Sacramento A’s game wrap: Grand Slam Blaze Torches A’s 4-1; Four run second does in A’s as Halos take series

Los Angeles Angels Josh Lowe watches his grand slam in the bottom of the second inning against the Sacramento A’s at the Big A in Anahiem on Sun Jun 28, 2026 (AP News photo)

Grand Slam Blaze Torches A’s 4-1
By Mauricio Segura

 The Sacramento Athletics finale against the Los Angeles Angels needed a win, but one explosive inning by the halos led to a 4-1 game and series loss Sunday. Sacramento put runners on base throughout the afternoon yet never found the big swing, while Los Angeles needed just one thunderous swing from Josh Lowe to seize control.

The game stayed scoreless through the opening inning as both Aaron Civale and Sam Aldegheri showed their mound dominance. Shea Langeliers recorded the Athletics’ first hit with a single in the first, and Lawrence Butler and Max Muncy followed with back-to-back singles in the second, but Aldegheri escaped each threat to keep the Green and Gold off the scoreboard.

Everything changed in the bottom of the second. Vaughn Grissom singled, Wade Meckler drew a walk, and Oswald Peraza added another hit to load the bases. After a brief on-field delay, Lowe stepped in and crushed a grand slam to right field, instantly turning a scoreless contest into a four-run Angels advantage. It was the game’s defining moment, accounting for every Los Angeles run.

Civale recovered well after the damaging inning. The veteran right-hander retired eight of the next nine batters he faced and received help from a successful Athletics challenge in the fifth when Denzer Guzman was erased on a pickoff play after the original safe call was overturned. Civale finished five innings, allowing four earned runs, while the Athletics bullpen of Elvis Alvarado and José Suárez combined for three scoreless innings to keep the deficit from growing.

Sacramento finally scratched across a run in the fifth. Jeff McNeil lined a single to center before Alika Williams followed with another base hit. Henry Bolte advanced both runners with a groundout, and Joey Meneses lifted a sacrifice fly to center that brought McNeil home and trimmed the margin to 4-1. It was the Athletics’ lone breakthrough despite putting multiple runners aboard several times.

The opportunities continued to appear but never materialized into a rally. Butler singled three times and reached base in each of his final three plate appearances, continuing a productive stretch at the plate. McNeil collected a hit and scored the club’s only run, while Williams added a single and helped set up the fifth-inning scoring chance.

Langeliers reached safely twice with a single and a walk, but the Angels left-hander struck him out in two key situations with runners aboard. Aldegheri completed five innings, allowing just one run before turning the game over to José Fermín, Ryan Zeferjahn and Samy Natera Jr., who combined to blank the Athletics over the final four innings.

One of the game’s biggest missed opportunities came in the eighth. Bolte worked a leadoff walk and Meneses followed with another free pass, bringing the tying run to the plate with nobody out. Instead, Langeliers and Jonah Heim struck out before pinch hitter Nick Kurtz lifted a harmless fly ball to center, allowing the Angels to escape without damage.

The Athletics finished with nine hits compared to the Angels’ seven, but Los Angeles made its biggest chance count while Sacramento stranded runners throughout the afternoon. Butler’s three-hit effort led the offense, yet the club went just 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position. Meanwhile, the Angels capitalized on their lone bases-loaded opportunity, and Lowe’s grand slam stood as the difference from the second inning until the final out.

The loss dropped the Athletics to 40-44 after they had entered the day having split the first two games of the series. Even with the setback, several encouraging trends remain intact. Rookie Henry Bolte has continued to swing a hot bat since his promotion and entered the day leading all qualified major league rookies with a .305 batting average, while Langeliers remains in the spotlight after advancing to Phase 2 of American League All-Star voting and ranking among the league leaders with 19 home runs.

The Athletics now head home for an intriguing matchup with the reigning World Champs Los Angeles Dodgers. Rookie left-hander Gage Jump (3-1, 2.04 ERA, 35 strikeouts) gets the ball for Sacramento against Dodgers left-hander Eric Lauer (3-5, 4.87 ERA, 42 strikeouts), with first pitch set for 6:40 p.m. Pacific 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.

