap of runs and everything pointed to a San Francisco sweep. The Guardians were not able to get much going in this game.

Monday the Giants will start a four-game series with the mighty New York Mets (7-3). Starting pitcher for the Giants will be Alex Cobb (1-0 ERA 3.60) and for New York Tyler Megill (2-0 ERA 0.00). First pitch is scheduled for 4:10 PM PDT at Citi Park in Flushing.

Giants win game two against Guardians 4-2 at Progressive

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

The San Francisco Giants Brandon Belt connects for a fifth inning two RBI single against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field in Cleveland on Sat Apr 16, 2022 (AP News photo)

Giants Win Game Two Against Guardians 4-2

By Barbara Mason

After winning the first game against the Cleveland Guardians (4-3) Friday night the San Francisco Giants (5-2) continued their three game series Saturday. The Giants won Friday’s series opener handily 4-1 thanks to pitcher Carlos Rodon who allowed a single run through seven innings striking out nine and only giving up two hits.

That was the home opener for Cleveland at Progressive Field and not the debut as the Guardians that they were hoping for. The Giants won their second straight game in Cleveland with a 4-2 win on Saturday.

Cleveland was first on the scoreboard Saturday in the first inning. Jose Ramirez hit a sacrifice fly to allow Myles Straw to score for the early 1-0 lead.

The Giants would fight through four innings when in the fifth inning Brandon Belt singled to center and base runners Thairo Estrada and Mike Yastrzemski would both score giving San Francisco a 2-1 lead. Cleveland would score in the same inning to tie up this game. Myles Straw doubled to deep left and base runner Owen Miller scored for a 2-2 game.

Going into the eighth inning the game remained tied. With one out the Giants would load the bases and Wilmer Flores would ground into a fielders choice to second. Brandon Belt scored to break the tie and give the Giants a 3-2 lead.

San Francisco was not finished and with two outs Austin Slater would score on a wild pitch extending the Giants lead. The Giants would take the 4-2 lead into the ninth inning. In the bottom of the ninth Cleveland was looking at their last chance to salvage this game. Cleveland’s Josh Naylor would single and Owen Miller walked but they could not cash in and San Francisco held on for the win

Sunday the Giants will be going for the sweep. First pitch is scheduled for 10:40 AM PDT. Alex Wood (0-0 ERA 4.15) will take the mound for San Francisco and for Cleveland it will be Aaron Civale (0-0 ERA 5.40).

Rodón strikes out nine, Giants use power to beat Guardians 4-1

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

San Francisco Giants pitcher Carlos Rodon threw heat against the Cleveland Guardians seen here in the first inning at Progressive Field in Cleveland on Fri Apr 15, 2022 (AP News photo)

By Daniel Dullum
Friday, April 15, 2022

One year after throwing a no-hitter against Cleveland (4-3), Carlos Rodón turned in his second strong start of the season for San Francisco (5-2) on Friday, going seven innings in the Giants’ 4-1 victory over the Guardians at Progressive Field in Cleveland.

Rodón (1-0) – who no-hit Cleveland as a member of the Chicago White Sox on April 14, 2021 – needed only 47 pitches in the first five innings and threw 68 pitches through six. After working out of a seventh-inning jam, Rodón wound up surrendering one run on two hits with nine strikeouts and two walks.

Camilo Doval picked up his second save of the season with a scoreless ninth. Tyler Rogers was credited with his third hold, throwing a scoreless eighth.

The Gants provided Rodón with plenty of offensive support, as Brandon Crawford, Joc Peterson and Joey Bart all hit home runs. Crawford, playing his first career game in Cleveland, hit a blast to right for his first homer of the season. He’s homered in 24 different ballparks.

Peterson’s second home run as a Giant – No. 150 for his career – traveled 410 feet to right-center off Guardians starter Zach Plesac ()-1). Bart added a two-run shot in the eighth.

Rodón’s fastball reached a high speed of 99.3 mph, hitting 99 on the gun in his final two innings. His 21 punchouts lead the Majors, and Rodón is second on the franchise list for most strikeouts in his first two starts of a season. Cliff Melton holds the team record with 22 K’s in first two starts in 1937 for the New York Giants.

This was Cleveland’s first home game as the Guardians after being known as the Indians for over 100 years. It occurred on Jackie Robinson Day, marking the 75th anniversary of Robinson breaking Major League Baseball’s color barrier.

In Saturday’s game, the Giants will go with Anthony Desclafani (0-1, 4.91), while the Guardians have Cal Quantrill (1-0, 3.60) on the hill. First pitch is at 2:10 PDT.

San Francisco Giants podcast with Michael Duca: SF’s Rondon matches up against Cleveland’s Plesac in Giants first road game Friday

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

The San Francisco Giants Luke Williams belts a second inning two run double against the San Diego Padres at Oracle Park on Wed Apr 13, 2022 (AP News photo)

On the San Francisco Giants podcast with Michael:

#1 San Francisco Giants (4-2) pitcher Logan Webb held the San Diego Padres (4-3) for eight innings surrendering only four hits.

