Tag: Los Angeles Angels

Sacramento A’s game wrap: A’s Five Run First Gave Jump All He Needed to blank Angels 5-0

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Sacramento A’s pitcher Gage Jump (61) was dealing pitching seven innings not allowing a run and just one hit before being relieved against the Los Angeles Angels at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento (AP News photo)

By Mauricio Segura

The Sacramento Athletics did not draw out Thursday night’s win. They took the first inning, did their damage, and secured a 5-0 win over the Los Angeles Angels.

After Gage Jump worked a quick top of the first, the Green and Gold went right to work against Angels starter Ryan Johnson. Zack Gelof opened the bottom half with a single to left, extending a hitting streak that had already reached 21 games before the first pitch. Nick Kurtz followed with a double to left, putting two runners in scoring position and giving the heart of the order the perfect scenario to cash in.

Shea Langeliers wasted no time doing what “Bangaliers” has been known to do. The A’s catcher drove a three-run homer to center, putting the Athletics ahead 3-0 and giving the home side instant control. Langeliers entered the game as the leading vote-getter among American League catchers in the first All-Star ballot update, and his bat gave that campaign a pretty convincing new campaign ad. His power has been a major part of the A’s season success, and this swing just proved what his bat brings to the team.

The inning was not finished. Tyler Soderstrom followed with a solo homer to left-center, turning back-to-back big swings into a 4-0 lead. Jacob Wilson then singled to right, Jonah Heim added another base hit, and Carlos Cortes moved Wilson to third with a fly ball to center. Henry Bolte finished the scoring with a sacrifice fly, bringing in Wilson and making it 5-0. By the end of the inning, the Athletics had sent ten batters to the plate and built all the offense they would need.

From there, the game became Gage Jump’s showcase. The rookie left-hander, making just his fifth major league start, did not show in any way how new he is to the show. Jump allowed only one hit over seven scoreless innings, striking out seven and working around three walks.

His best escape came in the fourth, when Nick Madrigal drew a free pass and Oswald Peraza doubled with two outs. With two Angels in scoring position, Jump struck out Christian Moore to end the threat and keep the shutout intact.

That was the Angels’ best chance against him. Jump struck out Moore three times overall, got Logan O’Hoppe looking in the fifth, and fanned both Peraza and Moore in the seventh. When Vaughn Grissom drew a free pass to start the seventh, Jump kept the inning from turning messy. After two strikeouts, Langeliers ended it by picking Grissom off first, a catcher’s dagger that kept the Angels stuck at zero.

The Athletics’ defense backed Jump with steady work. Henry Bolte covered center field recording several outs in the gaps and adding a hit and an RBI at the plate. Wilson continued to look smooth at shortstop, part of a defense that entered the game with one of the best fielding marks in the majors.

The Angels’ bullpen settled things down after Johnson’s rough first inning. Brent Suter threw two scoreless frames, and Ryan Zeferjahn worked around two eighth-inning free passes. But by then, the damage had already been done. The Athletics’ early burst stood up because Jump turned the Angels’ lineup into a long evening of fly balls, strikeouts, and missed chances.

Mason Barnett took over in the eighth and worked through trouble after Denzer Guzman drew a free pass and pinch-hitter Wade Meckler singled. Barnett struck out O’Hoppe and escaped when Nick Madrigal flied to center. Hogan Harris handled the ninth, giving up singles to Grissom and Moore but striking out Jo Adell, Peraza, and Guzman to finish the shutout.

The A’s, already riding one of the best home run streaks in the majors, added two more in the first inning and then let Jump do the heavy lifting. For a team trying to stay in the American League West chase, this was a much needed win.

The sequel brings a tough mound matchup, as Jeffrey Springs (3-7, 5.13 ERA, 68 K) gets the ball for the Athletics against Angels right-hander José Soriano (8-4, 2.79 ERA, 92 K), with first pitch set for 6:40 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 game wrap: A’s Steal the Spotlight in extras Under the Big A 3-2

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Los Angeles Angels Josh Lowe tries to break up a double play that sends the Sacramento A’s second baseman Jeff McNeil to step away to complete a double play at Angels Stadium in Anaheim on Fri May 22, 2026 (AP News photo)

By Mauricio Segura

The Sacramento Athletics came away with a 10 inning 3-2 win over the Los Angeles Angels to take three out of four from the Angels Thursday night. The A’s spent five innings trying to solve José Soriano while the Angels held a 2-0 lead built on one swing from Nolan Schanuel.

