Tag: mlb

MLB The Show podcast Michael Duca Fri May 30, 2025: Trout expected back in line up tonight for Angels; Braves Sale strikes out 2,500th batter; plus more news

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Mike Trout (right) talks with batting coach Johnny Washington (left) in the Los Angeles Angels dugout before their game against the Seattle Mariners on Wed April 30, 2025 at T Mobile Field in Seattle. Trout is expected back in the line up for Fri May 30, 2025 game against the Cleveland Guardians after suffering a left knee injury. (AP News photo)

MLB The Show podcast Michael Duca Fri May 30, 2025:

#1 The Los Angeles Angels are expected to activate outfielder Mike Trout Friday night before their game against the Cleveland Guardians. The Angels have optioned Matthew Lugo to Triple-A Salt Lake City on Thursday. Trout suffered left knee soreness on April 30th and had to leave the game against the Seattle Mariners in the fourth inning. Trout last season had to have two surgeries on the knee due to a meniscus tear.

#2 What a great career for Atlanta Braves pitcher Chris Sale who is the fastest pitcher to strikeout 2,500 batters. Sale pitched six inning of shutout ball against the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday in a 9-3 win in the night cap of a doubleheader which which the Phillies won the front game 5-4. In the sixth inning of the second game Sale struck out Edmundo Sosa in the sixth inning it was Sale’s eighth strikeout of the game to reach the 2,500 career strikeouts mark. Sale joins three other active pitchers to have achieved the record, Clayton Kershaw, Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer.

#3 The Seattle Mariners shortstop JP Crawford was livid over a third strike call by umpire Andy Fletcher on Thursday night on a pitch that Crawford argued was outside. Fletcher didn’t waste anytime into the argument and tossed Crawford from the game. With runners at the corners in the sixth inning against the Washington Nationals with a 2-0 lead. Nats pitcher MacKenzie Gore threw a pitch to Crawford that the pitch chart showed was outside. You could hear Crawford on the crowd mic yelling “That’s not a strike man” to which the argument was too close for comfort and manager Dan Wilson had to come out and restrain Crawford.

#3 Philadelphia Phillies star Bryce Harper was out of Thursday’s first game of a doubleheader versus the Atlanta Braves and was also not in the starting line up in the second game. This after being hit in the elbow with a pitch on Tuesday. Harper took a 95.3 fastball in the elbow from Atlanta Braves pitcher Spencer Strider. Harper had suffered swelling and pain.

#4 The Sacramento A’s continue to struggle losing their 14 out 15th game on Thursday night against the Toronto Blue Jays 12-0 at Rogers Centre in Toronto. The Jays cut through the A’s pitching like butter with four home runs and a eight run second inning. The first two pitchers for the A’s were lit up. Starter Jacob Lopez in 1.2 innings of work allowed six hits and seven earned runs. A’s reliever Anthony Maldonado pitched an inning allowing four hits and four earned runs. Question how will manager Mark Kotsay stop the bleeding?

#5 The San Francisco Giants Kyle Harrison (0-1 ERA 3.86) gets the start again against the Miami Marlins on Friday night in Miami. Harrison in his last game pitched four innings allowing five hits and two earned runs. Giants have lost six of their last ten games. How do you see Harrison Friday night against the Marlins to open the series?

Join Michael Duca for the MLB The Show podcasts each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

A’s Fail to Cage Blue Jays 12-0 at Rogers Centre to open series

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Toronto Blue Jays Vladimir Guerrero Jr (27) slugs a two run home run in the bottom of the second inning against the Sacramento A’s at Rogers Centre in Toronto on Thu May 29, 2025 (AP News photo)

By Mauricio Segura

It was a night to forget for the green and gold at Rogers Centre, where the Sacramento Athletics were steamrolled 12-0 by the Toronto Blue Jays in a one-sided affair that started badly and only got worse. This marks the third straight loss for the A’s and their 14th defeat in the last 15 games, during which they’ve been outscored by a staggering 117 to 44.

Things unraveled in the second inning, when the Blue Jays erupted for eight runs off A’s starter Jacob Lopez, who was chased from the game after recording just five outs. Toronto’s Ernie Clement ignited the rally with a three-run homer to left center.