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 Daniel Dullum: Four run second inning is all the scoring Angels need to beat A’s 4-1

Sacramento A’s Jeff McNeil (22) is greeted by teammates after scoring on a sacrifice fly in the top of the fifth inning against the Los Angeles Angels on Sun Jun 28, 2026 (AP News photo)

Sacramento A’s podcast Daniel Dullum:

#1 How did Henry Bolte perform at the top of the A’s lineup, and what impact did he have on the team’s offense?

#2 What contributions did Shea Langeliers make behind the plate and at bat during the game?

#3 How effective was Jonah Heim as the designated hitter, and did he deliver any key offensive moments?

#4 What defensive or offensive plays by Lawrence Butler and Max Muncy stood out during the matchup?

#5 How did A’s starting pitcher Aaron Civale handle the Angels’ lineup, and what were the biggest factors in his outing.

Daniel Dullum does the A’s podcasts each Sunday 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: Heim’s Blast Wasn’t Enough as Angels Tie The Series; Halos score late for 5-2 win

Los Angeles Angels Oswald Peraza (2) feels like he’s number one after hitting a RBI single in the top of the eighth inning against the Sacramento A’s at Angels Stadium in Anaheim on Sat Jun 27, 2026 (AP News photo)

Heim’s Blast Wasn’t Enough as Angels Tie The Series; Halos score late for 5-2 win

By Mauricio Segura

The Los Angeles Angels scored once in the seventh and twice in the eighth enough to get by the Sacramento A’s 5-2 at the Big A in Anaheim on Satuday night.

Runs were difficult to come by early as both starting pitchers settled into an impressive rhythm very quickly. Sacramento managed just one hit through the first three innings, but that hit traveled a long way. Jonah Heim opened the second inning by launching a solo home run to straightaway center field, giving the Green and Gold an early 1-0 advantage.

It was the only damage against Angels left-hander Reid Detmers through the opening frames as he piled up strikeouts and kept Sacramento’s lineup from putting together sustained rallies.

Jack Perkins matched him pitch for pitch for much of the early evening. The right-hander retired six straight batters after allowing a first-inning single and received some defensive help in the third when Colby Thomas made a diving catch in left field to rob Denzer Guzman of extra bases.

Perkins also showed off the new Automated Ball-Strike challenge system, successfully overturning a ball call into a strikeout against Wade Meckler in the fourth inning.

The Angels finally cracked the scoreboard later that same inning. Nolan Schanuel drew a walk before Jorge Soler lined a single into left. With one out, Jo Adell ripped a ground ball into the left-field corner that rolled all the way to the wall for a two-run triple, scoring both runners and putting Los Angeles in front 2-1.

Sacramento answered in the sixth after Nick Kurtz lined a single to right. A wild pitch moved him into scoring position before Lawrence Butler worked a walk. Following another out, Thomas delivered again, lining a sharp single into left to score Kurtz and knot the game at 2-2.

The Athletics appeared ready for a bigger inning after another wild pitch advanced both runners, but Chase Silseth entered from the bullpen and struck out Max Muncy to leave the go-ahead runs stranded.

The missed opportunity quickly became costly. Justin Sterner escaped trouble in the bottom of the sixth by stranding Jo Adell at third base, but the Angels reclaimed the lead an inning later. Josh Lowe singled, stole second, moved to third on a groundout and raced home when Guzman’s two-out single glanced off Muncy’s glove at third base and rolled into left field.

Sacramento’s best chance to swing the game back came in the eighth. Shea Langeliers singled, Butler walked and Heim drew another free pass to load the bases with one out. The rally ended there, however, as pinch hitter Carlos Cortes struck out and Muncy lined out to center, allowing reliever Sam Bachman to preserve the one-run lead.

The Angels made certain the missed chance would loom even larger. Soler singled to begin the bottom of the eighth, and after Adell was hit by a pitch, pinch-runner Vaughn Grissom scored on Oswald Peraza’s sharp single to center. Logan O’Hoppe followed with another RBI single, extending the lead to 5-2 before Sacramento turned an inning-ending double play.

Kirby Yates handled the ninth without allowing a baserunner, retiring Jeff McNeil, Joey Meneses and Henry Bolte to close the game. Bolte endured a difficult afternoon, finishing hitless while striking out three times. Heim supplied Sacramento’s biggest offensive spark, reaching base three times with his home run and a walk, while Thomas contributed an RBI single and highlighted the defense with his diving grab in left.

