Tag: mlb

No Mercy A’s lose in 7 run 2nd inning 10-2 in Twin killing

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Saturday, June 22nd, 2024

By Troy Ewers

The Oakland A’s host the Minnesota Twins on Saturday matinee game. The starting pitchers are Bailey Ober for Minnesota and JP Sears for Oakland. Sears got lit up for nine hits and eight runs as the Twins took out the A’s 10-2.  

The game for the Twins opened up in the top of the first with Ryan Jeffers getting hit by pitch and scoring Manuel Margot, 1-0 Twins. The A’s followed up with JJ Bleday solo homer to even up the score 1-1, but the 2nd inning was where the Twins blew it up. 

Margot hit a three run homer and it was 4-1 Twins. JP Sears seemed visibly rattled after that home run and then gave up a Jose Miranda double to score Lewis and Correa. 6-1 Twins. Byron Buxton would then score Miranda off a double and it initiated a pitching change for the A’s. 7-1 Twins. 

Osvaldo Bido replaced JP Sears, but it didn’t matter in the inning. Kyle Farmer hit an infield single and scored Jeffers for an 8-1 lead in second.Tyler Soderstrom hit a home run to try to get some ground back for Oakland, 8-2.

In the third Miranda doubled and scored Lewis for a 9-2 lead for Minnesota. 

The next score would be in the seventh when Correa doubled to left and scored Margot to make it 10-2 at this point. From here it was a close job for Minnesota. Margot with a three hit game. 

Sunday the A’s face the Twins in the closing game of the series. With Hogan Harris (1-0, 2.37) on the hill for Oakland and Pablo Lopez (6-6, 5.63) on the hill for Minnesota.

Cardinals and heat too much for Hicks, Giants drop fourth-straight in 9-4 loss in St. Louis

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San Francisco Giants starter Jordan Hicks delivers against the St Louis Cardinals in the bottom of the first inning at Busch Stadium in St Louis on Sat Jun 22, 2024 (AP News photo)

Saturday, June 22, 2024

Busch Stadium

St. Louis, Missouri

San Francisco Giants 4 (36-41)

St. Louis Cardinals Cubs 9 (38-37)

Win: Mike Mikolas (6-6)

Loss: Jordan Hicks (4-4)

Time: 2:28

Attendance: 41,815

By Stephen Ruderman

The Giants scored three runs in the top of the first inning, but the heat got to Jordan Hicks and the Giants, as the Cardinals clubbed four home runs en route to a 9-4 win on a hot and muggy Saturday afternoon at Busch Stadium to hand the Giants their fourth-straight loss..

The Giants had a big comeback win Monday night against the Cubs at Wrigley Field, but they have since lost three in a row, including a hard-fought 6-5 loss to the Cardinals Thursday night at Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama. Saturday, the teams came over to St. Louis to continue this three-game series on a hot and muggy afternoon at Busch Stadium.

Despite the losing streak, the Giants’ offense has come to life over the last three games, and with the heat in St. Louis, they looked to keep that going against Cardinals’ starter Miles Mikolas. Brett Wisely led off the ballgame, and singled the other way to left field to get things started.

Heliot Ramos bounced out on a chopper to short, which moved Wisely to second base, and Patrick Bailey struck out looking on a sinker right on the inside corner. That left things up to Jorge Soler, who is finally swinging the bat with runners in scoring position after brutally struggling in these situations until a week and a half ago.

Soler worked a six-pitch at-bat, and shot a base-hit out to left-center to knock in Wisely and put the Giants on the board. Matt Chapman followed that up with a base-hit to right-center to move Soler over to third.

The batter was now Michael Conforto, and after Chapman stole second, Conforto flipped a base-hit out to right-center to knock in a pair and make it 3-0.

The Giants were in a good position. Their offense manufactured three runs in the top of the first inning, and they had the reliable Jordan Hicks going for them on the mound. Hicks, a crafty Farhan Zaidi signing over the off-season, came into Saturday’s game 3-2 with a 2.82 ERA in his first year as a starter.

