Athletics’ Nick Kurtz celebrates after hitting a three-run home against the Houston Astros during the ninth inning of a baseball game Friday, July 25, 2025, in Houston. (David J. Phillip – AP)
Athletics podcast Lincoln Juarez
#1 For the A’s to have any chance at turning this disappointing season around they needed a good start to the second half. Dropping five of the first six following the All-Star break, what is the message to the team?
#2 Nick Kurtz has been a bright spot for the A’s since his debut with the team. He is coming off of winning AL Player of the Week last week and a four home-run game Friday night against the Astros. How much is his presence felt in the lineup?
#3 Luis Severino looked Stellar in his last start in the A’s win over Houston Thursday night. How does this affect his value going into the trade deadline and can we still expect to see him be moved?
#4 The A’s exploded for 15 runs Friday night against the Astros in a 15-3 win to take the first two games in Houston. How can they find more consistent offense and who in the lineup can lead the way?
#5 Brent Rooker mentioned in a statement Friday that he is “not going anywhere” at the trade deadline. The A’s obviously see him as a big piece of their future and he values his role with the team and the contract extension he signed…
Nick Kurtz smashes an eighth inning home run for the Sacramento A’s against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park in Houston on Fri Jul 25, 2026 (AP News photo)
Kurtz and the Curse Breakers Power Past Astros 15-3 in Houston Beatdown
By Mauricio Segura
The Sacramento A’s brought a sledgehammer to Daikin Park on Friday night and reduced the Houston Astros to rubble in a thunderous 15-3 win, their most lopsided road victory of the season and a statement performance from their youth-infused core.
At the center of the storm was rookie phenom Nick Kurtz, who launched four home runs and drove in seven, putting an exclamation point on a, now 12-game hit streak and further cementing his status as the front-runner for AL Rookie of the Year.
Kurtz, the A’s 22-year-old breakout slugger, wasted no time getting the party started, singling in the first inning before unloading for a two-run blast in the second. He wasn’t finished. He went deep again in the sixth, eighth, then capped his night with a three-run rocket in the ninth, giving him 23 home runs on the season, most among MLB rookies, and a staggering 44 RBIs in his last 38 games. His third homer tied him with Eric Chavez for the most in a season by an Athletic under the age of 23 since 2000, and now stands on top of the A’s record book.
But this wasn’t a solo act. Tyler Soderstrom crushed his 19th homer of the year, a solo shot in the third, while Shea Langeliers followed with a two-run blast in the fourth to help Sacramento build a 9-0 cushion. The A’s put up crooked numbers in five different innings, scoring three in the first, two in the second, one in the third, three more in the fourth, and a devastating four-run ninth that put the game out of reach for good.
Sacramento’s 16-hit barrage included contributions from nearly everyone in the lineup. Carlos Cortes, in just his second major league game, notched three hits and two RBIs. Jacob Wilson walked, singled, and scored twice. Gio Urshela stayed hot with three hits, while Lawrence Butler broke out of an 0-for-9 slump with a single and a run. Even Colby Thomas, fresh off a recall from Triple-A Las Vegas, got in on the act with a hit-by-pitch and a run scored.
On the mound, left-hander Jeffrey Springs shook off a rough outing in Cleveland and delivered a gem, scattering five hits over six shutout innings with six strikeouts. He retired nine of the first ten batters and induced a pair of double plays to erase early base traffic. It was a critical bounce-back for Springs, who leads the A’s in wins and continues to pitch deep into games when his team needs stability.
The bullpen followed suit, with Elvis Alvarado and Ben Bowden each logging clean innings. Bowden, making his first MLB appearance since 2021, closed things out despite allowing a ninth-inning RBI double to Yainer Diaz.
The Athletics’ win snapped a string of 17 losses in their last 23 games at Daikin Park and improved them to 4-4 against Houston this season. It also marked the latest eruption for an offense that now leads the majors in extra-base hits in July. Sacramento’s 15 runs were the most they’ve scored since May, and they’ve now homered in 12 of their last 13 games.
As for Kurtz, the rookie continues to make history by the week. His six-hit, eight-RBI performance is the most RBIs by an A’s rookie in a single game since Ben Grieve in 1998, and his 23 homers through 66 games is an unprecedented pace for any player in franchise history.
Starting pitchers for Saturday’s game three of the series for the A’s LHP Jacob Lopez (3-6 ERA 4.60) for the Astros RHP Hunter Brown (9-4 ERA 2.57) first pitch 4:10pm PT in Houston.
Houston RHP Hunter Brown (9-4 2.57 ERA) opposes LHP Jacob Lopez (3-6 4.60 ERA) when the series continues Saturday.
