Tag: mlb

A wild buzzkill ends with Marlins’ 12-5 win and sweep of Giants at Oracle Park

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

San Francisco Giant Brett Wisely takes off after hitting a two run double in the bottom of the fourth inning against the Miami Marlins at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Thu Jun 26, 2025 (AP News photo)

Thursday, June 26, 2025

Oracle Park

San Francisco, California

Miami Marlins 12 (34-45)

San Francisco Giants 5 (44-37)

Win: Josh Simpson (1-0)

Loss: Hayden Birdsong (3-2)

Time: 2:48

Attendance: 33,804

By Stephen Ruderman

SAN FRANCISCO–Thursday’s game was both a wild one and an absolute buzzkill, as tempers flared, and the Giants came back from down 5-0 to tie the game, but at the end, the Marlins smoked the Giants 12-5 to complete the three-game sweep at Oracle Park.

The Giants’ offense appeared to finally be back on track after their epic 9-5 win over the Red Sox on Sunday. However, the offense went stagnant again in the first two games of this three-game series against the Marlins. The Giants dropped both games against a young team that they should have beaten, and Friday, they faced the potential embarrassment of being swept by that team.

Hayden Birdsong got off to a great start after being added to the Giants’ rotation last month, but he was hit around by the Red Sox in his last start last Friday. Thursday, Birdsong would take the ball and hope to help the Giants avoid an embarrassing sweep. 

Some housecleaning notes. Three Giants were hit Wednesday night, and the last one hit Casey Schmitt on his left hand. Schmitt was in obvious pain and unable to play Thursday. The Giants were understandably sore about it. Birdsong retired the first two men he faced, but decided to hit Otto Lopez.

It was obvious what the intent was. Home Plate Umpire and Crew Chief Alfonso Marquez gathered his crew together, as has been the procedure for issuing warnings since 2020, and Marquez put out warnings. Predictably, Marlins Manager Clayton McCullogh came out to argue, and was promptly tossed.

The Giants wanted to send a message, but it would completely backfire. Agustin Ramirez lined a double down the right field line to put runners at second and third, and Kyle Stowers hit an absolute bomb more than half-way up the bleachers in right-center field.

I don’t know if I have ever seen a home run hit that deep to that part of this ballpark. Once thing was for sure though: the wind was blowing out, and the ball was certainly jumping today. Stowers’ blast would not be the last bomb hit Thursday.

Janson Junk took the ball for the Marlins, and with a name like that, you’d expect him to be a finesse guy who throws literal junk. Unfortunately, they’re really clamping down on that these days, and Junk is actually a fire-baller, whose fastball generally tops out at 96 miles per hour. Buzzkill!!! 

That was just the first buzzkill of the day. The Giants went down scoreless against Junk in the first two innings. Agustin Ramirez then hit a mammoth blast to the back of the bleachers in left in the top of the third to give the Marlins a 5-0 lead.

If you think about it, it seems like whenever the Giants trail 5-0 at home, they tend to come back. Especially if they’re on a losing streak, or on the verge of getting swept. 

The Giants came back from down 5-0 to beat the Reds on April 9 to avert a sweep. They then came back from down 5-0 to beat the Padres on the fourth of this very month when they were on the verge of being just four games over .500. 

With the Giants in danger of being swept by the Marlins and trailing 5-0 going to the bottom of the third, did the Giants have another comeback in them?

Well, Andrew Knizner led off the bottom of the third with a little fist job to right. Mike Yastrzemski struck out looking, but Rafael Devers put the Giants on the board with a home run to right-center, his second as a Giant, and it was 5-2.

Birdsong threw his first and only one two three inning of the day in the top of the fourth, and the Giants were ready to get to work in the bottom of the fourth. Jung Hoo Lee led off the inning with a triple, and Willy Adames got him in with a base-hit to make it 5-3. 

Christian Koss doubled to right to put runners at second and third. Up came Brett Wisely, who hit a double off the wall in right, and just like that, the game was tied.

The Giants were playing good fundamental baseball, but they had to be buzzkills. Koss was standing at second with nobody out, but the Giants were unable to get him in and take the lead.

Birdsong walked Jesus Sanchez and Otto Lopez to start the fifth, and he was done. Spencer Bivens came in and struck out the next two, and it looked like he would get out of the inning with the momentum still on the Giants’ side.

Unfortunately, Eric Wagaman doubled into the gap in left-center, and both runners scored to put the Marlins back ahead. Connor Norby followed that up with a base-hit to left to knock in Wagaman, and the Marlins bounced right back with a three-spot to take an 8-5 lead.

