Tag: mlb

Rockies score two late off Rogers to top Giants 4-3 in series opener

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The Colorado Rockies Jordan Beck (left) dives in to score on the San Francisco Giants catcher Patrick Bailey on a Hunter Goodman single in the top of the eighth inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Thu May 1, 2025 (AP News photo)

Thursday, May 1, 2025

Oracle Park

San Francisco, California

Colorado Rockies 4 (6-25)

San Francisco Giants 3 (19-13)

Win: Angel Chivilli (1-2)

Loss: Tyler Rogers (2-1)

Save: Zach Agnos (2)

Time: 2:19

Attendance: 27,198

By Stephen Ruderman

In the great game of baseball, even the worst teams will occasionally beat the best teams, and that is what happened at Oracle Park Thursday night, as the Rockies scored two runs off Tyler Rogers in the top of the eighth inning to top the Giants 4-3 in the series opener.

The Giants returned home to San Francisco after getting swept in their short two-game set in San Diego. It was only the third time all year that the Giants had even lost consecutive games. In fact, through 31 games, the Giants came into Wednesday night’s game having yet to lose three-straight games all season. That’s pretty impressive.

What’s even more impressive is that the Giants have gotten off to this great start playing almost nothing but good teams. The only subpar team the Giants had yet to play prior to Wednesday night’s game was the Los Angeles Angels. Oddly enough, the Giants lost two of three in Anaheim.

Wednesday night, the Giants would welcome the 5-25 Colorado Rockies into Oracle Park for a four-game series. The Rockies won their fifth game of the season yesterday, as they beat the Braves on a getaway afternoon in Denver by a final 2-1. Not only did the Rockies come in with just five wins, they had yet to win consecutive games all year.

It took Justin Verlander nine starts to earn his first world series win. Tonight, Verlander would look for his first win in a Giants’ uniform in his seventh start of the still-young season. He has had some rough starts as well, but he has been burned by a lack of run support from a usually-reliable Giants’ offense.

Verlander was coming off a pair of strong starts, and a cold and foggy night against the Rockies was the perfect setting for his first win. Verlander got off to a solid start, as he pitched through an error in the top of the first inning.

Heliot Ramos wasted no time against the Rockies’ veteran left-hander, Kyle Freeland, as he led off the bottom of the first with a home run to left-center field. It was Ramos’ fifth home run of the season, and his second in as many days.

The Giants looked to do more in the bottom of the first, as a pair of singles set things up nicely with one outs for Mike Yastrzemski, who got a head start on his fifth-straight Mustache May. However, Yaz grounded into a double play to end the inning.

The Rockies tied the game in the top of the third, and the Giants once again struggled to provide run support for Verlander. The game became a pitcher’s duel as it made its way through the middle innings.

Verlander finally threw his first one, two, three inning of the night in the top of the sixth, and the Giants’ offense finally made some real noise in the bottom of the sixth. Willy Adames led off the inning with a base-hit to left, and then he ran like the wind and scored when Wilmer Flores lined a double down the right field line.

The Giants had the lead back, and they looked to add more. Matt Chapman got Flores over to third on a flyout to right, and up came Yastrzemski. Yastrzemski doubled off the wall in left, and Flores scored to make it 3-1.

The Rockies made a statement when Ryan McMahon led off the top of the seventh with a home run to straightaway center to make it 3-2. Mickey Moniak then flew out to left for the first out, and that did it for Verlander, who had pitched into the seventh inning for the first time this season.

Verlander gave up two runs and five hits over six and a third innings of work. He walked one and struck out four. Most importantly, he was in line for his first win of the season.

However, after Angel Chivilli threw a 1-2-3 bottom of the seventh for Colorado, Verlander would lose his win in the top of the eighth. Bob Melvin summoned his setup man, Tyler Rogers. Left-fielder Heliot Ramos made a tremendous sliding catch on a Texas Leaguer off the bat of Alan Trejo to start the inning, but the inning quickly went south for Rogers afterwards.

