Sacramento A’s manager Mark Kotsay questions plate umpire Chad Fairchild who threw out A’s coach Chris Chron who argued about a balk call in the second inning against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field in Minneapolis on Sun Jul 26, 2026
Sacramento A’s podcast Daniel Dullum:
#1 The Minnesota Twins Ryan Jeffers had quite a day at the plate on Sunday going 3-5 with three RBIs, Twins pitcher Connor Prielipp pitched for 5.2 innings allowing just one run after coming back from the IL as the Twins defeat the A’s 11-8.
#2 The Twins Kody Clemens added more offense for the Twins with two triples and one RBI. Ryan Kreidler doubled for three times and got an RBI.
#3 The A’s bullpen struggled to keep the Twins off the basepaths with the Twins scoring three runs in the sixth then another six runs in the top of the seventh to insure a win.
#4 Offensively for the A’s Nick Kurtz hit a three home run in the top of the sixth and Jeff McNeil and Carlos Cortes got two RBIs but it wasn’t enough in the Sacramento loss.
#5 The A’s return to West Sacramento Monday night to host the Boston Red Sox at Sutter Health Park. The Sox have unstoppale the have won eight of their last ten games. They defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 6-1. The Sox have everything going for them with run production and great hitting. Starting pitchers for Boston LHP Payton Tolle (5-6 ERA 3.31) he’ll be opposed by Sacramento starter RHP Jake Perkins (2-5 ERA 6.75) first pitch 6:40pm PDT.
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 Jeffery Springs (59) speaks with A’s trainer Jeff Collins (left) in the bottom of the second inning. Springs left the game in the second inning due to right hip discomfort against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field in Minneapolis on Sun Jul 26, 2026 (AP News photo)
Sacramento A’s game wrap:
By Mauricio Segura
For five innings the Minnesota Twins built a seven-run cushion, then the Sacramento A’s turned the final four frames into a chase that was far more interesting than the Twins wanted. Nick Kurtz launched a three-run homer, the Sacramento bench helped produce a three-run seventh, and the A’s added two more in the ninth. The early damage and four Athletics errors, however, gave Minnesota enough room to hold on for an 11-8 victory.
Minnesota began its attack with Austin Martin’s leadoff double. Ryan Jeffers followed with a single, and Royce Lewis brought Martin home on a force play. Lewis then stole second and scored when Kody Clemens drove a triple into right. A throwing error by shortstop Alika Williams allowed Clemens to circle the bases, giving the Twins a 3-0 lead before the Athletics had recorded a hit.
The second inning brought more trouble. Jeffrey Springs left after an injury delay with one out and two runners aboard. Luis Morales replaced him, issued a walk to Martin, and escaped an apparent bases-loaded threat when a Minnesota challenge changed Byron Buxton’s result from a ball to a lineout. The relief lasted only a moment. Morales was called for a balk that scored Alex Jackson, and Jeffers followed with a two-run single. Athletics hitting coach Chris Cron was ejected during the inning, which ended with Minnesota ahead 6-0.
Ryan Kreidler kept applying pressure. He doubled in the fourth, stole third and scored when catcher Jonah Heim’s throw sailed away. Kreidler later added a ground-rule double, another stolen base and a triple. He finished with three extra-base hits, three runs and two steals. Clemens collected two triples, while Jeffers delivered three hits and three RBIs.
The Athletics had only one hit through five innings before Kurtz changed the mood in the sixth. Jeff McNeil singled, Jacob Wilson was hit by a pitch, and Kurtz sent Cole Sands’ splitter 411 feet to center at 104.1 mph. It was his 21st homer and his first since returning from the injured list, cutting the deficit to 7-3. Kurtz had been reinstated one day earlier after a right thumb capsule sprain and entered the game in an 0-for-24 skid.
Minnesota answered when Kreidler doubled, stole third and scored on a sacrifice fly that became more costly when left fielder Tyler Soderstrom misplayed the ball. The error ended Soderstrom’s 159-game errorless streak in the outfield, which dated to June 2025. The Athletics entered the game with the fifth-fewest errors in the majors, but their four mistakes helped Minnesota turn baserunners into extra runs.
The A’s made their strongest move in the seventh. Soderstrom doubled, Tommy White singled and Lawrence Butler drew a walk to load the bases. Donovan Walton then earned a run-scoring walk, McNeil brought home White on a groundout, and Carlos Cortes lifted a sacrifice fly that scored Butler. Three pinch hitters contributed to the rally, a notable reversal for a bench that entered the game with the second-lowest pinch-hit batting average in the majors. Suddenly, the score was 8-6.