Though there was an entertaining end to the top of the fifth. Dane Meyers struck out swinging, and then he snapped his bat in half over his leg and slammed the handle of his bat and his helmet to the ground. To say the least, the crowd of 33,804 here at Oracle Park did not like it, and they let Mr. Meyers know it. Me? I found it entertaining.

The Giants’ offense of course went stagnant the rest of the way. The only drama was when Wilmer Flores got into it with Marlins’ pitcher Cade Gibson after he struck Wilmer out to end the bottom of the seventh. The benches cleared, and nobody was tossed, but Gibson must have done or said something that set Wilmer off.

A small little skirmish like that can fire up a team. Unfortunately, that team was the Marlins, who tagged Sean Hjelle for four runs in the top of the eighth to turn this game into a laugher. 

The Marlins went on to win 12-5, and the Giants suffered the greatest buzzkill of the day: being swept at home by the Marlins. I am not knocking on the Marlins, but this was a series the Giants had to take at least two out of three in, and getting swept by a team like the Marlins is never good.

Josh Simpson finished off the bottom of the fourth for the Marlins. Simpson only faced two guys, but since the Marlins scored three runs in the top of the fifth to take a lead that they would hold the rest of the game, the kid got his first big league win. Hayden Birdsong took the loss.

The Giants fall to 44-37, and they are now six and a half games back of the Dodgers in the National League West. Believe it or not, today was game number 81 for the Giants, which means they are exactly half-way through their regular season schedule.

However, the first half doesn’t officially end until the All-Star Break. That means the Giants have 97 games in the first half, and will have just 65 games in the second half. That’s how this works, folks!

I really jinxed it when I said on Sunday that the Giants playing the Marlins and White Sox was a treat. Now, the Giants really need to take at least two out of three when they go to the South Side of Chicago to take on the White Sox this weekend.

Friday’s game at Rate Field will also be the opener of a 10-game, three-city road trip. It will be three in Chicago, followed by four in Arizona against the Diamondbacks, and three against the A’s in Sacramento.

Another problem the Giants have is that their bullpen was taxed in this series against the Marlins, and today was just day three of 16-straight days of games. In fact, the Giants only have one day off between now and the All-Star Break. Dave Flemming hinted on Thursday’s radio broadcast on KNBR that the Giants may have to make some roster moves as a result.

Landen Roupp (5-5, 3.67 ERA) will take the ball in the series opener at Rate Field Friday night. Aaron Civale (1-4, 5.03 ERA) will take the ball for the South Siders.

First pitch will be at 6:40 p.m. in Chicago, 4:40 p.m in San Francisco.

Giants News and Notes:

  • There is no official word, but rumor has it that the x-rays on Casey Schmitt’s left hand were negative. A little piece of good news for the Giants on this rough afternoon, as Schmitt has been one of their hottest hitters as of late.

Sacramento A’s podcast Jeremiah Salmonson: A’s offense sputters Tigers Enns effective shutting down A’s hitting

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Sacramento A’s pitcher JT Ginn (70) deals to the Detroit Tigers line up in the bottom of the sixth inning on Thu Jun 26, 2025 at Comerica Park in Detroit (AP News photo)

Sacramento A’s podcast Jeremiah Salmonson:

#1 Detroit Tigers starter Dietrich Enns threw five innings of shutout ball against the Sacramento A’s for a 8-0 win. It was Enns return to the big leagues on Thursday at Comerica Park.

#2 Enns now 1-0 allowed a base hit and two base on balls in his first game back since Sep 24, 2021 when he pitched two shutout innings against the Miami Marlins when he was with the Tampa Bay Rays.

#3 A’s pitcher Jeffrey Springs now 5-6 had a tough afternoon surrendering three runs and five hits, two walks in five innings of work. As the Tigers demolished A’s pitching.

#4 The closest the A’s came to scoring was when they had runners at first and second in the top of the third with one down. Enns got Jacob Wilson to fly to right and Brent Rooker hit into a double play.

#5 The A’s are off to the Bronx and the New York Yankees on Friday for the first of three games. Starting pitcher for Sacramento RHP Mitch Spence (2-2 ERA 3.84) for New York RHP Will Warren (4-4 ERA 4.56) first pitch 4:05pm PDT.

Jeremiah Salmonson is a Sacramento A’s beat writer at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.

⚡Craft cocktails? Check.
🔥Game-day bites? Oh yeah.
🏟️Steps from Golden 1 Center? You bet.

