Tag: mlb

Preview: A’s host Tony Russa and White Sox Tuesday; A’s need all the wins they can get to stay in race

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Former Oakland A’s manager Tony LaRussa returns to the Oakland Coliseum on Tue Sep 7, 2021 to face his former team for the first of a three game series (file photo from Redbird Rants)

By Jerry Feitelberg

Well, here we are. The Oakland A’s (74-63) meet the Chicago White Sox (79-58) for three games starting Tuesday night. The A’s returned home after finishing a road trip with a 2-4 record. Things did not go well for the Green and Gold on the trip. Yes, the A’s hitting was much better.

They took two out of three from Detroit. That was the good news. The Tigers hit nine home runs in the series, and they scored 17 runs. The A’s went to Toronto for a three game series against the Blue Jays. They scored 18 runs in the series and lost all three games. The A’s starters and bullpen were pounded by the relentless Blue Jay offensive juggernaut. The A’s lost by scores of 11-10, 10-8, and 8-0. A’s manager, Bob Melvin, must be wondering what happened to his pitchers.

The A’s chances of making the playoffs are getting slimmer by the day. They remain five and 1/2 games behind the Houston Astros. The Seattle Mariners have slipped past the A’s into second place in the AL West. The A’s are now four games behind the Boston Red Sox for the second Wild Card spot.

The Mariners trail Boston by three games. The schedule does not look favorable for Oakland as they head down the homestretch. The A’s play the Chicago White Sox for three games starting Tuesday night. The White Sox won three of the four games played in Chicago.

The White Sox will be in the playoffs as they will be the AL Central division champs. After the White Sox leave, the A’s face the pesky Texas Rangers. The Rangers own the worst record in the AL West. The A’s are 9-7 against them. The Rangers have not rolled over for Oakland. The A’s go on the road to play the Kansas City Royals and Los Angeles Angels before the final 13 games of the year.

If the A’s will make the playoffs, the schedule has allowed them to go after the Seattle Mariners and Houston Astros. The A’s have seven left with Seattle and six with Houston. It won’t be easy. The Mariners are playing well and have improved in the second half of the season.

The Astros are 9-4 against Oakland and have had their way against the Green and Gold all season long. To this observer, it is highly doubtful the A’s will catch either team. The A’s have not played well since the All-Star break. They had a stretch when their hitting was suspect.

The front office helped by acquiring Starling Marte, Yan Gomes, and Josh Harrison. Matt Chapman’s power returned, and he is doing better. The injury to the A’s ace, Chris Bassitt, puy a monkey wrench in the A’s rotation. Frankie Montas is pitching well in the second half of the year. The same cannot be said for Sean Manaea, Cole Irvin, James Kaprielian, and Paul Blackburn.

So, the A’s have twenty-five games to right the ship. They face the powerful Chicago White Sox. Their lineup includes Tim Anderson, MVP Jose Abreu, Eloy Jimenez, Yoan Moncada, Luis Robert. A very tough lineup. The A’s will face lefty Dallas Keuchel on Wednesday and Reynaldo Lopez on Thursday.

The Sox have not announced their starter for the Tuesday opener. The A’s pitchers will be Kaprielian on Tuesday, Montas on Wednesday, and Manaea on Thursday. The A’s hope that the bullpen gets back on track after the shellacking they took on the road trip. Oakland needs to get hot. Let’s hope they can do it.

San Francisco Giants podcast with Marko Ukalovic: Giants cutting it close with Dodgers for division race; Giant vendors agree to negotiate before going on strike

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Local 2 union members and employees of Bon Appetit stand outside of Oracle Park in San Francisco before Sun Sep 5th’s Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants game. Employees agreed not to strike on Sunday and will negotiate with management during the week. (photo from twitter.com/UniteHereLocal2/)

On the Giants podcast with Marko:

#1 The Giants are in the middle of a nick and tuck battle for the NL West with the Los Angeles Dodgers during the most recent series the Giants and Dodgers exchanged sitting in first place.

#2 The Giants with their recent Covid 19 issues that involved pitchers Alex Wood and Johnny Cueto. Infielder Donovan Solano has returned from the Covid IL list and played shortstop on Saturday, Alex Dickerson joined the Injured List with a hamstring strain on Saturday and is out for ten days.

