Tag: mlb

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: MLB The Three biggest Failures are the three biggest Payrolls

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Baltimore Orioles third baseman Gunnar Henderson is unable to stop an RBI double by Colorado Rockies’ Elias Diaz that scored Charlie Blackmon from first base during the third inning at Camden Yards in Baltimore on Fri Aug 25, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Amaury Pi Gonzalez

With approximately 30 to 35 games left for most teams this season, here are the three teams with the biggest payrolls this year and their records today.

1-New York Mets 60-71 in the cellar, 2-New York Yankees, 62-69 in the cellar, 3-San Diego Padres, 61-70 in penultimate place. The chances of any of these teams for the postseason is at best slim and none for real, as they would have to play at an .800 winning percentage clip the rest of the way. Can we say that money is not the key for a winning team?

Yes and No, because at the end is a combination, a balancing-act for front offices to draft, trade and buy players at the same time. A team most draft and develop well, make trades to improve their roster and in some cases open the bank and pay the huge salaries. But money alone is not the solution in the most difficult sport.

The Baltimore Orioles are leading the American League East, with the #29 payroll, only the Oakland A’s have a smaller payroll, the A’s do not really count because their owner has “De-funded the Team” . But, how have the Orioles done it?

They have the best minor league system today. As a matter of fact, this 2023 season the Orioles have the best minor league system for the fourth consecutive year. The best example is Gunnar Henderson, which was one of the eight total guys in the Top 100 prospects, Henderson is a regular in the young and exciting Baltimore Orioles lineup this season.

They have players waiting in the minors, like the highly rated Jackson Holliday, the son of ex major league All Star Matt Holliday. Jackson Holliday is the #1 prospect in Major League Baseball, currently playing shortstop and second base at AA level affiliate, Bowie Baysox in Maryland.

The Birds from Baltimore success was not instant. Here are the last three years record:

2021: 52-100, 2022: 83-79, today the Orioles have a 81-49 record. which is the second best record among all 30 MLB teams, only the Atlanta Braves with 84-45 leading the NL East by miles have a better record in baseball.

The Yankees, Mets and Padres will have a very interesting off-season, the Padres might just tweak their roster, my hope is they keep their manager Bob Melvin, but the two New York teams, only God knows what their management is going to do.

Mets owner Steve Cohen is the richest owner in baseball, but he could not buy the title this year, he is insatiable for high prize talent, and will make a run at Shohei Ohtani. The Yankees? Well there is always next season for their 28 World Series title.

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

San Francisco Giants podcast with Marko Ukalovic: Giants honor Murph longtime equipment mgr; SF rallies for four runs in fifth top Braves 8-5

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Former San Francisco Giant Sr Equipment Manager Mike Murphy takes a curtain call as he was honored at Oracle Park before the Giants host the Atlanta Braves in San Francisco on Sun Aug 27, 2023 (San Francisco Chronicle photo)

On the San Francisco Giants podcast with Marko:

#1 Marko, the San Francisco honored former team Sr. Equipment manager Mike Murphy with a going away retirement tribute at Oracle Park in San Francisco it was a tribute to all his years from being a bat boy to becoming the Sr Equipment manager. Murphy joined the organization in 1958 and retired this season a remarkable long tenure.

#2 The Giants avoided being swept at Oracle Park on Sunday Night Baseball with a 8-5 win over the mighty Atlanta Braves. The Giants scratched a run in the first and second innings off Braves starter Jared Shuster to get the contest started.

#3 Giants third baseman Casey Schmitt finally got a pitch he liked after 71 games without a home run clouting his third home run of the season in the bottom of the second inning off Shuster.

#4 Camilo Doval who had a rough patch in some closing appearances shut the door on the Braves in the top of the ninth with pitching one inning and two strikeouts to shut the door on the Braves for his 34th save which is the most in MLB and the most for a Giant pitcher in their first 57 games since Brian Wilson (who was in attendance) did it in 2011.

#5 The Giants host the Cincinnati Reds on Monday night at 6:45pm PT at Oracle the Reds will start left hander Andrew Abbott (8-3 ERA 3.16) he’ll be matched up against left hander Kyle Harrison (0-0 ERA 5.40) for the first of three games in the series.