Open daily, Cyprus Grille is serving up local flavor with a front-row seat to the action. Stop by before or after the game—or make it your new downtown hangout.

Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.

📍Located inside the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena @ 300 J Street

Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm

Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in. 

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Candidate for Treasurer in Nevada not Optimistic about A’s ballpark

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Drew Johnson candidate for the State of Nevada Treasurer said that the A’s Las Vegas ballpark will not be ready by 2028 and that it is wrong to force the taxpayers to pay for a multi billion dollar stadium (Las Vegas Review Journal photo)

Candidate for Treasurer in Nevada not Optimistic about the A’s

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

Since we have listened to everybody, except Pope Leo XIV on the A’s, we should listen now to a future Treasurer. His name is Drew Johnson, and he is running for the office of Nevada State Treasurer. This is what he posted recently on X — “I’m excited to have the A’s in Vegas, but let’s get real: -It’s WRONG to force taxpayers to subsidize a stadium for a billionaire -It has NO CHANCE of being ready for opening day 2028 -I’ll be SHOCKED if it’s built at this location -The A’s will ask for MORE tax dollars.”

Johnson seems to side with the voting public. In this long story, so far, taxpayers have not been excited about the A’s moving to Sin City; in fact, polls taken in Nevada seem to favor those who prefer an expansion team over the now-maligned A’s franchise.

I believe by now in the world of baseball, the Athletics franchise does not have a good reputation, and I do not think you are going to see the A’s owner appear on one of those late-night television shows, smiling and having fun.

When Mr. Johnson stated, “It’s wrong to force taxpayers to subsidize a stadium for a billionaire.” It’s because he believes that is the consensus around the country, though there might be pockets that likely wouldn’t agree.

Drew Johnson makes sense, he is running for Treasurer of the State of Nevada, and in my mind, the people who have to deal with money are always more candid and realistic than, for example, entrepreneurs, politicians, and team owners and dreamers.

It is possible that if the A’s move to Sin City, Las Vegas will finally have one team from each of the main professional leagues. For the NBA, it would be more feasible to have a team, maybe even before the A’s play there.. NBA games are indoor, smaller capacity, and all at night, in a city that rocks at night, basketball is indeed perfecto for Las Vegas. Baseball? ay…ay…ay.

A’s ownership and representatives told the public that in Las Vegas, they were projecting sellout crowds of 33,000 per game for 81 games for the next 30 seasons. John Fisher wanted to leave Oakland, and the Commissioner Mr. Rob Manfred is a supporter, so basically we are just spectators.

We do not count here. But, we live in a free country and we all have opinions. Mine is below. Selling out a baseball park for 30 years in a town with little baseball tradition? Well, as a famous burlesque comedian once said in a punchline of a blue joke: “That I have to see.”

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.

@Central Park Fremont – Fremont CA

http://goaquaadventure.com

Sacramento A’s game wrap: Detroit slams the door on the Green and Gold 8-0

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Detroit Tigers Zack McKinstry (39) slid safely into second base under Sacramento A’s second baseman Luis Urias (17) in the bottom of the sixth inning at Comerica Park in Detroit on Thu Jun 26, 2025 (AP News photo)

Detroit Slams the Door on the Green and Gold
By Mauricio Segura

The Sacramento Athletics trudged through a long, lifeless afternoon at Comerica Park, managing just four hits and zero runs in a shutout loss to the Detroit Tigers, who capitalized on timely hits and crisp execution to walk away with an 8-0 victory on Thursday.

From the opening pitch, Detroit’s approach was surgical, while Sacramento’s lineup never found a pulse. The Tigers didn’t waste time either. Spencer Torkelson launched a solo homer in the second inning to open the scoring, and that early shot would hold up as the winning run in what quickly became a lopsided affair.

The Athletics’ best shot at producing offense came in the third, when Max Schuemann singled and swiped second before advancing to third on a deep flyout. But Brent Rooker followed that by grounding into an inning-ending double play, a cruel turning point that deflated any early momentum.

That twin killing wasn’t an outlier either. Rooker hit into another double play in the sixth, one of three the A’s grounded into on the day. Sacramento simply could not string together anything remotely threatening, and that futility was stacked up by nine quick outs from their top three hitters, who went a combined 0 for 12.

On the flip side, Detroit’s bats came alive in key spots. Jahmai Jones delivered the knockout punch early with a two-run double in the third. Later, Gleyber Torres continued the Tigers’ damage parade with a two-run homer in the seventh that pushed the lead to five to zero.