However, there would be the question of how Hicks would deal with the head and humidity of St. Louis. Hicks got off to a good start, and he got Masyn Winn to fly out to center to start the bottom of the first, but Alec Burleson reached on an infield hit, and longtime Giants killer Paul Goldschmidt golfed out a sinker at the knees and hit a two-run home run that carried out to straightaway center to make it 3-2.

Nolan Gorman then walked, stole second and got to third on a wild pitch, but Hicks was able to settle down and get out of the inning with the Giants still ahead.

Both teams went down scoreless in the second inning, and after a two-out walk to Chapman in the top of the third, Conforto, who had already knocked in a pair with a base-hit in the first, hit a double that hit off the bottom of the wall in right-center to score Chapman and make it 4-2. For Conforto, he had knocked in three runs in the first three innings of this one.

Wynn grounded out to third to start the bottom of the third, but Burelson walked and stole second, and Hicks would be in trouble again.

Hicks was also sweating buckets in his jersey in what was our first real look at how the cheap jerseys that Nike and Major League Baseball introduced this season would hold off in the heat. Players were sweating buckets in these jerseys with temperatures in the 60s, and with the temperature at Busch Stadium at 93 degrees, it had an obvious impact on Hicks.

Goldschmidt flew out to left, but Hicks’ control was going on him, and he hit Gorman with a pitch with two outs. Nolan Arenado walked to load the bases, but Hicks got Brennan Donovan to fly out to center to end the inning with the Giants’ lead still at 4-2.

Mikolas pitched the first 1-2-3 inning for either team in the top of the fourth, and Hicks, who came back out to the mound with a new jersey in the bottom of the fourth, set down the first two men he faced. However, just as it seemed that Hicks was finally going to have an easy inning, things went south.

Dylan Carlson, who was in the game for the injured center-fielder, Michael Siani, singled with two outs, and Winn doubled Siani over to third. That brought up Burelson, who hit a three-run home run out to the Cardinals’ bullpen in right-center to give St. Louis their first lead of the afternoon.

Hicks was done after four, and he really did the best he could considering the climate and the cheap jerseys he had to wear out there. The Cardinals led 5-4 going to the fifth, and Mikolas, who appeared on the ropes earlier, settled down in the middle innings, and threw a 1-2-3 shutdown inning in the top of the fifth.

Sean Hjelle came in for San Francisco in the bottom of the fifth and pitched through some trouble, and Mikolas finished his afternoon with a 1-2-3 top of the sixth, as he set down the final 10 Giants he faced.

Winn singled with one out in the bottom of the sixth, and then Burelson made it 7-4 with his second home run of the game, another ball that was golfed out and carried to straightaway center.

For the Giants, this was not the end of the world. With their offense somewhat awake again and showing their propensity to come back like they did when they won 10 of 12 in mid-to-late May, there was no reason why they couldn’t pull off a comeback Saturday.

However, left-hander Jojo Romero and right-hander Ryan Fernandez combined to throw a scoreless top of the seventh. Brennan Donovan then got in on the home run action with a solo shot to right off Luke Jackson in the bottom of the seventh, which was the fourth of the day for St. Louis.

The Cardinals now led it 8-4, and they were still looking to add on further in the bottom of the seventh. Catcher Pedro Pages—pronounced (pah-HEZZ)—and Dylan Carlson both singled to put runners at first and second with two outs for the top of the order.

Winn then lined a base-hit to right, and Pages chugged around third to score and make it 9-4, but the one piece of good news was that Winn was tagged out in a rundown trying to stretch it into a double.

Soler and Chapman both singled off Fernandez with one out in the top of the eighth to spark some comeback hopes for the Giants, but that was quickly snuffed out when Fernandez retired the next two he faced.

Spencer Bivens came in for his third-career big league outing in the bottom of the eighth. After struggling against the Cubs at Wrigley on Wednesday, he returned to the form he had in his debut, and pitched a 1-2-3 inning.