Mike Trout singled in the first, and Schanuel followed by sending a fly ball over the wall in right, giving Los Angeles an early advantage before the Green and Gold had even put a runner in scoring position.

For a while, that looked like it might be enough. The A’s struck out three times in the first, went down in order in the second and third, and had Carlos Cortes thrown out trying to stretch a fourth-inning single. It was the kind of start that makes a dugout feel like it is chewing on gravel.

Luis Severino, however, refused to let the game drift away. After Schanuel’s homer, the right-hander settled into one of his best rhythms of the season. He struck out Jose Siri and Sebastián Rivero in the second, then wiped out Adam Frazier, Zach Neto, and Trout in the third.

When Josh Lowe singled to begin the fifth, Severino got Siri to ground into a Zack Gelof-to-Jeff McNeil-to-Nick Kurtz double play, then struck out Rivero to end the inning. By the time his night was done, Severino had given the Athletics seven innings of two-run baseball with ten strikeouts and no free passes, a terrific answer after entering with three straight losses and a season-long issue with bases on balls.

The comeback began quietly, which fit the game just fine. Shea Langeliers opened the sixth-inning scoring chance with a double to left. Kurtz, who already had extended his reaching-base streak with a fourth-inning free pass, then lined a ground-ball single to center to score Langeliers and cut the deficit to 2-1. That streak, already tied for fourth longest in Athletics history entering the game, moved another step forward and continued a run that has placed Kurtz among the most dangerous on-base bats in the majors.

The seventh inning turned the game from survival mode into a real fight. Tyler Soderstrom singled, and Gelof replaced him at first on a force out before stealing second. McNeil moved Gelof to third with a groundout, and Darell Hernaiz delivered the tying hit, a line-drive single to left that scored Gelof. Hernaiz then stole second, showing the kind of pressure the A’s have needed during a stretch where tight games have become part of their regular diet.

The Athletics had chances to take control earlier than they did. In the eighth, Langeliers reached, Kurtz and Brent Rooker put two runners aboard, and a wild pitch moved both into scoring position before Soderstrom was intentionally issued first base. Gelof struck out, leaving the bases loaded. In the ninth, McNeil reached on Vaughn Grissom’s throwing error, Henry Bolte stole second as a pinch-runner, and Cortes reached, but Langeliers grounded out to keep the score tied.

The tenth inning finally tilted the game. Langeliers began at second, Kurtz was intentionally put aboard, and Rooker was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Soderstrom’s grounder forced Langeliers out at home, giving the Angels a brief breath of relief. Then came the night’s defining review. Gelof hit a grounder to short, and after the Athletics challenged the call, the ruling was overturned. Kurtz scored, the A’s had a 3-2 lead, and Gelof had turned a frustrating offensive night into the most important plate appearance of the game.

The Angels still had one more threat. Vaughn Grissom began the bottom of the tenth at second, and Jo Adell singled to center, putting runners at the corners with nobody out. Mark Leiter Jr. had no room for a mistake, but he found his escape route the hard way. He struck out Lowe, then got Jorge Soler to ground into a game-ending double play started by Gelof at third and finished through Hernaiz and Kurtz. It was a perfect ending for an A’s team that leaned on Severino’s grit, Kurtz’s steady bat, Hernaiz’s timely swing, Gelof’s legs and glove, and a bullpen that held the final three innings together.

The result was a 3-2 extra-inning win for the Athletics, their third victory of this four-game series against the Angels and another example of why this club has stayed on top of the AL West. They did not overpower Los Angeles. They outlasted them, one grind-it-out at-bat, one stolen base, one review, and one huge double play at a time. The final out came just before the 9:35pm start time for Disneyland’s fireworks down the street, Hakuna Matata!

The A’s will board the team bus Thursday night and head a couple of hours south to San Diego where they will play the Padres Friday for a three-game set. Jefferey Springs ( 3-4 / 3.93 ERA / 47 K) will take the mound for Sacramento facing off against Walker Buehler (3-2 / 5.01 ERA / 37 K) at 6:40pm.