Perkins deserved a better outcome after limiting the damage over his outing, but Sacramento’s offense managed only five hits and went 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position. The Athletics also left the bases loaded in the eighth, a missed opportunity that proved to be the turning point as the Angels scored twice in the bottom half to put the game away.

The rubber match offers Sacramento an opportunity to leave Southern California with another series victory. Aaron Civale (5-4, 4.88 ERA, 46 strikeouts) is scheduled to start for the Athletics against Angels left-hander Sam Aldegheri (2-3, 5.47 ERA, 16 strikeouts), with first pitch set for 12:15 p.m. Pacific.

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 Tony Harvey: A’s rally for 7 run fifth to defeat Halos 9-3 at the Big A

Sacramento A’s Nick Kurtz (16) is greeted in the dugout after scoring on a single by Shea Langeliers (23) in the top of the fifth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at the Big A in Anaheim on Fri Jun 26, 2026 (AP News photo)

Sacramento A’s podcast Tony Harvey:

#1 The Sacramento A’s Shea Langeliers got their sixth straight single in the top of the fifth inning during a seven run rally that help defeat the Los Angeles Angels 9-3 on Friday night. This coming after the Angels fired general manager Perry Minasian (Ma-Nah-ssian) on Thursday.

#2 A’s pitcher JT Ginn pitched six innings allowed eight hits, three earned runs, struck out five and walked a batter. Ginn was key in holding off the Angels. Ginn had a rugged June with a 6.14 ERA allowing 44 home runs overall Ginn 6-4 ERA 3.25.

#3 Angels starter Walbert Urena was perfect until the fifth inning. Urena threw for 15 straight strikes doing it over 36 pitches 31 of those for strikes and he retired the first 12 hitters he faced.

#4 Max Muncy got an infield hit that ended Urena’s perfect game and the eventually loaded the bases. The A’s built a 7-1 lead and did most of the damage in the fifth inning.

#5 The A’s and Angels due battle again at the Big A in Anaheim taking a look at the starting pitchers for Saturday night for Sacramento RHP Jack Perkins (2-3 ERA 6.26) for Los Angeles LHP Reid Detmers (3-5 ERA 3.93) first pitch 6:38pm PDT

Tony Harvey does the Sacramento A’s podcasts Saturdays 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: A’s get six hits in a row in 7th in 9-3 win over Angels

Sacramento A’s Alika Williams (12) dives into home plate on a Henry Bolte (33) RBI base hit in the top of the fifth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at the Big A in Anaheim on Fri Jun 26, 2026 (AP News photo)

Seven Run Surge Sends Athletics Rolling Past Angels

By Mauricio Segura

The Sacramento A’s could not solve Los Angeles Angels starter Walbert Ureña for the first four innings. In fact, Ureña had a perfect game going to that point. Every batter was retired in order, and the Green and Gold found themselves chasing a 1-0 deficit after Donovan Walton’s RBI single in the fourth gave Los Angeles the early advantage. Then everything changed in one unforgettable fifth inning.

The Angels looked firmly in control behind Ureña, who cruised through the opening dozen hitters without allowing a baserunner. J.T. Ginn matched him for much of the evening, limiting the damage despite traffic on the bases and keeping the game within reach.

Ginn escaped a first-inning threat with a double play and stranded another runner at third in the third before the Angels finally scratched across the game’s first run when Walton lined a two-out single to center after Wade Meckler’s double and a passed ball.

That slim lead disappeared in dramatic fashion in the fifth as the Athletics erupted for seven runs on seven consecutive scoring opportunities. Tyler Soderstrom drew a leadoff walk before Jonah Heim reached on a force play and Lawrence Butler added another free pass.

Max Muncy broke up the perfect game with an infield single to load the bases, setting the stage for Jeff McNeil. The veteran second baseman ripped a single to right that scored Heim and Butler, giving the Athletics their first lead of the night.

The rally only gained momentum. Alika Williams followed with an RBI single that also turned into an extra base after an Angels throwing error, bringing home another run. Henry Bolte delivered a two-run single, then advanced on a disengagement violation before Nick Kurtz lined another run-scoring hit to center.

A wild pitch moved Kurtz into scoring position, and Shea Langeliers capped the outburst with an RBI single before swiping second base. By the time the inning finally ended, the Athletics had transformed a one-run deficit into a commanding 7-1 advantage.

