Tag: mlb

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary podcast with Jeremiah Salmonson: Lowrie headed to represent A’s at All-Star game and a look at MLB All-Star players

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mlb.com photo: Oakland A’s Jed Lowrie, Houston Astros Charlie Morton, and the Atlanta Braves’ Nick Markakis from left to right are in the top five of the mlb.com poll to go to the All Star game out of 30 players.

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary podcast with Jeremiah:

Jeremiah is filling in for Amaury this week on the podcast and takes a look at at the most probable top five All Star players polled at mlb.com, which includes:

Jed Lowrie — Oakland A’s — .279, 86 hits, 12 HRs, 51 RBIs

Nick Markakis — Atlanta Braves — .330, 101 hits, 8 HRs, 49 RBIs

Charlie Morton — Houston Astros — 9-1 ERA 2.4

Francisco Cerevelli — Pittsburgh Pirates — .257, 45 hits, 9 HRs, and 36 RBIs

Mitch Moreland — Boston Red Sox — .299, 61 hits, 11 HRs, 39 RBIs

Jeremiah Salmonson is a talk show host at the Oakland A’s radio affiliate AM 950 KAHI in Auburn and is filling in for Amaury Pi Gonzalez

Giant Challenges: S.F. hits critical stretch with a bundle of games against teams with winning records

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By Morris Phillips

During the upcoming series versus the Rockies, the Giants will reach the completion of half their 2018 season. So is this season trending towards a bounceback or another failure similar to that experienced last season?

The Giants are a little of both so far, but the compressed schedule leading toward the July 17 All-Star Game and the two weeks after the break offer the Giants their biggest challenge yet. Only six of the next 28 games come against a team with a losing record currently. Those six–against the slumping Rockies–come in the next nine games. And the Rockies at 38-40 aren’t a certainty to stay below .500 or provide the Giants with a lesser challenge than the Diamondbacks, Cardinals, Brewers, Mariners, A’s and Cubs will over this stretch.

For a team hoovering around .500, a tough stretch like this separates the real contenders from the half-season pretenders. The Giants, playing better as of late, could be either one. What’s apparent is the urgency laced into this stretch of games for a team that hasn’t distinguished itself by being one of nine National League teams currently with winning records.

The biggest advantage the Giants will have is playing at AT&T Park where they have won 12 of 15. Seventeen of the upcoming 28 are at home where the Giants have compiled the NL’s best home record thus far (24-13).

On the field, starting pitching has been the club’s biggest asset of late. Without the veteran presences of Johnny Cueto and Jeff Samardzija, Giants’ starters have allowed three runs or fewer in 13 straight contests.

On Tuesday, the Giants welcome the Rockies and their starter, Chad Bettis. Derek Holland (5-7, 4.48 ERA) gets the ball for the Giants.

A’s rally to nip the Tigers 5-4

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by Jerry Feitelberg

The A’s began a four-game series Monday in the Motor City against the Detroit Tigers. The A’s purchased the contract of the veteran hurler, Edwin Jackson, from Nashville earlier in the day. Jackson tied a major league record by playing for his 13th Major League team. The only other player was Octavio Dotel. Dotel also made a stop n Oakland in his Major League journey. Jackson was making his first start of the 2018 season and did very well for his new team. Jackson went 6 innings and, allowed six hits, one run, no walks, and seven strikeouts. “It’s always good to be wanted,” Jackson said. “When I can’t find a team that wants to bring me in, then I guess it’ll be time to sit down. But until then, I like to come out. I like to compete, to have fun. I feel like I still have something in me and that I can bring value to a team.”

The Tiger’s starter Jordan Zimmerman also pitched very well. Zimmerman and Jackson engaged in a pitchers’ duel. The only run that Jackson allowed came in the bottom of the fourth. The Tigers put the first run of the game on the board this way. Designated Hitter Victor Martinez led off the bottom of the fourth with a single. First baseman John Hicks reached on a fielder’s choice when Jackson was not able to cleanly field Hicks’ bunt. Jackson was charged with an error, and the Tigers had men on at first and second with no out. Jackson then had to face the Tigers’ most dangerous hitter, Nick Castellanos. Castellanos doubled to drive in Martinez with the Tigers’ first run. The A’s trail 1-0 after four complete.

Zimmerman did not let the A’s score in the fifth. Tigers’ manager Ron Gardenhire removed Zimmerman after the fifth and turned the game over to the bullpen.