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 podcast Jeremiah Salmonson: A’s recover two games in Angels series at the Big A

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Jeff McNeil (wearing bling) is congratulated by the Sacramento A’s dugout after hitting a solo home run in the top of the ninth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angels Stadium Wed May 20, 2026 (AP News photo)

Sacramento A’s podcast Jeremiah Salmonson:

#1 Which player delivered the go-ahead hit for the Athletics in extra innings against the Angels?

#2 How did Los Angeles Angels respond after falling behind 3–0 early in the game?

#3 What impact did Jeff McNeil’s ninth-inning home run have on the outcome of the game?

#4 Which starting pitcher had the stronger outing: Aaron Civale for the Athletics or Jack Kochanowicz for the Angels?

#5 How did the Athletics bullpen help secure the 6–5 extra-innings victory over the Angels?

Jeremiah Salmonson does the Sacramento A’s podcasts Thursdays 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: McNeil’s Ninth-Inning Jolt Sends the Green and Gold Home Happy 6-5

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Sacramento A’s outfielder Tyler Soderstrom chases down a line drive hit by the Los Angeles Angels Vaugn Grissom in the bottom of the first inning at Angels Stadium in Anaheim on Wed May 20, 2026 (photo by Golden Bay Times)

By Maurcio Segura

The Sacramento Athletics did not ease into this one. They grabbed an early lead, gave it back, clawed through the middle innings, and finally stole the night with the kind of road win that keeps a first-place team focused and the rest of the AL West glued to the scoreboard. By the time Hogan Harris got Jorge Soler to ground out with the bases loaded in the 10th, the Green and Gold had escaped with a 6-5 win that had a little bit of everything: early offense, three Los Angeles Angels homers, replay drama, late nerves, and Jeff McNeil turning a one-run deficit into a fresh fight with one swing.

The A’s jumped ahead immediately after Shea Langeliers was hit by a pitch, Nick Kurtz drew a walk, and Brent Rooker loaded the bases with a ground-ball single that glanced off Jack Kochanowicz. Tyler Soderstrom followed with a two-run single to center, scoring Langeliers and Kurtz for a 2-0 lead. That advantage lasted about as long as a paper napkin in a wind tunnel. Mike Trout walked in the bottom half, and Soler tied it with a two-run blast to left-center.

The second inning only raised the volume. Henry Bolte walked, stole second, and scored when Carlos Cortes ripped a liner to left that turned into extra trouble after Josh Lowe’s fielding error. But the Angels answered with Jo Adell’s solo homer and Lowe’s two-run shot, turning a 3-2 Athletics lead into a 5-3 hole. Aaron Civale, who entered with strong recent numbers and had allowed only three runs over his previous four starts, was tagged for three home runs and five runs through five innings.

From there, the game tightened. Shea Langeliers helped kill an Angels threat in the fourth when the Athletics successfully challenged a play at third, with Langeliers picking off Oswald Peraza on a throw to Zack Gelof. Luis Medina then gave the A’s a key bridge, working two scoreless innings and keeping the deficit manageable. That mattered because the Athletics’ offense, quiet from the third through sixth, found a spark in the seventh. Darell Hernaiz and Cortes were both hit by pitches, and Kurtz lined a two-out single to center that scored Hernaiz, though Cortes was thrown out trying for third.

Kurtz’s night also pushed his reaching-base streak from 42 games to 43, adding another line to a run that already had him near some big names in Athletics history. His walk in the first kept the streak alive, and his seventh-inning hit made it louder. McNeil then supplied the swing the A’s badly needed in the ninth, driving Kirby Yates’ pitch over the right-field wall to tie the game at 5-5. For a player who entered with just one homer and all of his RBI against right-handed pitching, it was perfect timing, the kind of swing that makes the bench feel ten degrees warmer.

Scott Barlow worked around a hit batter in the ninth, aided by another overturned call when Gelof and McNeil combined on a force at second. In the 10th, with Kurtz placed at second, Soderstrom delivered again. His fly-ball single to left scored Kurtz, and another error by Lowe pushed Soderstrom to third. The A’s could not add on, but Harris protected the 6-5 lead with a tightrope act. He struck out Lowe on a missed bunt, got Zach Neto to move the runner to third on a soft groundout, intentionally walked Trout, then walked Nolan Schanuel to load the bases. With Soler at the plate and the Angels one swing from flipping the ending, Harris got the grounder to McNeil, and the Athletics finally exhaled.