Los Angeles answered in the bottom half of the inning when Jo Adell crushed a two-run homer to right-center, trimming the margin to four. Ginn finished five innings, allowing three runs while continuing his strong work away from home. Luis Medina followed with two scoreless strikeout-filled innings before Hogan Harris escaped a late eighth-inning jam, and Elvis Alvarado handled the ninth to complete the victory.

The Athletics were not finished scoring. Bolte reached on catcher interference to begin the seventh, stole second, and raced home when Kurtz lined another sharp single to center. Langeliers singled again before Jonah Heim drove a ground-rule double into the left-center gap, plating Kurtz and stretching the lead to 9-3. Those insurance runs removed any lingering suspense.

McNeil finished with two huge RBI in the decisive fifth, while Kurtz continued adding to his outstanding season with two hits and two RBI after entering the game among the American League leaders in RBI, walks and on-base percentage. Langeliers chipped in two hits, an RBI and a stolen base while strengthening his case as the Athletics’ lone finalist for the American League All-Star Game. Bolte reached base twice, scored once, stole a base and drove in two more runs, continuing the impressive rookie campaign that has seen him become one of baseball’s top first-year hitters.

Friday night’s win was the A’s 40th of the season and continued their strong play against the Angels. After snapping a four-game skid with an impressive comeback over San Francisco, the club carried that momentum into another division matchup with an offense that took control when they needed.

The series continues Friday as A’s starter Jack Perkins (2-3, 6.26 ERA, 57 strikeouts) looks to quiet the Angels against left-hander Reid Detmers (3-5, 3.93 ERA, 104 strikeouts), with first pitch scheduled for 6:38 p.m. Pacific.

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 Barbara Mason: A’s Aaron Civale to start against Giants Tuesday night

Sacramento A’s starter Aaron Civale will make the start against the San Francisco Giants on Tue Jun 23, 2026 at Oracle Park in San Francisco (AP file photo)

Sacramento A’s podcast Barbara Mason

#1 The Los Angeles Angels Zach Neto hit a two run home run and the Angels were in front against the Sacramento A’s in the ninth inning 8-7.

#2 The Angels Denzer Guzman in the eighth inning hit a three run home run and the A’s and Angels split the four game series with the Angels winning game 4 of the set 9-7.

#3 The Angels also got offense from Donavan Walton who hit a home run and got three RBIs and Nolan Schanuel and Jose Siri both had two hits that helped toward Sunday’s win. This after the Angels shutout the A’s 7-0 on Saturday

#4 A’s Nick Kurtz hit his 19th home run for 55 career home runs that ties the A’s record for the most home runs through the first two seasons for a career with the Philadelphia A’s Bob Johnson who set the record in 1933-34.

#5 The A’s head to Oracle Park in San Francisco on Tuesday to open up a road trip with the Giants. Starting pitcher for Sacramento RHP Aaron Civale (5-3 ERA 4.91) for San Francisco LHP Robbie Ray (5-6 ERA 4.07) first pitch 6:45pm PDT. 

Barbara does the 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: Halos Turn Develish and Steal The Victory From A’s 9-7

Zack Gelof (20) of the Sacramento A’s takes a 24 game hitting streak into Oracle Park in San Francisco Tue Jun 23, 2026 against the San Francisco Giants (AP file photo)

By Mauricio Segura

WEST SACRAMENTO–The Sacramento A’s built a four-run lead before fans got mustard on their hot dogs, but an early effort in Athletics baseball is never something to find comfort in. What began as a promising day for the Green and Gold turned into a 9-7 loss, as the Los Angeles Angels used three home runs, including Zach Neto’s go-ahead shot in the ninth, to take the final two games of the series and send Sacramento two games under .500.

The A’s wasted no time putting Reid Detmers in trouble. Zack Gelof opened the bottom of the first with a single to left, Nick Kurtz and Jacob Wilson both reached base, and Tyler Soderstrom forced in the first run. Jonah Heim followed with a sacrifice fly to center, bringing in Kurtz for a 2-0 lead. Joey Meneses then lined an RBI single to left, scoring Wilson and picking up his first Major League RBI since July 1, 2024, when he was with Washington. Henry Bolte capped the inning with a ground-ball single to right, scoring Soderstrom and giving the Athletics a 4-0 lead.