Neither team scored in the sixth. The seventh inning was a different story. The A’s tied the game when right fielder Stephen Piscotty sent a Louis Coleman pitch over the fence for his 8th of the year. Nick Castellanos hit a three-run blast off A’s reliever Lou Trivino to send the Tigers ahead 4-1.

The A’s refused to fold. They plated three runs in the top of the eighth. Khris Davis started the rally by getting hit by a pitch. Piscotty doubled to send Davis to third. Marcus Semien hit a sacrifice fly to drive in Davis with the A’s second run. Jonathan Lucroy singled to drive in Piscotty and Lucroy scored when Franklin Barreto doubled to left center to tie the game.

The A’s took the lead for good when Jed Lowrie hit his 12th home run of the year off Shane Greene. Blake Treinen pitched the ninth and allowed just one hit to preserve the win for Oakland and earned his 18th save in the process. The A’s win 5-4.

Game Notes- Edwin Jackson was impressive in his first start as an Athletic, He gave A’s manager Bob Melvin six innings and allowed one run and six hits.”For most guys, it’s tough to go to a new team in the middle of a season. There can be some nerves and some uncomfortableness being with a new team,” A’s manager Bob Melvin said. “This is probably the last guy that you worry about that, being that it’s his 13th team. He seemed real comfortable when he came out of the bullpen, seemed really comfortable when he took the mound. That has a lot to do with experience.” Yusmeiro Petit, Ryan Buchter, Lou Trivino, and Blake Treinen finished the game for the A’s. Trivino gave up the home run to Castellanos but was the pitcher or record when the A’s took the lead for good. Trivino is now 6-1. Treinen, as mentioned earlier, earned his 18th save.

The A’s are now three games over the .500 mark with a record of 41-38. The Tigers drop to 36-43.

Stephen Piscotty and Jonathan Lucroy were the hitting stars with three hits apiece. The A’s homered in their 26th consecutive road game which is a Major League record.

The A’s announced that they activated lefty Ryan Buchter off the 60-day DL and added Edwin Jackson to the 40-man roster. Nick Martini was returned to Nashville, and reliever Liam Hendriks was designated for assignment.

Game two of the series will be played Tuesday night in Detroit at 4 pm. Righty Frankie Montas (4-1) will go for Oakland, and the Tigers will counter with lefty Blaine Hardy (3-1).

 

San Francisco Giants podcast with Morris Phillips: Pence buys some time from Giants shopping with game-winning two-run double

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Photo credit: @SFGiants

On the SF Giants podcast with Morris:

There was so much talk about shopping Hunter Pence that it sounded like it was good as gold that he was going to get traded. Pence’s two-run RBI double might have saved his job for now in a Sunday game that won it for San Francisco.

The Giants have improved on the homestand with a 5-2 record with three more games left with Colorado starting Tuesday night. The Rockies are in fourth place in the NL West. Morris will tell us how he sees this series coming up. Giants outfielder Austin Jackson’s name had come up as being shopped by SF, but the Giants are concerned like Pence giving up Jackson–they could eat a lot of his contract.

Morris Phillips covers Giants baseball for http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Woulda Been Mo Better: A’s Set MLB Record, But Lose in Chicago, 10-3

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By Morris Phillips

Chicks, fans and home run hitters dig the long ball. The baseball gods–and the won-loss column–prefer a more well-rounded approach to the grand old game.

Just ask the Swinging A’s.

On the day the A’s established a modern-day, Major League record by hitting at least one home run in 25 consecutive road contests, they found little to celebrate as the White Sox took it to them, 10-3, at Guaranteed Rate Field.

Much of blame for the lopsided loss fell at the feet of Paul Blackburn, who cruised through four innings before running into trouble in the fifth. Blackburn allowed six hits and five runs in that frame, then saw his second pitch of the sixth inning exit the ballpark at 115 mph off the bat of Daniel Palka. Needless to say his hanging change up to Palka offered little mystery.

“I was executing my pitches well,” Blackburn said. “Except to six batters in the fifth and one leading off the sixth.”

“He was good for a while this time and had one real tough inning,” manager Bob Melvin said of Blackburn. “He’s still trying to find his way a little bit consistently.”

Blackburn fell to 1-2 with an unsightly ERA of 8.83 in four starts. In Oakland, where many are given the opportunity to succeed, but few are given a lengthy rope to fail, Blackburn would normally be forced to figure out his issues at AAA Nashville. But the A’s are strapped, and Blackburn will probably make his next scheduled start on Friday at the Coliseum against the first-place Indians.

