Tag: mlb

A’s catcher Bruce Maxwell is in hot water with the law; Will Maxie get cut as a result of the assault?

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Photo credit: @NBCSAuthentic

By Jerry Feitelberg

Scottsdale, Arizona – A’s catcher Bruce Maxwell was arrested by the Scottsdale police yesterday for allegedly pointing a gun at a female food delivery worker. He was booked on charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and disorderly conduct. The A’s are disappointed with the news and are investigating the situation but had no further comments about Maxwell at this time.

It was a rough week for Maxwell as he claimed that he was refused service by a waiter at a restaurant in his hometown of Harvest, Alabama. He said the waiter recognized him as the first major league player to kneel during the playing of the national anthem. The restaurant found another waiter to serve them. However, the restaurant claimed they refused to service to an individual with the Maxwell party as he did not have proper identification.

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary–BASEBALL: 3 million fans for 14th straight seasons

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Photo credit: Angels (@Angels)

By Amaury Pi Gonzalez

LOS ANGELES–The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim drew over 3 million fans in 2017 for the 14th consecutive year. This streak of drawing over 3 million fans per year for 14 seasons is only second to the New York Yankees in all of Major League Baseball, who have drawn over 3 million for 18 straight seasons.

The 2017 Angels finished in second place in the American League West with a record of 80-82, and 21 games behind the Houston Astros, one of the super-teams in baseball this season.

Since joining the American League in 1961, the Angels have drawn 117 million fans to their home games at the Big “A”in Anaheim. Only the New York Yankees(133 million)and the Boston Red Sox (120 million)have better attendance since. The Angels are famous for all kinds of promotions, including their famous fireworks every Saturday night after the game and this season they gave 3 different bobbleheads of Mike Trout, one hitting a homerun, one stealing a home run and another one stealing a base.; Something I do not recall any team doing during a regular season, three bobble-heads the same season of the same ballplayer.

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

 

Sandoval ends season with a walk-off home run Giants win 5-4

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San Francisco Giants’ Pablo Sandoval celebrates after hitting a walk off home run against the San Diego Padres in the ninth inning of a baseball game Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO-What a great way to end a nightmare season than with a walk-off home run from Pablo Sandoval.

Johnny Cueto went five innings, allowing four runs on 12 hits, while striking out two; however, it was a Sandoval walk-off home run that gave the Giants a come-from-behind victory to give the Giants a 5-4 victory over the San Diego Padres.

This was the first walk-off for Sandoval since May 21, 2013 against the Washington Nationals at AT&T Park.

The Padres jumped out to a 2-0 lead before the Giants even came to the plate, as Erick Aybar doubled in Travis Jankowski, who led off the game with a double of his own. After a Carlos Asuaje single, Yangervis Solarte drove in Aybar.

Sandoval got the Giants within one run, as he grounded out to Solarte at first to score Buster Posey, who doubled to lead-off the bottom of the second inning.

Hunter Renfroe extended the lead back up to two runs in the top of the third inning, as he belted his 26th home run of the season.

Jankowski gave the Padres 4-1 lead in the top of the fourth inning, as he singled in Luis Perdomo, who hit his fourth triple of the season to lead-off the inning.

The Giants began to cut into the lead in the bottom of the fourth inning, as Brandon Crawford doubled to score Denard Span. Following an out from Sandoval, Jarrett Parker singled to score Posey.

Nick Hundley then tied up the game with a force out to score Crawford, and that would be the score until Sandoval’s heroics in the bottom of the ninth inning.

A quartet of relievers that included Ty Blach, Stephen Okert, Cory Gearrin and Hunter Strickland did not allow a hit and just two walks.

Luis Perdomo pitched seven innings, allowing four runs on seven hits, walking one and striking out four and ended the season with a record of 8-11.

With the four triples, Perdomo became the first pitcher since Robin Roberts of the Philadelphia Phillies in 1955 to have four triples in a season.

NOTES: Once again, the Giants went over the three million mark in attendance, as they accomplished it for the eighth consecutive season and for the 16th time in the 18 years since moving to AT&T Park.