The series concludes Thursday with Luis Severino (2-5 / 4.45 ERA / 54 K) taking the mound for Sacramento against Anaheim’s Jose Soriano (6-3 / 2.41 ERA / 67 K). First pitch from the Big A scheduled for 6:38pm.

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: The Green and Gold Turn One Big Inning Into a Full Night of Payback in 14-6 win

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Sacramento A’s Zack Gelof slugs a seventh inning home run against the Los Angeles Angels at Anaheim Stadium on Tue May 19, 2026 (photo by Mauricio Segura Golden Bay Times and today’s author)

By Mauricio Segura

The Sacramento Athletics needed a response after J.T. Ginn’s almost no-hitter Monday night that turned into a gut-punch loss, and they did not tap the Los Angeles Angels politely on the shoulder. They unloaded in a 14-6 win that felt like a full-team exhale after the kind of defeat that can linger if a club lets it.

Even with the loss pushing them under .500, the Athletics still held first place in the American League West, and their offense made sure the mood did not stay sour for long. A lineup that had been showing signs of life lately did more than wake up. It took over the room, ate the snacks, and left the Angels chasing line drives all over the yard.

For two innings, Reid Detmers looked like he might control the night. Shea Langeliers, Colby Thomas, Brent Rooker, Henry Bolte and Zack Gelof all went down on strikes early, and the Athletics had little to show until the third inning flipped the whole game on its head Jeff McNeil singled to center, Darell Hernaiz followed with a ground-ball single to right, and Nick Kurtz opened the scoring with a base hit that brought McNeil home.

That swing mattered beyond the run, too, because Kurtz entered the game riding one of the longest reaching-base streaks in Athletics history, a 41-game run that had him in rare company with names like Mark McGwire, Jimmie Foxx and Rickey Henderson.

Then the inning turned into a green-and-gold parade. Thomas doubled to right, scoring Hernaiz and Kurtz. Rooker singled in Thomas. Bolte, the young center fielder who recently made his Major League debut after tearing through Triple-A Las Vegas, bounced a ground-rule double down the left-field line.

Gelof followed with a two-run single, and just like that, a scoreless game had become a 6-0 Athletics lead. It was not just a rally. It was a reminder that this lineup can stretch an inning until the other team starts looking for the emergency exit.

The Angels did not disappear quietly. Mike Trout homered to center in the third, then Los Angeles pushed across three more in the fourth after Oswald Peraza singled, Jose Siri doubled, Zach Neto reached, and Trout drew a bases-loaded free pass after a confirmed challenge. Vaughn Grissom followed with a two-run single, cutting the Athletics’ lead to 6-4 and forcing manager Mark Kotsay to go to Justin Sterner. The Angels had turned the game tense, but Sterner ended the inning by getting Jorge Soler to fly out.

From there, the Athletics answered like a team tired of getting shoved around in May. In the sixth, Jonah Heim doubled and Hernaiz reached, setting the table for Langeliers and Kurtz. Langeliers drew the pass that loaded the bases, and Kurtz punched another two-run single to center, scoring Heim and Hernaiz for an 8-4 lead. Kurtz later stole second, just because apparently driving in runs was not enough work for one inning.

Gelof added a solo homer to right center in the seventh, pushing the lead to 9-4. In the eighth, the Athletics turned the game into a rout. McNeil singled, Langeliers reached again, and Kurtz ripped a two-run double to right, giving him five RBIs on the night. Rooker, who has done some of his best career damage against the Angels, followed with a two-run homer to left center. That blast made it 13-4 and continued his long history of punishing Los Angeles pitching.

The Angels scored twice in the eighth on Josh Lowe’s double after Nolan Schanuel was hit by a pitch and Logan O’Hoppe doubled, but Hogan Harris avoided further trouble by retiring Trout and Grissom. Hernaiz added one more Athletics run in the ninth with a single that scored Gelof, while Joel Kuhnel finished the game by striking out O’Hoppe after an error briefly extended the bottom of the ninth.

The final line told the story loudly enough: 14 runs, big swings from Kurtz, Thomas, Gelof and Rooker, and enough bullpen stability to keep the Angels from turning another lead into a headache. The Athletics did not just win. They answered.

Starting pitchers for Wednesday at the Big A: For Sacramento RHP Aaron Civale (5-1 ERA 2.70) for Los Angeles RHP Jack Kochanowicz (2-3 ERA 4.56) first pitch 6:38pm PDT.