In terms of the current standings, splitting a four-game series against a team that’s 25 games below .500 does little for the A’s postseason outlook. But as a team still three games above the break-even point, they have a profile, it’s just not very compelling at this point. The A’s are 11 games back of the Astros in the AL West, and 6 1/2 games behind the Mariners, the second wild card at this juncture. Winning on Sunday would have given them an additional distinction: holding the AL’s sixth-best record to themselves when the top-five have–at least for now–run away from the pack.

And the home runs? Yeah, they’re helpful, and they give the youthful A’s an identity, but in terms of wins and losses, maybe not so much. The A’s won 14 of the 25 games in their record stretch. Good, but not great.

“It certainly would have been a little better if we won the game,” Melvin said when asked about the home run record.

The A’s start a four-game set in Detroit on Monday.

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: A’s set new home run record at 25 straight games and Edwin Jackson to the rescue

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Photo credit: @WEEI

By Amaury Pi-González

The powerful A’s now own a major-league record on Sunday in Chicago. Mark Canha hit a solo home run in the fifth inning to establish a new home run record. A streak of 25 consecutive road games with a home run. Previous modern record was set in 1996 by the Baltimore Orioles. Considering how often home runs are hit these days, it will be interesting to see how long this record last. Last season was the season of the home run, a record of 6,104.

A’s are calling up journeyman pitcher Edwin Jackson. This will be his 13th team tying a major league record. The moment Jackson wears the Green and Gold, he will tie Octavio Dotel, as one of the only two pitchers in history to have pitched for 13 different teams. You need at least three mainstays in a rotation to stay afloat, especially in this very tough AL West. This is not the NL West, this is a division with the Astros, Mariners and Angels, three teams that could be playing ball in October.

Bob Melvin is one of the best managers in the game today. The two-time Manager of the Year (2007 Arizona, 2012 Oakland) has done a terrific job with a very inconsistent rotation and like an expert chemist is trying to find the formula on a team, where the bullpen is in much better shape than the starting rotation. We know that the New York Mets’ Noah Syndergaard and Jacob deGrom are not coming to Oakland. During the first half of the season we have seen Daniel Gossit, Paul Blackburn, Josh Lucas also taking the ball to start games. Daniel Mengden left a game this weekend in Chicago with a foot injury, so the A’s are calling up journeyman Edwin Jackson.

As of the start of the current road-trip in San Diego, there were three starters in the “rotation:” Sean Manaea, Daniel Mengden and Frankie Montás. We can take Mengden out for a while with that foot injury and see how Edwin Jackson will do with the Athletics uniform. From the start of this season, the A’s could have used a veteran pitcher, this team has an abundance of young pitchers with little experience. It seems like 10 years ago that Kendall Graveman opened this season for the A’s against the Angels on March 29th at the Oakland Coliseum.

The A’s have been playing good ball during this road trip against teams. They should be able to beat the Padres, White Sox and Tigers. These are teams that are at the bottom of their divisions. Yet in baseball, to be a contender you must beat these teams. Their road trip continues into Detroit for a four-game series prior to returning home next Friday from a weekend series against the AL Central leading Cleveland Indians and then a two-game set vs. the San Diego Padres during Independence week.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez does News and Commentary each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Pence’s walk-off double lifts Giants past Padres 3-2 in extras

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Photo credit: @NBCSGiants

By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO — With their first day off since June 7 looming, the San Francisco Giants are happy to get a day off.

Hunter Pence hit a two-run double just out of the reach of Eric Hosmer at first base, as the Giants came back to defeat the San Diego Padres 3-2 before a crowd of 39,240 at AT&T Park on Sunday afternoon.

“Just wanted to put a good swing on the ball,” said Pence. “Fortunately, I found the hole.”

Thru the first seven games of the 10-game home stand, the Giants are now 5-2 with a three-game series looming against the Colorado Rockies beginning on Tuesday night.

With the victory, this was the fourth straight home series win for the Giants.

Things were not looking good for the Giants, as they went to the bottom of the 11th inning against one of the best closers in baseball, in Brad Hand.

After Hand struck out Brandon Belt for the first out of the inning, Hand began to unravel, as he gave up a double to Andrew McCutchen, then after an intentional walk to Buster Posey that setup the possible double play, Hand hit Brandon Crawford on the elbow to load the bases.

“Cutch got the guys going with that double,” said manager Bruce Bochy.

On an 0-2 pitch from Hand, Pence hit a cue ball shot down the first base line just out of the reach of Hosmer at first that McCutchen with the tying run and Posey with the winning run.

“Ecstatic for him, been a tough road for him (Hunter),” said Bochy.