The 2018 season will open at Dodger Stadium against the Los Angeles Dodgers on March 29.

On this date in Giants history, Brandon Crawford hit a grand slam in the top of the fifth inning, as the Giants would go on to defeat the Pittsburgh Pirates 8-0 behind Madison Bumgarner in the National League Wild Card Game. Bumgarner went the distance, and allowed just four hits.

Cain’s career ends with a heartbreaking loss to Pads 3-2

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San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Matt Cain raises his arms walking to the dugout after pitching in the fifth inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres Saturday, Sept. 30, 2017, in San Francisco. Cain made his final start after announcing his retirement. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO-On the day where Matt Cain pitched the final game of his 13-year career, he was not able to get the win.

Austin Hedges hit a two-run double with two outs in the top of the ninth inning, as the San Diego Padres came back to defeat the San Francisco Giants 3-2 before a crowd of 40,394, at AT&T Park.

Down to his last strike, Hedges hit a ball over the head of Hunter Pence in right field to score Christian Villanueva and Cory Spangenberg.

Cain was sharp in the final start of his career, and was in line for the win; however, the bullpen was unable to hold the lead that Pence gave them in the bottom of the third inning.

Pence narrowly beat out a Carlos Asuaje throw to first base that Pablo Sandoval to score from third base, as the Giants took a 1-0 lead.

Pence drove in Ryder Jones with a single in the bottom of the seventh inning to give the Giants a 2-1 lead.

Cain went five innings, allowing just two hits, while striking out five and left to a standing ovation from the fans.

Not only did Cain receive a standing ovation from the fans, but every member of the Giants staff and players hugged 32-year old right-hander. The Padres also showed their respect, as they applauded for their longtime rival as he left the field for the final time.

Reyes Moronta blew the save in the top of the sixth inning, as he gave up the game-tying home run to Wil Myers.

It was the 30th home run of the season for Myers, becoming the first Padres player to top the 30-home run plateau since Chase Headley did so when he hit 31 in 2012. This was the sixth home run of the season for Myers.

Jhoulys Chacin pitched six strong innings in his last game of the season for the Padres, as he gave up one run on five hits, walking two and striking out six. Chacin finished the season with a record of 13-10.

During his career, Cain was a part of 109 no-decisions since 2005, which ranks as the third-most in the major leagues during that period. In 44 of those 109 games, Cain left the game with the lead

Not only did Cain receive a standing ovation from the fans, but every member of the Giants staff and players hugged 32-year old right-hander. The Padres also showed their respect, as they applauded for their longtime rival as he left the field for the final time.

Cain is just the fourth player to play at least 10 years and just wear the Giants uniform, joining Jim Davenport, Scott Garrelts and Robby Thompson.

Even though he did not fare in the decision, Cain ended his career with a 10-game losing streak, the longest of his career and the longest by a Giants pitcher since Rod Beck lost 11 in a row from August 21, 1995 thru April 29, 1997.

The right-hander ended his career at AT&T Park with a record of 60-60 in 179 regular season games.

NOTES: Johnny Cueto will close out the season for the Giants, as he takes the mound one last time, as he looks for his ninth win of the season. Like the Giants, the Padres season will come to a close on Sunday as well and they will send Luis Perdomo to the mound in the season finale.

The ninth inning loss was just the fourth loss of the season by the Giants after they entered the eighth inning with a lead. Coming into the game, the Giants were 49-3.

Stratton thrives for spot in 2018 rotation

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San Francisco Giants pitcher Chris Stratton works against the San Diego Padres during the first inning of a baseball game Friday, Sept. 29, 2017, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)

By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO-What a nice night for the San Francisco Giants to get some offense, especially with 100 losses looming on the horizon.

Well, with their 8-0 victory over the San Diego Padres, the Giants’ chances to lose 100 games is nil, as the team won their 63rd game against 97 losses.