Kyle Leahy came in for St. Louis and pitched a scoreless top of the ninth to end it, as the Cardinals won it 9-4.

Miles Mikolas got the win; Jordan Hicks got the tough loss; and for the first time in his major league career, Spencer Bivens did not get a decision.

The Giants have now lost four in a row and fall to 36-41. Saturday, they will try to avoid tying a season-high six-games under .500, as they will try to snap their losing streak and salvage a game in this series.

Sunday’s thriller: Logan Webb (6-5, 2.99 ERA) will be on the mound, and he will be opposed by veteran Sonny Gray (8-4, 2.95 ERA). First pitch will be at 1:15 p.m. in St. Louis, and 11:15 a.m. back home in San Francisco.

Oakland A’s Relocation podcast with Daniel Dullum: Source-Oakland Mayor will have to resign over FBI raid and investigation

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Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao’s home was raided by the FBI on Thu Jun 20, 2024. Agents were seen walking out with ice chest size cases. It’s speculated that they were searching for documents related to propriety of campaign contributions. Thao or her office had no comment regarding the raid. (San Francisco Chronicle photo)

Oakland A’s Relocation podcast with Daniel:

#1Daniel Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao’s home was raided by FBI agents Thursday morning. Reporters on the scene asked agents present what was the reason for the raid they didn’t reply. Miles away in Oakland a dozen agents raided the homes of president and CEO David Duong of Cal Waste Solutions and his son Andy Duong. The City of Oakland in the past had investigated Cal Water Solutions over ownership of campaign contributions that went to Thao and other elected officials.

#2 Teresa Hoang who spoke to the press and is a staff member at Cal Waste Solutions said that they are confident that they’ll be cleared from any wrong doing at the conclusion of the investigation. Mayor Thao’s last and latest involvement with the Oakland A’s was attempt at an interim deal to keep the A’s at the Oakland Coliseum that fell apart after the A’s declined to pay $97million for three years rent between 2025-27. The Coliseum Joint Authority and the City dropped the price to $60 million and the A’s declined again and made a deal with Sacramento and Sacramento Rivercats owner Vivek Ranadive.

#3 Daniel, talk about the economic damage moving the Oakland A’s will do to not only the City of Oakland and the East Bay but it also impacts the market share of the Bay Area being the sixth largest market?

#4 Even at this point right now there is still an uncertainty that this move to Las Vegas will even go through in the first place. Will A’s owner John Fisher be able to find those minority investors that the Los Angeles investment firm he hired be able to come through so far just like in Las Vegas no one has stepped up.

#5 The A’s will be playing rent free at Sutter Health Field but for how long? The A’s situation needs to be resolved by closing in of April 2025 which is the target date for putting shovels in the ground in Las Vegas if they want to meet the April 2028 opening of the new park deadline.

Daniel Dullum does the A’s relocation podcasts each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

#4

Oakland A’s podcast with Jeremiah Salmonson: A’s face one of their toughest nemesis in the Twins tonight

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Freddy Fermin is in a groove for the Kansas City Royals taking the Oakland A’s pitching deep for his second home run in the top of the fourth inning at the Oakland Coliseum on Thu Jun 20, 2024 (AP News photo)

Oakland A’s podcast with Jeremiah Salmonson:

#1 The Oakland A’s are coming off a very close effort to a sweep after losing nine straight games as they just lost to the Kanas City Royals on Thursday afternoon 3-2 at the Oakland Coliseum.

#2 The Royals struck first with two home runs one in the second and another in the fourth by Freddy Fermin to give KC a 2-0 lead. For a moment there any thoughts of a sweep of the Royals might be in doubt.

#3 The A’s Zach Gelof struck back with a two run bottom of the seventh home run to tie it up 2-2 and the possibility of a sweep was back on again.

#4 Then came the Royals Bobby Witt Jr in the top of the eighth who cleared the fence with a solo home run that turned out to be the gamer for a Royals 3-2 win. The did win the series taking two out of three from the Royals.