#3 Recent discussion about former San Francisco Giant Will Clark to be put on the ballot and in the Hall of Fame. Clark who played with the Giants, Baltimore Orioles, St Louis Cardinals, and Texas Rangers hit .303, had 2176 hits, 284 home runs, and 1205 RBIs. The Baseball Writers of America remember Clark mainly with the Giants he almost made the Hall of Fame ballot in 2006 and was voted down in 2018 by a Veteran’s Committee Today’s Game ballot.

#4 Giants food service concessionaires Bon Appetit employees has voted to go on strike because workers say they haven’t had a raise in two years they make $20.75 an hour are asking for a $3 raise, they want Covid-19 protection, health care. During the last contract negotiation between then Centerplate employees and Centerplate management the employees in 2013 who were making $10.25 an hour and were offered a 25 cent raise at the time. The Giants said in 2013 and 2021 the negotiations concession employees are between then and Bon Appetit management.

#5 Employees are pushing for more safety protection because fans are not wearing masks when they come to make their purchases at the concession stands Union Local 2 reported that 20 employees had been infected since the stadium reopened in June and need more PPE protection. The strike was supposed to take place Sunday but was called off as employees agreed to negotiate this week. The Giants have two more home stands left.

Marko Ukalovic is filling in for Morris Phillips who does the Giants podcasts Mondays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Buehler was off on this day in Giants 6-4 victory

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Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Walker Buhler looks in a state of shock as he walks off the field after the third inning giving up six runs to the San Francisco Giants in the first three innings at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Sun Sep 5, 2021 (AP News photo)

By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO-If you were told prior to the game that the San Francisco Giants would beat a pitcher that was 7-0 in his career against them, you would think no way.

Brandon Belt hit a solo home run in the bottom of the first inning, helping the Giants to a 6-4 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers and regained the lead in the National League West by one game before a sellout crowd of 41,155 at Oracle Park.

Yes, entering the game, Walker Buehler was 7-0 with a 1.83 earned run average in 12 games (10 of them starts); however, now he is 7-1 against the Dodgers longtime rival.

Buehler lasted just three innings, allowing six runs on seven hits, walking one and striking out one and saw his record fall to 13-4 on the season.

After the Giants took an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning, the Dodgers immediately tied it up in the top of the second inning, when Will Smith singled to centerfield to allow Justin Turner to score from second base. Turner led off the inning by singling off of Jose Alvarez.

Dominic Leone started the bullpen game, for the Giants and retired the Dodgers in order in the top of the first inning before giving way to Alvarez, who did not get a batter out and gave up one run and one hit before he was replaced by Zack Littell, who pitched one inning, striking out one to pick up his second win of the season.

Buehler immediately gave the Giants the lead back in the bottom of the second inning, as he walked Brandon Crawford to lead off the inning, then Mike Yastrzemski doubled Crawford to third and the Giants took the lead for good, when Steven Duggar tripled down the right field line to score both Crawford and Yastrzemski.

Darin Ruf came off the bench to pinch hit for Littell, who got out of the jam in the top of the second and Ruf singled to left field off of Buehler to score Duggar from third base.

Crawford got in on the RBI act in the bottom of the third inning, as he doubled in LaMonte Wade, Jr., who doubled just in front of Crawford and after Yastrzemski lined out to Corey Seager at second base for the second out of the inning, Curt Casali singled for his first hit of the game to score Crawford from second base.

This bullpen game, fared better for the Giants, as Jay Jackson, Carlos Quintana, Camilo Doval, Tony Watson, Tyler Rogers and Jake McGee closed it out for the Giants, as they moved back into the lead in the NL West with 25 games remaining in the regular season.

The Giants had an ample opportunity to break the game wide open in the bottom of the sixth inning, as they got the first two runners on and would eventually load the bases with one out; however, David Price was able to work out of jam, as he got Thairo Estrada to pop out to Max Muncy for the second out of the inning and ended the inning, when he was able to get Belt to ground out to Muncy.