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: Frazier and Neto Blow the Candle off of Ginn’s Celebration Cake 2-1; Near no hit bid ends up in a walk off for Halos

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Sacramento A’s starter JT Ginn took a no hit bid into the ninth inning and lost it giving up two runs in a 2-1 loss to the Los Angeles Angels at Angels Stadium in Anaheim on Mon May 18, 2026 (AP News photo)

By Mauricio Segura

J.T. Ginn delivered the kind of start pitchers dream about and hitters hate to endure, carrying a no-hitter into the ninth inning before Adam Frazier and Zach Neto spoiled the night like kids who sneak into position to blow out someone else’s birthday candles, sending the Sacramento Athletics to a brutal 2-1 loss to the Angels Monday night.

For eight innings, Ginn was nearly untouchable. He struck out Zach Neto to open the first, retired Mike Trout twice on grounders to third, and kept Los Angeles from putting a hit on the board while the Green and Gold tried to squeeze out just enough offense to reward him. It was a stunning performance from a pitcher who entered the game already trending upward, with A’s starters riding their longest stretch of five-inning outings since 2021 and Ginn having posted much stronger numbers on the road than at home this season.

The early innings had the feel of a tug of war. Carlos Cortes opened the game with a walk, but Walbert Ureña quickly settled in, getting Shea Langeliers on a fly ball before Nick Kurtz and Brent Rooker struck out. The Angels’ right-hander matched Ginn zero for zero, helped by Nolan Schanuel’s leaping grab in the second and Jo Adell’s sliding catch in the fifth.

The A’s put runners on in the third when Cortes drew another walk and Langeliers singled, but Kurtz popped out to end it. In the fourth, Henry Bolte singled, Jeff McNeil reached on a fielder’s choice and an error, and Zack Gelof was hit by a pitch to load the bases, but Darell Hernaiz grounded into a force out to keep the game scoreless and the bench frustrated.

Ginn, meanwhile, kept dealing. Jorge Soler struck out twice in the first five innings, Josh Lowe and Logan O’Hoppe went down swinging in the third, and Schanuel struck out to end the fourth. Even when Yoán Moncada walked and stole second in the fifth,

Ginn answered by getting Lowe to ground back to the mound. In the sixth, Nick Kurtz stretched at first to preserve the no-hitter after Adam Frazier’s grounder, and Ginn finished the inning by getting Trout again. By the time he struck out Schanuel, Soler and Moncada in order in the seventh, the game had turned from tense to electric.

The A’s finally broke through in the ninth. Gelof singled to center, stole second, and Lawrence Butler, pinch-hitting for Hernaiz, delivered the biggest Sacramento swing of the night, lining a single to center to score Gelof for a 1-0 lead.

It was especially important considering Butler had been struggling badly, entering the game mired in a rough stretch and hitless as a pinch hitter this season. Cortes followed with his third walk, and Langeliers drew another to load the bases, but Kurtz grounded into a double play, leaving the margin painfully thin.

That mattered immediately. Ginn returned for the ninth with history still breathing, but Frazier opened the inning with a line-drive single to center, ending the no-hit bid. Jose Siri replaced him as a pinch-runner, and Neto followed with the swing that turned Ginn’s masterpiece into a heartbreak, driving a ball over the center-field wall for a two-run homer and a 2-1 Angels win. It was a cruel ending for Ginn, who deserved a better line than a loss attached to one late mistake.

Still, the night revealed plenty about this Athletics club. Kurtz doubled in the fifth to extend his on-base streak from 40 to 41 games, tying Eddie Joost’s 1949 mark for sixth longest in franchise history. Langeliers also kept reaching base, Cortes continued to show the patient bat that has made him one of the club’s steadiest hitters, and Bolte looked comfortable in center field only days after becoming one of the youngest players in Athletics history to start there in his major league debut. But baseball can be a wonderful letdown, and Ginn learned the nastiest version of that lesson. Eight innings of brilliance can disappear behind one ninth-inning swing.

Game 2 Tuesday will feature A’s Jacob Lopez ( 3-2 / 5.80 ERA / 30 K), against the Angels Reid Detmers ( 1-4 / 4.20 ERA / 53 K). The southpaw duel in Anaheim is scheduled to begin at 6:38pm.