Minnesota kept the Athletics from drawing closer. Clemens tripled again and scored on Luke Keaschall’s sacrifice fly in the seventh. In the eighth, Brooks Lee singled, Kreidler drove him home with a triple, and Jeffers added an RBI single for an 11-6 advantage.
The Athletics still made Minnesota finish the job. White and Walton singled in the ninth, McNeil drove in White with his third hit, and Cortes brought home Walton on a force play. Jacob Wilson represented the final chance, but his grounder to first ended the game. The A’s finished with eight runs on eight hits, yet Minnesota’s 13 hits, aggressive baserunning and the Athletics’ defensive breakdowns decided the series finale. The defeat also extended the Athletics’ streak to 11 consecutive series without a victory.
The Athletics return home for the opener against Boston, with Jack Perkins (2-5, 6.75 ERA, 76 strikeouts) facing Red Sox left-hander Payton Tolle (5-6, 3.31 ERA, 96 strikeouts); first pitch is set for 6:40 p.m. Pacific, giving Sacramento a difficult assignment and a fresh chance to stop the slide.
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.
Minnesota Twins Alan Roden swings for a two run single in the single in the bottom of the sixth inning against the Sacramnento A’s at Target Field in Minneapolois on Sat Jul 25, 2026 (AP News photo)
Roden’s Two Run Answer Leaves A’s Bats Stumped in 2-0 loss
By Mauricio Segura
The Sacramento Athletics spent eight innings searching for one useful hit and never found it. Alan Roden supplied Minnesota’s only scoring with a two-out, two-run single in the sixth, and the Twins held the A’s to three hits in a 2-0 victory that evened the series at one game apiece.
Minnesota had to change plans before the first pitch when scheduled starter Mike Paredes was scratched during warmups because of a left oblique strain. Kendry Rojas took the assignment with little notice and looked fully prepared, allowing only Tyler Soderstrom’s first-inning single while striking out five across four scoreless innings. He retired 10 of the final 11 hitters he faced and gave the Twins’ bullpen a game it could protect.
The A’s first serious chance developed in the third. Henry Bolte drew a leadoff walk, Lawrence Butler moved him to second with a sacrifice bunt, and Jacob Wilson’s fly ball sent Bolte to third. Nick Kurtz then struck out, leaving the runner 90 feet away.
Kurtz was activated from the injured list before the game after recovering from a right thumb capsule sprain. His return produced four strikeouts in four plate appearances. The contrast was especially harsh because one year earlier, Kurtz went 6-for-6 with four home runs, eight RBI and 19 total bases in one of the greatest games in franchise history.
Brady Basso did his part as the A’s opener, working 2 1/3 scoreless innings with three strikeouts. Minnesota threatened in the third when Ryan Kreidler doubled and stole third, but Mason Barnett struck out Byron Buxton and retired Kody Clemens on a fly ball. Barnett kept the game scoreless through the fifth, giving the Athletics several chances to move ahead.
Jeff McNeil created another opening in the fifth with a fan-interference double to right. Butler drew a two-out walk, but Wilson grounded into a force play. McNeil doubled again with two outs in the seventh, only for Bolte to fly out. Those two doubles made McNeil the only Athletics hitter to reach safely twice.
Minnesota finally broke through in the sixth. Josh Bell drew a one-out walk, and Royce Lewis doubled to left, putting two runners in scoring position. Barnett retired Victor Caratini on a fly ball and was one out from escaping, but Roden sent a ground ball into right field. Bell and Lewis scored, giving the Twins all they needed. José Suarez replaced Barnett and struck out Brooks Lee to end the inning.
The A’s best opportunity unfolded in the eighth and ended with nothing. Butler drew a leadoff walk, and pitcher Andrew Morris made a throwing error on Wilson’s fielder’s choice, putting Butler at third and Wilson at second with nobody out. Kurtz and Soderstrom struck out, then Jonah Heim grounded out. Heim entered the game one hit shy of 500 for his career, but an 0-for-4 performance kept him at 499.