By the time Zach McKinstry tripled in two more in the eighth and Jake Rogers tacked on a sac fly, the damage was beyond repair. McKinstry was a thorn in the A’s side all day, racking up three hits, driving in two, and adding a stolen base just for good measure.

Defensively, the Green and Gold added to their own misery with an error in the sixth that nearly allowed another run to score before a strong relay nailed the runner at home.

But the lone highlight of the day for Sacramento may have been that single defensive stand because there was nothing else worth circling. Even the pinch-hitters offered no spark. Lawrence Butler and Tyler Soderstrom, sent up late in the game to inject life into a stagnant offense, went down quietly like the rest of the lineup.

On the mound, the A’s staff wasn’t particularly poor, but the Tigers were opportunistic. Starter Jeffrey Springs allowed three runs across three innings, and J.T. Ginn gave up Torres’ home run in relief. T.J. McFarland, tasked with mopping up, was shelled in the eighth as the Tigers broke the game wide open.

The A’s have once again dropped a game in which their game of play has looked more like a ghost than a threat. Even while showing signs of life here and there, they go cold quickly, a trend that has defined much of their season. 

If there’s a silver lining, it’s that the team’s young core continues to get big-league reps, needless to say, in frustrating fashion. But moral victories don’t show up in the standings, and on this afternoon, the Athletics were simply overmatched and outplayed in every phase. 

Now it’s a quick flight up the coast to take on the Bronx Bombers Friday at 4:05pm. Starting pitcher for Sacramento RHP Mitch Spence (2-2 ERA 3.84) for New York RHP Will Warren (4-4 ERA 4.56) first pitch 4:05pm PDT.

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

Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.

⚡Craft cocktails? Check.
🔥Game-day bites? Oh yeah.
🏟️Steps from Golden 1 Center? You bet.

Open daily, Cyprus Grille is serving up local flavor with a front-row seat to the action. Stop by before or after the game—or make it your new downtown hangout.

Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.

📍Located inside the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena @ 300 J Street

Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm

Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in. 

San Francisco Giants podcast Stephen Ruderman: Marlins rally for four runs in 10th to defeat Giants 8-5; Miami can sweep in Thursday matinee at Oracle Park

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

San Francisco Giants starter Logan Webb rubs up the baseball in the top of the fifth inning against the Miami Marlins at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Wed Jun 25, 2025 (AP News photo)

San Francisco Giants podcast Stephen Ruderman:

#1 Stephen, tough finish for the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday night bowing to the Miami Marlins in extra innings 8-5. It was San Francisco’s fourth loss in extra innings this season.

#2 The Giants have been involved in a number of one run games this season. In this one the 49 runs in the ninth inning or later is tied for fifth most in MLB.

#3 The Giants are getting assists from the outfield the were able to cut down the Miami run game it was San Francisco’s 17th assist from the outfield which ranks them third in the Majors. It’s the first time since May 11, 2024 against Cincinnati that the Giants had three outfield assists.

#4 The flood gates were opened up when closer Camilo Doval came in for relief in the top of the tenth inning allowing four runs and the Marlins surpassed the Giants 4-4 score for a 8-5 three run win. Doval took the loss and the blown save and is now 3-2, pitching 3.2 innings, allowing two hits, four runs, two walks, and no strikeouts.

#5 The Giants who have lost the first two games of the series will try to get at least a win before the Marlins leave town. The Marlins on Thursday afternoon will start RHP Janson Junk (2-0 ERA 2.60) he’ll be opposed by the Giants RHP Hayden Birdsong (3-1 ERA 3.25) first pitch 12:45pm PDT.

Stephen Ruderman is filling in for Morris Phillips for the Giants podcasts Thursdays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Marlins score four in 10th after spirited Giants’ comeback for 8-5 win

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

San Francisco Giants manager Bob Melvin (left in black jacket) relieves closer Camilo Doval (right) in the top of the tenth against the Miami Marlins at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Wed Jun 25, 2025 (photo by Jay Choi-SF Bay News)

Wednesday, June 25, 2025

Oracle Park

San Francisco, California

Miami Marlins 8 (33-45)

San Francisco Giants 5 (44-36)

Win: Calvin Faucher (3-2)

Loss: Camilo Doval (3-2)

Time: 2:57

Attendance: 31,712

By Stephen Ruderman

SAN FRANCISCO–Despite a spirited comeback by the Giants in the bottom of the ninth to tie the game, the Marlins scored four runs off Camilo Doval in the top of the tenth to win it by a final of 8-5 on Wednesday night at Oracle Park.