With one out, Brenton Doyle lined a base-hit to right and stole second base. Jordan Beck then lined a ground-rule double down the left field line to tie it. Michael Toglia grounded out to third for the second out, and Rogers had a chance to get out of it with the game still tied.

Hunter Goodman came up with two outs, and lined a base-hit the other way to right. Right-fielder Mike Yastrzemski was in perfect position to throw Beck out of the plate, but as he set up to throw, he lost his footing, and his throw sailed past catcher Patrick Bailey. Beck scored, and the Rockies took a 4-3 lead.

The Giants looked to respond, as Wilmer Flores led off the bottom of the eighth with a base-hit off Chivilli. However, after former Giant Scott Alexander came in with one out, Brett Wisely, who came in to pinch-run for Wilmer, was thrown out trying to steal second.

Randy Rodriguez threw a scoreless top of the ninth, but the Giants were unable to do anything against Zach Agnos in the bottom of the ninth. Agnos closed it out with a one, two, three inning, and the Rockies win it 4-3.

Angel Chivilli got the win; Tyler Rogers took his first loss of the season; and Zach Agnos picked up his second save.

The Giants have lost three in a row for the first time this season, as they fall to 19-13. The Rockies, meanwhile, have won consecutive games for the first time this season, and they improve to 6-25.

The Giants will look to snap their three-game slide tomorrow, and they will have no better man on the mound to do so than Robbie Ray (3-0, 3.73 ERA.) The Giants are 6-0 in Ray’s six starts this season. The Rockies will counter with Antonio Senzatela (1-4, 5.22 ERA).

First pitch will be at the old 7:15 p.m., which is still the start time for Friday night games at Oracle Park.

Giants News and Notes:

Tyler Fitzgerald was placed on the 10-day injured list prior to the game with a fracture in one of his left ribs. Brett Wisely was called up to take Fitzgerald’s place on the 25-man roster.

Final Thoughts:

Baseball is a beautiful game, but it’s also cruel at times. Even the worst teams occasionally beat the best teams.

In 2018, the 108-win world champion Boston Red Sox went 16-3 against the 115-loss Baltimore Orioles. That means the 115-loss Orioles beat the 108-win Red Sox three times.

A’s Depart Arlington On Sweet Victory Airlines; Sac’s Springs deals 6 innings of shutout ball for 3-0 win

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Sacramento A’s pitcher Jefferey Springs was dealing all game long shutting out the Texas Rangers through six innings. Springs was lifted after the sixth inning at Globe Field in Arlington on Thu May 1, 2028 (AP News photo)

A’s Depart Arlington On Sweet Victory Airlines

By Mauricio Segura

Jeffrey Springs may have had a rocky April, but May started off with a gem. The left-hander turned in a sharp six-inning outing, and the A’s bullpen slammed the door behind him as the green and gold shut out the Texas Rangers 3-0 on Thursday afternoon at Globe Life Field. With the win, the Athletics clinched their second consecutive series victory and moved one game above .500 for the third time this season, now standing at 17 and 15.

Springs entered the game having allowed 13 runs over his previous two starts. But against his former club, the Rangers, he was locked in. He scattered four hits across six innings, walked two, and struck out three. Most importantly, he kept the Rangers off the board. It was a much-needed rebound performance from a pitcher who had been shelled for seven runs just five days prior.

Backing him up was a bullpen that has grown into one of the team’s biggest strengths. Mitch Spence, T.J. McFarland, Justin Sterner, and fireballer Mason Miller combined for three scoreless innings to seal the victory. Miller, touching triple digits on the radar gun once again, notched his ninth save in as many tries and struck out Marcus Semien to end it.

Offensively, the A’s didn’t need a home run to do their damage, a rarity for a team that ranks fifth in the majors in long balls. Instead, they pieced together a series of timely hits. Miguel Andujar, continuing his torrid stretch at the plate, drove in the game’s first run with a single in the opening frame. Jacob Wilson, the club’s hottest rookie, added an RBI single in the seventh to make it two to nothing. A sacrifice fly by Luis Urías in the eighth brought Brent Rooker home and capped the scoring.