Join Marko Ukalovic for the Giants podcasts at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Oakland A’s podcast with Barbara Mason: A’s just couldn’t figure out Sox Clevinger; Oakland gets K’d 10 times in 7 innings

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Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Mike Clevinger throws against the Oakland Athletics during the first inning at Guarantee Rate Field in Chicago on Sun Aug 27, 2023 (AP News photo)

On the A’s podcast with Barbara:

#1 The Chicago White Sox needed good pitching to beat Oakland A’s good hitting and the Sox Mike Clevinger came through with ten strike outs in seven innings to help defeat the A’s on Sunday 6-1 at Guarantee Rate Field in Chicago.

#2 You just can’t keep a good man down as Yoan Moncada had a hot bat for the Sox going 4 for 4 when your going good at the plate like that you have confidence each time you come up to the plate.

#3 A’s pitching just couldn’t shut down the Sox Tim Anderson, Andrew Benintendi and Andrew Vaughn who had two hits a piece.

#4 Clevinger, Lane Ramsey and Tanner Banks were the key in the pitching side of things for the Sox as they held the A’s just to one run and the A’s just couldn’t figure out anything in the batter’s box during Sunday’s mattinee.

#5 It’s off to Seattle where the A’s will open up a three game series against the Mariners at T Mobile Field. The A’s haven’t announced a starter for Monday night, the M’s are going with Bryan Woo (1-3 ERA 4.58) first pitch 6:40pm PT.

Join Barbara Mason for the A’s podcasts Mondays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Giants avoid sweep beat Braves 8-5 at Oracle; SF’s Bailey and Schmitt get big hits in winner

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San Francisco Giants’ Patrick Bailey watches his three run-double against the Atlanta Braves during the fifth inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Sun Aug 27, 2023 (AP News photo)

Atlanta (84-44). 000 032 000. – 5. 6. 0

San Francisco (67-63). 110 042 00x. – 8. 8. 0

Time: 2:47

Attendance: 31,047

Sunday, August 27, 2023

By Lewis Rubman

SAN FRANCISCO–The Giants entered this afternoon’s contest with the NL-East leading Atlanta Braves 1-1/2 games behind the Diamondbacks in the battle for a toe hold on the lowest rung of the wild card qualifying ladder. The home team’s exciting 8-5 win over Atlanta didn’t change that because Arizona also won its game today.

The Braves named Jared Shuster, their first round pick in the 2020 draft, to start the game for them. All nine of the big league games in which he’d appeared in this year had been as a traditional starter, but yesterday’s media package listed him as a reliever.

Sunday’s also had him in the bullpen section, but crossed out. He was an opener this afternoon and pitched 4-2/3 innings, in which he allowed four runs, all earned, on four hits, and three walks. He left with a no decision and a record of 4-2, 5.26.

Tristan Beck, San Francisco’s opener du jour, like Shuster, was a Braves’ draft pick, chosen in the fourth round of 2018. as a minor leaguer. He’s appeared in 60 minor league games, 53 of them as a starter. The Giants’ have used him out of the bullpen since his major league debut on April 20, and he responded with a record of 3-2-2, 3.34 with two saves out of three chances.

He was sensational this afternoon . . . until he wasn’t. The first batter to reach base safely against him was Matt Olson, who walked on a 3-2 pitch to lead off the fifth inning.

A leadoff walk to Austin Slater, followed by productive ground outs by Thairo Estrada and Wilmer Flores and a JD Davis single to right had put the Giants up, 1-0, after one inning of play.

In the Giants’ next turn at bat,the hitherto slumping rookie Casey Schmitt, playing third base and batting eighth, doubled the home team’s with his third big league homer, a 426 lollapolosa solo shot to left field with an exit 107.7mph that came off an 82.9mph change of pace.

Once Olson had brokenBeck’s spell in the fifth, Eddie Rosario’s double, a solid single to right by Travis d’Arnaud, and a scratch hit by Orlando Arcia tied the score and put an end to Beck’s mound tenure. Scott Alexander gave up an opposite field single to Nicky López that brought in d’Arnaud with the tie breaking run, which was charged to Beck, and advanced to second.

The inning ended with a double play that was the result of a successful challenge to home plate umpire Emil Jiménez’s original call. Here’s what happened: Acuña hit a grounder to Estrada at second; he tossed the ball to Alexander, who fired it to Estrada covering at first, for the first out; Estrada’s throw home completed the 4-1-4-2 double play. Atlanta now led, 3-2.

