Tag: Oakland A’s

Yankees take series over A’s with 6-2 victory

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Photo credit: @Athletics

By: Jessica Kwong

NEW YORK – After a two-hour, 45-minute rain delay at Yankee Stadium, the Oakland Athletics on Sunday afternoon let the New York Yankees to take an early lead, rallied too late and lost the game 6-2, as well as the series.

A’s starting pitcher Brett Anderson, who allowed four runs in five innings, admitted that the rain delay threw him off.

“You come to the field knowing what time the game is supposed to start, then it’s a hurry-up-and-wait scenario,” Anderson said.

The Yankees got off to a good start. Brett Gardner and Aaron Judge scored when Giancarlo Stanton hit a ground ball to center fielder Dustin Fowler, and Didi Gregorius advanced to second base. Gregorius scored when Aaron Hicks singled on a ground ball to Fowler, putting the Yankees up 3-0 over the A’s.

In the fifth inning, Jed Lowrie singled on a sharp line drive to right fielder Judge and Jonathan Lucroy scored the first run for the A’s. But at the bottom of the fifth, Stanton hit a home run to put the Yankees up 4-1.

“Struggled some in the first, looked like he got it under control the next couple innings, but we needed five out of him today, we had bullpen issues,” A’s manager Bob Melvin said of Anderson. “I think sometimes it takes a starter time to settle in, and they had him on the run right away with guys on base.”

Anderson was relieved by veteran Santiago Casilla, who pitched two innings and allowed Judge to score in the seventh inning.

Melvin said Casilla’s contribution was “huge for us.”

“The guy’s out there throwing 40-some pitches, helped save the bullpen, wanted no part of coming out of that game, competing real hard. It’s good for our younger guys to see, too, in a game that you’re behind like that,” Melvin said. “There are small victories in certain games even when you lose and that was big for us.”

In the eighth inning, with Wilmer Font pitching, Judge singled on a sharp ground ball to right fielder Mark Canha and Miguel Andujar scored, bringing the Yankees up 6-1.

Canha in the ninth inning hit a homer on a fly ball to center field to cut the Yankees lead to 6-2, but the A’s did not manage to get more runs.

With Sunday’s loss, the A’s for the first time since April 20 fell two games under .500 (19-21). The A’s are 8-12 on the road this season.

The A’s continue their 10-game road trip in Boston to play a three-game series against the Red Sox. First pitch on Monday is at 4:10 p.m. PST.

A’s Swing Away on Former Teammate Gray, Beat Yankees 10-5

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Photo credit: @Athletics

By Matthew Harrington

In a night of reunions in the Big Apple, a quartet of Green and Gold homers proved the difference-maker in a 10-5 A’s win over the red-hot New York Yankees. Kendall Graveman returned to the A’s major league rotation after a demotion to Triple-A in late April, firing six innings while coughing up one earned run. Meanwhile, former A’s ace Sonny Gray made his first appearance against the A’s since being traded July 31st of last season for a trio prospects. Gray (2-3, 6.39 ERA) got tagged with the loss after giving up five runs over five innings while Graveman(1-5, 7.60) picked up his first win since September 22nd of last season.

Khris Davis tagged Gray for a solo shot, his 10th long ball of the season in the top of the second and Matt Chapman launched a two-run shot just two batters later for a 3-0 Oakland lead. Jed Lowrie singled in a run off Gray in the top of the third.

Graveman struggled mightily to open the season in his first six starts but looked more locked in Friday until he gave up a solo homerun to top Yankees prospect Gleyber Torres in the bottom of the third inning for a 4-1 A’s lead. Shortstop Marcus Semien added to the lead with a fielder’s choice RBI in the top of the fifth, which wound up being a pivotal run.

An inning later, Semien would open the inning by booting a ball to Miguel Andujar. Graveman rallied back, striking out Austin Romine and inducing a groundout from Torres that moved Andujar to second. Graveman then issued a free pass to Brett Gardner. Aaron Judge lifted the first pitch he saw from Graveman to right field for his 10th homer, cutting the A’s Edge to 5-4.

Jed Lowrie hit the A’s third homer of the game  off reliever David Hale, putting Oakland up 6-4. Ryan Dull entered the game in the seventh for the Yankees, giving up back-to-back singles to Andujar and Romine before Torres moved both runners over on a sacrifice bunt. Dull got the hook for Lou Trivino who issued four straight balls to Gardner to load the bases. He’d issue a full-count walk to plate a run, but got Didi Gregorious to fly out too shallow to score Romine from third and finished off the inning with an infield fly from the dangerous Giancarlo Stanton.

