Tag: Kansas City Royals

Sacramento A’s Lawrence Butler (left) steals second base as the Kansas City Royals second baseman Jonathan India (6) tries to put the tag on too late in the bottom of the second inning at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento on Fri Sep 26, 2025 (AP News photo)

Athletics Walk Off Royals in Dramatic Finish

By Mauricio Segura

WEST SACRAMENTO–The Sacramento Athletics finished Friday night’s game into a cinematic thriller, clawing back from an early three-run hole and delivering a walk-off 4-3 victory over the Kansas City Royals.

For eight innings, it felt like a strategic chess game with the pawns wearing spikes. Long stretches of scoreless ball punctuated by flashes of daring baserunning and systematic pitching changes. In the end, the Green and Gold found a way to finish what they started.

Kansas City struck first, roughing up the A’s starter in the top of the fourth with a three-run burst that briefly silenced the Sacramento crowd. The A’s offense had been held quiet until the bottom of the fifth, when the lineup finally cracked the Royals’ early momentum.

Lawrence Butler, a sparkplug all season, set the tone with his 22nd stolen base. That moment of aggression on the bases rattled the visitors and seemed to wake up the dugout. A series of timely swings and a wild pitch by Taylor Clarke brought three runs across, tying the game and wiping out the Royals’ early advantage.

Managerial maneuvering became the story from that point forward. The A’s sent Carlos Cortes up as a pinch-hitter in the fifth, and when he stayed in the game as the right fielder, it signaled Sacramento was not content to just trade zeroes.

The Royals countered with a carousel of relievers, including Hogan Harris, Jonathan Bowlan, and finally Angel Zerpa, trying to keep the home side in check. The Athletics kept matching those moves, using pinch-hitters like Max Muncy in the eighth and defensive substitutions in the late innings to keep fresh legs on the field.

From the sixth inning on, the scoreboard barely budged. Both bullpens locked in, each frame turning into a tense exercise in stranded runners. The outfield even got a late-game shuffle with Mike Yastrzemski moving from center to right, while the Royals inserted John Rave to cover center field. Every pitch after that felt like it carried the weight of the night.

By the time the ninth inning rolled around, the game was still knotted at three. That is when the home side decided to settle things. With Luinder Avila now on the mound for Kansas City, the A’s capitalized on a perfectly timed pinch-runner swap, Max Schuemann replacing Brett Harris, to inject speed and pressure. The gamble paid off as Sacramento pushed across the decisive run, sending the crowd into a frenzy and sealing a satisfying 4-3 walk-off victory.

The box score might tell you it was a game of four runs and a handful of substitutions, but the feel inside Sutter Health Park told a different story. It was a night defined by raw grit and refusal to play standard baseball in hopes it would pay off. No, tonight, Mark Kotsay put all the pieces in place unsing outside the box strategy and declared checkmate because of it.

The Green and Gold left the field to the roar of fans who have quickly made Sacramento feel like home for big-league baseball. For a franchise carving a new chapter in a new city, moments like this walk-off win offer a taste of the drama and energy they will need to keep the momentum rolling.

Starting pitchers for Saturday: For the Royals RHP Michael Wacha (9-13 ERA 4.00) for the A’s RHP Luis Morales (4-2 ERA 3.07) first pitch 1:05pm PT at Sutter Health Park.

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.

Sacramento A’s pitcher Jacob Lopez delivers to the Kansas City Royals line up in the bottom first inning at Kaufman Stadium at Kansas City on Sat Jun 14, 2025 (AP News photo)

Green and Gold Silence Royals Behind Long Ball and Stellar Pitching

By Mauricio Segura

In a sharp and steady Saturday matinee showing at Kauffman Stadium, the Sacramento Athletics rode a power surge and airtight pitching to a 4-0 victory over the Kansas City Royals, shutting down Kansas City with clinical precision and just enough flash to keep things interesting.

The green and gold wasted little time getting on the board. After Tyler Soderstrom drew a walk to open the second inning, Max Muncy launched a two-run shot to left field, his fifth of the year, putting the Athletics up 2-0. It was a no-doubt line drive that never considered staying in the park.

Soderstrom later proved his value again in the fourth, working another walk, swiping second base, and scoring on a Luis Urías double to left. That made it 3-0, giving the A’s just enough cushion to settle into cruise control.