But not for long. Matos hit a one out double to shallow left. Slater singled to right, sending Matos to third. After Estrada went down swinging, Collin McHugh replaced Shuster on the mound and Flores and Davis, both of whom scored on Bailey’s double to right, and, in the twinkling of an eye, San Francisco was on top, 6-3.

That lead shrank before you knew it. Alexander got two quick outs in the top of the sixth before Olson smacked a double to right center and Ozuna knocked one out of the park into the left center field bleachers to make it a 6-5 game.

After a walk to Rosario, Alexander was replaced by the submariner Tyler Rogers, who got the final out, pitched a perfect seventh, and would give way to his brother Taylor, who notched his 500th career K in the 1,2,,3 top of the eighth that he worked.

San Francisco tacked on a pair of runs in the bottom of that frame. Wade Meckler pinch hit for Ramos and walked. Schmitt sacrificed him to second. Joc Pederson hit for Matos and received an intentional walk. Slater’s single to center gave the Giants their seventh, and Estrada’s bunt single brought Pederson, who had taken third on Slater’s hit, home with their eighth.

Michael Tonkin toed the rubber for Atlanta after the seventh inning stretch, retired the side in order, and was relieved by Brad Hand with one out in the top of the ninth.

Camilo Duval, who’d been struggling recently, went for his 34th save in 41 attempts. He got, setting the Braves down to a conga beat, uno, dos, tres.

Alexander was the winning pitcher. His record now is 7-2, 4.46. Shuster, now 4-3, 5.26 was the loser.

Before the game began, the Giants. honored Mike Murphy for his 65 years of service to the team, which he joined as bat boy in 1958, when they moved from the Polo Grounds, rising to his current position as Senior Advisor, Home Club House, by adding his name to the Giants Wall of Fame. He’s the 56th person so honored..

A good deal of the Giants’ chances for an orange and gold October depend on the performance of other teams. But there are some factors that the team can try to control.

The Giants also have other problems to solve. Its collective batting average before today was a rakitic .239. The team ERA was 3.99. They have been hard hit by injuries. So we shall see what we shall see, but the days in which we can see it are dwindling down to a precious few.

Tomorrow, Monday evening at 6:45, Kyle Harrison (0-0, 5.40) will make his Oracle Park debut against Andrew Abbott (8-3, 3.16) and the Cincinnati Reds.

A’s get blown out 6-1 by White Sox

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Photo credit: @Athletics

By: Mary Anne

The Oakland Athletics and Chicago White Sox concluded their four-game series on Sunday. The A’s got blown out by the White Sox 6-1 at Guaranteed Rate Field and split the series. Oakland fell to 38-93, while Chicago improved to 52-79.

White Sox pitcher Mike Clevinger (6-6, 3.32 ERA) won after pitching seven innings and giving up one hit, one earned run, two walks, and ten strikeouts.

The A’s starting lineup featured Ryan Noda, Zack Gelof, Seth Brown, Brent Rooker, Tony Kemp, Aledmys Díaz, Carlos Pérez, Jordan Diaz, Esteury Ruiz, and Paul Blackburn. Blackburn (3-4, 4.15 ERA) took the loss after pitching six innings and giving up nine hits, four earned runs, two walks, and six strikeouts.

The White Sox got on the board first. Andrew Vaughn singled on a ground ball to Tony Kemp. Tim Anderson scored for a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Eloy Jimenez was out on third base on the throw, Kemp to Jordan Diaz to Zack Gelof to Aledsmy Díaz. Vaughn went to second base with two outs.

The White Sox extended their lead in the bottom of the third inning. Andrew Vaughn singled on a ground ball to Jordan Diaz, who committed a throwing error. Andrew Benintendi scored for a 2-0 lead. Gavin Sheets walked, and Vaughn made it 3-0. Yoan Moncada went to third base. Paul Blackburn threw a wild pitch and committed a missed catch error.

The A’s finally got on the board in the top of the sixth inning. Zack Gelof was out on a sacrifice fly to Andrew Benintendi. Esteury Ruiz scored to cut the White Sox’s lead to 3-1 with two outs.

The White Sox added to their lead in the top of the sixth inning. Gavin Sheets singled on a line drive to Tony Kemp. Yoan Moncada scored to make it 4-1.

The White Sox expanded their lead in the bottom of the seventh inning. Yoan Moncada doubled on a line drive to Tony Kemp. Tim Anderson and Andrew Benintendi scored to make it 6-1.