The 1985 Giants remain the only team in team history to ever lose 100 games in a season, and the next season, the Giants won 79 games and in 1987, they won their first National League Western Division Championship since 1971.

Chris Stratton pitched a great game, as he went 6.2 innings, allowing zero runs on six hits, while walking two and striking out seven and the right-hander finished the 2017 season with a record of 4-4.

Buster Posey got the scoring started in the bottom of the first inning, as he drove in Joe Panik, who singled with one out in the inning. Brandon Crawford then drove in Posey with a single and then Pablo Sandoval made it three run scoring hits in a row, as he doubled in Crawford for the third and final run of the inning.

All was quiet on the Shores of McCovey Cove until the bottom of the fourth inning, when the Giants erupted for four runs to extend their lead up to 7-0.

Panik got the party started in the bottom of the fourth inning, as after Nick Hundley and Stratton made the first two outs of the inning, Hunter Pence began a streak of five straight Giants players to reach base.

It was a big night for Panik, as he went 4-for-5 with two runs scored and a run batted in.

Hunter Pence singled then Panik doubled him in, then Posey hit his second of three doubles to score Panik and then Crawford singled in both Denard Span, who walked and Posey.

The Giants added to their lead in the bottom of the sixth inning, as Posey hit his third double of the night that scored Pence.

All three of Posey’s doubles ended with a run scoring, as the Giants got their biggest run differential win since June 2, when Ty Blach shutout the Philadelphia Phillies 10-0.

NOTES: Matt Cain will make his final start of his 13-year major league career on Saturday afternoon, as he will face Jhoulys Chacin, who is looking for his 14th win of the season.

This will be the 331st and final start for Cain in his career, the second most in San Francisco Giants history behind Juan Marichal who made 446 starts for the Giants.

On the 63rd anniversary of Willie Mays famous catch in Game One of the 1954 World Series, Major League Baseball Commissioner Robert Manfred announced that the World Series MVP Award will be renamed the Willie Mays World Series Most Valuable Player, this is effective with the 2017 World Series.

San Francisco Giants report: 100-loss mark is still reachable for Giants

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Photo credit: San Francisco Giants (@SFGiants)

By Jeremy Harness

 SAN FRANCISCO–The Giants can make some history this weekend, but it’s surely not the kind they were looking for.

 See, they currently sport a 62-97 record, which is at press time the worst record in the entire major leagues, and they have a three-game series against the San Diego Padres at AT&T Park this weekend to close out the series.

 If you do the math, the Giants have a chance to lose 100 games in a season for the first time in quite some time. The Giants have lost 100 games or more only once in franchise history, as the 1985 team went 62-100.

 It was the year that Jim Davenport was fired in midseason and replaced by Roger Craig and finished sixth in the National League West, back when there were only two divisions in each league.

 If history is any indicator, things could quickly be looking up for the Giants. With Craig no longer the interim manager, the Giants quickly righted the ship the next season, finishing 83-79 and a third-place finish in the division before winning the NL West in 1987.

 In the meantime, however, it is not looking good at all, and the Giants do not want it to be historically bad when Sunday comes to a close.

 What is also coming to a close along with the season on Sunday as Matt Cain’s career. The veteran righty has said that he will retire at year’s end, forgoing free agency as this is the final year of his contract. He will take the ball Saturday afternoon opposite Padres right-hander Jhoulys Chacin (13-10, 3.98 ERA).

 Chacin has won his previous two decisions, including an outing last Saturday that saw him shut out the Rockies over six innings and give up only one hit in the process, walking three and striking out six.

 Cain, meanwhile, will just hope to end his career on a high note before his home fans. He has suffered through a 3-11 campaign with a 5.66 ERA. On May 15, he beat the Dodgers by surrendering only a run on five hits, walking three and striking out five to improve his record to 3-1.

 He has not gotten a victory since. And he may need to pull out some of the old magic to keep his team from going to a historic low.

