Miami Marlins pitcher Eury Perez had a perfect no hit bid going until he was lifted in the top of the eighth inning against the Sacramento A’s at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento on Sun Jul 5, 2026 (AP News photo)
Sacramento A’s podcast Daniel Dullum:
#1 Once again the Sacramento A’s dropped another game 9-8 and got swept by the visiting Miami Marlins at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento on Sunday this was the A’s seventh loss in their last ten games in front of 8,086 fans.
#2 It was a game where the A’s who at one time had one of the hottest hitting line ups in the AL West have cooled off seeing hitters like Lawrence Butler, Nick Kurtz, Jeff McNiel, Henry Bolte, Zack Gelof, all have cooled off.
#3 The Marlins starter Eury Perez was pitching a perfect, no hit game but was lifted after seven innings for reliever Lake Bachar after Perez reached his pitch limit. Bachar got lit up for five runs including a Jonah Heim grand slam as the A’s cut the Marlins lead to three runs 8-5.
#4 The A’s best record this season at one point was 21-18 when the A’s were 3 games over .500 and in first place back on May 9. The A’s with the loss Sunday are now 41-49 now eight games below .500 after Sunday’s sweep.
#5 The A’s hit the road in Detroit Tuesday night to open a series with the Detroit Tigers. The A’s have not announced a starter and the Tigers will be going with their ace LHP Tarik Skubul (4-4 ERA 3.15).
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.
Los Angeles Dodgers takes a swing against the San Diego Padres in the bottom of the fifth inning at Dodger Stadium on Thu Jul 2, 2026 (AP News photo)
MLB The Show podcast Charlie O
#1 The Los Angeles Dodgers kept two way player Shohei Ohtani out of the starting line up against the San Diego Padres on Saturday due to tightness in his right biceps. Ohtani incurred the tightness after taking a swing at the plate in the bottom of the sixth inning. The Dodger superstar said during a post game press conference that it had happened before and that it went away relatively quickly.
#2 Boston Red Sox reliever Aroldis Chapman struck out the Los Angeles Angels Denzer Guzman Friday night to put Chapman as MLB’s leading career strikeouts reliever. Guzman at 38 years old threw a 98.6 MPH pitch that Guzman couldn’t even touch. The strikeout was Chapman’s 1364th of his 17 year career and he surpassed Hoyt Wilhelm who pitched for 21 years whose career ended just five days short of his 50th birthday.
#3 San Francisco Giants third baseman Matt Chapman who is on the 10 day IL with an abdominal strain could return before the All Star break according to Giants manager Tony Vitello. Reports said that the New York Yankees have expressed interest in Chapman. The Yankees are also shopping for a back up catcher and shoring up their bullpen.
#4 San Francisco Giants ultilty player Casey Schmitt is also be shopped by a number of clubs as the Giants could turn out be seller before the trade deadline. Schmitt has been having some offensive success hitting .281, with 16 home runs and 44 RBIs. The Giants who are struggling in the NL West standings also are getting inquiries from the Chicago White Sox regarding pitcher Robbie Ray. If Chapman, Schmitt and Ray were to all be traded the Giants will just be mailing it in for the rest of the season as these are their current key players. The Giants also lost relief pitcher LHP Matt Gage to the 15 IL due to a left elbow strain.
#5 This week Sacramento A’s owner John Fisher said that he wanted to be more public and answer some of the questions that the press had for him even during the process of the team’s relocation to Las Vegas from the time. He just said he wanted to come out now and be a little more tranparent then had been. The one big question is Bally’s now is coming up with funding for the ballpark when they were suppose to pay for all the nuances around the park as Fisher reportedly has not come up with share of the stadium construction costs.
Miami Marlins starter Eury Perez pitched seven innings of perfect ball before being lifted by Marlins manager Clayton McCullough against the Sacramento A’s at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento on Sun Jul 5, 2026 (AP News photo)
The Sacramento Athletics spent most of the afternoon digging out of a perfect crater, nearly completing one of the season’s wildest comebacks, but still came up a run short in a heartbreaking 9-8 loss to the Miami Marlins.
A six-run deficit became an eight-run hole before the Green and Gold finally found life in the final two innings, but Miami held on to finish the sweep and hand Sacramento another frustrating defeat. The loss also continued a difficult stretch for an Athletics club that entered the day having dropped six of its previous seven games.