Notes
According to reports, a reported third victim was uninjured in Friday night’s game between the A’s and White Sox. The A’s blew out the White Sox 12-4 on Friday.

Up Next
The A’s will visit the Seattle Mariners for a three-game series starting Monday at 6:40 pm Pacific.

MLB The Show podcast with Charlie O: How Ohtani’s injury plays a role in his off season pay day; White Sox are a hot mess as an organization; plus more news

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Los Angeles Angels’ Shohei Ohtani walks off the field after being taken out of the game during the second inning in the first baseball game of a doubleheader against the Cincinnati Reds Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2023, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP News photo)

On the MLB The Show podcast with Charlie O:

#1 Charlie what does the injury to the Los Angeles Angels two way player Shohei Ohtani mean for his $500 million free agency?

#2 Ohtani was on the way to an MVP season his season now cut short from being a two way player can he still contribute as a designated hitter.

#3 The dissention is growing in the Chicago White Sox clubhouse and organization. The team wants out of the South Side because of growing crime and are looking to the suburbs for a new park, two women fan were shot at the park, Tim Anderson’s fight with the Guardians Jose Ramirez ending in a suspension, Anderson said that the Sox should bring back Tony LaRussa as manager, and owner Jerry Reinsdorf fired team vice president Ken Williams and general manager Rick Hahn.

#4 Charlie, how much are the Cincinnati Reds going to miss left hand pitcher Alex Young who is on the 15 day IL with tightness in his left hamstring and have activated right hander Ben Lively from the IL. Young gave up a lead off home run to Lourdes Gurriel Jr of the Arizona Diamondbacks in the bottom of the eighth inning on Thursday.

#5 Charlie talk about the kid who stole the ball from the glove of Cincinnati Reds left fielder Spencer Steer on a ball that look like a home run ball hit by the Arizona Diamondback Tommy Pham. The kid who caught the ball was called for interference and was ejected from the ballpark. Pham said he felt sorry for the kid because kids don’t know about the interference rules. Pham also lost the home run as it was ruled an out because interference.

Join Charlie O does the MLB The Show podcasts each Sunday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: A Friend and my Favorite Baseball Official Scorer

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A Friend and my Favorite Baseball Official Scorer

This photo was taken by The Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum Hall of Fame (2012 Pioneer Award) which former MLB official scorer Arturo Santo Domingo was a winner of that year

A Friend and my Favorite Baseball Official Scorer Arturo Santo Domingo

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi Gonzalez

Our deepest condolences to the Santo Domingo family for the passing of Mr. Arturo Santo Domingo. All of us who knew Arturo share great lifetime memories that enriched our lives. He was the ultimate professional, a friend in the Press Box in San Francisco and Oakland.

Arturo shared his knowledge, love, and passion for the game of baseball like few people I have ever met in this business. We met in the 1970’s at the Candlestick Park Press Box during a San Francisco Giants game.

I remember when he introduced me to Mr. Chub Feeney who was the Vice President of the Giants and often was in the press box standing in a corner smoking a cigar watching the game (it was allowed back then to smoke in the Press Box) Feeney was a real character.

Arturo was the first Latin American-born Traveling Secretary in Major League Baseball with the San Francisco Giants in the early 1960’s Born in Colombia but educated in the United States, a graduate in Business at Duke University, this humble reporter and Arturo mostly spoke in Spanish.

He would often join me on the air during a Spanish-language baseball broadcast of the A’s or Giants here in the Bay Area, which he really enjoyed and was excellent in his commentary. His knowledge of the game made him my favorite Official Scorer in baseball.

But his stories when we spoke about some of the greatest players he had the privilege of knowing and traveling with, like the great Willie Mays, were priceless. When Arturo spoke in any Press Box people listened.

Through the years I realized how much he loved Cuban food, which we shared in various restaurants with him and some of his friends who are also missing him today. In 2012 Arturo Santo Domingo who was co-founder and benefactor of the 46th Cable Car Classic in Santa Clara,(which I had the pleasure of covering for Telemundo) announced that he would not be part of the tournament in the future.

That same year on August 12, 2012, The Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum and Hall of Fame http://www.hhbmhof.com Awarded him with the Pioneer Award. Official Scorekeepers do not come better than Arturo.