McGee was far from perfect to start the top of the ninth inning, as Kris Bryant committed a throwing error on a ball hit by pinch hitter Austin Barnes, when Belt could not keep his foot on the bag at first base.

Albert Pujols then came off the bench to hit for Andrew Vasquez, and on a 1-0 pitch launched his 16th home run of the season into the left center field bleachers and it was the 678th home run of his career.

After the Pujols home run that got the Dodgers within two, McGee was able to get Trea Turner to pop out to Thairo Estrada at second base; however, Muncy singled to left-center field to bring the tying run in the person of Mookie Betts to the plate and McGee struck him out looking for the second out of the inning.

Of course, a game between the Giants and Dodgers could not end in a normal way, as Yastrzemski made a sensational catch on by ball hit by Justin Turner down the right field wall near into the netting down the right field line and the play went to review and the play was upheld, giving the Giants the win and sending the fans wearing orange and black into a frenzy.

NOTES: Doval was recalled from Sacramento, while Sammy Long was optioned to Sacramento. Also, Austin Slater was placed on the seven-day concussion IL and Duggar was recalled from Sacramento and went 1-for-4 with the game-winning hit, when he hit a two-run triple in the bottom of the second inning.

With the win, the Giants won the season series 10-9 and this was the 99th win by the Giants over the Dodgers at Oracle Park since the park opened on April 11, 2000.

Belts home run was the 202nd of the season for the team, trailing the Toronto Blue Jays, who have hit a MLB leading 206 home runs.

UP NEXT: Kevin Gausman will take the mound on Monday afternoon, when the Giants open up a two-city, six-game road trip to Colorado and Chicago and Gausman will be looking for his 13th win of the season. Kyle Freeland will go for the Rockies, as he looks for his sixth win of the season.

Max Scherzer will go to the mound in search of his 13th win for the Dodgers on Monday, as they continue their two-city, seven-game road trip with an afternoon against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium and the Cardinals will send Milos Mikolas to the hill, as he looks for his first win of the season.

Oakland A’s podcast with Barbara Mason: A’s need this homestand to get back in the post season race

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Oakland A’s pitcher James Kaprielian will start Tuesday night’s game against the Chicago White Sox who have not announced a starter yet (file photo from Athletics Nation)

On the A’s podcast with Barbara:

#1 Barbara, the A’s have just concluded three games with Toronto and before that three games in Detroit. The A’s are still chasing the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox in the AL Wild Card trailing by four games and in the AL West they trail the Houston Astros by 4.5 games lots of work ahead of Oakland to try and get back in post season contention.

#2 Barbara, things don’t get easier the A’s take on the first place Chicago White Sox who are hot right now winning seven of their last ten games they’ll face the Sox on Tuesday night at the Coliseum for three games.

#3 Barbara, during the Blue Jays series the A’s bullpen struggled on Friday’s game starter Sean Manaea surrendered two runs and the three relievers Lou Trivino, Yusmerio Petit, and closer Sergio Romo were all rocked for a combined nine runs.

#4 On Saturday the A’s pitching staff gave up ten runs starter Paul Blackburn gave up nine hits and four runs, relievers Daulton Jefferies, Jake Diekman, Lou Trivino, and Burch Smith were tagged for a combined six hits and six runs. Manager Bob Melvin has to be concerned with the pitching staff when trying to make post season and they got swept 8-0 on Sunday by the Blue Jays.

#5 The A’s host ex-manager Tony LaRussa and the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday night at the Ring Central Time Oakland Coliseum the White Sox have not announced a starter yet and the A’s will go with James Kaprielian (7-4 ERA 3.97) a 6:40pm first pitch PDT.

Barbara does the A’s podcasts each Monday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

San Francisco Giants game wrap: Urias wins 16th, Turner goes deep for LA 6-1 win; SF’s Jackson can’t even get out of first inning as opener

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San Francisco Giants starter Jay Jackson gives up the baseball in the first inning after surrendering three runs to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Jackson also picked up the loss he was the opener and didn’t even get out of the top of the first inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Sat Sep 4, 2021 (photo by Bay Area News Group)

By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO-Trea Turner atoned for his throwing error that cost the Los Angeles Dodgers a share of first place in the National League West.