Miami wasted no time spoiling the day for rookie left-hander Gage Jump, who had been one of baseball’s hottest young pitchers since his promotion. Heriberto Hernández put the Marlins on the board in the first inning with a towering solo home run to center, and the visitors never let up. In the second, Otto Lopez lined a ground-rule RBI double into left-center before Liam Hicks lifted a sacrifice fly to center, stretching the lead to 3-0.
The third inning proved even more damaging. After Esteury Ruiz reached on an overturned challenge and promptly stole second, Leo Jiménez launched a two-run homer into the left-center-field seats. Later in the inning, Brian Navarreto ripped a ground-rule double before Lopez added another run with a sacrifice fly.
By the time the dust settled, Miami owned a commanding 6-0 advantage while Jump’s afternoon had come to an end after three innings. It was an unusual outing for the rookie, who entered with a 2.93 ERA after putting together one of the American League’s best rookie pitching months in June.
Sacramento’s offense had no answer for Eury Pérez. The hard-throwing right-hander carved through the lineup for seven perfect innings, as his fastball and breaking pitches kept hitters off balance throughout his dominant performance.
Miami kept adding insurance in the sixth when Lopez connected for a solo home run before Hernández struck again moments later with his second blast of the afternoon. Hernández finished with two home runs, a double, three RBIs and three runs scored, while Lopez reached base four times, homered, doubled, drove in three runs and scored three more. Jiménez also supplied a two-run homer as the Marlins built what appeared to be an insurmountable 8-0 cushion.
Much to the dismay of even Athletics fans, Pérez was pulled after seven innings denying him a chance to pursue a full perfect game. The decision was partly due to his recent return from injury and the fact that he had already thrown 92 pitches.
Still, the crowd of more than 8,000 was disappointed to lose the chance to witness a potentially historic performance, and fans made their frustration known to the Marlins throughout the rest of the game. However, Pérez’s exit finally opened the door for the A’s to stage their comeback.
It began in the eighth after Lawrence Butler drew a walk and Joshua Kuroda-Grauer followed with a single. Carlos Cortes ripped an RBI double into right field to get Sacramento on the scoreboard before Jonah Heim delivered the biggest swing of the afternoon. Facing reliever Lake Bachar, Heim crushed a grand slam to right field, instantly cutting the deficit to 8-5 and injecting life into both the dugout and the crowd.
Miami answered with an important insurance run in the ninth when Hicks grounded softly back to the mound, allowing Lopez to score from third and restore a four-run advantage.
Even that wasn’t enough to put the game away.
The Athletics loaded up one final rally against Pete Fairbanks. Zack Gelof opened the inning with a single before Butler doubled to put runners on second and third. A passed ball allowed Gelof to score, trimming the deficit to 9-6. Max Muncy later worked a walk, and Heim once again delivered in the clutch, lining a two-run single to center that brought Butler and Muncy home. Suddenly, Sacramento was within one run with the tying run aboard.
Miami finally escaped when Brian Serven grounded out to second base, ending an afternoon that nearly turned into one of the club’s most dramatic rallies of the season.
While the final score favored the Marlins, the Athletics did uncover a few bright spots. Heim finished with six RBIs thanks to his grand slam and two-run single, Cortes continued to swing a hot bat with a pair of doubles in as many games, and Kuroda-Grauer added another hit as he continues to impress early in his Major League career.
Nick Kurtz and Shea Langeliers also entered the day carrying the momentum of their first American League All-Star selections, another encouraging sign for a young core that continues to provide hope despite the club’s recent struggles.
The Athletics now head out on the road searching for a reset after dropping the series to Miami and ending a difficult homestand.
Next up, Sacramento opens a three-game series in Detroit on Tuesday, where Tarik Skubal (4-4, 3.15 ERA, 57 strikeouts) is scheduled to start for the Tigers, while the Athletics had not yet announced a probable starter as of Sunday afternoon. First pitch from Comerica Park is scheduled for 3:40 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.
San Francisco Giant Drew Gilbert swings for a top of the second inning two run home run against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field in Denver on Sun Jul 5, 2026 (AP News photo)
By Barbara Mason
After tying up the series in Denver with the Colorado Rockies (37-54) Saturday, the San Francisco Giants (37-52) came into game three with a loss to the Rockies on Sunday. The Giants turned this game into a home run derby hitting four long balls through five innings. Drew Gilbert hit the first one good for two runs in the second inning and Casey Schmitt a solo in the fifth.
Rafael Devers had a couple of homers a solo homer in the fourth inning and then his second of the day in the fifth. He very nearly knocked the cover off the ball driving it into the third deck, a tremendous hit giving San Francisco a 5-4 lead.