It looked like the A’s had a chance to stay on top. Instead, Los Angeles answered in the second. Nolan Schanuel singled, Denzer Guzman followed with another single, and Donovan Walton turned a 2-0 pitch from Jack Perkins into a three-run homer to right. Just like that, Sacramento’s cushion was down to 4-3. Walton has now recorded an extra-base hit in six straight games, the longest active streak in the Majors and tied for the longest by any player this season.

Perkins recovered enough to keep the A’s ahead. He struck out a career-high eight batters over five innings on 78 pitches, giving the A’s some badly needed swing-and-miss. But the Angels kept making him work. In the fifth, Jose Siri singled, stole second, moved to third on a wild pitch, then scored on another wild pitch to make it 5-4. Perkins finished with four earned runs allowed on four hits and two walks, and he has allowed at least three earned runs and one home run in each of his four starts this season.

The A’s had pushed their lead to 5-3 in the fourth when Gelof doubled and Kurtz singled him home, with Kurtz moving to second on Jo Adell’s fielding error. Kurtz kept his big afternoon going in the seventh. After Gelof reached on Denzer Guzman’s error, Kurtz drove a Brent Suter pitch to center for a two-run homer, stretching the Athletics’ lead to 7-4. Kurtz finished 2-for-4 with a homer, a walk, three RBIs and two runs. He also reached base safely for the 22nd straight game and tied Bob Johnson for the most home runs through the first two years of an A’s career with 55.

That seventh-inning homer should have given the A’s enough room to finish the job. It did not. Hogan Harris started the eighth by hitting pinch-hitter Vaughn Grissom. Schanuel singled him to third, and Guzman tied the game with a three-run homer to center.

Guzman finished 2-for-3 with a homer, a walk, three RBIs and two runs, and he has now homered in three straight games, the longest streak of his career. Heim helped stop the inning from getting worse by throwing out Christian Moore trying to steal second, and Elvis Alvarado struck out Oswald Peraza after a challenge confirmed the call.

The ninth inning gave the Angels their final push. Siri singled up the middle with one out, and Neto followed by sending an 0-1 pitch from Alvarado over the wall in left. The two-run homer, Neto’s 17th of the season, gave Los Angeles its first lead of the game at 9-7. Sam Bachman then retired Gelof, Kurtz and Wilson in order in the bottom half, earning his first save.

The Angels finished with ten hits and three homers. They have now hit 22 home runs across 11 games at the Athletics’ current home park, the most by any visiting team. The A’s had seven hits, five walks and plenty of early traffic, but after Kurtz’s seventh-inning blast, their final six batters were retired. It was a game the Athletics had in their hands more than once, only to watch the Angels’ bats laugh and say, “Not today!”.

Next up, the Athletics head down I-80 for a matchup against the San Francisco Giants, with Aaron Civale (5-3, 4.91 ERA, 41 K) for Sacramento set to face San Francisco’s Robbie Ray (5-6, 4.07 ERA, 74 K) at 6:45 p.m. Pacific, giving the Green and Gold a quick chance to trade frustration for a rivalry win.

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: Angels Turn the A’s Lineup Into Background Noise; Halos starter Urena and 3 relievers shutout Sac 7-0

Los Angeles Angels starter Walbert Urena pitched five innings of shutout ball against the Sacramento A’s at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento on Sat Jun 20, 2026 (AP News photo)

Angels Turn the A’s Lineup Into Background Noise; Halos starter Urena and 3 relievers shutout Sac 7-0

By Mauricio Segura

WEST SACRAMENTO–Friday, the Sacramento Athletics pulled a rabbit out of a batting helmet, climbing from a seven-run hole to win in 10 innings. One game later Saturday, the Angels buried the Green and Gold before any late magic could get even a toe on the field. Los Angeles beat the Athletics 7-0, using early pressure, a four-run sixth inning and a pitching relay that turned Sacramento’s bats into a long quiet drive home.

The A’s had a chance to change the tone right away. Nick Kurtz opened the bottom of the first with a double to center, Tyler Soderstrom was hit by a pitch, and Jacob Wilson loaded the bases with a single to right. That brought Jonah Heim to the plate with one out and the crowd was ready for a jolt. Instead, Heim struck out, Lawrence Butler grounded out, and the inning ended with three runners stranded. It was the best chance the Athletics had all game, and it vanished before the Angels broke a sweat.