It was his second of the season and only the beginning of what would be a career night. After a pair of singles and another walk, Bo Bichette delivered an RBI double before Vladimir Guerrero Jr. launched a towering two-run shot, his eighth home run of the year, to make it 6-0.

Lopez was replaced by Anthony Maldonado, but the floodgates remained open. Clement returned to the plate and ripped a two-run double, finishing the inning with five RBIs.

Clement’s five-RBI frame tied a Blue Jays franchise record. Only Edwin Encarnacion had ever driven in five runs in a single inning before, doing so in 2014. For Clement, a 28-year-old journeyman with just eight RBIs all season entering the game, it was a career-defining performance.

But the damage didn’t stop there. In the third, Bichette and Springer went back-to-back with solo home runs to left field. That ballooned the lead to 11-0 and cemented what had become a highlight reel for Toronto’s top hitters. Bichette’s blast was his sixth of the year. Springer, who also singled and scored earlier, added his sixth as well.

The A’s offense, meanwhile, never got going. They struck out 14 times and were held to just four hits, two of which came after the game was already well out of reach. Lawrence Butler recorded a single and a walk, and Brent Rooker hit his tenth double of the season, but the A’s never advanced a runner past second base.

Their best chance came in the sixth, when Luis Urías and Logan Davidson reached base with no outs, only for Butler to strike out and the rally to fizzle with a lineout and forceout.

Toronto starter José Berríos dominated from the outset, allowing just two hits across six shutout innings while striking out nine. He improved to 5-4 on the season with a 2.78 ERA. The Blue Jays bullpen combined to retire nine of the final eleven batters.

The Athletics’ pitching struggles were on full display. Lopez was tagged for seven earned runs, while Maldonado allowed four more in his brief appearance. Sean Newcomb and Hogan Harris provided some length out of the bullpen, but by then the damage was irreparable.

The Blue Jays tacked on their final run in the seventh with a sacrifice fly from Alejandro Kirk, scoring Addison Barger, who had reached with a single and moved over on Ali Sánchez’s double. Even Toronto’s substitutions kept producing, highlighting the depth gap between these two clubs.

The Athletics will attempt to regroup and stop the bleeding when the series continues Friday. A’s Left-hander Jeffrey Springs (5-3 ERA 3.97) is slated to start for the green and gold, looking for his sixth win of the season. He’ll be opposed by former A’s pitcher and Blue Jays starter Chris Bassitt, who brings a 4-3 record into the matchup with a 3.38 ERA.

Costa Rican-born Mauricio Segura has been covering sports in the Bay Area since 2001 for a variety of magazines and newspapers, as well as his own publication, Golden Bay Times.

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: MLB- Latino Narrative Dominating 

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Minnie Minoso painting by Graig Kreindler. This is a painting of Minoso getting ready for a game with the Chicago White Sox in 1951 at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx (Graig Kreindler X photo)

MLB: Latino Narrative Dominating

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

When I first began covering Major League Baseball in the mid-1970s, Latino players made up between 10 and 13% of all players; today, the number is at least 30% and growing. Although the most famous player today, Shohei Ohtani, was born in Japan, Latin culture is ever-present in the game of baseball. Demographics have changed dramatically since the 1970s, and today the total Hispanic population in the U.S. is estimated to be 65.2 million, according to Pew Research Center.

Of all the countries in the world with the most significant number of Spanish-speaking people, the United States of America ranks second, with Mexico having 132 million. One of my long-time friends is Octavio “Cookie” Rojas, who played 16 seasons in the major leagues. Octavio has done it all. Octavio “Cookie” Rojas Rivas (born March 6, 1939) is a Cuban-American former professional baseball player, coach, manager, scout, and radio and television commentator.

He went to La Luz School in Havana (although a few years before me).I also attended that same school. He became a professional player in the old Cuban Winter League with the Leones del Habana. I remember him playing second base, and I recall a television show about baseball on Cuban television that he hosted.

It was Octavio, when he was a scout, that sat with me during a broadcast back in the 80’s, that told me, “En 30 años seremos cerca de la mitad Latinos jugando aqui” trans- “In 30 years, half of all the players playing here, will be Latinos”. He wasn’t far from predicting the truth.

In 2011, the Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum Hall of Fame inducted Octavio”Cookie” Rojas into their Hall of Fame. The museum has been a traveling museum for 26 years, founded as a non-profit in San Francisco, California.