The Giants would add to their lead in the sixth inning for a 6-4 advantage. San Francisco hung onto the lead going into the bottom of the eighth. It then all seemed to fall apart in that inning when Kyle Karros homered with TJ Rumfield and Braxton Fulford aboard and that was the ball game. The Rockies took game three 7-6 as well as the series.
GAME RECAP
The Rockies were first up on the scoreboard in the opening inning taking a 2-0 lead. Jake McCarthy scored the first run and TJ Rumfield the second for a 2-0 Colorado lead. Scoring first in game one worked great for the Rockies and San Francisco had to keep pace.
San Francisco took care of business in the second inning tying up the game 2-2. Drew Gilbert hit a home run with Willy Adames on base and we had a tie game. Colorado pushed back in the bottom of the second with Edouard Julien scoring on a Brett Sullivan double taking back the lead 3-2.
In the third inning the Rockies extended their lead to 4-2. Troy Johnston hit a sacrifice fly and Hunter Goodman scored. Again San Francisco would have to step up and keep pace with Colorado in a real see-saw game.
The fourth and fifth innings revealed three more home runs for San Francisco as the Giants took back the lead 5-4. Rafael Devers had his first home run in the fourth inning for a 3-4 count.
In the fifth inning Casey Schmitt hit his 17th home run of the season tying up the game 4-4. Devers would break the tie with his second home run of the game and what a crushing hit it was flying into the third deck.
There was a pitching change for the Giants in the fifth inning. Erik Miller relieved Tyler Mahle who pitched through 4 1/3 innings. He allowed eight hits three earned runs, no walks with five strikeouts. Miller pitched the fifth and sixth innings.
San Francisco would add to their lead in the top of the 6th inning 6-4. Drew Gilbert singled driving Willy Adames home from second extending their lead. The Giants Adrian Houser and Sam Hentges combined on the mound to close-out the bottom of the seventh inning.
Drew Gilbert had his third hit of the game in the top of the eighth. He was having some great production at the plate which included his two run home run and three RBIs. San Francisco had two outs and two on in the top of the inning looking for more insurance runs.
Colorado has an explosive offense so trailing by only two runs was not at all out of their wheelhouse. The Giants wanted to pad that lead but unfortunately Schmitt grounded out leaving Gilbert and Luis Arraez stranded.
The Rockies got a rally going in the bottom of the seventh. TJ Rumfield doubled and Troy Johnston was hit by a pitch and with only one out Colorado was threatening. Then disaster hit when Kyle Karros knocked the ball out of the park, a three run homer taking the lead 7-6.
San Francisco got out of the inning but had some work to do in the top of the ninth inning. When it was looking so promising, the Giants were now three outs away from losing the series.
Heliot Ramos was first up in the ninth facing Jordan Romano on the mound who came in to try and close out the game. This was only his second outing. Ramos grounded out for the first out.
Rafael Devers struck out and San Francisco was down to their last out. Jung Hoo Lee came to the plate and got his first hit of the game and there was a glimmer of hope for the Giants.
Adames struck out and the Rockies had won the game and the series in a huge disappointment. Unfortunately the Giants have seen this far too many times over the season.
GAME NOTES
Starting pitcher Tyler Mahle started today for San Francisco. He pitched 4 1/3 innings allowing eight hits, three earned runs no walks with five strikeouts. He was relieved by Erik Miller in the fifth inning. He pitched 1 2/3 innings spotless with two strikeouts.
Adrian Houser and Sam Hentges combined successfully on the mound in the seventh inning. Dylan Smith came in to try and close out this game and sadly gave up two hits and three runs. The Rockies took the 7-6 lead into the top of the ninth inning and Colorado closer Jordan Romano finished off San Francisco.
The highlights of this game were the four homers hit by the Giants but the late game loss was a tough pill to swallow. Rafael Devers had two home runs and Drew Gilbert with another, Casey Schmitt with the fourth. They came into the game with some nice plate production but left too many runners on base. This was just another blown lead for San Francisco.
It will be a quiet ride home for the Giants no doubt. It’s just been an awful season for the them. They will need to put this series in the rear view mirror having little time before they take on the Toronto Blue Jays Monday night.
The Giants plan on starting Landen Roupp. He has a 5-8 win/loss record and a 4.55 ERA. Kevin Gausman will take the mound for the Blue Jays with a 4-7 win/loss record and a 4.19 ERA. First pitch for this game is scheduled for 6:45 PM PDT.