Matt Joyce took Hale deep for the final A’s homer in the top of the eighth inning for his third jack of the season. Oakland added three runs in the top of the ninth on a bases-loaded double by Semien off David Robertson. Blake Treinen worked around a one-out Gardner single, getting Judge to bounce into a double play to end the game for his sixth save of the year.

Saturday’s game in the Bronx will feature Andrew Triggs scaring off against the Yankees Domingo German. Triggs is coming off his best performance of the year, pitching seven innings against the Baltimore Orioles May 6th, giving up just the one run on a Pedro Alvarez dinger in a 2-1 A’s win. German, likewise is coming off a breakthrough performance after punching out nine Indians in a 7-4 Yankees win.

Sportstalk remote podcast from Hana Zen Japanese Cuisine at Pier 39 in San Francisco on Thursday, May 10, 2018

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yelp.com photo: Hana Zen at Pier 39 San Francisco by night fall and home of some of San Francisco’s best Japanese Cuisine

Cast: Michael Duca (host), Morris Phillips, Amaury Pi Gonzalez, Jeremy Kahn, and Lee Leonard (producer). Our thanks to Alvin and Angie Louie, the owners of Hana Zen Japanese Grill and Sushi Bar on Pier 39 at San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf, for hosting Sportstalk Radio. Tonight, we were treated to Hana Zen’s famous California Sushi Rolls, Ahi Tuna, Chicken Teriyaki, Calamari, and their wonderful miso soup.

Also, you can enjoy their sushi rolls, sashimi, and other Japanese favorites. Hana Zen also offers filet mignon, New York steak, and try their famous Lava Rock cooking right at your own table. In addition, you can enjoy some green tea ice cream at the end of your meal.

On the podcast, Sportstalk covered the Golden State Warriors and their second round playoff opponent, the New Orleans Pelicans. The San Francisco Giants and Oakland A’s both who lost in huge laughers on Monday night 11-0 for the Giants in Philadelphia and the A’s crushed in Oakland 16-1 by the World Champion Houston Astros. The cast explores what to expect from either team for May 2018.

 

A’s enter the lion’s den starting Friday for three games at Yankee Stadium

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photo by nydailynews.com: Former Oakland A’s pitcher Sonny Gray will face his old teammates during the three game series between the A’s and New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium starting Friday night

by Jerry Feitelberg

The Oakland A’s begin a 10-game road stand against the top three teams in the AL East. They meet the New York Yankees starting Friday night at Yankee Stadium. The A’s will be facing the hottest team in baseball at the moment. The Yankees have won 17 of the last 18 games and have moved into first place in the AL East. The Yankees On their last road trip, the Yankees swept all four games against the Houston Astros in Houston. The Astros are a very good, young team as well as defending World Championships and they were trampled by New York. The Astros, after two games with Arizona, came to Oakland and swept the A’s.

The A’s have record of 18-19 and are in fourth place in the AL West. The A’s have not announced who will start Friday night. A’s starter Trevor Cahill was placed on the 10-day DL with tightness in his arm. The A’s may recall Kendall Graveman or Chris Bassitt from Nashville to make a start. Andrew Triggs will pitch on Saturday, and Brett Anderson goes for Oakland on Sunday. Triggs has pitched reasonably well but has not faced a fearsome a lineup like the Yankees. Lefty Brett Anderson throws on Sunday, and the hopes are that he will have a better outing. The Astros blasted him in the game on Monday night that they won 16-2.

The Yankees pitching stacks up this way. Former A’s starter, Sonny Gray pitches Friday night. Gray is 2-2 and his an ERA of 6.00. Gray would like nothing better than to beat his old teammates. Rookie Domingo German (0-1, 2.21) goes on Saturday, and Luis Severino, who is rapidly becoming the ace of the Yankee staff, throws on Sunday. Severino is 5-1 with an ERA of 2.21.

The Yankees are living up to the nickname of being the Bronx Bombers. They have players up and down the lineup that can knock the ball out of the park. The A’s pitchers will have to deal with Brett Gardner, Aaron Hicks, Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton. Didi Gregorius, Gary Sanchez, Neil Walker, Miguel Andujar, and Gleyber Torres. These guys are almost an entire All-Star team. If these guys continue to terrorize opponents’ pitching, A’s manager Bob Melvin butter have some Tylenol ready for his headache.