Rojas also played in Venezuela, after Cuba, and of course made his name in the major leagues. We at the HHBM are very proud to have him among other Latino Legends who led the way for us today and made baseball one of the most popular Latino sports in the United States.

Note: I recall when Orestes “Minnie” Miñoso was playing in Cuba with the Mariano Tigers. He became the first Cuban-born player to earn a salary of $25,000 in the major leagues with the Chicago White Sox. In the 1950s, that was a substantial amount of money in baseball.

Recently Dominican-born Juan Soto signed a 15-year, $765 million contract with the New York Mets in December 2024. This contract makes it the largest in the history of professional sports. It also includes a $75 million signing bonus and an average annual salary of $51 million. The most significant contract ever in baseball went to a Latino player.

Amaury Pi-Gonzalez – Cuban-born Pi-González is one of the pioneers of Spanish-language baseball play-by-play in America. Began as Oakland A’s Spanish-language voice in 1977 ending in 2024 (interrupted by stops with the Giants, Mariners and Angels). Voice of the Golden State Warriors from 1992 through 1998. 2010 inducted in the Bay Area Radio Hall of Fame.

 https://goaquaadventure.com

 @Central Park Fremont – Fremont CA

Athletics podcast Jeremiah Salmomson Thu May 29, 2025: Jacob’s ladder to success; A’s open four game series in Toronto

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Sacramento A’s Jacob Wilson circles the bases after hitting a fifth inning home run against the Houston Astros on Wed May 28, 2025 at Daikin Park in Houston (AP News photo)

Athletics podcast Jeremiah Salmonson Thu May 29, 2025:

#1 Jeremiah, Once again the Sacramento A’s fell in the late innings losing Wednesday to the Houston Astros 5-3 at Daikin Park in Houston. The loss was the A’s 13th out of their last 14 games.

#2 The got another strong performance from their starter Luis Severino pitching six innings, allowing three hits, one earned run, two walks and four strikeouts.

#3 A’s reliever Justin Sterner pitched 2.3 innings, three hits, one earned run, and two unearned runs, walked a batter in the bottom of the seventh inning that allowed the Astros to come back and take the lead.

#4 Despite the loss the A’s rookie Jacob Wilson had an offensive day in third inning doubled in Luis Urias, Wilson later scored on Brent Rooker’s RBi double. Wilson in the fifth hit his seventh home run a solo shot that gave the A’s a 3-2 lead.

#5 The A’s are in Toronto Thursday night to face the Blue Jays the A’s will be starting LHP Jacob Lopez (0-2, 2.57 ERA) for the Toronto Blue Jays RHP Jose Berrios (1-2, ERA 4.22). The Jays are playing .500 ball in their last ten games going 5-5.

Jeremiah Salmonson does the A’s podcasts Thursdays at http://www.sportsradioserivce.com

San Francisco Giants podcast Lincoln Juarez: Giants open 3 game series with Marlins Friday

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San Francisco Giants starter Landen Roupp works on the Detroit Tigers line up in the bottom of the first inning at Comerica Park in Detroit on Wed May 28, 2025 (AP News photo)

San Francisco Giants podcast Lincoln Juarez:

#1 Despite a more productive offense, the San Francisco Giants (31-25) got swept by the Detroit Tigers (37-20) losing game three 4-3 on Wednesday.

#2 Giants Heliot Ramos had the only home run of the game which scored two runs. Taking a 3-0 lead into the bottom of the fifth inning, the Giants were looking pretty good.

#3 It all came crashing down when the Tigers put four runs up on the scoreboard in the fifth taking the 4-3 lead that would be the final.

#4 In the fifth inning as eight Detroit batters came to the plate. A couple of runs scored when Colt Keith doubled Jake Rogers and Kerry Carpenter home in a Detroit rally that was just getting started with no outs.

#5 The Giants have the day off Thursday but are back at it again in Miami on Friday. The Giants will start Kyle Harrison (0-1, ERA 3.86) and for the Marlins Cal Quantrill (3-4 ERA 6.09) first pitch 4:10pm PDT.