Miami Marlins Otto Lopez (front) on second base after hitting an RBI double, the Sacramento A’s second baseman Jeff McNeil (22) can’t bare to watch in the top of the fifth inning at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento on Sat Jul 4, 2026 (AP News photo)
By Jeremiah Salmonson
WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The A’s looked to get back on track and even the three-game series with the Marlins on the Fourth of July. The A’s haven’t won a series since June 8-10 against the Brewers and are in desperate need of some momentum as they head toward the All-Star break. The A’s dropped Game 1 to the Marlins on Friday and looked for Aaron Civale to even the series against Sandy Alcantara.
On Saturday, Aaron Civale and the A’s weren’t able to keep the Marlins at bay as they dropped Game 2, 7-2.
Aaron Civale made his 15th start of the season for the A’s, and it didn’t go according to plan for the right-hander. Civale struggled throughout the game and only made it through four and two-thirds innings while surrendering four runs on six hits, walking four and striking out six. Civale did his best to keep the A’s in it, but his 84 pitches were enough to prompt Mark Kotsay to go to the bullpen.
“I think for Aaron, a couple home runs put the ball up in the zone a little bit,” Kotsay said after the game. “For us as an offense to get behind, it’s tough to generate offense right now to score runs. Overall, the starting pitching is what we need to improve. We need to get guys deep into games. Zeros early for some momentum.”
The A’s bullpen had to carry a heavy load again on Saturday after Civale departed with two outs in the fifth inning.
Mark Kotsay elected to go with Elvis Alvarado for the final out of the fifth, which he recorded via a strikeout after issuing a walk.
In the sixth inning, José Suarez came in to pitch and delivered a scoreless inning of work. Suarez walked one but otherwise didn’t allow another baserunner during his outing.
In the seventh inning, Kade Morris came on in relief. As it turned out, Kotsay stuck with Morris for the remainder of the game as he threw the final three innings for the A’s. Morris didn’t pitch particularly well, but he provided the needed length for the A’s with a depleted bullpen in a game they were unlikely to come back and win. Morris finished his night allowing three runs on seven hits while walking two over three innings and 68 pitches of relief.
On the offensive side, it was a rough night for the A’s, who managed just two runs on eight hits while drawing one walk.
The A’s first run came in the seventh inning when Jeff McNeil hit a sacrifice fly to score Henry Bolte from third. It was McNeil’s 26th RBI of the season as he looks to get hot after his three-RBI night on Friday.
In the ninth inning, the A’s mounted one last rally as Joshua Kuroda-Grauer reached on an error by the shortstop, allowing Carlos Cortes to score the A’s second run of the game.
With the loss, the A’s fell to 41-48 on the season and extended their stretch without winning a series.
Sunday, the A’s will hope to avoid a sweep as they take on the Marlins at 1:30 p.m. PDT. Gage Jump (3-2, 2.93 ERA) is slated to start for the A’s, while the Marlins will counter with Eury Pérez (4-6, 4.21 ERA).
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.
Despite a rain delay in game two between the San Francisco Giants (37-51) and the Colorado Rockies (36-54) the game was finally able to get underway and the Giants delivered a little payback after Friday’s thrashing with a 6-4 win to tie the series. In game two the Giants scored four runs in the first inning.
The Rockies came back scoring three runs in the bottom of the first but San Francisco was a far different team today tacking on another run in the second, and one more in the third and the Giants offense was on task.
The Rockies settled down offensively after the first inning and the Giants slowed down after the third. There was not much in the way of offense, a hit here, a hit there. It all came down to the Giants relief pitching to keep the Rockies off the scoreboard and tie up the series and they did just that.
The Rockies had not scored since the first inning so some solid pitching for San Francisco. While Colorado did score a single run in the ninth inning it was too little too late.
GAME RECAP
It took a bit but game two between the Giants and the Rockies finally got underway. The game was delayed before first pitch because of lightning and rain. The game originally scheduled for 5:10 PM got first pitch off around 5:55 PM. In fact, fans were temporarily asked to leave the upper seating area during the lightning storm.
San Francisco got the bats working early giving the Rockies a little bit of their own medicine and then some by scoring four runs in the first inning. With one out, Luis Arraez singled followed by a Casey Schmitt double.