#2 The Giants Luke Williams hit a two run RBI double in the bottom of the second inning it was just enough for San Francisco to edge the visiting Padres 2-1 at Oracle Park in San Francisco.

#3 Webb who had an 11-3 record last season pitched like a 20 game winner Wednesday afternoon picking up his first win against no loses. Webb threw for eight, surrendered four hits and one earned run, didn’t walk a batter and struck out seven batters.

#4 Don’t blink if you were watching this matinee as this one took only 2:11 so far the fastest game the Giants have played this season.

#5 The Giants will be part of history. It will be the first time the Guardians will be playing under their new name in Cleveland. Starting pitchers for the Giants left hander Carlos Rodon and for the Guardians Zach Plesac.

Join Michael Duca Thursdays and Morris Phillips Mondays for the San Francisco Giants podcasts at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Texas Tops Oakland 8-6 to open series in Arlington

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

The game wasn’t a laugher but Yohel Pozo of the Texas Rangers gets a laugh after taking Oakland A’s pitcher Sergio Romo deep in the the sixth inning for a three run homer at Globe Life Park in Arlington on Fri Aug 13, 2021 (AP News photo)

Texas Rangers Top Oakland 8-6

By Barbara Mason

Thursday night recap:The Oakland A’s are on a roll winning the past seven games in a row. In those seven games they swept a four game series with the Texas Rangers followed by sweeping a very good Cleveland Indian team.

Game Three against the Indians was a wild affair with the A’s winning by the score of 17-0. Everyone was hitting in that game and tonight they took on the Texas Rangers in another three game series looking to extend their winning streak.

When we look at the Rangers they are struggling mightily sitting in last place in the American League West with a record of 40-75 while the A’s have a record of 67-48, and only 1 1/2 games out of first place in the division.

This is a series that Oakland should comfortably win although in the first game of their last series it took extra innings to put the game away.

Friday night recap: The first inning in this game could not have started more miserably for the A’s. They fell behind 3-0 in the inning and were not able to score until the fifth inning. Oakland really put the pedal to the metal in not only the fifth but the sixth inning as well.

In the fifth inning, Seth Brown doubled and Marte singled giving Oakland a couple of runs but still trailing 3-2. The sixth saw the A’s take the lead 4-3. In the inning Moreland tripled and Chapman singled.

The Rangers came right back with a homerun by Yohel Pozo with two runners on base taking back the lead 6-4. In the seventh inning Matt Olson hit his 29th home run. With the score 6-5, although trailing, the A’s seemed to have things under control. We have seen those comebacks more often than not.

The Rangers really threw a wrench into the A’s planned comeback when DJ Peters hit the Rangers second home run of the game with a runner on base taking a 8-5 lead.

Seth Brown hit a double in the eighth inning allowing Matt Chapman to score and going into the ninth inning Oakland still trailed by the score of 8-6. Andrus would pop fly out, Marte strike out and Matt Olson thrown out at first base.

This was a disappointing loss for the Oakland A’s in a game that they should not have lost. The Rangers had two unearned runs in the first inning when the A’s had some costly errors. Sergio Romo had a disappointing outing which we have not seen in quite awhile and the offense was off after the display that we all saw last night.

It will be onto game two of the series with the A’s looking for their first win. There is no doubt that we will see a different team tomorrow with first pitch at 4:05 PM. Oakland will clean up those errors and James Kaprielian will be on the mound for the A’s looking to tie up the series.

Oakland A’s podcast with Jeremiah Salmonson: The hits keep on coming in A’s 17-0 laugher; A’s open up three game series in Texas tonight

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Oakland A’s pitcher Cole Irvin wipes his brow as he will be the starter tonight against the Texas Rangers in Arlington at Globe Life Field (file photo from White Cleat Beat)

On the A’s podcast with Jeremiah:

#1 The Oakland A’s (67-48) in the first four innings were able to score big on Cleveland (55-58) starting pitcher Eli Morgan scoring five earned runs on three hits. The A’s jumped to a 5-0 lead.

#2 The A’s got two home runs from Mitch Moreland and starting pitcher Chris Bassitt won his 12th game.

#3 Bassitt and four relivers combined for a 17-0 shutout of Cleveland on Thursday

#4 The Cleveland crowd in the ninth inning realizing it was all out of hand and knowing Oakland third baseman Matt Chapman needed one more walk to tie the MLB all time most walks in a game at six stood and cheered for Chapman to get a base on balls. But after going 0-2 Chapman knew it was over and struckout.

#5 Jeremiah, the A’s make another trip to Arlington tonight for a three game series against the Texas Rangers (40-75). Starting pitcher for the A’s Cole Irvin (8-10 ERA 3.45) and for the Rangers Dane Dunning (5-7 ERA 4.07) a 5:05 pm first pitch.