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. 

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: From My Notebook–Mike Trout, a Great player, never in a World Series

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Los Angeles Angels Mike Trout (17) is congratulated in the Angels dugout after hitting a solo home run in the top of the fourth inning against the Chicago White Sox at Rate Field in Chicago on Wed Apr 29, 2026 (AP News photo)

That’s Amaury News and Commentary:

From My Notebook: Mike Trout, a Great player, never in a World Series

By Amaury Pi-González

This 2026 season marks Mike Trout’s 16th season in Major League Baseball, all 16 years with the LA Angels of Anaheim. I witnessed his first season, 2011, working the play by play for Fox Sports West TV (Spanish) and some of his best seasons thereafter, when he first came to the big club from the Angels’ Triple-A affiliate, Salt Lake Bees.

During his first 2011 season, he played only 40 games and did not show what all scouts at the time had advertised, but he was destined for greatness. Next season, 2012, he did not disappoint. Won the AL Rookie of the Year and the AL MVP, his first of three MVPs, won the Hank Aaron Award twice, ESPN Best MLB player three times, and it goes on and on and on. No doubt Trout is a future member of the Hall of Fame.

Trout is one of those dream players who excels at everything. He is a team leader, great with his teammates and all players, great with the press and the fans, and a top-of-the-line professional, serious and respectful about the game of baseball.

Too bad he might never play in a World Series, the Angels teams during this period have not been competitive. Once in the Hall of Fame, he will not be the only great player with no World Series experience. In fact, Mike Trout appeared in only one playoff in his career, and played in a total of three postseason games during the 2014 American League Division Series with the Angels, who were swept by the Kansas City Royals, resulting in 0 wins and 3 losses in his career

Some great Hall of Fame players who never played in a World Series. Seven-time AL batting champion Rodney (Rod) Carew, eight-time NL batting Champion Tony Gwynn, Nap Lajoie, Ernie Banks, Ken Griffey Jr, Andre Dawson, and legendary Red Sox star Ted Williams are still great players who often played on teams that did not win the pennant.

Per my request, below was sent to me by my good friend and LA Angels Radio Voice Terry Smith.

Beginning with Mike Trout’s 2012 Rookie of the Year season and continuing through the 2019 season, that eight season stretch was truly amazing to witness. He was, without question, the best player in Major League Baseball.

Mike’s five tool skill set was a joy to watch, but injury issues following the 2020 Covid season have slowed his performance, which has been unfortunate. It’s also been unfortunate in his illustrious career that he has only appeared in one postseason series. Mike’s career will earn him a spot in Baseball’s Hall of Fame, but for me, having the opportunity to watch his career firsthand, it’s sad he hasn’t been able to showcase it in October.   -Thanks socio, I appreciate it.

Terry Smith has been the radio voice of the Los Angeles Angels since 2002. As of the 2026 MLB season, he is in his 24th or 25th year with the club, making him the longest-tenured broadcaster in Angels team history. He calls games on AM 830AM KLAA.

Quote: “I don’t play for the fame, the money, or the endorsements. I’m still have that same old kid with a big dream and a decent swing”. -Mike Trout.

Amaury Pi-Gonzalez – Cuban-born Pi-González is one of the pioneers of Spanish-language baseball play-by-play in America. Began as Oakland A’s Spanish-language voice in 1977 ending in 2024 (interrupted by stops with the Giants, Mariners and Angels). Voice of the Golden State Warriors from 1992 through 1998. 2010 inducted in the Bay Area Radio Hall of fame.

LaTerraza Mexican Restaurant 1027 2nd Street in Old Sacramento give them a call at 916-440-0874

From the second you step in the front door, the sounds of Latin America will gently seduce your ears and continue as you relax outdoors with your favorite cocktail enjoying the view. The wonderful flavors and aromas of our cuisine will not disappoint.

We use only the finest, freshest, local ingredients in every dish and every dish is prepared to order. Enjoy live mariachi music weekly and on special occasions, catch balet folklorico dance performances among other live entertainment. Come visit us and have a great time! Enjoy fast, friendly service, fantastic food & cocktails, music and allow us to share our beautiful Mexican heritage with you.

LaTerraza Mexican Restaurant at 1027 2nd Street in Old Sacramento give them a call at 916-440-0874.