Wilson finished with two hits, pushing his average to .325, good for eighth in the league. Andujar is now batting .338 over his last 18 games and looks every bit the consistent presence the A’s were hoping for when they picked him up.

Though the A’s managed only three runs, they made them count. They left just five runners on base and executed a rare outfield-assisted double play to end the second inning, erasing a walk by Semien and halting any early Texas momentum.

Rangers starter Tyler Mahle, who entered with a sparkling 1.14 ERA, saw that number creep upward after allowing two runs on seven hits over six and a third innings. He took the loss, dropping to 3-1.

This win marks six victories in the last nine games for the A’s, who now hit the road to face Miami. For a team that started the season 6-10, their recent surge has them tied for third in the AL West and just two and a half games back of division-leading Seattle.

If Springs’ bounce-back and the bullpen’s dominance are signs of things to come, the A’s may finally be rounding into form.

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 Giants podcast Morris Phillips: Giants open 4 game set with Rockies after getting swept in San Diego

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San Francisco Giants baserunner Willy Adames (2) jokes around with San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado (center) during a review on a previous play in the top of the sixth inning at Petco Park in San Diego on Wed Apr 30, 2025 (AP News photo)

San Francisco Giants podcast Morris Phillips:

#1 The San Diego Padres got a home run and two runs from Elias Diaz and Fernando Tatis Jr got three hits as the Padres won in a two run game 5-3 to sweep the Giants at Petco Park in San Diego on Wednesday afternoon.

#2 The Padres win moves them up a notch in second place in the NL West into second place passing the Giants and just behind the Los Angles Dodgers who are in first.

#3 Diaz’ homer was a line shot in left field against Giants starter Landen Roupp that started off the third inning that gave the Padres a 2-0 lead. A Giants fan reached over the fence as the ball went off his wrist. The Giants called for fan interference but after the review it ruled a home run.

#4 The Padres got more help from Tatis who got three hits all singles and also scored on a Manny Machado base hit to right field for an RBI. Jose Iglesias was safe on an infield hit for an RBI that scored Luis Arraez. Arraez got a triple to knock in Diaz in the sixth inning. The Padres executed on offense to get the win.

#5 The Colorado Rockies and Giants will open a four game series and a brand new month of May 1 today in San Francisco. Starting pitcher for the Rockies RHP Kyle Freeman (0-4 ERA 5.93) for the Giants Justin Verlander (0-2 ERA 4.99) for a 6:45pm first pitch.

Morris Phillips is a San Francisco Giants analyst for http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Sacramento A’s game wrap: A’s Rooker and Butler Saddle Up Deep In The Heart of Texas for 7-1 win

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Sacramento A’s pitcher Luis Severino is all fired up after striking out the Texas Rangers Jake Burger in the bottom of the third inning at Globe Life Field in Arlington on Wed Apr 30, 2025 (AP News photo)

A’s Rooker and Butler Saddle Up Deep In The Heart of Texas for 7-1 win

By Mauricio Segura

For eight innings, the A’s and Rangers were locked in a tense, low-scoring tug of war that hinted at extra innings. But in the ninth, Lawrence Butler slammed the door on that idea, and kicked it right off its hinges.

With one swing, Butler delivered the green and gold a defining moment in their young season, a grand slam to straightaway center field, the exclamation point on a six-run ninth inning that propelled the Athletics to a 7-1 victory over Texas at Globe Life Field.

The late-inning fireworks began modestly enough. Tyler Soderstrom led off with a single and was lifted for pinch-runner Seth Brown. Brent Rooker, quiet for most of the evening, then launched a go-ahead two-run homer, his eighth of the season, to give the A’s a 3-1 lead.

That alone would’ve been a satisfying turn for a team that entered the game averaging just 2.5 runs over its last four contests. But the A’s weren’t finished.

After a Shea Langeliers single and two walks loaded the bases, Butler stepped to the plate with two outs. He fell behind in the count, then crushed a 2-2 pitch to dead center, clearing the wall with authority and igniting a boisterous celebration in the A’s dugout.

Butler’s fifth homer of the year capped a redemptive night for the 23-year-old, who had entered the game 1-for-8 in the series with four strikeouts. The blast also marked the first grand slam of his career.