Hayden Juenger and Luis Medina each delivered a scoreless inning for the A’s, but Minnesota’s relievers never surrendered the lead. Taylor Rogers earned the victory with two scoreless innings, while Yoendrys Gómez finished the ninth for his 13th save. Mason Barnett took the loss after allowing two runs over 3 1/3 innings. The finale still gives the Athletics a chance to end a stretch of 10 consecutive series without a victory.
The rubber match features Jeffrey Springs (3-9, 5.96 ERA, 86 strikeouts) for the Athletics against Joe Ryan (6-6, 3.38 ERA, 131 strikeouts) for Minnesota, with first pitch scheduled for 11:10 a.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 third baseman Tommy White (left) attempts to catch the ball while the Minnesota Twins Royce Lewis slides safely into the third base in the bottom of the fourth inning at Target Field in Minneapolis on Fri Jul 24, 2026 (AP News photo)
Sacramento A’s podcast Tony Harvey:
#1 Sacramento A’s starting pitcher Jacob Lopez and four relievers got a shutout against the Minnesota Twins 2-0 at Target Field in Minnesota on Friday night. As opposed to some previous struggles the bullpen came through and kept the Twins off the basepaths for most the game.
#2 The Twins only could muster five hits was it a matter of getting good pitching or the Twins just never saw this A’s bullpen and just couldn’t figure A’s pitching out?
#3 Lopez in his start had a great outing with five innings pitched allowing just one hit and four strikeouts with good command to get things started for Sacramento.
#4 The A’s didn’t get a hit through the first four innings until Tommy White hit a double in the fifth inning with one down. With the bases loaded Lawrence Butler came up and hit a sacrifice fly to center to score Donavan Walton for one of the A’s two runs.
#5 Former Dallas Mavericks managing partner Mark Cuban has bought a minority share of the A’s. The undisclosed amount by sources say Cuban bought five percent of the team. The investment was in preparation of the A’s move to Las Vegas in 2028.
#6 The A’s and Twins match up for the second game of the three game set Saturday. Starting pitchers for Sacramento RHP Mason Barnett (1-0 ERA 4.64 21 strikeouts). Minnesota Twins left-hander Connor Prielipp (2-5, 5.00 ERA, 71 strikeouts), with first pitch scheduled for 4:10 p.m. Pacific.
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 Jacob Lopez pitches against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field in Minneapolis on Fri Apr 25, 2025 (AP News photo)
By Mauricio Segura
The Sacramento Athletics scored twice, collected five hits, and made both runs stand up in a 2-0 victory over the Minnesota Twins. This was not an offensive showcase. It was a nine-inning exercise in surviving trouble, turning ground balls into outs, and making Minnesota regret every missed chance.
Jacob Lopez set the tone with five scoreless innings, allowing only one hit while striking out four. His command wandered at times, resulting in four walks and a hit batter, but the Twins never found the swing that could turn traffic into damage.
Lopez struck out Ryan Jeffers to strand two runners in the third, then escaped an even tighter spot in the fourth after Royce Lewis stole second and third and Luke Keaschall stole second. Brooks Lee ended that threat with a popout to Jacob Wilson.
Minnesota’s only hit against Lopez was in the fifth, when Austin Martin sent a ground-rule double down the left-field line. Byron Buxton followed with a liner to Tyler Soderstrom, and Jeffers flied out to Lawrence Butler. Lopez finished his outing with another zero and improved to 5-4, providing a major lift for a rotation that had gone 3-15 with a 6.42 ERA over its previous 27 games.
Twins starter Zebby Matthews was nearly untouchable early, retiring the first 10 Athletics he faced. Soderstrom finally reached with a fourth-inning walk, though Shea Langeliers erased that chance with a double play. The breakthrough developed in the fifth. Donovan Walton drew a walk, rookie Tommy White drove a double to center, and Jeff McNeil drew another walk to load the bases. Butler lifted a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Walton for a 1-0 lead. White later tried to score on a wild pitch but was cut down at home.
The Athletics added their second run in the sixth with a simple three-batter sequence. Henry Bolte singled, Wilson moved him to second with a groundout, and Soderstrom sent a ground ball through the left side to bring Bolte home. Soderstrom had entered the series batting .294 with three home runs and seven RBI in 10 games since returning from a hip injury, and his run-scoring single gave the pitching staff a little more room to work.
That room became valuable immediately. Geoff Hartlieb began the bottom of the sixth by issuing walks to Josh Bell and Lewis. A wild pitch advanced both runners, and another walk to Keaschall loaded the bases with one out. José Suarez entered and needed only one batter to escape. Lee hit a grounder to Tommy White, who stepped on third and threw to first for an inning-ending double play.