Turner changed all that, as he led off the game with a solo home run off of Jay Jackson, helping the Dodgers to a 6-1 victory over the San Francisco Giants before a crowd of 41,146 at Oracle Park. With the victory, the Dodgers and Giants are once again tied for first place in the National League West.

It was the 16th leadoff career home run for Turner, who was acquired by the Dodgers at the trading deadline along with Max Scherzer from the Washington Nationals.

The Dodgers tacked on two more runs in the frame, when Corey Seager hit a sacrifice fly that Austin Slater made a great play on and then Justin Turner scored on a double by A.J. Pollock.

In what was considered a bullpen game for the Giants, Jay Jackson started and went just 0.1 innings, allowing three runs on one hit before being replaced by Jarlin Garcia, who gave up two hits in 2.2 innings of work.

Garcia was able to get out of the jam in the top of the first inning, as he got Pollock at third base. Pollock was forced to leave the game due to what was later called a right Hamstring Strain.

Julio Urias was his usual outstanding self, as he went the first 5.2 innings, allowing just one run on eight hits, Urias did not walk a batter and struck out eight, as he raised his record to 16-3 on the season.

The Giants got on the board in the bottom of the first inning, as Buster Posey doubled to right field that scored Kris Bryant, who singled with one out in the inning.

Justin Turner reached on an infield single, then went to second on a throwing error by Mauricio Dubon, went to third on a wild pitch and then scored on a balk by Jose Quintana.

After reaching on the Trea Turner error in the bottom of the 11th inning to win the game on Friday night, Posey went 3-for-4, and came within an eyelash of going 4-for-4, as Mookie Betts made a great catch to rob Posey.

Seager put the game out of reach, when he hit a solo home run to lead off the top of the ninth inning off of Sammy Long.

It was a good day for the Seager family, as Coreys brother Kyle went 2-for-5 with six runs batted in for the Seattle Mariners and the two hits for Kyle were both three-run home runs, giving him 33 on the season and the Mariners defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks 8-5 at Chase Field.

Albert Pujols drove in the final run of the game for the Dodgers, as he hit a sacrifice fly that easily scored Cody Bellinger from third base. Bellinger came on to replace Pollock when he was forced to leave the game with a strained right hamstring.

NOTES: Dubon was recalled from Sacramento, as he replaced Alex Dickerson, who was placed on the 10-day injured list with a right hamstring strain.

UP NEXT: The Giants starter for Sundays finale is not determined, while the Dodgers will send Walker Buehler to the mound, as he looks for his 14th win of the season.

Throwing error by Turner gives Giants thrilling victory 3-2

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Thairo Estrada the San Francisco Giants second baseman forces out the Los Angeles Dodgers Corey Seagar  and throws to first base to complete a double play on Fri Sep 3, 2021 (AP News photo)

By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO-Trea Turner maybe new to the rivalry between the San Francisco Giants and the Los Angeles Dodgers, but it was his throwing error that decided the game.

Turner threw the ball hit by Buster Posey that pulled Will Smith off of first base by mere inches that allowed Brandon Belt to score from third base and the Giants regained the first-place lead in the National League West with a 3-2 victory over the Dodgers before a crowd of 39,338 at Oracle Park.

Mike Yastrzemski started the inning on second base, then after Darin Ruf struck out for the first out of the inning, Brandon Belt was intentionally walked and then Kris Bryant to load the bases against losing pitcher Evan Phillips. Alex Dickerson then grounded into a force play, when Corey Seager threw to Austin Barnes for the second out of the inning that brought Posey to the plate.

Posey grounded the ball to Turner at second base that pulled Smith off the bag by inches and was originally called safe by first base umpire Todd Tichenor, the call was reviewed by the umpires in New York and after the review, the call was upheld and the Giants escaped with a hard-fought victory.

In the top of the 11th inning, the Dodgers were unable that all important run across, as Justin Turner, who started the inning on second base, then moved to third on a Corey Seager base hit; however, Turner was thrown out at the plate on a great throw by Brandon Crawford on a ball hit by Smith. Jarlin Garcia then struck out Chris Taylor and Phillips to end the jam and the inning.