Los Angeles went to work in the second against J.T. Ginn. Jo Adell doubled to center, Wade Meckler reached on a free pass, and Donovan Walton sent a ground ball into right field to score Adell. Jose Siri followed with a sacrifice fly to left, bringing home Meckler and giving the Angels a 2-0 lead. Ginn avoided further trouble after Tyler Heineman doubled and Zach Neto earned another free pass, but the damage had already put the A’s in chase mode.

For a while, Ginn settled in. He escaped a bases-loaded spot in the third when Walton hit into a force at home and Siri grounded out. He then retired the Angels in order in the fourth and fifth, giving the Athletics a window to get back into the game. The problem was Walbert Ureña kept slamming that window shut. Ureña worked five scoreless innings, allowing four hits while striking out five. Each time the A’s looked ready to build something, he yanked the rug from under their feet.

The sixth inning turned the game from manageable to miserable. Walton singled, Siri singled, and Scott Barlow replaced Ginn with one out. Heineman then singled to right, loading the bases for Neto, who doubled down the left-field side to score Walton and Siri. Nolan Schanuel followed with a two-run double to right, sending Heineman and Neto home and pushing the Angels ahead 6-0. Ginn’s line ended at 5 1/3 innings, seven hits and four runs, a rough turn after entering the game with a 2.91 ERA and a career-best three-game winning streak.

Denzer Guzman added the final run in the seventh, homering to left off Geoff Hartlieb. For the Angels, it was a full-team effort. Walton had three hits and scored twice, Adell added three hits of his own, Neto drove in two, and Schanuel matched him with two RBIs. The Angels finished with 13 hits and made the A’s pay almost every time traffic gathered on the bases.

The Athletics did have one more opening in the seventh. Henry Bolte singled, Max Muncy drew a free pass, and Kurtz loaded the bases with another free pass after Ryan Zeferjahn replaced Samy Natera Jr. But Shea Langeliers grounded out, and the last real threat disappeared. Zeferjahn handled the eighth, and Kirby Yates finished the ninth with two strikeouts, closing a combined five-hit shutout.

For the A’s, the loss also snapped some of the momentum from a strong recent run. They had won two straight and seven of their previous 10, had moved back to .500, and had already taken the first two games of the series against Los Angeles. They also entered with one of baseball’s hottest offenses, but this time the power never showed. Kurtz doubled, Wilson singled, Butler singled, Jeff McNeil doubled, and Bolte singled. But no one scored.

Game 4 of the series Sunday gives the Athletics a chance to put this dud in the rearview mirror. the A’s Jack Perkins (2-3, 6.15 ERA, 49 K) gets the ball against Reid Detmers (3-5, 3.68 ERA) for the Angels, with first pitch set for 1:05 p.m. Pacific.

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 Tony Harvey: Kurtz with the Walk off Walk scoring Butler in 10th beats Angels in comeback win 12-11

Nick Kurtz (16) of the Sacramento A’s gets a walk off walk with the bases loaded forcing in Lawrence Butler from third scoring the winning run in the tenth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Sutter Health Park on Fri Jun 19, 2026 (Sacramento A’s X photo)

Sacramento A’s podcast Tony Harvey:

#1 Tony, it was a nail biter of a game on Friday night at Sutter Health Park as the Sacramento A’s came back down 11-4 in the sixth inning to win it in the tenth 12-11 against the Los Angeles Angels.

#2 The A’s picked up a run when Zack Gelof singled scoring Lawrence Butler in the bottom of the sixth. The A’s added two runs in the bottom of the seventh when Jacob Wilson hit a 395 foot left field home run to making 11-7.

#3 The A’s turned it on in the bottom of the eighth when Max Muncy hit a two run 426 foot home run cutting the Angels lead to 11-9.. Jonah Heim tied things up when he hit a two run home run in the bottom of the ninth making it 11-11 forcing extra innings.

#4 The A’s with the bases loaded in the bottom of the tenth with Nick Kurtz at the plate walked and forced in Lawrence Butler from third base to win it 12-11. With the win the A’s remain just a half game out of first place behind the first place Seattle Mariners in the AL West.

