photo from wsj.com: Tyler Skaggs in file photo was found to have used oxycodone, fentanyl and alcohol which led to his death, an Angels employee furnished Skaggs with opioids
On the MLB The Show 2019 Postseason podcast with Daniel Dullum:
1 Report: Angels PR employee was supplying Tyler Skaggs with opioids
2 Nationals pitching keeps Cardinals bats quiet in NLCS
3 Yankees pick up where they left off in first game of ALCS against the Astros
4 Giants reportedly talking to ex-Phils skipper Gabe Kapler about managerial opening
5 Nationals’ Sean Doolittle stands up for teammate Daniel Hudson’s paternity leave during playoff
On the MLB The Show Postseason 2019 podcast with Matt:
#1 Yankees and Astros the long awaited battle for the ALCS will start tonight in Houston with the Astros having the home field advantage. Tell us whats to be expected in this first game.
#2 This actually is a good matchup and the American League’s elite teams, the Astros and Yankees, have one of the most potent rotations. How many games does Matt see this series going?
#3 Tampa Bay almost caught the Astros coming back from two games down to tie the series in the ALDS before the Astros won game five.
#4 The big question in the National League: Will the Los Angeles Dodgers keep or let go of manager Dave Roberts after the tough elimination to the Washington Nats?
#5 The St. Louis Cardinals and Washington Nationals played on Friday night for game one of the NLCS. The two teams meet again on Saturday. The Nats’ Anibal Sanchez was dominating against the Cardinals on Friday night throwing a near no hitter.
sfgate.com photo: The Houston Astros’ Justin Verlander, who struck out eight Tampa Bay Rays hitters on Friday night in Houston, picked up his first win in the ALDS.
On the MLB The Show 2019 Postseason podcast with Matt Harrington:
#1 Houston Astros pitcher Justin Verlander is doing his Dizzy Dean or Hall of Fame best as he shuts the door on the Tampa Bay Rays in Game 1 of the American League Division Series. Verlander has a career 14-7 record in postseason play.
#2 Verlander threw for seven solid innings, giving up only one hit and eight strikeouts. He looked like he could have pitched well enough to complete the game.
#3 Verlander got some run support a home run from Jose Altuve and the Astros scored four runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to add onto their run production.
#4 Atlanta Braves pitcher Mike Foltynewicz threw shutout ball for seven innings giving up three hits, and seven strikeouts. He looked good enough to complete the game against the St. Louis Cardinals.
#5 After the Dodgers shutout the Washington Nationals on Thursday night, the Nats came right back and defeated Los Angeles by two runs 4-2 to tie the series at 1-1. Strasburg, who started for the Nats, pitched six, for three hits, one run, and 10 strikeouts.
#6 The New York Yankees win with a defeat over the Minnesota Twins 10-4 on Friday. The Yankees’ DJ Le Mahieu drove in four runs and hit a home run to provide some offense.
photo from the olympian.com: Oakland Athletics’ Ramon Laureano makes his way through the dugout after hitting a solo home run on a pitch from Seattle Mariners’ Marco Gonzales during the third inning of a baseball game, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2019, in Seattle.
On the MLB The Show podcast with Daniel Dullum:
1 Playoff pairings are almost set: A’s to host AL Wild Card vs. Tampa Bay
2 Giants hope to give Bochy a good sendoff against Dodgers
3 Verlander gets 3,000th K, Astros clinch home field; Mets’ Pete Alonso sets MLB rookie HR mark
4 Look for managerial changes in the next few days
photo from sfgate.com: Oakland Athletics’ Chad Pinder, right, celebrates with Ramon Laureano (22) after hitting a three-run home run off Texas Rangers’ Mike Minor during the second inning of a baseball game Friday, Sept. 20, 2019, in Oakland, Calif
On the A’s podcast with Joey Friedman:
#1 The A’s are keeping up with the Tampa Bay Rays in the AL Wild Card race. The A’s are ahead of Tampa Bay by two games close out their series on Sunday with Texas and then the Rays host the Boston Red Sox on Sunday.
#2 Is it true Joey that the A’s could stand in the way of the New York Yankees and Houston Astros dreams to get to the World Series? Either way, one of those three teams is the road to the World Series.