Until the ninth, both teams had struggled to cash in on scoring chances. Starter Luis Severino battled through six innings, scattering nine hits but limiting the Rangers to just one run. He escaped a bases-loaded jam in the third and left with the game tied 1-1, thanks in part to crisp defense behind him, especially third baseman Gio Urshela, who snuffed out a Josh Jung chopper with a highlight-worthy play in the fourth.

Severino, who has yet to surrender a home run on the road this season, extended his scoreless streak away from Sutter Health Park to 14 innings. The A’s bullpen, a mixed bag of youth and redemption stories, held the line from there. Justin Sterner, Grant Holman, and Tyler Ferguson combined for three shutout frames, with Ferguson recording the final three outs for his first save of the year.

Jacob Wilson, who entered the night hitting .321, contributed a third-inning RBI bunt single to open the scoring, a rare small-ball spark from a team that ranks among the league’s best in slugging. That early lead was erased by an Adolis García RBI in the fourth, but the Rangers failed to score again despite putting runners on in nearly every inning after.

The victory pushes the Athletics above .500 and continues their trend of tight late-game wins. Four of their last five victories have come by one run or in late-inning surges. While they still rank near the bottom in run differential and defensive miscues, it’s clear they’re not short on the never-give-up attitude.

Next up: left-hander Jeffrey Springs (3-3, 6.04 ERA) taking the mound against Rangers righty Tyler Mahle (3-0, 1.14 ERA). If tonight was any preview, the A’s are bringing firepower, even if it takes eight innings to light the fuse.

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.

Giant’s Lack of Offense Results In Another Loss to Padres 5-3

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San Diego Padres Fernando Tatis Jr rounds second base and heading for third after single by Luis Arraez. The San Francisco Giants shortstop Willy Adames can only watch at Petco Park in San Diego on Wed Apr 30, 2025 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

The San Francisco Giants offense was hurting in their latest series losing against the San Diego Padres 5-3. San Francisco was swept in this two-game series. Through five innings the Giants only managed a single and a walk. It was dismal.

The Giants got something going in the latter innings but like yesterday’s game one, it was too little too late. Every time the the Giants attempted a rally, the Padres answered right back in control from start to finish. The bright spots in this game were the two home runs from Heliot Ramos and Mike Yastrzemski both solo shots.

Game recap: Much the same as Tuesday the Padres got going early scoring in the second inning for the early 1-0 lead. Tyler Wade singled driving in Gavin Sheets. The Padres struck again in the third inning when Elias Diaz hit a solo home run extending their lead to 2-0.

San Diego piled on a couple more runs in the fifth inning ; their offensive woes clearly turned around. Fernando Tatis Jr. got the inning off to a great start with a single. Luis Arraez and Manny Machado both singled, the Machado single driving in Tatis Jr. for a 3-0 tally.

San Diego then loaded the bases scoring a second run in the inning off a Jose Iglesias infield single driving Arraez across home plate for a 4-0 lead going into the sixth inning. Through five innings the Giants had only managed a walk and a LaMonte Wade Jr. single, a disappointing offensive effort. They had some ground to make up, they had to get their bats going.

It was not until the sixth inning that San Francisco finally got on the scoreboard. It was only one run but the Giants were finally getting some offense going. Tyler Fitzgerald was hit by a pitch taking first base advancing to second on a Mike Yastrzemski single.

Jung Hoo Lee had an infield single that brought in the Giants first run when Fitzgerald scored for a 4-1 Padre lead. San Diego pushed their lead back to four runs in the sixth when Luis Arraez hit a triple and drove base runner Elias Diaz home for a 5-1 lead. The Padres were just relentless answering every time San Francisco threatened.

The Giants hit a couple of home runs, one in the seventh off the bat of Heliot Ramos and a second in the eighth inning courtesy of Mike Yastrzemski. San Francisco had snuck back into this game but still trailed by two runs 5-3. They would have to keep the Padres from doing any further damage in the bottom of the eighth inning.