#5 The A’s open a three game series tonight against the Minnesota Twins. Starting pitcher for the Twins RHP Chris Paddock (5-3, ERA 5.25) the A’s will start Joey Estes (2-2, ERA 5.97) The last time these two clubs met June 13-16 in a four game series the Twins swept the A’s in two single games, rained out on the 15th and the A’s were swept in a doubleheader on Sun 16th. No doubt the Twins are a tough customer.

Jeremiah Salmonson does the A’s podcasts each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

#3

The Stars hold on for a 6-5 win over the Sea Lions at Rickwood Field on Thursday

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St Louis Cardinals Brendan Donovan rounds the bases after his two-run homer off the San Francisco Giants’ Keaton Winn in the first inning at Rickwood Field in Birmingham during the Negro League Tribute game on Thursday, June 20, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Morris Phillips

BIRMINGHAM—Flashy, throwback television tricks and a whole bunch of baseball history highlighted the St. Louis Cardinals 6-5 win over the San Francisco Giants on Thursday night at Rickwood Field.

Yeah, that part. The Stars beat the Sea Lions. Amongst the extremely-crowded group of nine NL contenders who have losing records, St. Louis got the leg up. The Giants dropped their third straight, and second consecutive game by an identical 6-5 score. The Giants have a rare Friday evening off before finishing their disjointed three-game set with the Cardinals in St. Louis.

“You look around and kind of can feel what transpired here a long time ago and the players that played on the field,” manager Bob Melvin said. “It’d be nice to win the game, but it was a pretty cool experience.”

The Stars built a 3-0 lead with Nolan Gorman’s run scoring sacrifice fly in the first inning and Brendan Donovan’s two-run home run in the second. Both surges were off starter Keaton Winn, who was lifted in the third inning, the conclusion of an outing in which he allowed five runs on five hits with only two strikeouts.

Randy Rodriguez relieved Winn and his wild pitch while facing Matt Carpenter gave the Cardinals an early 5-3 lead.

The Giants were able to get even briefly when Heliot Ramos connected for a three-run shot off Andre Pallante in the third. Pallante steadied and picked up the win. He allowed three runs on seven hits while striking out five.

Matt Chapman was 1 for 5, and Michael Conforto 0 for 4 in the middle of the Sea Lions lineup constructed by Melvin. Along with Winn’s poor outing, Rodriguez’ wild pitch and the inability to grab a lead at any point, the Giants weren’t all-around good enough to break their losing ways at 114-year old Rickwood. The TV lights, the tiny crowd, and even the fear that there could be a security breach didn’t change the visitor’s poor habits. Wearing snazzy home throwback uniforms didn’t help either.

LaMonte Wade and Cardinal legend Willie McGee weren’t honorary captains, but the pair did escort 99-year old Negro League legend Bill Greason on to the field before the game. Wade’s attempt to play in the game was aborted. His rehab from a hamstring injury continues. Melvin wanted Wade to at least have an opportunity to pinch hit in the game but that fell short when the recovery process didn’t progress quickly enough.

The Giants conclude their road trip over the weekend before a quick turnaround at Oracle Park for games against the Cubs on Monday through Wednesday.

Rickwood Field is on the air….

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The San Francisco Sea Lions’ Heliot Ramos watches the flight of his three-run homer against the St. Louis Stars in the third inning at Rickwood Field in Birmingham the Negro Leagues and Willie Mays Tribute on Thursday June 20, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Morris Phillips

BIRMINGHAM–Nobody got a day off. And nobody got to see all the different bounces in the outfield area either. Well, third base coach Matt Williams did try to show his outfielders what to expect by peppering batting practice balls in off the showy, TV friendly fences. He did that.

Rickwood Field is television. And television is Rickwood Field.

And baseball, for one day, is only slightly more important than spectacle. Forget for a minute that the Giants as well as the Cardinals are fighting for their lives in a crowded, flailing group of National League underachievers.