Lincoln Juarez filled in for Morris Phillips who does the San Francisco Giants podcasts Thursdays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Athletics game wrap: Severino’s Milestone and Wilson’s Big Day Not Enough As A’s Depart Houston With A 5-3 Loss

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Sacramento A’s Luis Urias (left) slides in before Houston Astros catcher Victor Caratini (17) can put the tag on in time in the top of the third inning at Daikin Park in Houston Wed May 28, 2025 (AP News photo)

Severino’s Milestone and Wilson’s Big Day Not Enough As A’s Depart Houston With A 5-3 Loss

By Mauricio Segura

The Sacramento A’s flashed early promise in Houston Wednesday afternoon, but once again faltered when it mattered most, falling 5-3 to the Astros after a late-inning collapse erased a strong outing from starter Luis Severino and a standout performance by rookie Jacob Wilson.

Severino, in his 12th start of the season, was sharp across six innings, giving up just two earned runs while striking out six. He reached a career milestone in the first inning, notching his 1,000th career strikeout by getting Jose Altuve to chase a pitch in the dirt.

The A’s took the lead in the third inning thanks to Wilson, who continued his rookie tear by doubling in Luis Urías and later scoring on Brent Rooker’s RBI double. Wilson wasn’t done. In the fifth, he crushed his seventh home run of the season, a solo shot to left that put the green and gold ahead 3-2.

Wilson now leads all MLB rookies in hits, RBI, and doubles, and has more walks than strikeouts, a rare feat for any player, let alone a rookie. His performance was a rare highlight on a team that has struggled to produce consistently, especially with runners in scoring position.

The Astros tied the game in the bottom of the third after an error by Wilson helped load the bases, leading to a sacrifice fly by Isaac Paredes. In the fourth, Cam Smith tied it up with a two-out RBI single. Despite the early runs, Severino minimized damage and exited after six full innings with the score knotted 2-2.

Wilson’s home run in the fifth briefly put the A’s back on top, 3-2, but things unraveled in the seventh. Reliever Justin Sterner gave up a solo shot to Zach Dezenzo, tying the game at 3-3. Two singles and a walk later, Victor Caratini punched a sharp grounder into center to drive in two, giving Houston a 5-3 lead it never relinquished.

The A’s offense stalled in the late innings. After Wilson’s home run, the club managed just one hit and two walks over the final four frames. Rooker, Soderstrom, and Langeliers each struck out at least twice. As a team, the A’s struck out 18 times, including the final two batters of the game against Astros closer Josh Hader.

Wilson finished the day 2-for-3 with a walk and two RBI’s. Urías added a double and a walk, but the rest of the lineup failed to capitalize. Lawrence Butler, who entered the game with hits in nine straight, struck out four times. Denzel Clarke also wore the collar, going 0-for-4 with four punchouts.

The bullpen’s struggles were all too familiar. Sterner, who began the season with an 18.2-inning scoreless streak, has now been tagged for runs in two of his last three outings. Grant Holman came in to mop up but could not undo the damage as Houston’s late offense proved decisive.

With the loss, the A’s drop to 23-33 on the season and remain mired in last place in the AL West. They have now dropped 17 of their last 22 games and are just 3-17 in their last 20. The green and gold are hitting .256 overall but just .244 with runners in scoring position, and the bullpen owns one of the worst ERAs in the majors at 5.96.

The road trip continues Thursday in Toronto, where A’s left-hander Jacob Lopez (0-2, 2.57 ERA) will look for his first win of the season for the Toronto Blue Jays RHP Jose Berrios (1-2, ERA 4.22). If the A’s are to turn this slide around, they will need more than Wilson’s brilliance and Severino’s steadiness, they’ll need consistency from a lineup that too often goes silent and a bullpen that can close the door when asked.

Costa Rican-born Mauricio Segura has been covering sports in the Bay Area since 2001 for a variety of magazines and newspapers, as well as his own publication, Golden Bay Times.

San Francisco Suffers Another Loss; Swept By Tigers 4-3; Road trip continues for SF Friday in Miami

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Detroit Tigers third base coach Joey Cora (left) has got a good idea that Detroit Tigers Jake Rogers (right) has got the throw and tag beat ahead of San Francisco Giants third baseman in bottom of the fifth inning at Comerica Park in Detroit on Wed May 28, 2025 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason
Despite a more productive offense, the San Francisco Giants (31-25) got swept by the Detroit Tigers (37-20) losing game three 4-3 on Wednesday.