The Giants held on in the bottom of the eighth but still trailing going into the ninth inning they had some work to do. They had been having success coming back from deficits but lately that has dimmed a bit. San Francisco went quietly in the ninth with a Patrick Bailey strike-out followed by a LaMonte Wade Jr. strikeout. Wilmer Flores who has been struggling popped out for the final out and a 5-3 Padre win, San Diego sweeping the series.

San Francisco only had five hits in the game, the Padres finished with ten hits. Giant’s pitcher Landen Roupp lasted 4.1 innings allowing seven hits, four runs, three walks and four strikeouts. Spencer Bivens relieved Roupp pitching for 1.2 innings, the fifth and sixth. He allowed three hits and one run.

Game notes: Wednesday afternoon the Giants wrapped up their two game series with Padres getting swept after losing game one Tuesday 7-4. In game one, the Giants had a nice rally going in the sixth inning very nearly tying up the game trailing 4-5 but San Diego pushed right back in the seventh inning with a couple of runs to seal the deal.

Roupp allowed four unanswered runs and the Padres had a 4-0 lead after five innings. The Giants mustered just a run in each of the sixth, seventh and eighth inning and lost by two runs.

San Francisco will now head back home for a four-game series with the Colorado Rockies that will get underway Thursday, with first pitch scheduled for 6:45 PM. Wednesday’s loss dropped the Giants into third place in the National League West giving the Los Angeles Dodgers sole possession of first place. The Giants Justin Verlander (0-2 ERA 4.99) will take the mound in search of his first win as a Giant. The struggling Rockies will start Kyle Freeland (0-4 ERA 4.93.

That’s Amaury News and Commentary-Athletics of the Lost Arc

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Aerial view of Sutter Health Park in Sacramento interim home of the Sacramento A’s. The A’s have not sold out one home game yet this season. The closest they came was for their home opener back on Mar 31, 2025 when they drew 12,119 in their 14,014 seat ballpark. (photo by ABC 10 Sacramento)

Athletics of the Lost Arc

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

At the current pace, the ATH playing at Sutter Health Park in Sacramento will draw around 700,000 people for the 2025 season. All the hype that preceded the season about “sold out” tickets before was like the hype failure of Ford’s Edsel.

In business, projecting success is crucial for attracting investment and building confidence. However, projecting success without a solid foundation can lead to problems and ultimately, failure. A strong business needs more than just a positive outlook; it requires a clear strategy, efficient operations, and a team capable of executing it.

Did the A’s “choose well” when they decided to play for three years in Sacramento? Only time will tell. I am not questioning the people or the City of Sacramento; they are just the consumers of the final product.

Common sense tells us that a Major League team playing for the first time in a city they have never played before will have at least a honeymoon of maybe a couple of dozen sellouts, but that has not happened. While the honeymoon has not turned into a divorce yet, it is not progressing as expected.

The Oakland Coliseum’s capacity for baseball was 45,000, compared to Sutter Park Sacramento’s capacity of 14,014 According to my research and all estimates, Sacramento is a dry-weather city for most of the summer.

During baseball season (April to September), they are lucky to get eight inches of rain. For those Oakland A’s fans who remember how rare rain-outs were at the Coliseum, Sacramento is in a different league regarding dry weather.

It is hard to comprehend that it has been 36 years since the first game of the 1989 World Series at the Oakland Coliseum vs. the San Francisco Giants. I worked on that historic event, which was temporarily delayed by the Loma Prieta earthquake.

The Haas family had a long record of success on the field, working with the community, and bringing championship teams to the people of Oakland and the Bay Area. It remains to be seen whether the current regime could duplicate such success.

Of all the promotions a team can have during their season schedule, the most seductive promotion is winning; that is the best thing a team can give to their fans, a winning season. As April concludes, we must wait and see if the 2025 A’s have “chosen wisely.”

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.

FUN THIS SUMMER FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY AQUA ADVENTURE WATER PARK OPENS MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND FREMONT, CA.