#3 Oakland A’s starter Mike Fiers has been the ace all season long on Friday night he went eight innings, two hits, and struck out five throwing 95 pitches and kept the visiting Texas Rangers off balance for the 8-0 win. Fiers has been doing it all season and improved his record to 15-4.
#4 Oakland A’s broadcaster Ken Korach, whose always been available to talk with his colleagues in the press, was inducted into the Bay Area Radio Hall of Fame on Saturday night. Korach has been broadcasting A’s baseball since 1996 amongst his highlights calling the Oakland A’s 2002 20 consecutive game win streak and he mentioned on the scoreboard vision Friday night during a pre game sit down that his biggest highlight of all-time came when Dallas Braden threw a no-hitter on Mother’s Day May 9th 2010 not only to call the game, but Ken said he got emotional remembering his late mother during the moment when Braden embraced his mother after the game.
#5 The A’s close out their regular home season schedule Sunday against the Texas Rangers at the Oakland Coliseum. For the Rangers, Lance Lynn (14-11, 3.77 ERA), and for Oakland, Tanner Roark (10-8, 4.12 ERA).
@AB84 photo: Former New England Patriot Antonio Brown confers in practice photo with Patriots head coach Bill Belichick
On That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary podcast:
#1 How surprised were you about the New England Patriots letting wide receiver Antonio Brown go on Friday. It looked like prosecutors were not going to go after him for the rape accusations made by his former trainer Britney Taylor.
#2 Baseball no doubt is in a state shock regarding Pirates pitcher Felipe Vazquez and his child solicitation charges can the Pirates shake this one off.
#3 Amaury talks about the A’s and how they are ahead of Tampa Bay in the wild card by two games. They’ve had to beat some of baseball’s best like the Houston Astros and the New York Yankees in recent weeks.
#4 The San Francisco Giants open a three-game series in Atlanta and the Braves need a win tonight to get back to back NL Eastern Division titles.
Amaury does the A’s Spanish play-by-play broadcasts on 1010 KIQI San Francisco and does News and Commentary each Tuesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com
photo file from nytimes.com: Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Felipe Vazquez admitted to Pennsylvania Police that he had sexual relations with a 13 year girl. Vazquez’ admissions has sent shockwaves through the Pirates organization and MLB.
On Headline Sports with Tony Renteria:
Breaking: Antonio Brown will not be prosecuted for rape allegations from Florida ex-trainer Britney Taylor
#1 Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Felipe Vazquez admitted that he did have sexual relations with a 13 year old minor. The mother of the minor said she contacted police after finding photos that Vazquez sent to her daughter’s phone. Vazquez reportedly admitted to contacting the minor, who he met at a Pirates game when he was in the bullpen and got her contact information at the time.
#2 Houston Astros right-hander Gerrit Cole struck out 300 batters becoming the 18th pitcher in MLB history to do so. Cole is 18-5 with an ERA of 2.61. The Astros are having a great year and having pitching like this from Cole certainly has complimented the ball club.
#3 Just looking ahead to the postseason, the Oakland A’s are in first place in the AL wild card. They have dominated some of baseball’s best teams winning series from teams like the New York Yankees and Houston Astros. If the A’s can get past the wild card, the road to the World Series is past teams like the Astros and Yankees.
#4 After Sunday’s second quarter drubbing by the Kansas City Chiefs, the Oakland Raiders are regrouping and taking a look at their secondary, who took a bath when the Chiefs scored four touchdowns all the scoring they needed to upend Oakland 28-10.
#5 After the tough loss last Sunday at home, the Raiders have four away games in their next five games, which schedule wise can be considered their toughest challenge of the season.
First, the Oakland Athletics defeated Justin Verlander (18-6) for the first time since 2013 on Thursday night. Secondly, they won the four-game series from the Astros 3-1 by winning the final game 3-2. The A’s record improved to 87-60 for the season.
The Athletics have now won three consecutive games and are now in sole possession of AL Wild Card Slot #1 by ½-game over the Tampa Bay Rays. The Rays lost on Thursday night to the Texas Rangers 6-4.