Lawrence Butler added an exclamation mark in the seventh with a solo blast to dead center, his tenth of the season. It was the only hit the Athletics managed off Kansas City reliever Daniel Lynch IV, who had just replaced starter Michael Lorenzen. The green and gold didn’t do much else after that, but they didn’t need to.

The Royals, meanwhile, could barely touch A’s pitching. They scattered just five hits and never advanced a runner past third. A disengagement violation in the third gave Kansas City its only brief spark when Maikel Garcia and Bobby Witt Jr. advanced into scoring position with two outs. But Vinnie Pasquantino flew out to right, ending the threat.

Pasquantino, in fact, struck out three times, part of a larger struggle for Kansas City’s offense. Athletics pitchers combined for 11 strikeouts, and no Royal reached base more than once except for Garcia, who doubled and singled.

Athletics starter Jacob Lopez kept the Royals guessing with four crisp innings. Michael Kelly took over in the fifth and was equally effective, getting help from center fielder Denzel Clarke, who chased down deep flies from Jac Caglianone and Freddy Fermin in the seventh to maintain the shutout. Hogan Harris closed the door in the ninth, striking out Pasquantino once more and stranding a Mark Canha single that barely broke the infield.

On a day where offensive action was sporadic, Soderstrom quietly put together a strong performance: two walks, a stolen base, a run scored, and solid defense in left. Denzel Clarke also contributed on both sides of the ball, reaching base and covering serious ground in center.

The Athletics, who entered the series looking to shake off recent inconsistencies, now have their 28th win of the season and will look to build on this momentum to go back home with a sweep tomorrow afternoon.

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 pitcher Luis Severino delivers against the Kansas City Royals line up in the bottom of the second inning at Kaufman Stadium in Kansas City on Fri Jun 13, 2025 (AP News photo)

A’s Ride Rookie Bats and Road Warrior Severino to Victory in Kansas City

By Mauricio Segura

The Sacramento A’s rolled into Kansas City with the worst ERA in baseball, a battered bullpen, and a streak of futility that stretched across thousands of first-class travel miles. By the time Mason Miller squeezed the final out, they had a win that felt both rare and resilient, a 6-4 triumph over the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium Friday night.

Luis Severino, who has quietly been a different pitcher away from home, turned in another solid road outing. The right-hander extended his dominant away split to 1-0 with a minuscule 0.87 ERA across five road starts. Friday night, he allowed just one run over five innings, putting the A’s in position to win, something they’ve rarely done for their starters this year, who’ve gone 3-16 since May 3.

Offensively, the green and gold leaned heavily on their young core. Rookie standout Jacob Wilson, who entered the game leading all MLB rookies in average, hits, and OPS, added two more hits and a walk, scoring twice. His performance helped extend a torrid stretch during which he’s hit safely in nine of his last ten games.

Austin Wynns opened the A’s scoring in the second with a solo home run, his fourth of the year, tying the game at 1-1. Then came a decisive rally in the third. After loading the bases, Nick Kurtz, another A’s rookie, delivered a go-ahead RBI single. In the fourth, Luis Urías added insurance with a solo blast, his seventh of the season, pushing the lead to 3-1.

The biggest blow came in the sixth. With the bases loaded, Tyler Soderstrom, who’s tied for eighth in the majors in go-ahead homers, drew a walk to force in a run. Max Muncy then followed with a two-run single to center, giving the A’s a commanding 6-1 lead.

Mason Miller, flashing his signature triple-digit heat, came on in the ninth to close it out. It wasn’t clean. A walk, another walk, and then a two-run triple by Nick Loftin suddenly made it 6-3. A sacrifice fly cut it to 6-4 before Miller slammed the door with a strikeout and a popup.

The win snaps the A’s 13-game road losing streak, their second longest in 29 years, and gives them a much-needed boost heading into Saturday’s matchup. Though they’ve still lost 24 of their last 29, they’ve now taken three of their last eight, and they’re finally showing signs of offensive life. Over their last 13 games, they’re averaging nearly five runs per contest and are batting .258 as a team.

Brent Rooker, who reached base again Friday night, has quietly reached in 19 of his last 21 games and is hitting .380 over that span. Meanwhile, Lawrence Butler extended his doubles lead (tied with Witt Jr.) and made things happen on the basepaths with his 11th stolen base of the season.