The walk-off double by Pence was his 11th career walk-off hit, and the first since May 23, 2016, also a double against the Padres.

This was the fifth walk-off of the season for the Giants, and first since June 6, when Crawford hit a single against the Arizona Diamondbacks that helped the Giants to a 5-4 win in 10 innings.

The Padres took the lead in the top of the 11th inning, as Manuel Margot singled to lead-off the inning, then Hosmer grounded out to Brandon Belt at first base, and Margot advanced to second. Margot then went to third on a Moronta wild pitch, and then scored what looked like the winning run on the Spangenberg single to right field, until Pence’s heroics in the bottom of the inning

Margot scored both runs for the Padres, as he hit a 3-2 offering from Dereck Rodriguez into the left field seats to give the Padres an early 1-0 lead. It was the fifth career lead-off home run for Margot.

The Margot leadoff home run was the first by a Padres player this season.

Lauer was cruising, as he did not allow a hit until McCutchen singled with one out in the bottom of the fourth inning. Posey then followed up with a single of his own, but the rally ended, when Brandon Crawford grounded into a double play that ended the rally and the inning.

Through nearly 8,000 games into their team’s history, the Padres have not never thrown a no-hitter.

Gorkys Hernandez hit a home run in the bottom of the sixth inning to tie up the game. Posey doubled with two outs, and Crawford was robbed of a hit, as Freddy Galvis made a leaping catch that kept the game all tied at one.

Brandon Belt hit a double in the bottom of the eighth inning off of Kirby Yates, but the inning ended on a fantastic catch by Hunter Renfroe, who leaped into the stands to end the inning off of a ball hit by McCutchen.

Lauer went six innings, allowing just one runs on five hits, walking one and striking out four; however, he did not fare in the decision.

On the other side of things, Dereck Rodriguez went seven innings, allowing one runs on four hits, walking one and striking out six and like Lauer, he did not fare in the decision.

“Gave up a lead-off home run and seven super innings,” said Bochy.

This was the longest outing of Rodriguez’s career, and he tied his career high with six strikeouts. Rodriguez also struck out six against the Philadelphia Phillies on June 3, and on Tuesday night against the Miami Marlins.

“Felt good, commanded my pitches,” said Rodriguez. “Today my curveball was my best pitch,” he added.

NOTES: After the day off on Monday, the Giants will begin a three-game series against the Rockies beginning on Tuesday night. Derek Holland will take the mound in the opener, while the Rockies will counter with Chad Bettis.

Johnny Cueto went 3.1 innings on Saturday night, as he allowed one hit and struck out four, while pitching in 99-degree heat at Raley Field in Sacramento. Cueto threw 48 pitches, 33 for strikes.

“I want to do just one more,” said Cueto.

The 17 days between days off ties for the teams longest stretch of the season, and they ended the stretch 9-8 against Washington, Miami, Los Angeles (NL), Miami (again) and San Diego.

They also went 17 days from May 4th, when they opened their series against the Atlanta Braves at Sun Trust Park in Atlanta and it ended on May 20, when they hosted the Rockies. During that stretch, the Giants went 8-9 against the Braves, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and Colorado.

Robert Stock made his Major League debut for the Padres in the bottom of the ninth, and pitched one inning, allowing one hit and striking out two.

UP NEXT: The Giants will welcome the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday night at 7:15 pm PDT.

MLB The Show podcast with Daniel Dullum: Osuna suspended by MLB for 75 games; Feds investigate former Red Sox Ramirez for drug ring; A’s Jackson now with record 13th team

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mlb.com file photo: Toronto Blue Jays Roberto Osuna suspended for 75 days for domestic assault seen checking signs from his battery mate in file photo

On the MLB The Show podcast with Daniel Dullum:

1 Roberto Osuna of the Toronto Blue Jays was suspended 75 games after assault investigation by MLB. Ex-Red Sox 1B Hanley Ramirez is reportedly being investigated by state and feds for involvement in “substantial drug ring.”

2 Edwin Jackson expected to be called up by A’s, could tie MLB record by playing for 13th team.

3 Top pitching prospect Luke Heimlich is reportedly drawing interest from at least one MLB team, despite his troubled past.

4 Ichi-who? Suzuki was in disguise in Mariners’ dugout.

Daniel Dullum does the MLB The Show podcast each Sunday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

Crawford goes 3-for-3 in Giants’ 5-3 win over Padres

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Photo credit: @NBCSGiants

By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO — After being mired in an 0-for-18 slump, Brandon Crawford broke off that slump in a big way.