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.
Athletics’ Luis Urías hits home run against the Houston Astros during the sixth inning of a baseball game Thursday, July 24, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)
A’s Bring the Heat and Silence the Bats in Houston 5-2
By Mauricio Segura
The Sacramento Athletics didn’t play around Thursday night. With the season slipping into its second half, the Green and Gold made a loud statement in Houston, riding a polished outing from Luis Severino and just enough timely hitting to beat the Houston Astros 5-2 at Daikin Park.
From the very first pitch at 7:10 PM, it was clear the A’s came ready to win with sharp defense, aggressive baserunning, and a cool, collected mound presence. That energy paid off quickly, and this time, the box score tells the story just as much as the vibes.
It all started with Max Schuemann slicing a leadoff single in the top of the first, but the A’s weren’t able to cash in. No matter, Luis Severino came out in the bottom half and matched that energy by silencing the Astros’ top of the order. Taylor Trammell did manage a single and a stolen base, but Severino struck out two and got Christian Walker to bounce back to the mound, keeping things scoreless.
Sacramento found its breakthrough in the second. Lawrence Butler worked a walk and quickly swiped second, his 17th stolen base of the year, then advanced to third on a bad throw. Carlos Cortes did his job with a sacrifice fly to center, and just like that, the A’s were on the board.
They didn’t stop there. After a clean bottom of the second from Severino, his A’s strung together a sequence of smart, situational baseball in the fourth. Cortes singled, Gio Urshela followed with another hit, and Luis Urías kept the line moving with a single of his own to load the bases.
A forceout off Schuemann’s bat plated Cortes, and then Nick Kurtz drilled a double to right to bring in Urshela. Schuemann got thrown out at the plate trying to score from first, but by then the damage was done. The A’s were up 3-0, and confidence was mounting.
The fifth brought more of the same. After Brent Rooker drew a leadoff walk, Tyler Soderstrom smacked a double to left, setting up a sac fly from Shea Langeliers to make it 4-0. The Green and Gold weren’t lighting up the scoreboard with home runs, but they were executing small-ball perfectly, and the Astros had no answer.
The only real power moment for Sacramento came in the sixth, when Luis Urías launched a solo homer to left center, his eighth of the season. That stretched the lead to 5-0, and it would prove to be all they needed.
Severino was in full control throughout his six shutout innings. Houston’s hitters couldn’t get into any kind of rhythm. In fact, by the time the Astros finally showed life in the seventh, on a Victor Caratini double and a pair of sacrifice plays, it was already too little, too late. They did scratch across two runs to make it 5-2, but Sacramento’s bullpen slammed the door shut after that.
Michael Kelly took over in the eighth and got two outs before Mason Miller entered and cleaned up the inning. In the ninth, Steven Okert closed it out with flair. He walked one but didn’t flinch, striking out Christian Walker and inducing a final flyout to center from Jon Singleton to end it.
It wasn’t the flashiest win of the year, but it might have been one of the smartest. Seven different A’s recorded hits, four of them had RBIs, and the team swiped three bases while making zero errors. Kurtz was a standout, going 3-for-5 with two doubles and an RBI, while Urshela also had a multi-hit game and scored once.
Starting pitchers for Friday night in Houston: For the A’s LHP Jeffery Springs (8-7 ERA 4.18) for the Astros RHP Ryan Gusto (9-3 ERA 4.46) first pitch at Daiken Park 5:10pm 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.
JP Sears seen here pitching against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Fri Jul 4, 2025 is being sought by different clubs for his services from the Sacramento A’s. Will he be dealt before the July trade deadline? (AP News photo)
Sacramento A’s podcast with Jeremiah Salmonson:
#1 Once again the Sacramento A’s get fine pitching but cannot get run support in their 2-1 loss to the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field in Arlington on Wednesday. The Rangers starter Patrick Corbin with the support of three relievers kept the A’s hitters at bay.
#2 A’s starter JP Sears pitching five innings allowing three hits, allowing one earned run and seven strikeouts. Sears has been lights out this season didn’t get the decision and is 7-8.
#3 Sears is a trade block prospect. Sears has pitched consistently in spite of his eight loses and some team no doubt would like to pick him up before this month’s trade deadline someone who he could help in the post season.
#4 The A’s only run came when Nick Kurtz hit a double that scored Brent Rooker in the top of the sixth inning to tie the game at 1-1. The A’s badly need to wake up their bats they were also beat by scores of 7-2 and 6-2 Friday and Saturday respectively by the Rangers.