#5 Angels and A’s continue this four game series at Sutter Health Park on Saturday at 7:05pm PDT. Starting pitcher for Los Angeles for RHP Walbert Urena (4-5 ERA 2.60) for Sacramento RHP JT Ginn (5-3 ERA 2.91)

Tony Harvey does the A’s podcasts each Saturday 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: Heim Sweet Heim Saves A’s From a Wild Ride edge Halos in 10 innings 12-11

Anaheim Angels Zach Neto (right) is out by plenty as he tagged out by the Sacramento A’s shortstop Jacob Wilson (left) in the top of the second inning at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento on Fri Jun 19, 2026 (Golden Bay Times photo)

By Mauricio Segura

WESTSACRAMENTO–This game resembled a Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner cartoon, with the Sacramento A’s spending most of it chasing the Los Angeles Angels trying different strategies. But in the end, they didn’t fall off a cliff. They actually caught the bird. Somehow, after falling behind by seven runs, the Green and Gold still found a way to leave with a 12-11 win in 10 innings, finishing a game that had just about everything except a quiet inning.

For a while, this looked like Sacramento’s game from the start. Lawrence Butler gave the Athletics a 1-0 lead in the second with a solo homer to center, and the third inning turned that small lead into something stronger. Zack Gelof drew a walk, Shea Langeliers doubled him home, Tyler Soderstrom followed with a single, and Jacob Wilson doubled in Langeliers. Carlos Cortes then grounded out to score Soderstrom, pushing the Athletics ahead 4-0.

That early lead disappeared fast. The Angels turned the fourth inning into a long, ugly climb for Athletics starter Jeffrey Springs. Christian Moore scored Nolan Schanuel with a sacrifice fly, Denzer Guzman followed with a two-run homer, and Jose Siri gave Los Angeles the lead with a three-run shot to left center. Zach Neto added another homer before the inning ended, and just like that, the Angels had flipped a 4-0 deficit into a 7-4 lead.

Los Angeles kept swinging in the fifth. Jo Adell drew a walk, Oswald Peraza singled, and Logan O’Hoppe crushed a three-run homer to left center, stretching the Angels’ lead to 10-4. When Schanuel homered in the sixth, the Athletics were staring at an 11-4 hole. A deep, dark, looming hole that no one in the stadium would have bet they could climb out of. But they did, and in grand style at that.

The A’s began nibbling away like mice in a cardboard factory. Gelof singled in Butler in the sixth, extending a hitting streak that had already become one of the best in club history. Gelof entered the game riding a 22-game streak, tied for fourth longest by an Athletic in the expansion era, and he kept giving the lineup a steady spark.

Wilson made things interesting in the seventh with a two-run homer after Soderstrom drew a walk, trimming Anaheim’s lead to 11-7. In the eighth, Butler reached again, and Max Muncy, who had entered as a pinch-hitter earlier, sent a two-run homer to center. Suddenly, it was 11-9, and what had looked like a lost cause had turned into a full-blown heavyweight mess.

Then came the ninth, and Jonah Heim gave the Athletics the swing they needed most. Soderstrom doubled to center with one out, Wilson moved him to third, and Heim, pinch-hitting for Colby Thomas, launched a two-run homer to right. The game was tied 11-11, and the Athletics had erased all seven runs of the Angels’ advantage.

The 10th inning gave the Angels a chance to answer, starting with Moore at second base. Denzer Guzman moved him to third with a fly ball, but O’Hoppe hit into a fielder’s choice as Muncy threw home to Langeliers to cut down Moore. Wade Meckler then struck out, and the Angels missed their chance to retake control.

The Athletics did not waste theirs. Butler began the bottom of the 10th at second, Henry Bolte drew a walk, and both runners advanced on a double steal after a confirmed challenge. Max Muncy flied out, Zack Gelof was hit by a nasty pitch, and after Kirby Yates left following an injury delay, Samy Natera Jr. faced Nick Kurtz with the bases loaded. Kurtz drew the game-ending walk, forcing in Butler and sealing a 12-11 win that was wild, weird, and very baseball Twilight Zone.

The win also fit a team that entered with 20 come-from-behind victories and one of the better extra-inning records in the majors. It was not graceful. But it was a reminder that this Athletics lineup, especially with Butler, Gelof, Wilson, Soderstrom, Heim, and Kurtz all finding ways to matter, can turn a bad night into a box score nobody forgets.

Game 2 brings a steadier pitching question, at least on paper, with J.T. Ginn (5-3, 2.91 ERA, 68 K) getting the ball for the Athletics against Angels right-hander Walbert Urena (4-5, 2.60 ERA, 58 K), with first pitch set for 7:05 p.m. Pacific.

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.