“Today it feels like it’s a little bit more than baseball,” said Masyn Winn of the Cardinals.

The Giants needed a win, but the Giants organization needed to grieve. Willie Mays has died. It makes for a tough balance, even with a dream-like setting, a national audience, and more in-house historians than you can shake a stick at. Juneteenth, summer solstice and locals beaming with pride round out a very dense mix.

The baseball history in Birmingham begins with Rickwood Field in 1910. The players came soon after. They were black ballplayers with skill and showmanship. Black Birmingham adored those players. Blacks had to envelop those players because white Birmingham wanted to harm them and get them to disappear.

Reggie Jackson came the year after Bull Connor left. He hated the attitudes in the Magic City. He admitted with brutal honesty on FOX’s pre-game show that his temper could have gotten him strung up.

“The nigger can’t stay here. The nigger can’t eat here,” an angry Jackson said of the typical reception he would receive. At the end of his rant about the blatant racism in 1964, Jackson had hto be consoled by Alex Rodriguez on air.

An hour later, Jackson was good again, talking to FOX’s John Smoltz and Joe Davis, and remembering Mays.

“I was honored that he wanted to know who I was.”

Yes, Birmingham is uplifting. It’s also frustrating. And at night, Birmingham is dangerous. Young people here don’t necessarily fall into savory occupations and lifestyles. This keeps things on the edge in 2024.

“Our people are apathetic,” Jeff Drew said.

No Fortune 500 businesses, the prevalence of drugs, a below average school district, and the percentage of single parent homes are all problems for Birmingham.

Businessman Jeff Drew is trying to maintain hope for the future of his town. His family maintained a storefront office in the downtown district beginning in 1950. They had as many as six employees there. But Drew went years without interviewing any black men for a job. And when a particularly callous couple used colorful language around Drew he was disturbed. Soon after, he closed his office and began working from home.

Drew already had issues. Martin Luther King picked Birmingham to give his movement its biggest showdown. Essentially, Martin against Bull Connor and his boys. There were water hoses, embarrassment and pain. Black people suffered and they learned. Drew learned. Martin learned too when he was thrown in jail for “parading without a permit.”

What Drew learned was Martin’s non-peaceful, peaceful ways. When Martin told the Kennedy brothers, “We think you support Bull Connor and segregation,” a line was drawn across the South. Martin would then hang up the phone on the Kennedys. President Kennedy changed his tune after Martin hung up, and provided his full support to the movement.

“He couldn’t beat us,” Drew said of JFK. “He had to join us.”

Great baseball teams did the same in Birmingham. They joined, and people, fans, joined too to support these teams and players. Willie Mays joined the Barons as a teenager. He wasn’t the only name on the marquee. Mays was just getting started, but he already knew who he was.

Tuesday’s minor league game and Thursday’s big league game between the St. Louis Stars and the San Francisco Sea Lions were reminders. They also brought hope that MLB will return soon. Maybe next year.

“I think there should be a three-game series with an off-day,” said Sea Lion Mike Yastrzemski, a visionary for future events at Rickwood Field.

And third base coach Williams just wanted his Sea Lions outfielders prepared. Hitting baseballs pre-game off the colorful, outfield panels displayed the bounces, the nuances.

“I was prepared,” Yastrzemski said.

Donovon leads Cards with home run edge Giants 6-5 in tribute game for Willie Mays, Negro Leagues at Rickwood Field

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By Morris Phillips

BIRMINGHAM–St Louis Cardinals Brandon Donovon’s two run home run and double made a huge difference in a one run game defeating the San Francisco Giants 6-5 at Rickwood Field in Birmingham in a game that honored the late Giants great outfielder Willie Mays and the Negro Leagues.

Mays formerly played at Rickwood Field with the Birmingham Black Barons and did not feel good enough to fly to Birmingham for the game died at 93 years old on Tuesday just two days before the tribute game at the oldest professional baseball park. Rickwood is 115 years old this year.