Descansa en Paz Arturo.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the vice president of the Major League Baseball Hispanic Heritage Hall of Fame Museum and does News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Oakland’s Rally Falls Short Losing to Chicago 6-2

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Oakland A’s Brent Rooker is greeted by teammates after slugging a home run in the top of the eighth inning at Guarantee Rate Field in Chicago in the third game of this four game series on Sat Aug 25, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

The Oakland A’s (38-91) were riding high going into Saturday’s game three against the Chicago White Sox (50-79) but came away disappointed 6-2 at Guarantee Rate Field in Chicago. They couldn’t get a third win this game Saturday and are in front in this four game series 2-1.

It was an awful start for Oakland pitcher JP Sears. He has been struggling for awhile now and the struggles continued in this game. He was not executing his pitches. He went six innings and gave up nine hits and six runs.

The White Sox got things going early scoring a single run in the first inning and followed it up with a single run in the second inning to take a 2-0 lead. Luis Robert Jr. scored Chicago’s first run which was followed by a home run off the bat of Lenyn Sosa.

The White Sox had a second home run in the third inning, a three-run homer from Yoan Moncada taking a 5-0 lead. They would score another run in the fifth inning and with a 6-0 lead it was all White Sox in this game so far. The A’s only had two hits through seven innings.

Oakland would finally get up on the board in the eighth inning thanks to a fielding error from Moncada. Esteury Ruiz scored on that error and so with only one out and two on base Oakland had opportunity to score a few more runs and get a rally going for the A’s.

Oakland was able to bring home another run. Jonah Bride singled Brent Rooker home for a second run and the A’s trailed 6-2 going into the bottom of the eighth.

The White Sox went three up and three out in the eighth and the A’s were looking to finish with a flurry in the ninth inning. Oakland actually went out with a whimper in the final inning but still has the chance to win the series Sunday.

A’s post game notes: The A’s had won game one of the series 8-5 Thursday night and followed that game up Friday night with an offensively brilliant game winning 12-4. Nick Allen had an amazing game in the second game of the series driving in five runs.

Oakland will wrap up the series tomorrow with Paul Blackburn on the mound with a 3-3 win/loss record and a 4.00 ERA. The White Sox will send Mike Clevinger with a 5-6 win/loss record and a 3.47 ERA.

The A’s will be looking to get back the energy they had in the first two games of this series. They will be needing to get their bats going; they will certainly need more than the four hits that they got in Saturday’s game.

Braves three run eighth does in Giants with four run win 7-3 at Oracle

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Atlanta Braves’ Austin Riley, left, scores against San Francisco Giants catcher Patrick Bailey during the first inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco Sat Aug 25, 2023 (AP News photo)

Atlanta (84-44). 101 011 030. – 7. 9. 0

San Francisco (66-63) 002 000 001 – 3 8 0

Time: 2:41

Attendance: 36,798

Saturday, August 26, 2023

By Lewis Rubman

SAN FRANCISCO —Last night, the Giants threw their ace at the Braves and wound up in the hole. This afternoon, which they began one game behind in the race for the final NL wild card spot, San Francisco decided to play their opener-bulk pitcher-closer card, going with Ryan Walker to get things going, the 11th time they’ve done that this year.

The Giants’ record over his 10 previous openings was 7-3, but all of those three losses were in his most recent attempts. Walker pitched 1-2/3 left with two down and a runner in scoring position in the Atlanta second, trailing 1-0. Sean Manaea came on and put a damper on that threat. That auspicious start was a harbinger of worse to come, a 7-3 loss for the home team.

Atlanta chose southpaw Max Fried (4-1, 2.83 at game time) as a traditional starter. He had missed 70 games over the 90 days he was on the injured list a little over three weeks ago and had gone 2-0, 1.76. In his last start, on Sunday the 20th, he lasted 5-2/3 innings, in the Braves’ loss to the Giants, escaping with a no decision from his nine hit, three earned run outing.

Two of those nine hits went yard. Fried did a good job this afternoon, allowing two two runs, both of them earned, on six hits, one of them a home run, over six innings. He walked two and struck out eight, throwing a total of 98 pitches, 40 of which were balls.

He earned the win, which improved his won -lost record to 5-1 but raised his ERA to 2.85). Kirby Yates kept the Giants at bay in the seventh, as did Pierce Johnson in the eighth. AJ Minter allowed them a run in the ninth.