Giants Fall Behind Early, Lose To Padres 7-4

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San Francisco Giant LaMonte Wade Jr (right) slide into third base safely advancing on a San Diego Padres throwing error. Padres third baseman Xavier Bogaerts is too late applying the tag at Petco Park in San Diego on Tue Apr 29, 2025 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

The San Francisco Giants (19-11) got a slow start in their series with the San Diego Padres (18-11) losing game one in their two-game series. The Giants fell behind early in the first inning 3-0 putting themselves behind the eight ball from the get-go.

The Giants did rally in the sixth inning scoring 3 runs getting within one run 5-4 with 3 innings left in the game. San Francisco has been excelling in coming back from deficits but it didn’t happen Tuesday night.

Game recap: San Diego got going early scoring three runs in the first inning. Xander Bogaerts singled Manny Machado home for the first run of the game. The Padres would add to their lead in the first when a Jose Iglesias single drove both Gavin Sheets and Bogaerts home for a 3-0 lead.

San Francisco did not get on the board until the fourth inning when Willy Adames hit a 399 foot long ball. The Giants brief rally came to an end when the Padres struck again scoring 2 more runs in the fourth taking a 5-1 lead. Luis Arrez hit a sacrifice fly bringing Jason Heyward home followed by a Manny Machado single driving in Elias Diaz.

San Francisco needed to answer before this game got out of control and that is exactly what they did in the sixth inning very nearly tying up this game. It was a three run inning for the Giants that started with a Jung Hoo Lee single driving Willy Adames home. San Francisco would add a couple more runs when LaMonte Wade Jr. doubled and Lee and Heliot Ramos both scored on an error. Trailing by a single run 5-4, the Giants were back in the game.

San Diego extended their lead in the seventh inning courtesy of a Xander Bogaerts home run with Gavin Sheets on base pushing their lead back out to 7-4. Going into the eighth inning the Giants were running out of time. Jung Hoo Lee flied out, and both Matt Chapman and Wilmer Flores struck out. San Francisco was three outs away from losing game one in this series.

Giant’s pitcher Lou Trivino breezed through the bottom of the eighth inning and San Francisco had one final inning to at least score three runs to tie, a tall order. San Diego closer Robert Suarez came into the game looking to finish off the Giants. Ramos flied out, Wade Jr. popped out to third and it was up to Patrick Bailey to try to extend the ninth inning. He grounded out and that was the ball game 7-4 in favor of San Diego winning the first game of this two game series. The Giants had gone out quietly in the eighth and ninth innings.

San Francisco starter Logan Webb had a rough first inning giving up three runs settling down in the second and third innings but gave up two more runs in the fourth. He went five innings allowing nine hits and five runs with six strikeouts.

The Giants finished the game with seven hits. The Padres had 11 hits and San Francisco just couldn’t keep up with them. The Padres who had been struggling offensively lately turned that all around in this game stringing hits together.

Game notes: The Giants started their week off taking on the Padres (18-11) in a short two-game series for Tuesday and Wednesday. The Giants came into Tuesday night’s game after winning their series over the weekend with the Texas Rangers.

The Padres had a rough outing in their last series losing to the Tampa Bay Rays in a sweep. The Giants are currently tied with the Los Angeles Dodgers in first place with the Padres in third. The Padres will be looking to get back on the winning track after getting off to a pretty good start on the season.

The Giants have had a hot start to the season as well excelling in a number of come from behind wins. Last season they were leaving far too many runners stranded which has not been the case this year. They have their eye on sole possession of first place in the National League West. Logan Webb got touched up going five innings, allowing nine hits and five runs. For the Padres starter Nick Pivetta 5.1 innings, five hits and three earned runs.

Game two in this series is scheduled for an early first pitch at 1:10 PM on Wednesday. Landen Roupp will take the mound for San Francisco. He has a 2-1 win/loss record with a 4.56 ERA. Probable pitcher for San Diego is Michael King who comes into this game with a 3-1 win/loss record and a 2.18 ERA.