Crawford hit a two-run double in the bottom of the sixth inning, as the Giants defeated the San Diego Padres 5-3 before a crowd of 40,348 at AT&T Park on Saturday afternoon.

Alen Hanson got the rally started in the bottom of the sixth inning, as he dove headfirst into first base to beat out an infield single. Hanson then stole second with Andrew McCutchen at plate, and went to third base on a Brandon Belt single.

Both scored easily on Crawford’s double, his second extra base hit in as many at-bats, as he tripled in the bottom of the fourth inning to tie up the game and score McCutchen, who walked to lead off the inning.

Crawford ended up going three-for-three on the afternoon, as he picked up a double to lead-off the bottom of the eighth inning against Robbie Erlin.

“It was a matter of time, and today he found it,” said manager Bruce Bochy.

Austin Slater, who was recalled from Sacramento prior to the game was robbed of an extra base hit, as Renfroe made a terrific catch in the right field corner; however, Crawford was able to score easily from third base and Slater got an RBI on the sacrifice fly.

“Slater did a good job today,” said Bochy.

The Padres took a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth inning, as Hunter Renfroe hit his fourth home run that was just out of the reach of Hanson in left field.

Andrew Suarez pitched a strong 5.2 innings, allowing just one run on eight hits, walking one and striking out four.

Despite not getting the win, Suarez joined some very elusive company in the history of major league baseball. He became the first Giants pitcher ever to begin his career with 12 starts or fewer since 1913 and to allow two walks or fewer. The only other pitcher to have more two walks or fewer in consecutive starts is Trevor Williams, who started his career with the Pittsburgh Pirates with 15, Williams did this from 2016-2017, this is according to STATS, LLC.

Suarez was helped out by his defense on the field, as the Giants turned double plays to end the second, third and fourth innings. The second double play to end the top of the third inning was started by Suarez, who made a leaping stab at the Wil Myers ball, he then threw to Crawford and then onto Brandon Belt to end the inning.

“Didn’t have my slider today,” said Suarez.

Reyes Moronta pitched an inning, allowing a walk and striking out one, as he won for the third time this season.

Padres starter Jordan Lyles never even made a pitch, as he was scratched from his start mere moments prior to the game. It was confirmed that Lyles was unable to pitch due to tightness in his right forearm.

“We did not know about Lyles,” said Bochy.

Matt Strahm replaced Lyles on the mound, and pitched 3.1 innings, allowing one run on two hits, walking two and striking out five.

Former USF Dons pitcher Adam Cimber took the loss for the Padres, as he gave up two runs on three hits, as his record dropped to 3-4 on the season.

The Giants turned their fourth double play in the top of the eighth inning, as Renfroe grounded to Crawford, who threw to Hanson, who in turn threw to Belt to end the inning and stop the potential Padres rally.

The four double plays turned by the Giants are their most in a game since they turned four against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on May 15, 2016.

NOTES: Dereck Rodriguez looks for his third win of his career, as he takes the mound in the series finale on Sunday afternoon for the Giants. Left-hander Eric Lauer will take the mound for the Padres, as he looks to even his record at 4-4 on the season.

Slater was recalled from Sacramento, and Mac Williamson was optioned to the Rivercats to make room for Slater.

Johnny Cueto, who is out with a right elbow and missed the last 50 games will go for the Rivercats tonight against El Paso at Raley Field. Cueto is expected to throw around 45 pitches.

Jeff Samardzija is going to make his next rehab start on Tuesday night, as the Rivercats play the Albuquerque Isotopes at Isotopes Park in Albuquerque.

UP NEXT: The Giants conclude their series versus the Padres on Sunday afternoon at 1:05 pm PDT.

MLB The Show podcast with Matt Harrington: Barreto comes through for A’s in a big way; Giants’ Stratton pitched well, but Padres get 9th inning rally

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Photo credit: @957thegame

On the MLB The Show podcast with Matt Harrington:

The Oakland A’s Franklin Barreto wasted no time in his return to the A’s line up with six RBIs and two home runs. Barreto is playing second while Jed Lowrie is playing third in place of the injured Matt Chapman during the first game of the doubleheader in Chicago Friday. Trade talk has the A’s looking to shop either Jonathan Lucroy and Jed Lowrie to get some young prospects.

The Giants starting pitchera Chris Stratton sailed into the ninth with the Giants trailing by one run 3-2. The Padres scored three runs in the top of the ninth to get some insurance runs for a 6-2 lead. Stratton said the loss was his fault and Stratton almost had a complete game.

Matt Harrington does the MLB The Show podcast on Saturdays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com