 

Diamondbacks walk off Wednesday’s win over Giants 4-3; Cain calls it a career

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Arizona Diamondbacks’ John Ryan Murphy, right, celebrates with teammates, including Jeremy Hazelbaker (41) and Kris Negron (45) as David Peralta, middle, is doused with a liquid after his bases loaded walk scored the winning run against the San Francisco Giants during the ninth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2017, in Phoenix. The Diamondbacks defeated the Giants 4-3. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

By Daniel Dullum
Sports Radio Service
Wednesday, September 27, 2017

Arizona added to the San Francisco Giants season-long misery Wednesday afternoon at Chase Field, when David Peralta drew a bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the ninth, giving the NL playoff-bound Diamondbacks a 4-3 victory.

J.D. Martinez kick-started the D-Backs rally by leading off the home ninth with a solo home run, his 49th of the season and 29th as a Diamondback since he was acquired from Detroit on July 18.

Martinez also tied MLB’s September home run record with 16, tying the mark Ralph Kiner set with Pittsburgh in 1949. He also picked up run batted in No. 36 for the month, breaking the D-Backs’ previous mark of 35 set by Luis Gonzalez in June 2001.

In the bottom of the ninth, Martinez’s home run was followed by singles by Jake Lamb and A.J. Pollock. Kristopher Negron, pinch-running for Lamb, was thrown out by Joe Panik when Daniel Descalso reached on a fielder’s choice.

After an intentional walk, Pollock scored when John Ryan Murphy also reached on a fielder’s choice. With the bases still loaded, Giants closer Sam Dyson (3-3) walked Peralta, who got the rare RBI walk to drive in Descalso.

Diamondbacks reliever J.J. Hoover (3-1) got the win.

Earlier, Denard Span tripled, doubled and scored twice for San Francisco. Jeff Samadzija had a strong start, with four strikeouts and a walk while allowing one run.

Pablo Sandoval’s first-inning double drove in Span – who led the game off with a triple – with the game’s first run. Panik scored on a Brandon Crawford groundout to give the Giants a 2-0 lead off D-Backs starter Braden Shipley, who lasted 3 1/3 innings.

CAIN HANGS ‘EM UP
Giants veteran right-hander Matt Cain announced that his Saturday start at AT&T Park will be the last of his 13-year career – all with San Francisco.

Cain, 3-11 this season, informed his teammates of his decision in a closed meeting before Wednesday’s game. He debuted with the Giants in 2005, pitched in two of the team’s three winning World Series appearances, and has a career mark of 104-118 with a 3.69 ERA.

The Giants announced they will honor Cain at Sunday’s regular season finale against San Diego on what is also the right-hander’s 33rd birthday. Cain, a three-time All-Star who threw the Giants’ first perfect game ever in 2012, is completing his contract, which had a team option for one more season.

A’s Mark Canhas walk off home run sends the fans home happy in the final home game of the year in Oakland

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Oakland Athletics’ Mark Canha, right, is embraced after hitting a walk off home run off Seattle Mariners’ Shae Simmons in the ninth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2017, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

By Jerry Feitelberg

OAKLAND– Wednesday’s game was the final home game for the A’s this season. The A’s, winners of fourteen of the last nineteen games played, did not want to be swept at home by the Mariners. Both teams played hard, and neither team wanted to lose. The A’s took an early lead, lost it, regained it, lost it again but was able to prevail when Mark Canha homered in the bottom of the ninth to give the A’s a well -deserved 6-5 victory.

Kendall Graveman started for Oakland and left after six innings in position to pick up a win. That didn’t happen as the M’s tied the game in the eighth. The Mariners’ starter Erasmo Ramirez went five innings and allowed five runs and eight hits. Two of the runs were unearned. Liam Hendriks and Blake Treinen pitched well, but Chris Hatcher was not able to keep Seattle off the board. The game summary follows below.

The A’s put one on the board in the bottom of the first. A’s right fielder Matt Joyce lofted a high fly to left that Mariners’ third baseman Kyle Seager lost ion the sun. Left Fielder Ben Gamel made a valiant attempt to catch the ball, but it eluded his grasp and dropped safely for a double. Joyce went to third on a single by Jed Lowrie and scored when Khris Davis hit a sacrifice fly to center field. A’s ahead 1-0 after one inning of play.