The Giants were riding high coming off a big 9-5 win on Sunday when their offense finally woke up and played good fundamental baseball. They would then get a treat on the schedule, as they would host the Miami Marlins for three. However, after a day off on Monday, the Giants’ offense went cold again last night, and the Marlins grinded their way to a 4-2 win in the series opener.

That meant that Logan Webb once again had to be the stopper, and he and the Giants would get off to a good start Wednesday night. Webb got his night started with a one, two, three, top of the first inning. Mike Yastrzemski then led off the bottom of the first against Marlins’ starter Edward Cabrera, and tucked a home run just fair down the right field line.

Webb worked his way out of a jam in the top of the second, and then settled back down for a one, two, three, top of the third. However, Webb would find himself in trouble again in the top of the fourth.

Agustin Ramirez led off the top of the fourth with a base-hit to center-field. With one out, Kyle Stowers worked out a great at-bat and lined a double to right to put runners at second and third. Up came Otto Lopez, who doubled in both runs to give the Marlins a 2-1 lead.

Cabrera pitched through the second, third and fourth, but the Giants would mount a rally in the bottom of the fifth. Jung Hoo Lee walked to lead off the inning, and Willy Adames singled him over to second. Bob Melvin put on the bunt for Patrick Bailey, who sacrificed the runners over to second and third. Christian Koss came up, and he tied the game with a sacrifice fly to center.

Webb survived a two-out jam in the top of the sixth, and that ended his night. Webb went six innings, and gave up two runs and six hits. He walked three, and struck out six. However, as has been the case throughout Webb’s career, he’s a Matt Cain clone with a sinker, so that meant that he got very little run support.

Cabrera went five and a third innings for the Marlins. Like Webb, Cabrera walked three, and struck out six.

Randy Rodriguez threw a scoreless top of the seventh, and then Melvin turned to his reliable setup man, Tyler Rogers, in the top of the eighth. Unfortunately, this would be a rare off-night for Rogers.

Ramirez led off the top of the eighth with a base-hit, and Liam Hicks doubled him over to third. Rogers gained a bit of momentum when he struck Stowers out on three pitches and got Lopez to pop out.

Rogers was an out away from getting out of it unscathed with the game still tied. Up came Heriberto Hernandez, and he lined a base-hit to left-center field, which scored a pair to put the Marlins back ahead 4-2.

After going down one, two, three, in the bottom of the eighth, the Giants were up against Marlins’ closer Calvin Faucher in the bottom of the ninth. Dominic Smith led off the inning for the Giants, and he immediately fell behind 0-2. However, after taking a curveball in the dirt, he was hit on the foot by another curve.

Casey Schmitt was also hit, but he took a fastball to his left hand. Schmitt slammed his bat to the ground with his right hand, and was in obvious pain. Schmitt was the third Giant hit by a pitch tonight, but he truly took one for the team.

The Giants had runners at first and second with nobody out, and despite the pain Schmitt felt in his left hand, the Giants had the momentum. Lee then walked, and the bases were loaded for Adames.

Adames hit a high drive deep to left field that he thought was going to go out for a walk-off grand slam. Adames was watching his shot and preparing to celebrate, but he ended up flying out to the wall. Not the end of the world, though. Smith scored to make it 4-3, and the back runners moved up to second and third.

Up came Patrick Bailey, and he lined a base-hit off the end of the bat to left. Schmitt scored to tie the game, but despite the fact that the Marlins were playing their outfield in, Giants Third Base Coach Matt Williams sent Lee home. The throw from left-fielder Kyle Stowers was off-line, but catcher Nick Fortes had plenty of time to regroup and apply the tag to get Lee at the plate.

It was the second night in a row that Matt Williams made a questionable send, but this one made absolutely no sense. The game was tied, and Bailey was able to get into scoring position at second. However, Koss hit a bullet right into the glove of third-baseman Connor Norby, and we were headed for some Manfredball (ghost runners).

Camilo Doval came in for the tenth, and Fortes was the Manfred runner at second. Liam Hicks led off the inning and fell behind 0-2, but he turned the 0-2 count into a walk, and from there, things fell apart for the Giants.

Stowers flew out, which moved Fortes over to third, and Lopez lined a base-hit to center, which gave the Marlins a 5-4 lead. Miami wasn’t done. Hernandez doubled to left-center to knock in a pair, and advanced to third when the Giants tried to cut down Lopez at the plate. Norby got Hernandez in with a sacrifice fly, just like that, the Marlins had put up a big fat four-spot.