Garcia pitched the final inning for the Giants, as he allowed one hit and struck out two to pick up his sixth win of the season.

Albert Pujols was on second base to start the top of the 10th inning, and then went to third on Austin Pollock fly out to centerfield and that is when Walker Buehler, who is scheduled to start Sunday afternoon for the Dodgers came on to pinch-run for Pujols and Buehler scored without a throw from Yastrzemski to give the Dodgers a 2-1 lead on a sacrifice fly by Trea Turner.

The Giants tied it up in the bottom of the 10th inning, when Posey scored on a Brandon Crawford single, who went to second on the throw home. Thairo Estrada then hit a ground ball that sent Crawford to third base; however, both Yastrzemski and pinch hitter Curt Casali struck out to end the inning.

Austin Slater came off the bench to pinch hit for LaMonte Wade, Jr., and Slater singled to left field in the bottom of the third inning with the bases loaded to score DeSclafani from third base to give the Giants the 1-0 lead over the Dodgers.

DeSclafani walked to lead off the inning against Phil Bickford, who came on to replace Corey Knebel, who went the first two innings.

Unfortunately, the Giants were unable to take care advantage following the Slater base hit, as Alex Vesia, who gave up the single to Slater was able to get Posey to ground into a force play that saw Justin Turner throw to Smith to get Ruf at the plate.

Ruf walked following DeSclafani, and after the Posey force out, Crawford hit a screaming line drive that Cody Bellinger was able to track down to end the inning.

DeSclafani ended up going six innings, allowing zero runs on just two hits, walking three and striking out five and did not figure in the decision.

Knebel, who went the first two innings for the Dodgers after being a last-minute replacement for David Price, allowed two hits and struck out two.

Bickford went 0.1 innings, allowing one run on one hits, walked two and struck out one in what turned into a bullpen game for the Dodgers.

Following Bickford, Dodgers manager used his entire bullpen, as Vesia came on then it was Brusdar Graterol, Justin Bruhl, Blake Treinen, Joe Kelly, Kenley Jansen, Andrew Vasquez and Evan Phillips.

In all, the 10 relievers allowed two runs on six hits, walked eight and struck out seven over the final 8.2 innings of the game that took four hours and 32 minutes to complete.

The Dodgers could not muster any offense off of DeSclafani, as he limited them to those two hits. DeSclafani gave up a single to Trea Turner and did not allow another hit until Seager singled with one out in the top of the fourth inning.

After the Turner single, Max Muncy grounded into a force play and after Mookie Betts popped out for the second out of the inning, DeSclafani walked Justin Turner; however, he was able to get out of the jam, when he struck out Seager to end the inning.

Unlike the Dodgers, the Giants put a few rallies together in three different innings, including the third. The Giants also put multiple runners on base in the bottom of the fifth, the sixth inning; and in the ninth inning; however, in those innings, they came away with nothing.

Evan Longoria made his return to the diamond in the bottom of the sixth inning, and reached on a throwing error when Muncy was unable to scoop up the Turner throw from third base.

With Longoria on first base, Ruf hit a low line drive into center field and it looked like made a great shoestring catch to end the inning; however, the call was overturned, when the ball hit the ground just before it landed in his glove.

Tyler Rogers came on in the top of the eighth inning and retired the Dodgers in order, including getting Muncy looking to end the inning.

Unfortunately, Jake McGee was unable to hold onto the lead for the Giants in the top of the ninth inning and secure his 30th save of the season, as he gave up a single to Justin Turner with one out, then Seager doubled him to third and after Smith grounded into a force play that saw Seager get called out after Turner returned to third base; however, the game could have ended if Posey would have tagged Seager prior to running Turner back to the base. The snafu cost the Giants, as Taylor tied up the game, when he singled to score Turner from third base.

NOTES: Longoria was reinstated from the 10-day injured list and Mauricio Dubon was optioned to Sacramento to make room for Longoria.

Entering the game, the Giants and Dodgers were tied for first place with the exact same winning percentage of .634, and it was only the second time in the long history of this rivalry (130 games or more) that the teams met. The only other time was from September 3-6, 1962, (Sarah Langs via Elias).