From there, the Athletics turned the infield into a roadblock. Suarez retired the Twins in order in the seventh, with all three grounders going from Wilson to McNeil. Elvis Alvarado allowed a leadoff single to Jeffers in the eighth, then got Bell to bounce into another double play. Wilson handled that one as well, extending his errorless streak to 103 games, seven shy of Mike Bordick’s major-league record for a shortstop.
Hogan Harris handled the ninth. He struck out Victor Caratini, hit Keaschall with a pitch, then fielded Lee’s grounder and started a game-ending double play. Harris earned his eighth save, and the Athletics completed a shutout with four scoreless innings from the bullpen.
The win extended the Athletics’ streak against Minnesota to five games and gave them four consecutive victories in Minnesota. The A’s now have a chance to claim their first series victory in 11 tries.
Game 2 brings right-hander Mason Barnett (1-0, 4.64 ERA, 21 strikeouts) against Twins left-hander Connor Prielipp (2-5, 5.00 ERA, 71 strikeouts), with first pitch scheduled for 4:10 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.
Shea Langilers catcher for the Sacramento A’s is being sought after by other clubs before the Aug 3, 2026 trade deadline (Copyright: Geoff Burke, Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images, Creator: Geoff Burke)
Sacramento A’s podcast Jeremiah Salmonson:
#1 The amount of runs scored by the Arizona Diamondbacks against the Sacramento A’s on Wednesday was a season high in the their 15-5 win at Chase field in Phoenix.
#2 A’s relievers just couldn’t shut down the D-Backs rallies scoring seven in the fifth and five in the sixth to put the game out of reach.
#3 A’s starter Gage Jump got lit up for eight hits and six runs in 4.2 innings of work. As a starter Jump struggled to get out of each of those early innings.
#4 Yunior Tur came into relieve Jump but also was on the other end of the Diamondbacks hitting barrage allowing five hits and eight earned runs in two third innings of pitching. That was most of the damage the A’s pitching suffered Hayden Juenger and position player Carlos Cortes settled the Diamondbacks bats down for the rest of the game as relievers.
#5 The A’s will take a much needed day off on Thursday before opening up a three game series against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field in Minneapolis. Starting pitchers for Sacramento LHP Jacob Lopez (4-4 ERA 6.64) for Minnesota RHP Zebby Matthews (4-7 ERA 5.40) first pitch 5:10pm PDT Friday night.
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 reliever/outfielder Carlos Cortes records the last out of the bottom of the eighth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks. The A’s in the last of the ninth couldn’t make a dent in the score in the 15-5 loss at Chase Field in Phoenix on Wed Jul 22, 2026 (AP News photo)
Sacramento A’s podcast Bridget Mulcahy:
#1 The amount of runs scored by the Arizona Diamondbacks against the Sacramento A’s on Wednesday was a season high in the their 15-5 win at Chase field in Phoenix.
#2 A’s relievers just couldn’t shut down the D-Backs rallies scoring seven in the fifth and five in the sixth to put the game out of reach.
#3 A’s starter Gage Jump got lit up for eight hits and six runs in 4.2 innings of work. As a starter Jump struggled to get out of each of those early innings.
#4 Yunior Tur came into relieve Jump but also was on the other end of the Diamondbacks hitting barrage allowing five hits and eight earned runs in two third innings of pitching. That was most of the damage the A’s pitching suffered Hayden Juenger and position player Carlos Cortes settled the Diamondbacks bats down for the rest of the game as relievers.
#5 The A’s will take a much needed day off on Thursday before opening up a three game series against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field in Minneapolis. Starting pitchers for Sacramento LHP Jacob Lopez (4-4 ERA 6.64) for Minnesota RHP Zebby Matthews (4-7 ERA 5.40) first pitch 5:10pm PDT Friday night.
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.
Arizona Diamondbacks Nolan Arenado (28) swings for a double for his 2000th career hit in the bottom of the fifth inning against the Sacramento A’s catcher Jonah Heim (left) at Chase Field in Phoenix on Wed Jul 22, 2026 (AP News photo)
By Mauricio Segura
For four innings both teams traded zeros, before the Arizona Diamondbacks spun the game completely out of control. A 2-2 tie became a seven-run deficit in the fifth, and the Diamondbacks kept piling on in a 15-5 rout of the Sacramento A’s that ended the series with a thud.