Join Jeremiah for the A’s podcasts each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

A’s rout Indians 17-0; Moreland belts two homers

Published on by rxsluggerLeave a comment

Oakland A’s Mike Moreland gets congratulations from teammates in the A’s dugout after belting a solo home run in the fifth inning against the Cleveland Guardians on Thu Aug 12, 2021 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The A’s completed a three-game sweep over the Cleveland Indians as they routed the Tribe 17-0. The A’s did not have to have late-inning rallies to win on Thursday as the Indians’ pitchers had trouble throwing strikes. Five Cleveland pitchers walked ten A’s hitters and hit three batters. Eight of the players that walked scored.

The A’s got the laugher going when they scored three runs in the second inning on just one hit. Indians’ starter, Eli Morgan, hit Mitch Moreland with a pitch. The next hitter, Josh Harrison, walked. A’s catcher Sean Murphy doubled to drive in Moreland And Harrison to take an early 2-0 lead.

Morgan walked Matt Chapman to put two men on with no out. Morgan then retired Seth Brown and Elvis Andrus. Morgan got Mark Canha to hit a ground ball to the shortstop Amed Rosario. Chapman, running on the pitch, beat Rosario’s throw to second to load the bases. Morgan hit Starling Marte with a pitch to force in Murphy with the A’s third run of the inning.

The A’s scored two more in the fourth. Morgan walked Chapman for the second time to start the fourth. With one out, Andrus single sent Chappie to third. Mark Canha’s ground out plated Chappie with the A’s fourth run of the game. Andrus was safe at second. He scored on Starling Marte’s double to left. The A’s lead 5-0 after four.

The onslaught continued in the fifth. Mitch Moreland led off the fifth with a solo blast into the seats in right field. The A’s put four more on the board to take a commanding 10-0 lead. Justin Garza was now pitching for the Indians. Garza faced three batters and walked all three. Indians skipper, DeMArlo, Hale, had seen enough. He brought in lefty Francisco Perez to pitch.

Perez was making his Major League debut. He retired Seth Brown for the first out. Perez walked Andrus to force in Tony Kemp with the A’s seventh run. Mark Canha’s fly ball to right was not deep enough to allow Murphy to tag and score. Starling Marte singled to drive in Chapman. Matt Olson singled to plate two more.

The A’s onslaught continued in the sixth as they scored twice. In the eighth, four hits produced four more runs. Mark Canha’s double scored two, and Stephen Piscotty’s single added two more. The final run of the game came in the ninth on Moreland’s second dinger of the game. The A’s win 17-0.

Game Notes and Stats: The A’s line was 17 runs, 14 hits, and one error. The A’s pitchers held the Indians to three hits and no runs. Chris Bassitt was the winning pitcher. He is now 12-3 for the year, and his ERA dropped to 3.06. He threw 81 pitches. A.J. Puk, Adolis Guerra, and Jake Diekman each pitched a scoreless inning for Oakland. Eli Morgan was the losing pitcher. He went four innings, allowed three hits and five runs.

Matt Chapman tied an Oakland record with five walks. Matt scored three times. Mark Canha hit one hit and three RBIs. Starling Marte had a single and double. He, too, had three ribbies. Mitch Moreland blasted two bombs, and he scored three times.

It was the fifteenth time in Moreland’s career with two or more homers in a game. Tony Kemp, who entered the game in the second inning, had three hits, two RBIs, and scored three times. Seam Murphy’s day included two hits, two RBIs, and three runs. It was quite a day for the Oakland offense.

It was the eleventh shutout of the year for the A’s pitching staff. It was the largest shutout ever in the A’s history.

The A’s are going to Arlington Texas, to face the Rangers for three games. Friday night’s pitching matchups will see Cole Irvin (8-10, 3.45 ERA) going for Oakland and Dane Dunning. (5-7,4.07 ERA) pitching for Texas. The game will start at 5:10 pm.

Oakland A’s podcast with Jerry Feitelberg: A’s showing great resilience in come back games

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Oakland A’s starter Chris Bassitt gets the starting call against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field in Cleveland Thu Aug 12, 2021 (file photo NBC Sports)

On the Oakland A’s podcast with Jerry F:

#1 Jerry, On Tuesday the Oakland A’s (65-48) showed they have a lot of resilience with their extra inning come back against Cleveland (55-56) on Jed Lowrie RBI double. It shows you good teams win in late innings.

#2 The A’s since June and July have diagnosed their one problem they had in those two months and that was getting into a situation where they were one play short of turning a loss into a win that correction will go a long way in these last two dog day months of August and September.

#3 The A’s in Tuesday’s game trailed Cleveland 3-1 after two innings but came back in the eighth inning after tying up the game 3-3 and Lowrie got the go ahead RBI double which eventually won it for the A’s 4-3 in the top of the tenth inning.

#4 The A’s used seven pitchers last Tuesday for the win and Bob Melvin might have been reading the scouting reports on Cleveland very carefully because strategy certain played a key role in that come back win.

#5 For this morning’s matinee at Progressive Field the A’s will start RHP Chris Bassitt (11-3 ERA 3.19) vs. Cleveland right hand starter Eli Morgan (1-4 ERA 6.09).

Join Jerry each Thursday for the A’s podcasts at http://www.sportsradioservice.com