Sacramento A’s game wrap: Rangers Two Explosive Innings Demolish A’s 15-2

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Sacramento A’s catcher Shea Langeliers is way in front of the plate to put the tag on the Texas Rangers Wyatt Langford (36) in the bottom of the sixth at Globe Life Field in Arlington on Tue Apr 29, 2025 (AP News photo)

Rangers Two Explosive Innings Demolish The A’s 15-2

By Mauricio Segura

The green and gold were corralled and roped off by the Texas Rangers Tuesday night, as Texas unleashed an 11-run sixth inning en route to a 15-2 hot iron branding of the Sacramento Athletics at Globe Life Field. What began as a quiet duel between two evenly matched AL West squads quickly turned into a Texas-style blowout, snapping the A’s modest two-game win streak and dropping them back to an even 15-15 on the season.

Left-hander Jacob Lopez, making his first start of the year for the A’s, navigated early trouble but unraveled in the third inning. After walking a tightrope through two innings, Lopez surrendered three straight run-scoring singles to Jake Burger, Leody Taveras, and Jonah Heim, allowing Texas to build a 3-0 lead. The Rangers added another in the fourth and then torched the A’s bullpen in the sixth leaving just smoldering ash in their wake.

That inning alone saw the Rangers send 13 men to the plate. Marcus Semien got it started with an RBI single, followed by a bases-loaded, bases-clearing double from Adolis García. Rookie Wyatt Langford followed with a three-run double of his own, and Josh Smith capped the barrage with his second RBI single of the night. By the time the dust settled, the A’s had used three pitchers and watched an 0-4 deficit balloon to 0-12.

Shea Langeliers finally gave the Athletics something to cheer about in the seventh, launching his sixth home run of the year, a two-run shot to left. It was Langeliers’ 11th career blast against Texas, and his seventh at Globe Life Field, both the most he’s had against any opponent and in any visiting ballpark.

Unfortunately for the A’s, those were the only runs they could muster against Texas starter Jacob deGrom and reliever Dane Dunning, who combined for ten strikeouts and just five hits allowed.

The loss overshadowed several recent bright spots for the A’s. They entered Tuesday having won five of their last six and leading the season series against Texas 3-1. They also boasted the best road record in the majors, but now face the challenge of bouncing back with two games left in Arlington.

Jacob Lopez, despite showing promise in prior relief outings, lasted just 2.2 innings and was tagged with his first earned runs of the season. The bullpen, solid in recent weeks, was shelled for 12 runs over 5.1 innings.

Langeliers’ homer was one of the few silver linings. Tyler Soderstrom, who leads the team in home runs, went hitless and saw his RBI total remain at 24. Lawrence Butler and Brent Rooker each had two hits, but the A’s struck out 11 times and grounded into two double plays.

The A’s will look to rebound Wednesday behind Luis Severino, who leads the majors in innings pitched, against Rangers right-hander Nathan Eovaldi. If the green and gold want to leave Texas with a winning road trip, it’ll start with stopping the bleeding in Game 2.

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.

Sacramento A’s podcast Tony Renteria Tue Apr 29, 2025: Soderstrom’s double comes through for Sacramento again

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Sacramento A’s starter JP Sears deals to the Texas Rangers line up in the bottom of the first inning at Globe Life Field in Arlington on Mon Apr 28, 2025 (AP News photo)

Sacramento A’s podcast Tony Renteria:

#1 Tyler Soderstrom’s double help beat the Texas Rangers at Globe Life in Arlington 2-1. The A’s starter JP Sears beat and just got by the Rangers 2-1.

#2 Sears who improved his record to 2-1 pitched 5 2/3 innings, surrendered one run and five hits in the first game of this three game series on Monday night. This was the first of a seven game road trip.

#3 The A’s surpassed the Rangers in the top of the fifth when Gio Urshela got on base with a leadoff double and Brent Rooker walked. Soderstrom at the plate ripped a single to the right field corner. It was Soderstrom’s 24th RBI for the season.

#4 A’s closer Mason Miller has 21 strikeouts and walked one batter in the first ten innings of work. Miller walked Marcus Semien to start the ninth inning but Miller got the next three batters out.