Quick afternoon in Scottsdale, as Angels beat Giants 2-0 in spring training version of pitcher’s duel

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San Francisco Giants Bryce Eldridge is in camp and is the most anticipated propect in camp (Bay Area News Group photo)

By Stephen Ruderman

SCOTTSDALE AZ–Robbie Ray was a bit shaky over four no-hit innings, and the Angels scored two runs in the top of the ninth inning to hand the Giants just their third loss of the spring in a very-quick two-hour-and-11-minute game on a spectacular partly-cloudy day at Scottsdale Stadium..

Ray threw a 1-2-3 top of the first inning, and a scoreless top of the second. He was less sharp in the third, when he walked two, but he still got out of the inning unscathed. 

Ray then went into the fourth inning for the first time this spring. He walked two with one out, and then Christian Moore hit a bullet to third that was snagged by Matt Chapman, who threw to second to double off Vaughn Grisson for a spectacular inning-ending double play.

Ray threw 56 pitches overall.

Giants’ offense goes silent on live day at Scottsdale Stadium:

It was surprising to see the Giants’ offense go cold on a day where the ball was flying out during batting practice, but the Giants were limited to just three hits today.

Rafael Devers returned today, after missing 12 days due to a tight left hamstring. In his return today, Devers went 0-for-3 with a pair of strikeouts. However, he was hammering the ball during batting practice. Matt Chapman and Patrick Bailey also went 0-for-3.

There was hardly a cloud in the sky during batting practice, but it turned into a gorgeous partly-cloudy day here in Scottsdale. It was the most-perfect weather for baseball you could ask for. However, with the fact that some thunderstorms are heading into the valley tonight, perhaps the higher humidity—26%, but rather-high for the desert—kept the ball in the park during the game.

Drew Gilbert cleared to DH:

Prior to the game, Manager Tony Vitello said that outfielder Drew Gilbert was cleared by doctors to take at-bats as a designated hitter.

Gilbert has been out since Feb. 25 with a left shoulder impingement. He has been working out at the Giants’ practice facility.

Vitello indicated that Gilbert could be back in the lineup as soon as tomorrow or Wednesday. However, he also said that the team is trying to play it cautiously.

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Joe Lacob still a favorite to buy Padres

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Golden State Warriors owner Joe Lacob is the leading candidate to buy the San Diego Padres but will have to keep the Padres in San Diego and will not be able to move them to Oakland. (file photo New York Times)

Joe Lacob is still the favorite to buy the Padres

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi Gonzalez

Joe Lacob tried to buy these teams in the past: the Oakland A’s, the Los Angeles Angels, and the Los Angeles Dodgers. Today, he is considered the favorite to buy the San Diego Padres, who are officially on the market. Bids are expected by the end of February 2026. The San Diego franchise is valued between $1.9 billion and $2.3 billion; however, the current ownership may seek around $3 billion.

While some reports label Lacob a leading suitor, other potential buyers are involved as well. Lacob, who also owns the NBA Golden State Warriors and the WNBA Golden State Valkyries, confirmed he has toured Petco Park in San Diego. While he has not yet committed to a final decision, all reports indicate he remains the leading suitor for the franchise.

Joe Lacob attempted to buy the Oakland Athletics in 2005 , reaching a verbal agreement to purchase the team from then-owner Stephen Schott for approximately $180 million. However, then-MLB Commissioner Bud Selig blocked the sale, favoring a bid from John Fisher and Lew Wolff, which ultimately led to Lacob purchasing the Golden State Warriors instead.

Lacob maintained a standing offer to buy the Oakland Athletics from John Fisher for over a decade, while expressing interest in buying the team for many years (over a decade). His standing offer to buy the team from Fisher and keep it in Oakland until 2022.

The A’s under Fisher are on their way to conclude a 3-year stay at Sacramento, the city they are using as a stopover until he inaugurates his new indoor park Las Vegas, Nevada. How much have MLB franchises appreciated during the past 40 years? Walter Haas Jr., then-chairman of Levi Strauss & Co., purchased the Oakland Athletics from Charlie O. Finley for $12.7 million on August 23, 1980.

Quote: “The Stock Market is a better investment than owning an MLB team” – Rob Manfred (2022), Commissioner of Baseball.