Tyler Phillips came in for the bottom of the 10th. Koss was the Giants’ ghost runner, and Heliot Ramos got him in on a base-hit to right with two outs. However, that would be it, and the Marlins won it 8-5.

Despite giving up two runs and blowing the save in the bottom of the ninth, Calvin Faucher got the win. Camilo Doval was tagged with the loss.

The Giants fall to 44-36, and they have now lost the first two games of a series to a team they should have beaten. Thursday afternoon, the Giants risk the embarrassment of being swept by a team that was swept by the Rockies just three weeks ago.

The Giants will turn to Hayden Birdsong (3-1, 3.25 ERA) as they look to avoid the sweep tomorrow afternoon. Janson Junk (2-0, 2.60 ERA) will go for Miami.

First pitch will be at 12:45 p.m.

Giants News and Notes:

After getting hit, Casey Schmitt kept nursing his left hand while he was standing at third base in the top of the tenth, and while he was in the dugout in the bottom of the tenth.

Schmitt’s condition is not yet known, but I imagine the Giants will have his hand x-rayed.

Kurtz Blasts Tigers as A’s Put the Brake on Skid in 3-0 shutout

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Willie MacIver (65) congratulates Sacramento A’s pitcher Jacob Lopez (57) after the last out of the sixth inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park in Detroit on Wed Jun 25, 2025 (AP News photo)

Kurtz Blasts Tigers as A’s Put the Brake on Skid in 3-0 shutout
By Mauricio Segura

Nick Kurtz’s power surge couldn’t have come at a better time for the Athletics. The 22-year-old slugger jolted Comerica Park with a three-run homer in the third inning Wednesday night, sending the Green and Gold to a 3-0 victory over the Tigers and snapping a three-game losing streak.

It was Kurtz’s 11th home run of the season, and perhaps his most impactful yet, handing Sacramento their first win on this nine-game road trip and some desperately needed momentum at the season’s halfway mark.

Kurtz’s blast wasn’t just timely, it was efficient. Following back-to-back walks to Lawrence Butler and Brent Rooker, he launched a 2-0 fastball to straightaway center, leaving no doubt as it cleared the wall and put the A’s on top. That single swing accounted for all the offense in a game that otherwise showcased crisp defense and some much-needed stinginess from the A’s bullpen.

Starter Jacob Lopez continued his quiet rise, blanking Detroit across five innings and scattering just four hits while notching five K’s. Lopez has now allowed just two earned runs in his last 18 innings, extending his most consistent stretch since joining the rotation. The bullpen held strong behind him for once, capped off by Mason Miller’s electric ninth for his 15th save, retiring the side in order with two strikeouts and touching 102 mph on the radar gun.

The A’s, now 33-49, still sit at the bottom of the AL West, but Wednesday’s win offered a reminder of the young talent percolating through the roster. Kurtz has now homered in five of his last ten games, and Rooker’s on-base streak reached 14. Lawrence Butler added his 12th stolen base and contributed a walk in a performance that highlighted the green and gold’s patience at the plate.

The victory also helped stop a troubling trend. Entering Wednesday, the A’s had dropped five of their last seven games. But the combination of selective hitting, clutch power, and bullpen shutdown work offered a rare clean performance. In fact, this marked only the fourth time all year the A’s shut out an opponent. Knock on wood it continues.

Detroit, meanwhile, wasted a solid start from Jack Flaherty, who struck out six across six innings but paid dearly for his one mistake to Kurtz. The Tigers managed just six baserunners all night, and none of them got past second base. Comerica Park fell quiet as A’s defenders made quick work of routine fly balls and grounders, helping the A’s log their 56th all-time win in Comerica Park.

As the A’s prepare to face Detroit again Thursday, LHP Jeffrey Springs (6-5 ERA 6.24) is slated to take the mound against Tigers starter Dietrich Ennis (0-0 ERA 0.00) first pitch 1:10pm PDT.

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

Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.

⚡Craft cocktails? Check.
🔥Game-day bites? Oh yeah.
🏟️Steps from Golden 1 Center? You bet.

Open daily, Cyprus Grille is serving up local flavor with a front-row seat to the action. Stop by before or after the game—or make it your new downtown hangout.

Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.

📍Located inside the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena @ 300 J Street

Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm

Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in. 

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Dominican Republic is solid #1 in Talent

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Three of the most famous players in San Francisco Giants history from left to right Willie Mays, Juan Marichal and Willie McCovey. Marichal is the most famous player to come out of the Dominican Republic and is known as the Dominican Dandy. (AP file photo)

Dominican Republic is solid #1 in Talent

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

When it comes to talent from Latin America, our friends in the Dominican Republic are leading the way. According to all available data, the country of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, had 100 players on opening day rosters for the 2025 season.