#5 A’s starter Jacob Lopez (0-0 ERA 0.00) gets the call for Sacramento who will be opposed by the Texas Rangers Jacob deGrom (0-1 ERA 3.33) first pitch 5:05pm PDT. Lopez has pitched in three games, going 4.1 innings and has five strike outs. The Rangers deGrom is pitching in his 11th year and this is his third year with the Rangers. deGrom has pitched in five games where the Rangers have won two games.

Join Tony Renteria does the A’s podcasts Tuesdays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Soderstrom’s Two-Run Double Sends Athletics Past Rangers 2-1

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The Texas Rangers Jonah Heim (28) slides into third base before the ball is thrown to Sacramento A’s third baseman Gio Urshela (13) in the bottom of the seventh inning on Mon Apr 28, 2025 (AP News photo)

Soderstrom’s Two-Run Double Sends Athletics Past Rangers 2-1

By Mauricio Segura

Continuing their knack for close calls, The A’s knocked out a 2-1 victory over the Texas Rangers Monday night in Texas. Rookie slugger Tyler Soderstrom delivered the decisive blow with a two-run double in the fifth inning, helping the Athletics surpass the .500 mark at .517 with a 15-14 record.

The game opened quietly with both teams trading zeros until the top of the fifth. After a leadoff double by Gio Urshela and a walk to Brent Rooker, Soderstrom stepped in and smacked a fly ball into right field. Rangers right fielder Adolis García tracked it down but could not prevent Urshela and Rooker from racing home, giving the A’s a 2-0 advantage. The hit gave Soderstrom his 23rd and 24th RBIs of the season, keeping him among the American League leaders.

Before Soderstrom’s heroics, the Athletics had scattered hits off Texas starter Patrick Corbin but failed to break through. Max Schuemann singled in the third and advanced to third base, but a strikeout and a groundout ended the rally. The A’s offense found its moment in the fifth, right before Corbin exited in favor of Jacob Webb.

On the mound, JP Sears, fresh off winning his previous two starts, once again demonstrated his reliability. Although Sears did not factor into the decision, he kept Texas scoreless through five innings, allowing just five hits and striking out five.

Sears has now maintained an ERA of 3.21 across his first five starts, continuing a season where he has walked just six batters in 28 innings. The southpaw also extended his streak to 44 consecutive starts without a wild pitch, the longest since Catfish Hunter back in the 70s.

After Sears’ departure, the bullpen kept the Rangers at bay despite a late surge. Jonah Heim, a familiar face to A’s fans, knocked in Texas’ lone run with an RBI single off JP Sears’ replacement, Mitch Spence, cutting the Athletics’ lead to 2-1 in the sixth. However, Spence, Tyler Ferguson, and finally Mason Miller locked things down.

Miller, who has converted all eight of his save opportunities this season, slammed the door shut in the ninth with a high-velocity performance that left Texas hitters grasping at air. Known for topping out at 103.7 mph and leading all relievers with a staggering 58.3 percent strikeout rate, Miller continued his early-season dominance by walking Marcus Semien but retiring the next three batters to secure the save.

There were also defensive gems worth noting. Max Schuemann made a sliding catch in center field to rob Adolis García in the second and followed it with a diving stop at third base in the ninth that helped extinguish a Rangers rally. Lawrence Butler contributed with a running grab in foul territory, while JJ Bleday, entering the game as a pinch hitter and staying on in center, showcased solid range with two putouts.

Offensively, Miguel Andujar stayed hot with two hits, continuing a stretch where he has hit .328 over his last 17 games. Jacob Wilson, who entered the night ranked 10th in the majors in batting average at .324, added a single and a sacrifice bunt.

The victory marked the Athletics’ fourth in their last five games, and they are now 8-5 on the road, the second-best road record in the majors. The green and gold are also winning the close ones lately, improving to 3-4 in one-run games after starting the season 0-4 in such contests.

The Athletics and Rangers resume their four-game series Tuesday night it’s Jacob vs. Jacob, the A’s will be starting Jacob Lopez (0-0 ERA 0.00) vs. Jacob deGrom (0-1 ERA 3.33) they are scheduled to take the mound for Texas at 5:05pm PDT in Arlington.

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.