Giants Heliot Ramos had the only home run of the game which scored two runs. Taking a 3-0 lead into the bottom of the fifth inning, the Giants were looking pretty good. It all came crashing down when the Tigers put four runs up on the scoreboard in the fifth taking the 4-3 lead that would be the final.

Game recap: San Francisco got those bats working in the second inning with a couple of hits. Matt Chapman doubled to open the inning and LaMonte Wade Jr. doubled driving in Chapman for the early 1-0 lead. The score remained 1-0 going into the fifth inning.

More hits for the Giants came in the fifth when Ramos homered with Mike Yastrzemski on board to extend their lead to 3-0 in a much improved offensive effort mid-way through the game. Through five innings the Giants already had five hits and with the 3-0 lead looked to be in control of this game.

The Tigers turned this entire game upside down in the bottom of the fifth inning as eight Detroit batters came to the plate. A couple of runs scored when Colt Keith doubled Jake Rogers and Kerry Carpenter home in a Detroit rally that was just getting started with no outs.

The Tigers would tack on another two runs to take the lead 4-3 when Justyn -Henry Malloy singled Gleyber Torres and Colt Keith home. The San Francisco 3-0 lead had been extinguished in a single inning.

This game went into the ninth inning with the Tigers continuing to lead 4-3. It became a pitchers duel as neither had scored through three innings. It came down to the top of the ninth and the Giants had one last chance to salvage the game.

It was quick and painful for San Francisco in the inning. Ramos struck out, Wilmer Flores flied out and Jung Hoo Lee ground out and that was the ballgame with the Tigers sweeping the Giants winning the game 4-3.

The Giants had more production at the plate with ten hits in the game outhitting the Tigers 11- 7. The problem for San Francisco was the number of runners in scoring position that failed to score. They had nine players in scoring position coming away with only one run.

Lack of opportunity was not the problem for the Giants today because they had a multitude of chances to score. While the Tigers were outplayed in the game they were able to hang onto the lead for the one-run win.

The hero of the game for the Tigers was closer Tommy Kahnle who pitched the final two innings. He finished the game with no hits, no runs, no walks and two strikeouts.

Roupp lasted four innings for San Francisco and was relieved by Randy Rodriguez for a couple of innings. Ramos and Chapman each had three hits and LaMonte Wade Jr. has really stepped it up lately with a couple of hits.

It was another really tough game for the Giants. Three Tiger runners reached first base after being hit and so there was a lot going on for San Francisco that attributed to this loss.

Game notes: Wednesday afternoon the Giants finished up their series with the Tigers swept after losing games one and two by 3-1 scores and losing by a run on Wednesday 4-3. San Francisco continued to struggle at the plate in both Monday and Tuesday games and needed more production offensively in Wednesday’s game.

Giants starting pitcher Roupp went four innings pitched allowed five hits and an earned run. The Tigers scored three more unearned runs. All four of the Detroit runs came in the bottom of the fifth inning and that was all they needed to win the game. Tiger starter Jobe Jackson went 4.2 innings, allowing seven hits and three earned runs for the win.

The Giants will take a travel day off Thursday before taking on the Miami Marlins on Friday for a three game series. Probable pitcher for San Francisco will be Kyle Harrison with a 0-1, 3.86 ERA. The Marlins will start Cal Quantrill who comes into the game with a 3-4 win/loss record and a 6.09 ERA. First pitch for this game is scheduled for 4:10 PM.

That’s Amaury News and Commentary-Yankees announced $6.4 Billion Stadium renovation

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New York Yankees Stadium will be renovated at the tune of $6.4 billion by owner Hal Steinbrenner (photo by Ebay)

Yankees announced $6.4 Billion Stadium renovation

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

From a team like the A’s, where the owner is counting pennies every day, and seldom improves the team on the field to be at least competitive, and now playing in a foreign stadium not able to at least sellout one game yet during the first two months of the season, to the New York Yankees, arguably the most famous sports franchise in American professional sports.

Here, the Yanks are making news. New York Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner announced $6.4 billion stadium renovation project that will redefine arena standards to deliver a world-class experience for fans. In a groundbreaking announcement that has sent shock waves through the sports world, New York Yankees managing general partner “This ambitious project aims to completely redefine the standards in the arena and deliver a world-class experience for fans, players, and the entire baseball community.” -said the owner.