Sacramento had an immediate chance against Merrill Kelly. Tyler Soderstrom and Shea Langeliers collected consecutive singles with one out in the first, but Carlos Cortes grounded into an inning-ending double play. The A’s finally broke through in the third when Jonah Heim doubled to center and Jacob Wilson followed with a single that moved him to third. Soderstrom’s groundout brought Heim home for a 1-0 lead, and Wilson stole third before Kelly escaped by striking out Langeliers.
Gage Jump handled the early advantage well. Arizona put runners aboard in each of the first two innings, but the rookie left-hander received help from double plays behind him. Wilson and second baseman Donovan Walton turned one in the first, while Jump started another in the second. He then retired the Diamondbacks in order in the third.
Jump entered the game with a 0.75 ERA in four road starts, but he had also posted a 7.41 ERA over his previous four outings after opening his career with six strong starts. His 56 strikeouts through his first ten major-league games matched Sonny Gray for the most by an Athletics pitcher over that span during the previous 27 years.
Arizona changed the direction of the game with two swings in the fourth. Corbin Carroll tied it with a solo homer to left-center, and Nolan Arenado followed with another solo shot to left. Jump limited the damage there, striking out Tim Tawa and Ryan Waldschmidt with two runners aboard.
Jeff McNeil brought the A’s even in the fifth by sending a solo homer to right. McNeil entered the game having struck out only once in his previous 54 plate appearances, and his fourth home run of the season briefly restored order.
That order disappeared in the bottom half.
Ketel Marte doubled and scored on a wild pitch. Gabriel Moreno then homered to center, giving Arizona a 4-2 advantage. Arenado drew a walk and scored on Ildemaro Vargas’ double before Yunior Tur replaced Jump. James McCann greeted Tur with a two-run homer, Tawa singled and Waldschmidt launched the first home run of his major-league career.
Arizona sent 11 batters to the plate, scored seven runs and turned a tie game into a 9-2 beating within minutes. Jump was charged with six earned runs on eight hits, four walks and three home runs over 4 2/3 innings. His record dropped to 3-6.
The Diamondbacks added five more in the sixth. Carroll tripled and scored on Tur’s wild pitch before Moreno, Arenado and Vargas drew three consecutive walks. McCann singled home Moreno, and Hayden Juenger entered with the bases still loaded. Tawa greeted him with a two-run double, and Waldschmidt’s sacrifice fly extended the lead to 14-2.
McCann finished with three hits, a home run and four RBIs. Waldschmidt drove in three, while Carroll homered, tripled and scored three times. Arizona collected 17 hits, including five home runs, and scored 12 times during the fifth and sixth innings.
The Athletics did not quit producing at-bats. McNeil singled and scored on Heim’s seventh-inning single. Donovan Walton doubled to begin the ninth and scored on Lawrence Butler’s RBI single. Alika Williams added a sacrifice fly that brought home Tommy White.
McNeil, Heim and Langeliers each had two hits as the A’s finished with 10. Wilson’s third-inning single extended his hitting streak to 10 games, and he completed another errorless appearance at shortstop. He entered the game with a 101-game errorless streak, tied for the second-longest by a shortstop in major-league history.
Cortes recorded the final out of the eighth from the mound, marking his sixth pitching appearance of the season. He had already tied Charlie Jamieson’s 1918 franchise record for pitching appearances by a position player with his fifth outing.
Following Thursday’s off day, the Athletics head to Minnesota, where Jacob Lopez (4-4, 6.64 ERA, 49 strikeouts) will oppose Zebby Matthews (4-7, 5.40 ERA, 58 strikeouts) Friday at 5:10 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.
Athletics’ Lawrence Butler (4) celebrates after hitting a three-run double during the second inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins, Thursday, Aug. 21, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
A’s baseball podcast with Lincoln Juarez:
#1 The A’s swept the Twins Thursday afternoon in Minneapolis and got their second consecutive series win. Tyler Soderstrom stole the show going 4-for-4.
#2 The A’s outscored the Twins 18-8 in the series and the offense has stayed hot. Yet again we see them putting up big numbers.
#3 Nick Kurtz went 2-for-4 Thursday with a homer. We know how much you love to talk about him, good to see him still swinging the bat well.
#4 The A’s have the 14th best record since the All-Star break at 18-13. What’s been the key to the team’s success the last month?