The 201 home runs hit by the Giants are the most by the team since they hit a team-record 235 home runs in 2001, and the 201 home runs are the sixth-most in team history.

This was the first time since September 18, 1997 that the Giants and Dodgers were tied for first place in the month of September. The Giants ended up taking over first place that afternoon, when former Skyline (Oakland) High School standout and Stanford quarterback Brian Johnson hit a solo home run off of Mark Guthrie to give the Giants a 6-5 victory in 12 innings, and propelled the Giants to win the National League West over the Dodgers.

UP NEXT: Julio Urias, who is 15-3 on the season for the Dodgers will take the mound on Saturday night, while there is no announced starter for the Giants.

Former A’s Semien Beats Oakland 11-10

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The Toronto Blue Jays Marcus Semien gets the water treatment from teammates after hitting a three run home run in the bottom of the ninth inning to hand the Jays a win over the Oakland A’s at Rogers Centre in Toronto (AP News photo)

Former A’s Semien Beats Oakland 11-10

By Barbara Mason

Friday evening the Oakland A’s took on the Toronto Blue Jays in a race for the Wild Card. Both teams are in the running and so this game was equally important for both of them.

Sean Manea was on the mound for the A’s and Alek Manoah got the nod for the Blue Jays. Both of the teams were desperate for wins to keep pace in this race to October.

The A’s got right down to business in the first inning. Josh Harrison and Starling Marte both had hits. Matt Chapman doubled in the inning driving in Harrison and Marte giving the A’s an early 2-0 lead.

Things were quiet in the ensuring innings until the fourth inning. The Blue Jays would tie up the game off a home run by Teoscar Hernandez allowing Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to score. The A’s would have to get to work to take back the lead.

There were some fireworks and not the kind that produce hits and runs in the fifth inning. To be correct there were plenty of hits but not off the bat. Josh Harrison was hit and following that Starling Marte was hit in the head. So back to back hits and not the kind that we like to see. Marte would stay in the game for the inning. When Olson doubled Harrison and the speedy Marte both scored to take a 4-2 lead.

In the sixth inning Tony Kemp would have a bit of a dirt in the eye issue that brought out the medical crew. He went on to hit a home run, the eye wash doing it’s job scoring Canha and extending their lead 6-2.

There would be more scoring for Oakland in the seventh inning. Matt Chapman would single driving Matt Olson home. Tony Kemp would single in the same inning driving home Jed Lowrie. Now leading 8-2 the A’s had control of this game.

As we have seen in the A’s last two games, you cannot let your foot off the pedal. Going into the eighth inning Sean Manea had seen seven great innings.

Manea should have pitched the eighth inning. Lou Trivino came in to relieve and walked three, and walked in a run to top it off. Gurriel Jr. would come to the plate with the bases loaded and hit the home run that would tie this game 8-8. It was more of the same for the A’s. They have done this the past few games. They have a healthy lead and the relief pitching has let the team down. It would be up to the offense of Oakland to dig them out of this mess.

It was Mark Canha to the rescue hitting a desperately needed home run driving in Matt Olson and taking back the lead 10-8.

That lead did not last very long. Again the Oakland pitching undid everything that the offense worked so hard to achieve. Sergio Romo continued to throw sliders over and over and it was not working. He allowed hits by Valera and Springer followed by a home run by Marcus Semien and that was the ball game 11-10.

I don’t know what you do about some of this horrific relief pitching and the closers. There will be no post season for this team if this goes on much longer. They wouldn’t get past the Wild Card if they even get that far. What a let down after such a great offensive effort, especially the brilliant pitching by Sean Manea.

They will take another shot tomorrow taking on the Jays in Game Two. First pitch is at 12:07.

Oakland A’s podcast with Jeremiah Salmonson: A’s get run production in Detroit; Manaea to start for A’s tonight in Toronto

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Oakland A’s pitcher Sean Manaea will start for the A’s against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre in Toronto to open a three game series Fri Sep 3, 2021 (athleticsnation.com file photo)

On the Oakland A’s podcast with Jeremiah:

#1 Jeremiah, after the Detroit Tigers Miguel Cabrera hit home run 502 on Wednesday night the Tigers sat Cabrera and the A’s took advantage getting right to work on the Bengals with a quick 8-0 lead after four innings Tigers starter Matt Manning was charged for all eight runs.