The Braves’ cleanup hitter, Matt Olson, came to the plate in the top of the first with 43 home runs and 110 runs batted in. He left it 111 RBI. Walker had fanned Ronald Acuña, Jr. and Michael Harris II before issuing a base on balls to Austin Riley. Olson’s resounding two bagger of the right field bricks brought the Atlanta third baseman home with the game’s first tally.

The Curse of the Leadoff Double prevented San Francisco from tying the score in the bottom of the next frame. JD Davis was stranded at second when all the offense the Giants could muster before the third out was a walk to Héliot Ramos.

Olson upped his RBI total to 112 in the top of the third. Acuña opened the inning with a single to right. After Harris flew out, Acuña stole third, the second time in three frames that the Braves. had pilfered a base.

Riley drew a free pass, and then Olson socked a solid single to left off his ex teammate to extend Atlanta’s advantage to 2-0. But Manaea wiggled out of the tough situation with a strikeout, a bases loading walk, and another K, which kept the game close and came, by the way, at the expense of another ex Athletic, Sean Murphy.

Wonderful Wilmer Flores made it even closer in the home third, With Austin Slater, who had led off with a walk, on first and one out, the Giants’ only .300 hitter parked an 87.3mph slider on the far side of the 391 foot sign in dead centerfield for a game tying home run. That made it 19 home runs and 48 RBI for Flores.

The orange and black threatened with two outs in their half of the fourth. Casey Schmitt sent a solid single to center and motored around to third when Luis Matos banged a double to left. Slater worked a full count, but Fried got him to swing and miss at a curve that left the contest tied at two.

That was an important missed opportunity because Riley br0ke the tie in the visitors’ fifth by smashing his 30th dinger of the year, a 402 foot no doubter to left that came off a 92.9mph four seamer. It left Riley’s bat at 111.2mph. Manea finished up fifth without suffering any further damage and retired Eddie Rosario for the first out of the Atlanta sixth before being relieved by Luke Jackson, who got the two remaining outs in the inning.

Unfortunatey for the Giants, he also surrendered a homer to center to Arcia, which stretched the Braves’ lead to 4-2. In all, Manaea had given up two runs, both earned, on three hits in 3-2/3 innings. He did not look good.

Jackson left after allowing a single to Olson in the top of the eighth, giving way to Taylor Rogers, who, in turn, passed the ball on to Jakob Junis. Junis proceeded to yield back to back singles to Osuña and Rosario. The latter’s safety drove in Olson.

Junis then plunked Murphy (a call that was challenged but upheld). Arcia hit a sac fly to left that brought in Osuña. Nicky López followed with another one, this time to right which enabled Rosario to cross the plate. Atlanta now owned the Giants, 7-2.

Why waste another arm in a lost cause? Junis returned to the mound for the visitors’ ninth. He retired the side in order. But the damage was done

The current three game series isn’t a make or break situation for Kapler’s crew, and there’s still a chance that the Giants will pull out a victory in the one game remaining in it. But it sure is beginning to look as if the only orange and black celebration in San Francisco this October will be Halloween.

The scheduled start for the nationally televised game Sunday, is 4:10. Neither team has yet tipped its hand about its pitching plans.

SF Giants and 49ers podcast with Bruce Magowan: Can Giants close the gap in NL Wild Card race?; Ex-Niner Lance to face Raiders tonight

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Kyle Harrison is all the rage as the rookie pitcher made his debut on the last road trip for the San Francisco Giants in Philadelphia at Citizens Bank ballpark in Philadelphia (file photo McCovey Chronicles)

On the SF Giants and 49ers podcasts with Bruce Magowan:

#1 The Giants are just a game out of the NL wild card chase despite their losing seven of their last ten games.

#2 How big is the acquisition of rookie left hand pitcher Kyle Harrison to the starting rotation and talk about his last outing.

#3 Wade Meckler is making good contact he’s been on base in eight of his last 12 ball games going back to last Tuesday in Philadelphia.

#4 The Giants the last time had some success when they face Atlanta Braves starter Max Fried who came into Oracle Park 4-1. Last Sunday the Giants touched him up for two home runs from Luis Matos and Wilmer Flores.

#5 Talk about Saturday’s match up here at Oracle with Fried going against the Giants right hander opener Ryan Walker (4-2 ERA 2.14) what is the Giants best chances with an opener to beat the Braves?

#6 Bruce talk the passing of former Giants beat writer Mychal Urban and former MLB official score keeper Art Santo Domingo.

Join Bruce Magowan for the SF Giants and 49ers podcasts each Thursday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com