The A’s added a run in the third inning. Franklin Barreto, starting at second base on Wednesday, led off the frame with a double to center field. Jacob Hannemann, playing center field for Seattle, bobbled the ball and Barreto motored to third on the miscue. Marcus Semien drove in Barreto with the A’s second run when he hit a sacrifice fly.

The M’s put two on the board in the fourth. With one out, Robinson Cano singled to get things started. Big Nelson Cruz, who loves to torment the A’s, crushed Graveman’s pitch and sent it on a line into the seats in left field near the Barbeque Terrace to knot the score. The tie didn’t last long as the A’s scored three runs in their half of the fourth. Two of the runs were unearned, but they still count. Ryon Healy started the rally with a double. He went to third when Erasmo Ramirez dropped the throw as he was covering first for an error. With Healy on third and Chapman on first, Bruce Maxwell singled to center to drive in Healy and Chapman went to third on the throw home. Mark Canha hit a sac fly to drive in Chapman. Matt Joyce hit his third double of the game to drive in Maxwell with the fifth run of the contest. The A’s lead 5-2 after four complete.

The Mariners, however, refuse to go away. The M’s made it a 5-3 game on the strength of three singles. With one out, M’s catcher Mark Marjama singled to start the rally. It was Marjama’s first big league hit, and the ball was sent back to the M’s dugout. Hannemann hit a force play for the first out. Ben Gamel and Mitch Haniger followed with singles to get the third run home for Seattle.

Liam Hendriks set the M’s down in order in the seventh, but Bob Melvin brought in his eighth-inning setup man, Chris Hatcher, to pitch. Hatcher gave up a single to Mitch Haniger and then the M’s All-Star second baseman, Robinson, Cano, homered to tie the game. It was Cano’s twenty-third of the year. Hatcher retired the next three hitters.

Blake Treinen pitched a scoreless ninth, and that set up the scene for a fantastic finish for the A’s. Bruce Maxwell started the ninth by striking out. The next hitter, Mark Canha, hit his fifth homer of the year to win it in a walk-off for Oakland.  There was no doubt about it when the ball left Canha’s bat. The crowd knew it as did Canha and he was pummeled by his teammates when he crossed the plate. Needless to say, Canha took a pie to the face and got the Gatorade bath, and he absolutely loved it.The A’s win 6-5 and snap the eight-game losing streak to the Mariners.

Game Notes- Kendall Graveman did not get a decision, but he pitched a “quality start.” Graveman went six innings and allowed 7 hits and three runs. Chris Hatcher gave up a two-run dinger to Robinson Cano in the eighth that tied the game. Canha’s blast off M’s reliever Shae Simmons in the bottom of the ninth sent the A’s fans home happy as there will be no more baseball in Oakland until next year.

 

 

 

 

 

Yonder Alonso and Danny Valencia homer to beat their former teammates 6-3

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Seattle Mariners pitcher Edwin Diaz works against the Oakland Athletics during the ninth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2017, in Oakland, Calif. Seattle won 6-3. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

By Jerry Feitelberg

Oakland- The Seattle Mariners rallied in the bottom of the seventh to beat the A’s and Daniel Mengden 6-3 Tuesday night at the Coliseum. The game was the last night game of the season, and the A’s were hoping to get a win for their starter Daniel Mengden. Mengden entered the game with a streak of sixteen consecutive scoreless innings. He increased it to nineteen, but the Mariners broke through in the fourth on a two-run dinger by former A’s favorite Yonder Alonso. The Mariners sent their best pitcher, James Paxton, out to pitch. Paxton gave up a solo homer to Marcus Semien and a two-run blast to Khris Davis. Paxton would have been the losing pitcher had the M’s not rallied. Each team hit two home runs in the contest. However, the Mariners homers produced five runs while the A’s blasts netted them just three. The game summary follows below.