Former Black Barons player Bill Greason was on hand to throw out the first ball and the game had it’s first all black umpire crew combined from the American and National Leagues . San Francisco pitcher Keaton Winn was going for San Francisco and Donovon hit his seventh homer of the season off Winn.

Donovon was swinging a hot bat who was 3-3 which included a third inning double and a sixth inning RBI. “What a special night,” Donovan said. “I mean, this is something that we should celebrate. This right here is pretty amazing. And to do it in Alabama, I’ve got some friends and family in the stands, it’s like playing summer ball again.”

Earlier in the game the Giants Heliot Ramos hit a three run home run off Cards pitcher Andre Pallante to tie it up in the top of the third inning for his tenth home run. The Cardinals got the lead back in the bottom of the third when Nolan Gorman hit a sacrifice fly to bring in a run.

Same clubs on Saturday as both the Giants and Cardinals have Friday off and will meet again at Busch Stadium in St Louis for a Saturday and Sunday series. The Giants will start RHP Jordan Hicks (4-3, ERA 2.82) for the Cards Miles Mikolas (5-6, ERA 4.59) first pitch 11:15pm PT.

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: 2024: The Final Season of the A’s at the Coliseum–(Part V) – Rickey’s 939

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Rickey Henderson of the Oakland A’s hoists his 939th career stolen base for the Oakland Coliseum crowd to see. Rickey is the subject of That’s Amaury News and Commentary. (photo from ebay)

2024: The Final Season of the A’s at the Coliseum (Part V) – Rickey’s 939 —

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

Since 2024 is the last year that the A’s will play at the Coliseum, I have highlighted the great moments that took place there in this series of articles. Over the decades, I have given my opinion on who is the best player ever to have worn an Oakland Athletics jersey, and I have spoken about it and written about it in two languages.

That guy is Rickey Henderson. On May 1, 1991, during a warm and muggy afternoon at the Coliseum, Rickey made history as he broke Lou Brock’s 938 stolen base record. The A’s were facing the New York Yankees. Rickey tried to steal second base in the first inning, but Yankee catcher Matt Nokes made a perfect throw, and Rickey was out.

In the fourth, Henderson made another try. It was a different outcome. He reached base on an error and took second on a Dave Henderson single. Rickey took off, and he had stolen third base, no doubt about it, with his typical head-first slide. That was his 939 stolen base, breaking Lou Brock’s record.

Rickey stood up and lifted the base over his head, and seconds later, he said, “I am the greatest of all time”. A’s equipment manager, Frank Ciensczyk, brought out a replacement base. Rickey and his mother, Bobbie and Lou Brock all join the recently crowned stolen base king on the field around third base. They all share hugs with Rickey.

Then Rickey talked to the crowd (36,139). “It took a long time, huh?” and finished by saying, “Lou Brock was a great base stealer, but today I am the greatest of all time.” The first thing that surprised me was that Rickey has shown no humility. It sounded like what the great Muhamad Ali (in Boxing) used to say: that he was the greatest of all time. However, Rickey was saying a statement of fact; it just happened.

He just became the King of Steal; Rickey also personally thanked Lou Brock, who has been in the Bay Area for a while, following Rickey Henderson each at-bat, when he got on base, and especially when he went for a steal. Lou Brock was a class act; he passed in 2020. He was patient while waiting for baseball history to be made, and he witnessed Rickey Henderson’s outstanding achievement.

I covered that game and will remember it forever. Rickey Henderson went on to play for another 12 years, with various teams amassing 467 more steals. Today, Rickey Henderson remains the undisputed King of Steal in the history of Major League Baseball, with 1,406 stolen bags.

Note: Today, the active player with the most stolen bases is Starling Marte on the New York Mets, who in his 13-year career has 350 steals. Marte, born in the Dominican Republic, is 25 years old. Quote: “I’d walk through hell in a gasoline suit to play baseball. -Rickey Henderson..