#2 The A’s grabbed four quick runs in the top of the first inning after Jed Lowrie launched a 411 foot homer into left center for a 3-0 lead. The A’s Mark Canha followed up with a 370 foot solo home run homer into the right field stands for a 4-0 lead.

#3 In the second inning Starling Marte slugged an RBI double to get the A’s up 5-0. Marte now has 117 hits and 41 RBIs.

#4 A’s starter Frankie Montas was pitching in the bottom of the seventh inning when he was lifted for reliever Deolis Guerra. Montas had given up only one run until he gave up a home run to Harold Castro and Akil Baddoo hit a two run homer for 353 feet. Guerra watched the bottom fall out for a five run seventh and was relieved by Andrew Chafin.

#5 The A’s are Toronto tonight to open a three game series against the Blue Jays at Rogers Centre for the A’s Sean Manaea (8-9 ERA 3.97) the Jays have not announced a starter yet a 4:07pm first pitch PDT.

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

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: A’s Future Uncertain as 2021 Season coming to an End

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Oakland A’s team president David Kaval says he was startled when he learned that the Alameda County Council would not vote on tax revenue for the A’s infrastructure and Kaval said it appears to be a no go (file photo Mercury News)

A’s Future Uncertain as 2021 Season coming to an End

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

That’s Amaury Pi-González

The 2021 season is soon coming to an end. The hopes of the Athletics advancing into the playoffs are still depending on the last 30 games or so, when it all will be decided. But the future of the A’s in Oakland might not be decided in the next 30 days. That seems more unclear.

The latest: Alameda County said it is not ready to deliver a vote this month of September. Without their vote (County of Alameda) and their share of taxes revenue, the Oakland city officials have said that not enough money would be generated from the city’s share alone in order to cover the infrastructure costs. The County wants the City of Oakland and the A’s to agree before.

The vote is now delayed or maybe it will never take place. Dave Kaval, President of the Oakland A’s who has now been involved in this endeavor for years said: “We have been speaking to the County of Alameda and we are trying to do our part” “At the end of the day it’s a binary decision. They will be involved or not” and added as he received the letter. “I was startled to receive that and it appears it’s a no go”.

Kaval continues to say that the Athletics organization is working in two different plans, the one to keep the A’s in Oakland and continuing researching a location for the team in Las Vegas. Back in April (when the baseball season was just starting) the A’s asked the city to create two infrastructure financing districts. Both together include pedestrian bridges, traffic upgrades for fans to make it to the ballpark. As well as a village for 3,000 homes, hotels, offices, performing arts space for parks.

From these plans the Oakland A’s were counting on getting reimbursed $844 million over 45 years in bond money for all the infrastructure they would pay upfront. Libby Schaff, the Mayor of Oakland, recently said (for? times) she believes the team will stay in Oakland.

So…around and around it goes, where does it stops nobody knows.

Historical note: Back in the 1930’s, when radio was king, a young 22-year old actor by the name of Orson Wells was the star in The Shadow, an iconic radio show where Well’s was a Super Crime-fighter. A very famous and quotable line from the show: “Who knows what evil lurks in the heart of men. Only the Shadow knows…”

A’s hang on to beat Tigers 8-6; Attempted Detroit rally in 7th fails

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Oakland A’s Jed Lowrie goes deep for a three run homer in the top of the third inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica in Detroit on Thu Sep 2, 2021 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Oakland A’s scored early and often as they raced out to an early 8-0 lead over the Detroit Tigers. Their ace, Frankie Montas, pitched well until the seventh inning. The Tigers, down 8-1, sent nine men to the plate in the seventh and put five runs on the board to close the gap to 8-6. Andrew Chafin and Sergio Romo were able to shut down the Tiger offense to secure the win.

Here’s how the A’s won the game. The Tigers sent Matt Manning to face the A’s. The young man from the Sacramento area had his hands full as the A’s put four on the board in the first inning. With one out Manning walked Starling Marte.