#5 A’s open up a four game series on Thursday night at Daikin Park with the Houston Astros. Starter for the A’s RHP Luis Severino (3-11 ERA 5.10) and for the Astros RHP Jason Alexander (1-0 ERA 8.40) first pitch in Houston 5:10pm PT.
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 right hand pitcher Luis Severino is looking for his fourth win against the Houston Astros at Denkin Park in Houston on Thu Jul 24, 2025 (AP News photo)
Sacramento A’s podcast with Michael Roberson:
#1 Once again the Sacramento A’s get fine pitching but cannot get run support in their 2-1 loss to the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field in Arlington on Wednesday. The Rangers starter Patrick Corbin with the support of three relievers kept the A’s hitters at bay.
#2 A’s starter JP Sears pitching five innings allowing three hits, allowing one earned run and seven strikeouts. Sears has been lights out this season didn’t get the decision and is 7-8.
#3 Sears is a trade block prospect. Sears has pitched consistently in spite of his eight loses and some team no doubt would like to pick him up before this month’s trade deadline someone who he could help in the post season.
#4 The A’s only run came when Nick Kurtz hit a double that scored Brent Rooker in the top of the sixth inning to tie the game at 1-1. The A’s badly need to wake up their bats they were also beat by scores of 7-2 and 6-2 Friday and Saturday respectively by the Rangers.
#5 A’s open up a four game series on Thursday night at Daikin Park with the Houston Astros. Starter for the A’s RHP Luis Severino (3-11 ERA 5.10) and for the Astros RHP Jason Alexander (1-0 ERA 8.40) first pitch in Houston 5:10pm PT.
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.
Nick Kurtz celebrating after his walk off home run on Thursday night. (Photo: Athletics on Instagram)
By Jeremiah Salmonson
WEST SACRAMENTO–After dropping the middle two games of their four-game series with the Astros, the A’s looked to salvage a split with a win on Thursday night at Sutter Health Park. In what’s becoming a familiar storyline, Nick Kurtz played hero once again, launching a two-run home run in the tenth inning to walk off the Astros as the A’s won 6-4.
It’s impossible to understate the impact Kurtz is having on the Athletics right now. Thursday marked the fourth time in five games that he’s delivered a late-inning home run. He’s everything you want in the clutch, and his approach at the plate seems to be catching up to his immense talent. His walk-off blast traveled 416 feet to dead center field and left the bat at 105.6 mph. Facing Josh Hader with a 2-1 count, Kurtz crushed a middle-middle sinker for a no-doubt shot.
The A’s were only in position for that moment thanks to a strong outing from their starter.
Jacob Lopez turned in a fantastic performance, tossing six innings of one-run, four-hit baseball while striking out five. Lopez’s biggest moment came in the sixth, when he worked out of a bases-loaded jam by striking out the final two batters of the inning. He walked off the mound fired up with the 2-1 lead still intact.
The bullpen had mixed results. J.T. Ginn relieved Lopez and fired a scoreless seventh but ran into trouble in the eighth. After recording two outs, Ginn issued a walk and gave up a single, prompting Mark Kotsay to call on Mason Miller for a four-out save. But on Miller’s first pitch—a fastball over the heart of the plate—Victor Caratini crushed a three-run homer to tie the game at 4-4. It was Caratini’s second three-run shot in as many nights. Ginn’s final line was 1.2 innings, two runs on two hits.
Miller bounced back to record the final out of the eighth and followed it with a scoreless ninth, finishing with 1.1 innings pitched, one run, and two hits.
The A’s couldn’t push across a run in the bottom of the ninth, sending the game to extras. After holding the Astros scoreless in the top of the 10th, Kurtz delivered the decisive blow in the bottom half.
With the win, the A’s improved to 31-46 and will welcome the Guardians to town for a three-game series beginning Friday night. Jeffrey Springs (5-5, 4.52 ERA) will get the start for the A’s against Cleveland’s Tanner Bibee (4-6, 3.79 ERA).
⚡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 hitter Jacob Wilson (5) grimaces after striking out in the bottom of the seventh inning against the Houston Astros at Sutter Health Park on Wed June 18, 2025 (AP News photo)
Sacramento A’s podcast Jeremiah Salmonson:
#1 The Houston Astros took it the Sacramento A’s on Wednesday night in an 11-4 win for Houston. The Astros Jose Altuve and Victor Caratini hit three run home runs in the seventh inning that was the inning where the A’s pitching opened the flood gates.
#2 The A’s cured a lot ills for the Astros line up the Astros got a season high 20 hits on Wednesday night.
#3 The Astros pitcher Framber Valdez held the A’s to two runs and five hits in six innings of work as the Astros won their seventh game in eight tries.