Amaury Pi-Gonzalez – Cuban-born Pi-González is one of the pioneers of Spanish-language baseball play-by-play in America. Began as Oakland A’s Spanish-language voice in 1977 ending in 2024 (interrupted by stops with the Giants, Mariners and Angels). Voice of the Golden State Warriors from 1992 through 1998. 2010 inducted in the Bay Area Radio Hall of fame.

While in the Bay Area, great food and great prices. 998cuba.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Mike Trout’s 400th Home Run is Magical

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A fan Alberto (left) at Coors Field caught Los Angeles Angels Mike Trout’s (right) 400th home run against the Colorado Rockies. The two played catch after the game on the field as one of Alberto’s wishes. Trout also handed Alberto three autograph bats. (photo from Instagram)

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

When fans attend a major league baseball game, they often dream of catching a home run ball, but sometimes much more happens, and it does not always involve a money request between the fan and the player.. The fan who caught and returned Mike Trout’s 400th home run ball (485 foot blast) had one small request from the 3-time MVP. He wanted to play catch with him.

Alberto was the name of the fan at Coors Field on Saturday, who was attending the game with his wife and two children. According to Alberto, he told his young sons minutes before Trout’s home run, “he has a lot of power.” Alberto just happened to be in the right seat at the right time, and although this did not happen at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, within walking distance of Disneyland, where Dreams Come True, it happened at Coors Field in Denver, and this fan’s dream came true.

After the game, Alberto and Trout played catch in front of the third base dugout for a few minutes as his wife captured the whole thing on her phone. Trout’s prodigious shot helped the Angels beat the Rockies 3-0. Alberto brought his glove, but he did not need it to catch the ball; however, it came in handy when Trout said he would accept the offer of playing catch with him in return, Albert gave Mike Trout the ball, and Trout also gave Alberto three of his bats personally autographed.

I covered Mike Trout since the first time he arrived from the Angels’ Salt Lake City AAA affiliate in July 2011. This Saturday, his 400th homerun made him the 59th player in history to achieve that milestone. A first-ballot ‘sure thing ‘ for the Hall of Fame, Mike Trout is as good a player as I have seen in uniform. He is well-liked by fans, the media, and his teammates, both with the Angels and other teams.

Every player who played with him or against him has nothing but good stuff to say about Trout. José Mota (now with the Dodgers) and yours truly interviewed Mike Trout on many occasions, and he was always a class act.

A veteran baseball writer in Anaheim told me about Mike Trout, “he reminds me of Cal Ripken Jr”, for his professionalism and excellence all around.. The Angels’ last playoff appearance was in 2014, as they currently hold the longest active playoff drought in Major League Baseball, which is now 11 seasons long as of the end of the 2025 season. In his 15 years with the Los Angeles Angels in the major leagues, Mike Trout has only played in three (3) postseason games.

Mike Trout is not retiring after the current season; he is in the middle of a contract that runs through 2030 and has stated he plans to retire with the Los Angeles Angels. Despite ongoing injury issues, especially with his left knee, his financial commitment and team situation make it highly unlikely he would retire early.

I am sure we will hear from Trout on his plans. He is a great ‘old-fashioned ‘, very unassuming 34-year player, who comes day and night, to play a game he has always played since childhood in Vineland, New Jersey.

Mike Trout has only played in three postseason games so far. These luminaries never played in the Postseason: Ernie Banks, Ferguson Jenkins, Billy Williams, Luke Appling, and Ted Lyons of the Chicago White Sox, Harry Heilman of the Detroit Tigers, and Ken Griffey Jr. of the Seattle Mariners.

Quote Shoeless Joe Jackson: When Ted Williams famously concluded his .400 season, manager Connie Mack said, “I wish I had a Williams. I had one once, and I lost him”. This quote refers to the ineligible Shoeless Joe Jackson, whose ban from baseball prevented him from ever making it to Cooperstown. Here is the link to The Baseball Hall of Fame, at Cooperstown, New York, one of my favorite places on earth. https://baseballhall.org/planyourvisit

Amaury Pi-Gonzalez – Cuban-born Pi-González is one of the pioneers of Spanish-language baseball play-by-play in America. Began as Oakland A’s Spanish-language voice in 1977 ending in 2024 (interrupted by stops with the Giants, Mariners and Angels). Voice of the Golden State Warriors from 1992 through 1998. 2010 inducted in the Bay Area Radio Hall of fame.

While in the Bay Area, great food and great prices. 998cuba.com