Since Major League began collecting this data in 1995, the Dominicanos have led the way. From Juan Marichal and Pedro Martínez to Albert Pujols, David Ortíz, Vladimir Guerrero, and Adrián Beltré, Dominicans are on top.

Some of today’s biggest stars, are Dominican stars, and names (if you follow the game) that you recognize right away; Ronald Acuña, Juan Soto, Fernando Tatis Jr, Julio Rodríguez, José Ramírez, Rafael Devers, Wander Franco, Oneil Cruz, Elly De La Cruz, Luis Castillo, Eury Pérez, Emmanuel Clase, Framber Valder and more. Internationally, the Dominicans remain a constant in the game.

The Leones del Escogido (Dominican Republic) were this year’s champions of the Caribbean Series, beating the Charros de Jalisco (México), for their fifth title of the Caribbean Series. When the Caribbean Series first began in 1949, Cuba was the dominant force.

The Caribbean Series was an annual event that ran from 1949 to 1960. During this period, Cuba won the title seven times, including five consecutive championships from 1956 to 1960. Not a coincidence that things changed in Cuba regarding baseball.

Why? Notable: Cuba’s dominance stopped in 1960 when Fidel Castro declared Cuba a communist country. Since then, some of the best talent from the largest island in the Caribbean defected from the island to play in the best league in the World, the Major Leagues.

But that talent has dried up now for decades; the Cuban government has destroyed just about everything that was a tradition in Cuba, like baseball. As a Cuban-born person who loved baseball since I could walk, it is sad what happened to baseball in Cuba.

Cuba was a pioneer for baseball in Latin America. Baseball arrived in Cuba in the 1860s, brought by students returning from the United States and American sailors. But today the Dominicans rule. Not only in the Major League, they lead the Caribbean Series with 22 championships (you can say they are similar to the NY Yankees), in MLB with 27 titles, and World Series Championships.

To date, the Caribbean series has seen the Dominican Republic win 22 championships, followed by Puerto Rico with 16, Mexico with 9, Cuba with 8, Venezuela with 8, Panama with 2, and Colombia with 1.

Quote: In the 1980’s when Billy Martin arrived from New York to Oakland to manage the A’s I spoke with Billy, many times prior and sometimes after games, one thing he told me always stuck with me, when I asked him why he likes Latino players so much, he told me: “Because Latinos play with the same passion I had for the game as a player” As volatile he was as a manager, I loved his aggressive style and his drive to win each game home or away. Billy Martin was one of my favorite managers. Good thing he did not live to see the instant replay system–we have today- or he would have killed an umpire.

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

Athletics podcast Michael Roberson: A’s get clobbered by Tigers 11-4 at Comerica

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Sacramento A’s manager Mark Kotsay heads back to the dugout in the eighth inning at Comerica Park in Detroit on Tue Jun 24, 2025 (AP News photo)

Athletics podcast Michael Roberson:

#1 Detroit Tigers Dilon Dingler hit a three run home run and got help from Kerry Carpenter who also belted a two home run as the Tigers handled the Sacramento A’s 11-4 at Comerica Park in Detroit on Tuesday night.

#2 The Tigers Riley Greene had a big night with four hits, a double, two RBIs and scored two runs. Wenceel Perez got two hits for two RBIs.

#3 The Tigers starter Tarik Skubal improved his record to 9-2 allowing four runs, six hits, and eight strikeouts in six innings pitched and he got lots of run support and has the longest win streak for pitchers in MLB.

#4 Keys for the A’s Brent Rooker and Denzel Clarke both slugged two run home runs in the first and second innings respectively. It wasn’t enough as the A’s needed a lot more offense than that to get back into this game losing by eight runs.

#5 A’s and Tigers get after it Wednesday night at Comerica. Starting pitcher for Sacramento LHP Jacob Lopez (1-4 ERA 4.25) for Detroit RHP Jack Flaherty (5-8 ERA 4.83) first pitch 3:40pm PDT

Michael Roberson is a MLB podcast contributor at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.

⚡Craft cocktails? Check.
🔥Game-day bites? Oh yeah.
🏟️Steps from Golden 1 Center? You bet.

Open daily, Cyprus Grille is serving up local flavor with a front-row seat to the action. Stop by before or after the game—or make it your new downtown hangout.

Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.