Here are some of the improvements. Cutting-edge seating with enhanced sightlines and comfort Immersive digital experiences and interactive fan zones Expanded dining and hospitality options featuring local and international cuisines sustainable design elements to reduce environmental impact Upgraded player facilities inspired by the recent Steinbrenner Field renovations Yankee fans are among the most opinionated in all of baseball.

Here are some of their responses on the internet: After hearing Hal Steinbrenner’s announcement, many Yankee fans reacted this way— “How about putting a roof?” —“We need that money instead to get the players to take us to another World Series title:” — ” Take a billion off and go get some A-list players instead”—. “We are fine the way the stadium is.” “Stadiums fine, sign a few starters and a 3B”— Can you please make it easier to find the parking garage?! I’m still lost in the Bronx.” —Yeah, and then make it that much harder to go to a game because it’ll be more expensive.”

Anecdote: In the 2000 World Series, the New York Yankees played the New York Mets, which was the first Subway Series in New York since 1956. I was contacted by LBC (Latino Broadcasting Corporation, based in Miami) to do the play-by-play with my friend and colleague, Eduardo Ortega, of the San Diego Padres.

We went onto the streets just outside the Hyatt Hotel in Manhattan, armed with a recorder, and gathered opinions from Yankees and Mets fans alike. It was typical New York, with some very colorful language that our producer-engineer, Armando Talavera, had to edit later at the stadium before the game for our pregame. The Yankees won the series 4 games to 1. They were defending World Champions and won their third in a row.

Amaury Pi-Gonzalez – Cuban-born Pi-González is one of the pioneers of Spanish-language baseball play-by-play in America. Began as Oakland A’s Spanish-language voice in 1977 ending in 2024 (interrupted by stops with the Giants, Mariners and Angels). Voice of the Golden State Warriors from 1992 through 1998. 2010 inducted in the Bay Area Radio Hall of fame.

While in the Bay Area, great food and great prices. 998cuba.com

Lack of Hitting Continues to Plague Giants Losing to Detroit 3-1 in Game Two

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San Francisco Giants manager Bob Melvin gets into it with umpire Tom Randazzo after getting kicked out of the game in the top of the fifth inning against the Detroit Tigers on Tue May 27, 2025 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

Game Two between the San Francisco Giants (31-24) and the Detroit Tigers (36-20) looked very much like game one. The Giants only scored in one inning, the ninth inning , after the Tigers had taken a 3-0 lead after the three opening innings.

It was another tough loss for pitcher Logan Webb. He did strikeout ten batters but the Giants continued to struggle at the plate, they’re bats on standby for some time now as they continue to search for answers in a 3-1 loss at Comerica Park in Detroit on Tuesday night.

A windy day in Detroit were the conditions that the Giants had to deal with on Tuesday of their series with the Tigers. San Francisco lost Monday by the score of 3-1.

In game after game, the Giants have not had a great deal of offense despite continuing to win games here and there. It is starting to catch up with them as the lost again on Tuesday and they have to figure this out as their win/loss record continues to plummet.

The Giants starter Logan Webb just couldn’t hold those Tigers pitching six innings allowing seven hits, and all of the Tigers three runs was all they needed. Starting pitcher for the Tigers Jack Flaherty got the win pitching six innings allowing just two hits, no earned runs, one walk and struck eight.

This game did not go as planned for the Giants. The Tigers scored in the first three innings to take a 3-0 lead. Riley Greene doubled in the first inning to get started for Detroit and Gleyber Torres scored on that hit for the early 1-0 lead.

It did not stop there. Wenceel Perez came to the plate and homered in his first at-bat in his season debut, a solo home run, extending the Detroit lead to 2-0. In the third inning Riley Greene had his second hit of the game, a single, driving in Colt Keith for a 3-0 lead. Detroit would not score for the rest of the game.

The Giants trailed early but there were still six innings of baseball left for a comeback. While the Giants had a lot of game left their problematic woes at the plate persisted and they did not score a single run through the first eight innings.

They finally got up on the scoreboard in the ninth inning but it was far too little too late. Wilmer Flores, who has been consistently good at the plate doubled Heliot Ramos home for the only run San Francisco would score in the game. The final was 3-1 in favor of Detroit as the Tigers took a 2-0 lead in the series looking for a sweep Wednesday.