He retired Matt Olson for the second out. Matt Chapman worked manning for a walk to put men on at first and second. the next hitter, A’s DH Jed Lowrie, one of the best hitters in baseball with runners in scoring position, hammered Manning’s pitch over the wall in left-center-field to put the A’s ahead 3-0. It was Lowrie’s 14th homer of the year. The next hitter, Mark Canha, blasted his 14th dinger of the year into the seats in right-field. The A’s led 4-0. 

 In the top of the second inning, with two out and a man on first, Starling Marte doubled off the wall in left field to make it a 5-0 game. The A’s offense was relentless. In the top of the third, with two out, Manning walked Canha. Tony Kemp followed with a single to center.

A’s catcher Yan Gomes long fly to left-center-field went over Robbie Grossman’s glove for a double. Canha and Kemp scored on the play to the A’s in the driver’s seat 7-0 after three complete. 

In the fourth inning, singles by Matt Olson and Matt Chapman put a runner in scoring position again with two out. The A’s sent Khris Davis to the plate to pinch-hit for Jed Lowrie. Davis was making his first appearance since being recalled from Las Vegas. Davis sent the ball into the left-field corner for a double to drive in Olson with the A’s eighth run of the game.

The A’s starter, Frankie Montas, was masterful for the first four innings of the game. He held the Tigers scoreless and allowed one hit. Things began to change in the fifth. Tigers’ third baseman Harold Castro, who had three hits, including a home run Tuesday night, led off the bottom of the fifth with his third home run of the year. The A’s still had a commanding lead 8-1.

Then came the fateful seventh inning. The Tigers sent nine men to the plate as they scored five runs on five hits, including two home runs. Tiger shortstop Niko Goodrum worked Montas for a walk to get the rally going. Second baseman Willi Castro hit into a fielder’s choice for the first out.

Montas retired Victor Reyes on a fly ball to Marte in center-field. The next hitter Montas faced was Akil Baddoo. Baddoo also homered Tuesday night. Baddoo ended Montas’ game when he hammered his twelfth homer of the year to make it 8-3.

A’s manager brought in Deolis Guerra to pitch. Guerra, who has been very good all season, could not get the job done. He pitched to four hitters and could not get an out. He gave up singles to Jonathan Schoop and Robbie Grossman.

Jeimer Candelario then homered to make it an 8-6 contest. Melvin let Guerra face one more hitter, Eric Hasse. Hasse singled. Melvin brought in lefty Andrew Chafin to put out the fire. Chafin retired Harold Castro for the final out.

Chafin allowed a hit in the eight but escaped unscathed. Bob Melvin called upon Sergio Romo to close out the ninth. The veteran reliever gave up a walk but was able to get the needed three outs to secure the win for Oakland by a final score of 8-6.

Game Notes and Stats: The A’s picked up 1/2 game on the idle Houston Astros. They now trail the Astros by four and 1/2 games for the A: West division crown. They can pick up a game on the Red Sox if Boston should lose to Tampa Bay later today. If Boston wins, the A’s will remain two games behind in the Wild Card race.

The A’s had 12 hits in Wednesday’s game. It was the third game in a row with more than ten plus hits. They had two more home runs on Wednesday and seven for the series. Their line was eight runs, twelve hits, and no errors. Khris Davis had a double and a single in his first game back as an Oakland Athletic. Yan Gomes and Elvis Andrus each had two hits.

Frankie Montas won his 11th game of the season. He is now 11-9. Sergio Romo picked up his second save.

The Tigers’ hitting stars were Jeimer Candelario, Victor Reyes, and Harold Castro. In the seventh, Candelario’s hit a three-run homer to help Detroit close the gap to 8-6. Reyes had three hits in the game. Reyes tripled in the third. He was thrown out attempting to score on a grounder to shortstop Elvis Andrus. Andrus’ throw him was on the mark, and Reyes was out. Manning was the losing pitcher, and his record is now 3-6.

The A’s are on their way to Toronto to play three games against the Blue Jays. Sean Manaea will go for Oakland, and Toronto will counter with Alek Manoah. The game will start at 4:07 pm.