#4 The A’s after winning four games in a row the A’s dropped their last two to the Astros having their heads handed to them by scores of 13-3 and 11-4 those last two games were a struggle.
#5 Starting pitchers for the Astros Colton Gordon (2-1 ERA 4.70) for Sacramento Jacob Lopez (1-4 ERA 4.80) to conclude the four game series at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento. First pitch 7:05 PDT.
⚡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 Nick Kurtz delivers a 447 foot two run walk off home run in the bottom of the ninth to win it for the A’s 3-1 against the Houston Astros at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento on Mon Jun 16, 2025 (AP News photo)
On the Sacramento A’s podcast with Tony Renteria:
#1 Sacramento A’s first baseman Nick Kurtz launches a walk off two run home run against the Houston Astros that broke a 1-1 deadlock at Sutter Health Park for a 3-1 win on Monday night.
#2 The A’s Brent Rooker walked against Astros pitcher Bryan Abreu that started the ninth inning and Rooker has now reached base 12 straight home games.
#3 Kurtz has been on a tear ripping his seventh home run of the 2025 season and his blast was 447 feet over the right field fence. Again proving the A’s have some solid young talent.
#4 Tony, A’s outfielder Denzel Clarke won the Electric Play of the week on Monday for the third week in a row. He was named the for the award after his home run robbing catch on Mon Jun 9 in Anaheim against the Los Angeles Angels.
#5 The Astros and A’s duel again at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento on Tuesday night. Starting pitcher for the Astros RHP Jason Alexander (0-0 ERA 18.00) for the A’s JP Sears (5-5 ERA 5.08) with a 7:05pm first pitch.
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.
Former Boston Red Sox designated hitter Rafael Devers heads back to the dugout after striking out against the Tampa Bay Rays as Rays catcher Danny Jansen looks on in the bottom of the seventh inning at Fenway Park in Boston on Mon Jun 9, 2025 (AP News Photo)
San Francisco Giants podcast Marko Ukalovic:
#1 How shocking is for Boston Red Sox fans for three time All Star Rafael Devers to get traded to the San Francisco Giants after the Red Sox were going to build their franchise around Devers?
#2 In exchange for Devers the Red Sox will get left handed pitcher Kyle Harrison and right hand pitcher Jordan Hicks talk about their departures and on the face of it it looks as if the Giants got the better end of this deal.
#3 One of the key factors of the trade was Devers was converted to a designated hitter and was taken off third base and was replaced there by Alex Bregman. Devers had played third base all his career and wanted to continue there but was moved to DH and was not happy about. Sources say that Devers requested for a trade.
#4 Devers was in Sunday’s line up against the New York Yankees playing his last game with the Red Sox. Devers as learned of the trade well after the game and just before the beginning of the Giants-Los Angeles Dodgers game at Dodger Stadium before Sunday Night Baseball on ESPN started.
#5 Marko, how much does this deal hurt the Red Sox and help the Giants and do the Houston Astros who lost Bregman to the Red Sox get the last laugh?
Sacramento A’s Nick Kurtz (right) is congratulated by Tyler Soderstrom (21) scores after hitting a home run in the top of the ninth inning at Sutter Health Park in Sacramento on Sun Jun 15, 2025 (AP News photo)
A’s podcast with Barbara Mason:
1.After getting swept in their last series by the Angels the A’s turned things around sweeping the Kansas City Royals over the weekend. Both the Angels and the Royals have similar records but the A’s were able to handle them winning Sunday’s game after trailing 2-0 going into the sixth inning.
2.Going into Sunday’s game the A’s were assured a series win win or lose but they fought back in the sixth inning to tie up the game. Each team finished the game with nine hits but it was the long ball that won this game for the Athletics.
3.Jacob Wilson continues to contribute in every game along with Lawrence Butler, and also got some hits from Denzel Clark, Luis Urias and Brent Rooker.
4.Jeffrey Springs and went six innings allowing the two runs but it was the relief pitching that earned the win for the Athletics.
5.The next series for the A’s will be the Houston Astros in Sacramento Monday night. The series gets underway today -a four game series with the division leaders. This will be a tough series for the team with Mitch Spence on the mound for the A’s. The Astros will start Lance McCullers Jr. How can the A’s handle the Astros.
6. The A’s will be holding a ceremonial groundbreaking on Mon Jun 23 at the old Tropicana Site in Las Vegas announcing they will have shovels in the ground. Actually team president Mark Badain said they’ve already started construction for the Vegas ballpark the big question that will asked did the A’s come up wit h the $1.75 billion for their share of the constructions costs?
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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