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the lead play by play voice on the Oakland A’s Spanish radio network at 1010 KIQI San Francisco and 990 KATD Pittsburg and does News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Royals hit three home runs in 3-2 win over A’s to salvage game in series

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Kansas City Royals Bobby Witt Jr connected for a go ahead home run in the top of the eighth inning as the run stood up and helped the Royals avoid being swept by the Oakland A’s at the Oakland Coliseum on Thu June, 2024 (AP News photo)

Thursday, June 20, 2024

Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum

Oakland, California

Kansas City Royals 3 (42-34)

Oakland Athletics 2 (28-49)

Win: James McArthur (3-4)

Loss: Vinny Nittoli (0-1)

Save: Chris Stratton (4)

Time: 2:23

Attendance: 8,753

By Stephen Ruderman

OAKLAND–The A’s were unable to get the sweep, as the Royals hit three home runs, two by Freddy Fermin, and beat Oakland 3-2 to take the series.

It hasn’t been the best of times for the A’s. After a six-game winning streak got Oakland back to .500 on May 4, following a 20-4 blowout of the Miami Marlins, they went on to go 9-31 in their next 40 games. They then hit rock bottom with a nine-game losing streak that was snapped Tuesday night with a 7-5 win over the Royals.

The A’s won again last night 5-1 to win back-to-back games for the first time since their six-game winning streak. Thursday, they looked to make it three in a row with Mitch Spence on the mound on this cool and beautiful partly cloudy afternoon at the Coliseum. 

Spence pitched a 1-2-3 top of the first inning, and the A’s came to bat in the bottom of the first against the Royals’ veteran right-hander, Seth Lugo. JJ Bleday drew a one-out walk, but Lugo got Miguel Andujar to ground to short for a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning.

Freddy Fermin hit a home run to left field with one out in the top of the second to give Kansas City a 1-0 lead. MJ Melendez followed Fermin’s home run with a double to left, and Dairon Blanco reached on an infield hit that hit off the glove of spence and died out in the middle in the middle of the infield.

The Royals were looking to add on, as they had runners at first and second base with one out for Garrett Hampson. Spence was then able to settle down, as Hampson popped out to second on an infield fly, and Kyle Isbel struck out swinging to end the inning.

The A’s went down 1-2-3 in the top of the second, as did the Royals in the top of the third. Zack Gelof lined a base-hit out to left-center for Oakland’s first hit of the game to lead off the bottom of the third, but Kyle McCann immediately followed that up by grounding into a double play. Aledmys Diaz singled with two outs, but he would be left at first.

The game was going along quite quickly, as it took just 35 minutes to get through the first three innings

Fermin hooked a ball down the left field line for his second home run of the game with one out in the top of the fourth to make it 2-0 Royals. Just like in the top of the second, Melendez followed up Fermin’s home run with a double, but like the top of the second, Spence escaped further damage.

Andujar singled with one out in the bottom of the fourth, but Brent Rooker grounded into Oakland’s third double play of the afternoon to end the inning. Spence and Lugo both pitched 1-2-3 innings in the fifth, and even though the game had slowed down a bit, both pitchers were on in what was a pitcher’s duel.

Spence retired the first two men he faced in the top of the sixth, but Fermin singled the other way to right for his third hit of the game, and Melendez worked a 12-pitch plate appearance into a walk. At that point, Mark Kotsay got his bullpen going, but Spence struck Blanco out looking on a cutter just off the outside to end the inning and his day.

Spence was solid this afternoon, and though the 12-pitch walk may have taken him out of this game earlier than he would have liked, he still gave the A’s everything he needed. Spence did give up six hits, but he limited the Royals to two runs over six innings, while striking out seven.

“I’m starting to get confidence in the rotation,” said Spence. “[I’m] just trying to do the best I can. If the A’s see me in the rotation, then I’ll be in the rotation.”

Max Schuemann singled off Lugo with two outs in the bottom of the sixth, and Bleday walked, and the A’s had a two-out rally going. However, Andujar flew out to left to end the inning.