The A’s put one on the board in the bottom of the first when shortstop Marcus Semien led off with his ninth homer of the season to give the A’s a 1-0 advantage.

The Mariners scored two in the fourth to snap Mengden’s nineteen innings of scoreless ball. With one out, Mariners’ DH Nelson Cruz singled. The next hitter, former A’s first baseman Yonder Alonso, blasted his career-high twenty-seventh homer to give the M’s a 2-1 lead. Alonso also homered Monday night against his former team.

The A’s regained the lead in the bottom of the sixth. With one out, Jed Lowrie singled to start the rally. The next hitter, Khris “Khrush” Davis hit a towering fly to deep right-center field that went over the 388-foot marker and landed in the seats about twenty rows back. Mariners’ manager Scott Servais removed Paxton from the game and brought in Emilio Pagan to pitch.

The Mariners plated four runs on four hits to regain the lead. Mengden gave up a single to Yonder Alonso and then walked Mike Zunino to put two men on with no out. A’s manager Bob Melvin removed Mengden from the game. Mengden received a tremendous ovation from the fans as he exited. Ryan Dull was brought in to face another former Athletic, Danny Valencia. Valencia thanked the M’s for trading for him when he slugged his 15th dinger of the year to put his new team in the lead 5-3. The Mariners added another run before the A’s get the final out of the inning.

The Mariners’ bullpen did its job as they allowed just three hits and no runs in the last 3 and  2/3rds innings of the game. The M’s win 6-3.

Game Notes- With the two home runs, the A’s have now hit 228 for the year. The A’s are 14-5 in their last nineteen games. The A’s did not commit an error Tuesday night for the eighth straight game, a season high.

The A’s finish the home season Wednesday afternoon at 12:35 pm.  Kendall Graveman will pitch for the Green and Gold, and he will be opposed by Seattle’s Erasmo Ramirez.

Time of game was two hours and forty-five minutes and 13, 513 fans were on hand to watch the A’s drop their record to 72-85.

Dodgers win fifth division championship;Giants drop 4-2 contest to open series

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Los Angeles Dodgers’ Logan Forsythe sprays sparkling wine in the locker room after the Dodgers won the NL West title with a 4-2 defeat of the San Francisco Giants in a baseball game, Friday, Sept. 22, 2017, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

By Jeremy Kahn

On the same day that the Los Angeles Dodgers and their fans celebrated Tommy Lasorda’s 90th birthday, the team celebrated something else with their win.

Cody Bellinger hit his National League rookie record 39th home run, helping the Dodgers to a 4-2 victory over the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium.

With the victory, the Dodgers clinched their fifth straight National League Western Division Championship.

The Bellinger home run off of Jeff Samardzija in the bottom of the third inning, broke a 1-1 tie and gave the Dodgers the lead for good.

Bellinger broke the record of Wally Berger of the Boston Braves in 1930 and tied by Frank Robinson of the Cincinnati Reds. The major league held by Mark McGwire, who set the record while playing for the Oakland A’s in 1987 with a total of 49.

Rich Hill won for the 11th time this season, as he allowed just one run and five hits in six innings of work. Hill also added five strikeouts and a huge double.

Hill hit his first double in 10 years to score Logan Forsythe, who doubled himself. Corey Seager then walked and Bellinger launched a Samardzija pitch into the right-center field bleachers.

Samardzija lost for the 15th time on the season, as he gave up four runs and five hits and the Giants have lost their most games since 1996 with the 94 losses.

The Giants took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning, as Gorkys Hernandez reached on a bunt single, stole second and then scored on a Buster Posey single.

NOTES: Madison Bumgarner goes to the mound on Saturday night, as he looks to stop a four-game losing streak and the Giants have not won a Bumgarner start since defeating the Miami Marlins on August 15.

The Dodgers will send Hyun-Jin Ryu to the mound, as he looks to his improve his strong streak down the stretch. Ryu is 3-1 with a 2.62 earned run average in his 11 starts.

Austin Slater could be out for a couple of days with a sore right hip flexor.