#5 Looking ahead, the A’s match up against the Mariners for three games this Friday and the weekend, it seems like a good opportunity for them to play spoiler. The A’s will start RHP Luis Morales (1-0 ERA 1.86) the M’s have not announced a starter as of yet.
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.
Minnesota Twins Kody Clemens (18) slid into the tag out by Sacramento A’s catcher Willie MacIver (left) in the bottom of the fourth inning at Target Field in Minneapolis on Thu Aug 21, 2025 (AP News photo)
Rookies and Redemption Fuel Sacramento in 8-3 Rout Over Minnesota
By Mauricio Segura
In a ballpark where the Twins typically dance to their own beat, it was the Sacramento Athletics who brought the bass drum and snare roll to Target Field Wednesday afternoon, hammering Minnesota 8–3 in a statement win defined by clutch hitting, patient at-bats, and a power display from a blossoming rookie.
Sacramento’s explosive second inning looked like something out of a hitting clinic, complete with base-to-base fundamentals and just enough chaos to unsettle starter José Ureña. After a one-out hit-by-pitch and a couple of timely singles, the Athletics loaded the bases and broke the game open.
Nick Kurtz, the young first baseman showing flashes of future All-Star credentials, drew a composed walk to push runners around. Then Lawrence Butler doubled home three, Brent Rooker doubled home another, and by the time the dust settled, it was 6–0 Green and Gold with the home crowd stunned into silence.
Ureña never found his footing again. His second inning unraveling included a wild pitch, two more walks, and a barrage of hard contact that left Minnesota scrambling for answers. He lasted only five innings, tagged for six earned runs.
His opposition, Jack Perkins, pitched four and two-thirds innings of gritty baseball. While he flirted with danger in the fourth when the Twins loaded the bases with no outs, a bizarre force-out at home and alert defense limited the damage to just two runs.
Despite a late rally attempt, Minnesota never closed the gap to within striking distance. Sacramento’s bats kept breathing in the middle innings. Kurtz, making good on his second-inning RBI walk, delivered a solo shot to dead center in the sixth off reliever Michael Tonkin.
It was Kurtz’s 26th homer of the season and a no-doubt blast that seemed to symbolize the Athletics’ intent: a team in rebuild mode that’s no longer waiting around to be competitive.
Tyler Soderstrom, who manned left field, also had himself a day at the plate, collecting three hits including a double and two sharply-hit singles. He reached base four times, consistently applying pressure and pushing the pace offensively. It’s becoming more apparent that Soderstrom, still only 23, is growing into the kind of versatile player Sacramento can lean on both now and in the years ahead.
Ben Bowden, Osvaldo Bido, and the rest of Sacramento’s bullpen picked up where Perkins left off. After allowing a run in the fourth, they shut the door across the next five frames, giving up just three hits combined. Minnesota managed a final gasp in the ninth when Royce Lewis doubled in Kody Clemens, but it was far too little too late.
While Butler’s bases-clearing double was the highlight reel moment, Sacramento’s offense functioned like a well-tuned orchestra. Nine hits scattered across the lineup. Seven different players reached base. And the A’s demonstrated not just power but a patient eye, drawing five walks to Minnesota’s four.
Max Schuemann added an RBI single in the seventh to make it 8–2, while catcher Willie MacIver, despite finishing hitless, contributed behind the plate with steady game-calling and a throw that cut down a runner at home in the fourth.
Minnesota’s promising young trio of Buxton, Larnach, and Lee were mostly neutralized. Buxton went 0-for-4, lining out twice to center fielder Lawrence Butler who covered a lot of ground and made multiple strong reads. Larnach did double in the fourth and score, but it wasn’t enough to change the momentum. Meanwhile, James Outman struck out three times in the loss and left runners stranded in key moments.
Managerial decisions, particularly the timing of Minnesota’s pitching changes, could be questioned in hindsight. Ureña was allowed to face one batter too many during Sacramento’s second-inning barrage, and by the time Tonkin entered in the sixth, the game was largely out of reach.
It was a win that reminded fans and pundits alike that the Athletics, though relocated and retooled, aren’t merely a placeholder franchise. They’re young, they’re scrappy, and as they proved Wednesday, they’re capable of outplaying anyone when things click. With a new identity in Sacramento and a clubhouse built on grit, the Green and Gold might just be laying the groundwork for something special.
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.
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