The A’s got to Verlander early
If you are going to beat Justin Verlander, you have to get to him early in the game. Oakland scored their first run of the game in the top of the first inning when rookie Seth Brown doubled to left field to drive Marcus Semien home to score the first run of the game.
In the top of the third inning, Marcus Semien led off with a single to left. With one out, Matt Olson hit a towering fly ball for a two-run home run into the upper deck in right field off a Verlander fastball. It was Olsen’s 32nd home run of the season.
That would be all the scoring for the A’s in the contest, but it would prove to be all they would need.
The A’s starter won the game
Homer Bailey made the start for Oakland and recorded the win (13-8). He worked 5.1-innings allowing just one run (earned) off three hits. Bailey struck out four Astros and walked three.
The A’s used five pitchers in the game.
Liam Hendriks picked up his 21st save of the season closing out the game for the A’s.
Final Totals
For the A’s: 3 runs, 6 hits, 1 error, 5 Left on Base
Up next
The A’s have to play outside in the heat and humidity of the Dallas-Ft. Worth Metroplex versus the Rangers. It should be about 92-degrees with 58-percent humidity at game time on Friday night.
The A’s will send RHP Chris Bassitt (10-5, 3.63 ERA) to the hill to face the Rangers LHP Brock Burke (0-1, 3.52 ERA). Bassitt won his last start versus the Tigers at the Coliseum last Saturday night.
When you have to play a four-game series with the team who owns the second-best record in Major League Baseball, your goal has to be to go for a 2-2 split. That most certainly is a success level. You might not have gained any positions, but you will not have lost any either.
On Wednesday night, the A’s beat the Astros 5-3 to take a 2-1 series lead in their four-game series with the mighty Houston Astros. Now, the Athletics can play with “reckless abandon” on Thursday night and try to win the series. Not only would that help them in their pursuit of the AL Wild Card Slot #1, but it would really put them inside the heads of the Astros, who could be their first-round opponents in AL Playoffs.
LHP Brett Anderson has a strong start
Photo: @Athletics
Anderson worked 5.0-innings allowing just two runs (both earned) off seven hits (one HR). He walked three and struck out four hitters. George Springer hit his 34th home run of the season off 2-2 pitch from Anderson. It traveled 433 feet over the center-field wall.
Anderson threw 86 pitches (54 strikes). He was also credited with the win, which raised his record to 12-9 for the year. Anderson faced 23 batters in his 5.0-innings on the mound.
An A’s reliever stepped into the spotlight
Jesus Luzardo made his long-awaited major league debut on Wednesday when he entered the game as a reliever for Anderson. Oakland had scored four runs in the top of the sixth inning to stake the rookie to a 5-2 lead.
Luzardo got off to a great start getting the first two hitters out, but then he gave up a home run to Martin Maldonado. He gathered himself and struck out Myles Straw for the third out of the inning.
Luzardo set the Astros down in order in the seventh and eighth innings.
The rookie LHP worked 3.0-innings giving up one run (earned) off one hit while walking none and striking out two Astros. He tossed 36 pitches (22 strikes).
Luzardo became the first player born in Peru to play in the major leagues.
Don’t forget the guy who got the save
Mr. Dependable — Liam Hendriks — recorded his 20th save of the season setting the Astros down in order including striking out two batters.
Focus on the A’s with the bat
Marcus Semien had a 3-for-5 night with the bat scoring two runs and posting one RBI. One of his hits was his 28th home run of the season.
Rookie Sean Murphy went 1-for-4 at the plate. He hit his fourth home run of the season in the sixth inning.
Matt Olson had a 1-for-4 night hitting with a double (24) that drove in two runs.
AL Wild Card Race
The Tampa Bay Rays are still in Wild Card Slot #1 but by just 1/2 game over the A’s. The A’s own AL Wild Card Slot #2 but are just 1/2 game ahead of the Indians.
It really is a three-team race. The Red Sox are now 10.0-games out the Wild Card and have lost five games in a row. They are now playing for next year.
Up Next
It will be a good pitching matchup in the season-series finale between the A’s and the Astros on Thursday night. The A’s will send RHP Homer Bailey (12-8, 4.87 ERA) to the mound to face possible Cy Young winner RHP Justin Verlander (18-5, 2.52 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 5:10 PM Bay Area time.
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