Rafael Devers walked and much like the lightning before the game, in a flash San Francisco had the bases loaded. Then the scoring got underway. Jung Hoo Lee grounded into a fielders choice to second and Arraez scored for the early 1-0 lead. Willy Adames doubled both Lee and Schmitt home and the Giants now had a 3-0 lead. Bryce Eldridge doubled Adames home and the first inning had been a most productive inning for the Giants leading 4-0.
Prior to the game there had been a change on the mound for the Rockies. Originally Tomoyuki Sugano was scheduled to start but was scratched just before the game with back spasms. Sean Sullivan from their Triple-A made the start instead.
When it looked like the Rockies would be shut out in the first inning it took a left turn. With Hunter Goodman and Tyler Freeman on base, Cole Carrigg hit the first home run of the game and Colorado was back in it although trailing 4-3. San Francisco would have to put some more runs on the board for insurance.
The Giants put up another run in the top of the second inning. Heliot Ramos doubled followed by a Luis Arraez single. Ramos scored and Arraez made it to second base. The Giants had now taken a 5-3 lead. Robbie Ray got through the bottom of the second inning only giving up a walk.
A Bryce Eldridge solo home run advanced the San Francisco lead to 6-3 in the top of the third inning. Ray gave up no hits in the third inning and it was off to the fourth.
Other than a single from Rafael Devers the San Francisco offense had calmed down a bit. After giving up the home run Robbie Ray was solid with a three and out in the bottom of the fourth.
Just when this game got up to speed there was a second delay just prior to going into the fifth inning. Home plate umpire Scott Barry was forced to leave the game after citing not feeling well. He appeared to get hit in the throat by a foul tip earlier and tried to carry on for an inning or so but could not continue.
The game was halted so his replacement could gear up and get out on the field. Fans took the opportunity to hit the concessions with ice cream being the go-to in the 88 degree heat Saturday.
This game had a little bit of everything as the top of the fifth finally got underway. The Rockies got out of the inning with ease and the game went into the bottom of the fifth. Colorado pitcher Sean Sullivan had settled down after the third inning and was holding his own but had already thrown 91 pitches through five innings. It was another quick inning for Robbie Ray with a couple of strikeouts and a flyout. He had a pitch count of 75.
Surprisingly Sullivan remained in the game in top of the sixth despite his pitch count. Giants got some offense going with a Luis Arraez single and a Chung Hoo Lee double. The Rockies made a pitching change at that point and Juan Mejia relieved Sullivan who had allowed 12 hits 6 earned runs, one walk with four strikeouts.
His pitch count was very high at 105. San Francisco had a great opportunity in the inning with two outs and the bases loaded. Bryce Eldridge fouled out and the Giants had squandered the chance to extend their lead.
Ray got into a bit of a jam in the bottom of the sixth. With Kyle Karros on third, Hunter Goodman on second and only one out, the Rockies were also looking at a scoring opportunity. Jake McCarthy ground out and that was the inning. Colorado had also squandered a scoring opportunity.
The top of the seventh inning was a quick one with Victor Bericoto and Eric Haase both striking out, Ramos lining out ending the top of the inning. Sam Hentges relieved Ray in the bottom of the seventh. Ray had allowed five hits, three earned runs, three walks and four strikeouts through six innings. Hentges made short work of the Rockies dismissing them one, two, three.
Antonio Senzatela took the mound for the Rockies to start the eighth inning. He allowed a Casey Schmitt single but not much else. The game went into the bottom of the inning and the Giants were counting on their relief pitching to finish off Colorado.
The offense for both teams had really quieted. Through eight innings San Francisco had more production at the plate with 13 hits, the Rockies only managing five. Dylan Smith came out of the Giants bullpen for the bottom of the eighth. He gave up one walk as this game went into the top of the ninth inning and San Francisco was three outs away from evening the series.
The Rockies did score a run in the bottom of the ninth but it was too little too late. San Francisco took game two 6-4 and now had a chance to take the series in game three Sunday.
GAME NOTES
San Francisco had a great start in this game scoring in the first three innings. Bryce Eldridge had a home run in the game and Luis Arraez with three hits. They finished the game with 14 hits to the Rockies seven.
The Giants swung the bats well in the early innings and the Rockies had really cooled off. They only scored in the first and the ninth innings of this game. Ray settled down after the first inning and sailed through the rest of his time on the mound. He shut the Rockies down after that rough first inning. Relief pitching kept the Rockies off base, a big part of this win.