📍Located inside the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena @ 300 J Street

Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm

Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in. 

Giants can’t overcome Verlander’s early-game struggles, fall 4-2 to Marlins

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

SAN FRANCISCO – Justin Verlander was hopeful for his first win as a Giant, just coming off the paternity list on Tuesday night, but the San Francisco Giants offense couldn’t support his early-game struggles.

The last time the Giants faced Marlins starter Cal Quantrill (3-7, 5.56), they went 8-for-22, mashing two doubles, a triple, and a homerun off him at LoanDepot Park on May 30. In the series opener against Miami, the Giants offense only managed to score two runs, after exploding for nine runs on Sunday against the Boston Red Sox.

The orange and black came into Tuesday with a 44-34 record, 3.5 games behind the Dodgers in the National League West. Riding high off a series win over the Red Sox, the Giants dropped another game in the standings.

Verlander just returned from the paternity list on Tuesday after welcoming a baby boy to the world, Bellamy Brooks Verlander. In just his second start in the last month, it was the same old story–hard contact against the future Hall-of-Famer.

Although pitching well enough to keep the Giants in the game, Verlander has fallen to an 0-5 start through his first 12 starts, joining Ross Stripling (2023) and Slick Castleman (1936) as the only Giants pitchers to not win any of his first 11 or more starts of a season. 

It was a quick start for Verlander and the Giants defense in the top of the first inning as the Marlins went down in order. Giants second baseman Christian Koss made quite the play to end the inning, sliding into shallow center field with his back to the infield to rob Otto Lopez of the game’s first hit. 

After a quick first out in the top of the second inning, the marlins rallied for two runs. Kyle Stowers started the surge with a line-drive base hit to right field and eventually came around to score the game’s first run on an Eric Wagaman RBI-double. Two batters later, Connor Norby’s single to left brought home Wagaman to make it 2-0 Miami. The frame finally came to an end as Verlander struck out Dane Myers for his third K of the inning. 

The Giants looked to answer in the home fourth. Heliot Ramos became a lead-off base runner by getting plunked in the left bicep by a 92 mph Cal Quantrill heater. On the next pitch, Wilmer Flores grounded into a 6-4-3 double play to erase the progress.

A few pitches later, Jung Hoo Lee sent a hard groundball off the left ankle of Quantrill, who remained in the game, and reached base safely. He later advanced to second base after a failed pickoff attempt got by first baseman Eric Wagaman, however, the Giants bats with RISP continued to struggle. Willy Adames flew out to center field to put an end to the threat. 

Verlander set the Marlins down efficiently in the top of the fifth which allowed the offense to get right back up to the plate. Casey Schmitt got the fun started with a leadoff single to left. After a Patrick Bailey lineout, Christian Koss homered to left to bring the Giants to within one, 3-2. 

Koss got the start at second base following the demotion of Tyler Fitzgerald who had hit .128 in his last 15 games and struggled overall offensively the last month. Manager Bob Melvin mentioned pregame that the Giants were by no means giving up on Fitzgerald but wanted him to regain some confidence by taking some at bats with AAA Sacramento. There is currently no time table on his return to the big league club. 

The energy continued to build in the Oracle Park crowd as Mike Yastrzemski walked after the homerun. The next batter, Rafael Devers grounded to Miami second baseman Xavier Edwards but beat out the throw to first base to prevent the double play.

That was enough to send Marlins starter Cal Quantrill to the showers earlier than he would’ve liked, as he left the field visibly frustrated he couldn’t finish the inning. The Marlins new pitcher Anthony Bender was welcomed to the game with a Heliot Ramos double but the relay from left field was in time to nail Devers at the plate, keeping the Miami lead intact. 

Sean Hjelle replaced Verlander in the next inning as relief pitchers for both teams traded off scoreless halves in the sixth. Verlander finished with 5.0 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, and 5 K. He’ll have to wait at least another five days for his next start in Chicago to try and earn his first win as a Giant. 

The Marlins added one more to their total to extend their lead to two runs in the seventh and that would be all they needed to secure the win in game one. The Miami offense exploded for 11 hits while the Giants could only get five in the hit column, getting outhit by an opponent for the 45th time this season, going 0-for-4 with RISP. They are 6-for-50 (.120) with RISP thus far on the homestand. 

The Giants look to turn the page with ace Logan Webb taking the mound sporting a (7-5, 2.49 ERA) and two straight wins Wednesday night against the Marlins Edward Cabrera (2-2 ERA 3.81). 

First pitch for game two at 6:45 Wednesday night at Oracle Park.