Tiger pitcher Jack Flaherty threw six scoreless innings. He finished allowing two hits, a walk and eight strikeouts. His ERA improved to 3.94 as the Tigers won their third game in a row. He retired the last 11 batters he faced before being relieved by Chase Lee.

It was another tough game for San Francisco starting pitcher Logan Webb. He allowed seven hits, three runs, one walk and ten strikeouts through six innings. He was relieved by Tristan Beck who finished the game in the losing effort. Manager Bob Melvin was ejected in the fifth inning for arguing balls and strikes. All-around it was a rough outing for the Giants.

Wednesday, game three will be played with the Giants fighting to avoid a sweep. The Giants will start Landon Roupp who comes in with a 3-3 win/loss record and a 3.63 ERA. Jackson Jobe will take the mound for the Tigers with a 4-1 win/loss record and a 4.06 ERA. This will be a very tough assignment for San Francisco if they continue to struggle offensively. First pitch for this game is scheduled for 10:10 AM.

A’s Woes Continue With 11-1 Astros Scoring Clinic in Houston

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Sacramento A’s centerfielder Denzel Clarke (1) can’t quite reach Houston Astros Jose Altuve’s two run home run in the bottom of the fourth inning at Daikin Park in Houston on

A’s Woes Continue With 11-1 Astros Scoring Clinic in Houston

By Mauricio Segura

By the time the sun had set over Daikin Park, the A’s were gasping for air under a deluge of offense from the Houston Astros. What started as a hopeful outing after breaking their 11-game skid on Sunday, quickly turned into a sobering reminder of how far the green and gold have slipped in just a matter of weeks.

Behind a vintage performance from Jose Altuve and another rocky outing for starter JP Sears, the A’s fell 11–1 on Tuesday night, dropping to 23–32 on the season.

The A’s came into the game with some promise. Miguel Andujar carried a 12-game hitting streak, Lawrence Butler was swinging a hot bat, and the team had shown signs of offensive life lately, batting nearly .300 over their last six games.

But none of that mattered to the Astros, who wasted no time pouncing on Sears in the second inning with a sequence that foreshadowed the lopsided night ahead.

Houston plated four in the second on a sharp double from Chas McCormick, another from Mauricio Dubón, and a two-run homer off the bat of Jeremy Peña. It only got worse in the third when Altuve launched the first of his two home runs, a solo shot that extended the lead to 5–0.

By the time Altuve returned to the plate in the fourth, he followed a Peña single with a second homer, his eighth of the season, putting the game completely out of reach at 9–1.

For Sears, it was his third straight loss and another step back in what had once been a strong campaign. After an impressive April, the lefty has now allowed ten home runs in May and was pulled in the fourth inning after giving up nine hits and seven earned runs, pushing his ERA to 4.40.

Not much went right for the A’s on either side of the ball. Offensively, they struck out 13 times and grounded into two double plays, including one with the bases loaded in the sixth that could have brought the team back into the game. Butler provided the lone highlight, launching a solo homer in the fourth for his eighth of the year, continuing an impressive stretch in which he’s gone 12-for-36 over his last nine games.

Rookie Denzel Clarke did notch his first Major League hit in the sixth, a soft single to third, but it was largely symbolic on a night when the green and gold were outplayed in every facet. A’s outfielder Drew Avans added his own milestone with a single in the ninth, also his first career hit, while Miguel Andujar extended his hit streak to 13 games, offering a small bright spot in an otherwise long evening.

The loss continues a brutal stretch for the Athletics, who have now dropped 16 of their last 20. Their starting rotation has not recorded a win in 13 games, and the bullpen, once again taxed, surrendered another pair of runs, including a two-run homer by Christian Walker in the sixth that sealed the Astros’ blowout.

Next up Wednesday, the A’s turn to Luis Severino in hopes of salvaging the short two-game set before heading north to Toronto. The right-hander has been strong on the road, but he’ll need support from both the offense and a weary bullpen if the A’s hope to avoid another sweep at the hands of an American League West foe.

Costa Rican-born Mauricio Segura has been covering sports in the Bay Area since 2001 for a variety of magazines and newspapers, as well as his own publication, Golden Bay Times.