Sunday the series winner will be decided in game three. Tyler Mahle will take the mound for the Giants. He has had his struggles with a 1-8 win/loss record and a 5.67 ERA. The Rockies will start Tanner Gordon. He comes into the game with an 0-2 win/loss record and a 6.69 ERA.
First pitch for game three is scheduled for 1:00 PM PDT. There is no sign of inclement weather on Sunday and a projected high of 92 degrees at first pitch.
Sacramento A’s Nick Kurtz slugs a two run home run in the bottom of the third inning against the Miami Marlins at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento on Fri Jul 3, 2026 (AP News photo)
Sacramento A’s podcast Mauricio Segura:
#1 The visiting Miami Marlins scored six times in the top of the first inning to pretty much set the tone for the rest of the game defeating the Sacramento A’s at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento 12-5.
#2 The Marlins in the first the Marlins took advantage of the A’s when catcher Shea Langeliers allowed a pass ball to get by him that allowed the Marlins Kyle Stowers to score to make it 2-0. The Marlins Heriberto Hernandez hit a 414 foot three run homer to give the Marlins a 5-0 lead. Jakob Marsee slugged a 381 foot home run to right field to make it 6-0.
#3 The only offense came in the third and fourth innings. In the third Nick Kurtz slugged a 457 foot two run home run to deep center to put the A’s on the scored board 7-2. The A’s in the fourth picked up three more runs when Jeff McNeil hit a three run double as the A’s pulled within two runs of the Marlins 7-5 but that would be the closest they’d get all night.
#4 Rough night for A’s starter Jack Perkins who got rocked allowing seven hits and seven runs in 3.2 innings that gave the Marlins their early lead at 7-2. What were some of the pitching mistakes that Perkins was making.
#5 A’s will try it all over again against the Marlins on Saturday. Starting pitcher for Miami RHP Sandy Alcantara (9-4 ERA 4.20) for Sacramento RHP Aaron Civale (5-5 ERA 5.05) first pitch 6:45pm 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.
San Francisco Giants starter Logan Webb got knocked around by the Colorado Rockies in his first three innings at Coors Field in Denver on Fri Jul 3, 2026 (AP News photo)
San Francisco Giants podcast Lincoln Juarez:
#1 The San Francisco Giants pitching staff experienced throwing in the thin Colorado Rocky Mountain air and they quickly saw the ball leave the yard without a mercy rule getting clobbered 15-3 at Coors Field.
#2 Giants starter Logan Webb was touched up in the first three innings of his start allowing 11 hits and seven runs, two walks, and two strikeouts.
#3 The Rockies scored seven runs in the fifth to rally on San Francisco pitching and after five innings the Rockies held a 14-2 lead.
#4 The only offense that the Giants could account were from Luis Arraez, Rafael Devers and Jung Hoo Lee each who scored a run falling way short of the goal.
#5 Giants try it all over again against the Rockies Saturday starting pitchers for San Francisco RHP Robbie Ray (7-6 ERA 3,39) for Colorado RHP Tomoyuki Sugano ((8-4 ERA 4.80) first pitch 5:10pm PDT.
Sacramento A’s Joshua Kuroda Grauer (44) slugs a fourth inning double against Miami Marlins catcher Joe Mack (90) at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento on Fri Jul 3, 2026 (Golden Bay Times photo)
By Jeremiah Salmonson
WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — After a day off on Thursday in Sacramento, the Athletics welcomed the Miami Marlins to Sutter Health Park for the start of a three-game series on Friday night.
The Marlins’ offense matched the 90-degree temperature early, and the A’s couldn’t overcome it as Miami defeated Sacramento, 12-5.
Jack Perkins took the hill for the A’s in hopes of helping the club start the series strong against the Marlins and carry over the momentum from the final game of the Dodgers series. However, Perkins struggled mightily, especially in the first inning, and lasted just three and two-thirds innings. Perkins gave up six runs in the opening frame, digging himself into a deep hole as he didn’t record an out until after allowing five runs. Overall, Perkins surrendered seven runs on seven hits while walking four and striking out eight.
“Tough first inning,” Kotsay said of Perkins after the game. “We know this team can hit, and when you leave balls middle-middle, you’re going to pay the price. So I think the grand slam obviously was the capper of that inning. Obviously, you get in trouble right away, it spirals a little bit out of control. I thought he did a nice job of settling down…”
Perkins spoke with the media after the game and appeared to be searching for answers.
“Just have to keep working… that’s something I’m always going to do,” Perkins said. “I’m trying to figure this out and I’m trying to get on a roll here, but I’m just not too sure what’s going on. I’ll get back to work tomorrow and hope to figure it out.”