Even with the league’s worst bullpen ERA and the most home runs allowed, the A’s found a way to piece it together. For a team that’s cycled through 46 players, including 10 major league debuts, every win like this matters.

They’ll look to build on it Saturday with A’s starter LHP Jacob Lopez (0-4 ERA 6.00) on the mound, still chasing his first win of the year. For the Royals RHP Hunter Brown (8-3 ERA 1.82) first pitch 1:10pm 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.

Sacramento A’s Luis Urias (left) scored on a sacrifice fly by Max Schuemann as Los Angeles Angels catcher Travis d’Arnaud takes the throw late in the top of the fourth inning on Wed Jun 11, 2025 at Angels Stadium (AP News photo)

Rooker’s Firepower Not Enough as A’s Collapse in Wild Sixth Inning 6-5

By Mauricio Segura

The green and gold wasted no time getting on the board Wednesday afternoon, but in true 2025 Athletics fashion, their early surge was undone by a bullpen implosion and a momentum-crushing sixth inning meltdown. Despite Brent Rooker’s two-homer afternoon and a promising start from JP Sears, the A’s fell 6-5 to the Angels, extending their losing streak to three games and cementing a winless season series against Los Angeles.

Rooker drove in three runs and continued to punish opposing pitchers, going 3-for-5 with a double and two home runs, his 14th and 15th of the year. His solo shot in the third and a clutch two-run blast in the seventh pulled the A’s within one, but the damage had already been done.

A strong offensive start saw the A’s jump ahead in the first inning. Max Muncy’s RBI single plated Rooker, who had doubled earlier in the frame. Rooker struck again with a solo homer in the third, giving the Athletics a 2-0 cushion. A fourth-inning sacrifice fly from Max Schuemann pushed the lead to 3-0, and with Sears in control early, things looked promising.

Sears, however, faced trouble in the sixth. After cruising through five innings with a two-hit shutout, he was pulled in favor of Grant Holman after issuing a walk to Mike Trout. That’s when the unraveling began. Holman loaded the bases, then plunked Taylor Ward to force in a run.

The bullpen carousel spun quickly, Osvaldo Bido came in and surrendered a game-tying single to Jorge Soler, and then gave up a go-ahead sacrifice fly and a two-run homer to Jo Adell. By the time the dust settled, the Angels had exploded for six runs in the inning, erasing the Athletics’ lead.

The chaos also saw an ejection; starter JP Sears was tossed by home plate umpire Gabe Morales from the dugout, presumably for voicing displeasure at the zone or the unraveling performance that followed his exit.

A’s manager Mark Kotsay rolled the dice with a quick hook for Sears, who had a rocky history at Angel Stadium (0-2, 9.72 ERA entering the day) but was showing signs of control. In five day-game starts this season, Sears held a 2.17 ERA , a bright spot in an otherwise forgettable campaign. Still, his early removal added to the chorus of second-guessing that’s followed this bullpen all season.

The Athletics’ relievers entered the day with a major-league worst 5.96 ERA and had only two saves in their last 29 games. On cue, they coughed up another one.

Rooker’s heroics in the seventh made things interesting. After Schuemann drew a walk, Rooker crushed a 2-run homer to center, bringing the A’s within one. But with the tying run on base later in the inning, Max Muncy struck out to end the threat.

The A’s had another chance in the eighth when JJ Bleday doubled to lead off the inning, but three consecutive outs stranded him at second. Reid Detmers closed the door in the ninth, fanning Lawrence Butler and Tyler Soderstrom to seal it.

With the loss, the A’s fell to 26-44 and remain firmly in last place in the AL West. They’ve now dropped all six matchups to the Angels this season, and are 4-22 when out-homered by opponents.

The Athletics’ road losing streak sits at 13, the second longest for the franchise in nearly three decades. Their bullpen has now blown 11 saves in their last 34 games, and their 103 home runs allowed leads all of Major League Baseball.

Brent Rooker, meanwhile, continues to shine. He has reached base in 18 of his last 20 games and now sits tied for seventh in the majors in homers with runners on base. But even his bat can’t patch the holes left by a bullpen that can’t seem to hold a lead.

Next up: a much-needed off day Thursday before the A’s head to Kansas City, where they’ll hope that right-hander Luis Severino (1-6 ERA 4.77) can stop the bleeding Friday night. The Royals have not decided on a starting pitcher for Friday night yet.

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.