The new pitcher for Oakland in the top of the seventh with Vinny Nittoli, and he struck out the first two men he faced en route to a 1-2-3 inning. Lugo also struck out the first two men he faced in the bottom of the seventh, but he wouldn’t be so lucky with two outs. 

Lawrence Butler doubled, and Zack Gelof tied the game with a home run to center. The A’s were now looking to do even more. Kyle McCann drew a walk, and Kotsay had Abraham Toro pinch-hit for Aledmys Diaz. Royals Manager Matt Quataro then brought in James McArthur.

Toro ripped a double down the right field line. Right-fielder Dairon Blanco picked it up in the corner and got it in to the second-baseman, Adam Frazier. A’s Third-Base Coach Eric Martins surprisingly waved in McCann, who was thrown out by a mile at the plate by Frazier’s relay.

It was a brand-new game at 2-2 going to the eighth, as Nittoli came out for another inning. However, Bobby Witt Jr. immediately greeted Nittoli with an absolute bomb to left to put the Royals back ahead.

Schuemann walked off McArthur to start the bottom of the eighth, but he was picked off at first base. That proved to be costly for Oakland, as they got runners to the corners with two outs, but left-hander Angel Zerpa came in and got pinch-hitter Tyler Nevin to ground out to short to end the inning.

T.J. McFarland pitched a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the ninth, and Zerpa was back out to try and convert the four-out save in the bottom of the ninth.

Lawrence Butler reached on a bobbled ground ball by Witt at short to start the inning, and Zack Gelof was called out on a slider right at the knees by Home Plate Umpire D.J. Reyburn for the first out. Kotsay then brought up Shea Langiliers to pinch-hit for catcher Kyle McCann, and even though Gelof was the one called out, McCann had some words for Reyburn from the dugout and was promptly ejected.

“The zone was good; DJ was doing a good job all day,” said Kotsay. “It’s just the emotion of the game.”

Langeliers singled Butler over to second, and that prompted Quatato to bring in Chris Stratton. The A’s were in perfect position, as they had runners at first and second—the tying run at second, and the winning run at first—with one out. However, Stratton got pinch-hitter Daz Cameron and Max Schuemann to both fly out, and the Royals held on to win 3-2. 

James McArthur got the win; Vinny Nittoli took the loss; and Chris Stratton picked up his fourth save of the year.

The A’s fall to 28-49, and they will welcome the Minnesota Twins to the Coliseum for three starting Friday night. Joey Ested (2-2, 5.97 ERA) will make the start for Oakland in the series opener Friday night, and he will be opposed by Chris Paddock (5-3, 5.25 ERA). First pitch will be at 6:40 p.m.

San Francisco Giants podcast with Michael Duca: Giants pay watch party tribute to Willie Mays at Oracle Park

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Rickwood Field in Birmingham the site of the Negro Leagues Tribute game on Thu Jun 20, 2024 featuring the St Louis Cardinals and San Francisco Giants (AP News photo)

San Francisco Giants podcast with Michael Duca:

#1 The San Francisco Giants paid tribute to the late great Willie Mays showing the St Louis Cardinals and San Francisco Giants at the Rickwood game in Birmingham on the Oracle Park scoreboard at a live Watch Party what was that like?

#2 Michael, this was not any ordinary watch party, this game was originally was to pay tribute to not only the Negro League players but by very sad coincidence Willie Mays passed away two days before this tribute game on Tuesday.

#3 Willie’s career was something everybody had gone over this week, the 660 career home runs, 3293 hits, 1909 RBIs, a 23 years career, and a lifetime batting average of .301. Talk about those numbers and what stands out for you.

#4 Michael just wanted to ask you something that Bob Costas said after learning about Willie’s passing Costas said that if they shrunk the Hall of Fame down to ten people Willie Mays would there amongst the ten.

#5 Lastly, your best Willie Mays experience, you had a chance to rub elbows with him many times of those times what most stands out of those times that you got to talk to him.

Michael Duca does the San Francisco Giants podcasts Thursdays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

#5