The A’s once again needed a lengthy performance from their bullpen, and they turned to Jose Suarez to begin the relief effort. Suarez recorded the final out of the fourth inning after relieving Perkins and also pitched the fifth. Suarez was excellent, allowing only one walk over an inning and one-third while needing just 19 pitches.
In the sixth inning, Mark Kotsay called on Justin Sterner. Sterner was solid, but one mistake to Kyle Stowers cost him as he surrendered a solo home run, his only blemish in one inning of work.
Mark Leiter Jr. pitched the seventh inning for the A’s and was terrific. Leiter Jr. tossed a hitless frame, striking out two Marlins hitters while needing just 13 pitches.
The A’s ran into trouble again in the eighth inning when Mason Barnett entered the game. It was Kyle Stowers once again who did the damage after Barnett issued a walk before allowing a two-run homer, Stowers’ second home run of the game. Barnett returned for the ninth, and it was more of the same. He surrendered another two-run homer to stretch Miami’s lead to 12-5. Overall, Barnett pitched two innings, allowing four runs on three hits while walking two and striking out two.
Offensively, the A’s battled but ultimately couldn’t produce enough offense to overcome a 6-0 deficit before they even came to the plate.
In the bottom of the third inning, Nick Kurtz got the A’s on the board with a mammoth moonshot over the batter’s eye in center field. Kurtz’s home run left the bat at 113 mph and traveled 457 feet into the Sacramento evening. It was his 20th home run of the season and gave him RBIs Nos. 65 and 66.
The A’s added three more runs in the bottom of the fourth in an attempt to mount a comeback. Jeff McNeil connected for a bases-clearing, three-run double into the left-center gap. At the time, it pulled the A’s within two runs and made it seem as though a comeback was possible, but they failed to score again. Overall, the A’s finished with five runs on nine hits while drawing four walks and striking out eight times.
Mark Kotsay was encouraged by the fight his team showed after falling behind early.
“The offense did their job coming back and getting us back into that game,” Kotsay said. “It was a seven-to-five game at the time, I think. You’re a hit away from tying a game that you were down seven nothing. So there’s a lot of positive to the offense there.”
With the loss, the A’s fell to 41-47 on the season and 1-3 on the homestand.
Shea Langeliers left the game in the fourth inning after taking a ball awkwardly off his left thumb in the first. The A’s said X-rays revealed only a thumb contusion, and he is listed as day to day.
The A’s will face the Marlins in Game 2 of the series on Saturday, July 4, at 6:40 p.m. PDT. The A’s are slated to send Aaron Civale (5-5, 5.05 ERA) to the mound, while the Marlins will counter with Sandy Alcantara (9-4, 4.20 ERA).
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.
Colorado Rockies Jake McCarthy is thrilled after hitting a grand slam home run against the San Francisco Giants in the bottom of the fifth inning at Coors Field in Denver on Fri Jul 3, 2026 (AP News photo)
By Barbara Mason
This was a meeting of two struggling teams with similar records when the San Francisco Giants (36-51) took on the Colorado Rockies (36-53). With starter Logan Webb on the mound for the Giants Friday the game that ensued was a real shocker. Webb was absolutely blindsided. He didn’t know what hit him giving the Rockies a 7-1 lead after only three innings.
Webb had been pitching really well and so what went down was absolutely crazy. Webb finished the game allowing 11 hits, 7 runs, 2 walks, and 2 strikeouts. He left the game after three innings relieved by Matt Gage who had a pretty rough go as well. He allowed 4 hits and six runs. The Giants finished the game with only 8 hits, the Rockies 18. The final was a 15-3 slaughter.
GAME RECAP
Casey Schmitt singled in the first inning of the Giants matchup with the Colorado Rockies. Both of these teams are really struggling with similar records so the game is expected to be somewhat competitive.
The Schmitt single was all that San Francisco could generate but it was so very early in the game. With Webb on the mound for the Giants today expectations are high since he has been pitching really well lately.
Those expectations were crushed early. The first at bat, top of the order for the Rockies Jake McCarthy hit a solo home run to right and Colorado was off to the races. Mickey Moniak singled as did Hunter Goodman and TJ Rumfield and the bases were loaded. Webb walked Carrigg and the Rockies second run of the day scored. Freeman grounded into a double play and with only two outs, Goodman scored and the Rockies had a 3-0 lead.
Rockies starting pitcher Ryan Feltner was having a solid game through two innings. He had a three and out second inning and the Giants offense was struggling to start this game.
Webb was having an awful time only two innings into this game. He gave up a Kyle Karros single to start the second inning followed by a Ezequiel Tovar 2-run home run giving the Rockies a 5-0 lead. Webb gave up a couple more singles in the second inning but got out of the inning without further damage.
San Francisco got some offense in the top of the third inning and scored their first run of the game. Luis Arraez doubled followed by a Schmitt single that drove Arraez home. This game went into the bottom of the third with Colorado leading 5-1.
It was another disappointing inning for Webb giving up a Carrigg triple. He scored when Edouard Julien hit into a fielder’s choice extending their lead to 6-1. Webb gave up two more singles one to Ezequiel Tovar and a second to Jake McCarthy that drove Juien home and the Rockies took a 7-1 lead into the top of the fourth inning.
San Francisco got some offensive production to start the fourth inning. Jung Hoo Lee hit a bunt single advancing to second base on a throwing error by pitcher Feltner. Bryce Eldridge singled Lee home for their second run of the day.
There was a pitching change for San Francisco with Matt Gage relieving Webb. Webb had a horrendous day allowing 11 hits, 7 runs, 2 walks and only 2 strikeouts. Gage had a three and out bottom of the fourth. Colorado still had a significant lead going into the top of the fifth.
Rockies pitcher Ryan Feltner had yet another solid inning going three and out. Colorado had more in store for the Giants. The bottom of the fifth started with a Edouard Julien walk followed by a Kyle Karros single, another single from Ezequiel Tovar and once again the bases were loaded.
McCarthy cleared the bases hitting his eighth home run, this one a grand slam and the Rockies had taken an 11-2 lead. With one out Colorado had more for San Francisco. Hunter Goodman doubled, followed by a TJ Rumfield walk and a Carrigg triple.
Both Goodman and Rumfield scored and the Colorado lead was 13-2. Tylser Freeman singled Carrigg home and the score going into the sixth was 14-2. The Rockies were just plain hitting lights out and the Giants were unable to do much about it.
The Giants Rafael Devers hit a home run in the top of the sixth inning his 15th of the season but with the score 14-3, single runs in an inning were merely a dribble. San Francisco made a pitching change mid-way through the fifth with Ryan Walker relieving Gage and he remained in the game going into the bottom of the sixth. Gage pitched 1 1/3 innings allowing 4 hits, 6 runs, 2 walks with a single strikeout. Walker had a solid bottom of the sixth inning going three and out.
It was a quick top of the seventh inning for Colorado. There was a pitching change for the Rockies in the inning with Gabriel Hughes relieving Feltner who had done a terrific job. He pitched six innings and had allowed 6 hits, 3 runs, 2 walks with 9 strikeouts. Despite a fielding error by Karros in the inning the score remained 14-3. San Francisco took care of the Rockies in the bottom of the seventh.
The Rockies would add one more run in the bottom of the eighth inning for a final score of 15-3. Ezequiel Tovar sacrificed Kyle Karros home. Colorado had scored in five of the eight innings played three of them with multiple runs and a grand slam.
GAME NOTES
It was an outstanding start for Feltner who pitched through six innings. It was the exteme opposite for Webb. He was coming off an outstanding June in which he was named National League Pitcher of the month but he was hit hard early in this game. He only lasted three innings giving up 11 hits, 7 runs, 2 walks with 2 strikeouts.
It was equally tough for San Francisco reliever Gage who allowed 4 hits, 6 runs, 2 walks and only 1 strikeout in 1 1/3 innings. When the dust had settled San Francisco pitching had collectively allowed 18 hits, 15 runs, 6 walks and only 4 strikeouts.
It was not a great day on the mound for the Giants. The Rockies leadoff batter McCarthy had a terrific game with a couple of homeruns (grand slam), 4 hits, and 6 RBIs. The Giants Rafael Devers had a couple of hits which included his 15th home run of the season and Schmitt also had a couple of hits. Other than that the San Francisco offense was pretty stagnant.
Saturday the Giants will get another crack at Colorado. Robbie Ray will start for San Francisco in game two. He will attempt to cool off the red-hot Rockies and tie up this series.
Ray comes into this game with a 7-6 win/loss record and a 3.39 ERA. Colorado will send Tomoyuki Sugano to the mound. He has a 8-4 win/loss record and a 4,80 ERA. First pitch for this game is scheduled for 5:10 PM.
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