Even if the A’s can find a way to get the offense going and send the starters to the showers, the Yankee bullpen is loaded. Featured relievers are Chad Green, Chasen Shreve, David Robertson, Dellin Betances and Aroldis Chapman, the closer.

The A’s took two out of three from Boston when they were the hottest team in baseball. It can be done. Hopefully, they will find a way to upset the Yankees’ apple cart.

Oakland A’s podcast with Jerry Feitelberg: After getting swept by Astros, A’s go into lion’s den at Yankee Stadium Friday night

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Photo credit: @athletics_fanly

On the Oakland A’s podcast with Jerry:

#1 The Oakland A’s got swept by the Houston Astros in Oakland Wednesday afternoon in a 4-1 loss to Astros pitcher Gerrit Cole.

#2 The Astros in their own right got some hitting production with runs in the seventh and eighth innings.

#3 The Astros got hitting production from Jose Altuve’ three hits and a run scored and the Astros catcher Max Stassi had two hits and a run scored.

#4 Cole had a quality start with six innings, four hits, one earned run and nine strikeouts.

#5 For the A’s, it’s onto New York for three games coming off this sweep. The A’s would like to get something going.

Jerry Feitelberg does the A’s podcasts each Thursday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: American League West–Everybody Is Playing for Second Place

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By: Amaury Pi-Gonzalez

After the Houston Astros visited the Oakland A’s for the first time this season, I came to the early conclusion that everybody except for the Astros is playing for second place in AL West.

The world champion Houston Astros lineup leads with three of the very best players in the game. George Springer, the current World Series MVP, as well as José Altuve champion batted last year for the third time and perhaps the most talented of them all. shortstop Carlos Correa. The world champion Astros paid their first visit to the A’s in Oakland this week. The three-game series came right after the A’s dismantled the Orioles, sweeping them and collecting a total of 40 strikeouts against the wounded birds.

However, a significant change in play from the Orioles to the Astros might as well be like from Earth to the Moon. The reigning champion Astros is a better team compared to the 2017 club as they won the World Series in seven exciting games against the Dodgers. The Astros just swept the A’s in Oakland, outscoring the Green and Gold 24 runs to five runs. The A’s did not face Justin Verlander or Charlie Morton.

This season, the Astros have Gerrit Cole, the #1 pitcher of the Pirates until last year. They have had Justin Verlander from the very beginning, unlike last season when he joined the team at the end. But it is obvious that everybody here in the AL West is playing for second place because even the Angels’ highest aspiration would be to advance to the postseason as a Wild Card team. At this time, there is no better pitching rotation in baseball than the Astros with Cole, Verlander, Keuchel, Morton and McCullers along with a very efficient bullpen.

Teams that have set starting rotations are those that advance and go all the way and that was what the Astros have this season. For the Angels to take this division from the defending champions, they need much more pitching that they have shown so far. Mike Scioscia’s team is a better team that last year. They addressed their infield, acquired Zack Cozart and Ian Kinsler, and two-way Japanese rookie Shohei Ohtani.

Scioscia told me this when his Angels visited Oakland: “I really like my team this year.”

You might want to keep an eye on the Mariners as they seem to have some magic this year and could be a serious contender this summer. If the Angels cannot finish second, the Mariners are the most likely candidates for that position and a possible Wild Card team.

In other words: the race for second place here between Angels and Mariners could prove to be the most interesting. That could be the story this season.

Astros beat A’s 4-1 to finish 3-game sweep

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Photo credit: @astros

By Jerry Feitelberg

OAKLAND — The Houston Astros rallied for two runs in the seventh and two in the eighth to defeat the A’s 4-1 to sweep the three-game series. The A’s starter, Daniel Mengden, pitched one of the best games of his career, but his effort was not quite good enough as opposing pitcher, Gerrit Cole, was a wee bit better. Cole, in his first year in the American League, improved to 4-1 and his ERA is just 1.43. Mengden’s record is now 2-4.

It was an old-fashioned pitching duel as Mengden and Cole baffled the hitters for the first five innings of the game. The A’s broke through in the bottom of the sixth after Matt Joyce singled with one and Jed Lowrie followed with a double. Cole walked Khris Davis to put men on at first and second with one out. Cole rose to the occasion as he struck Matt Olson and Matt Chapman to end the threat. The A’s led 1-0 after six.

Mengden was cruising along quite nicely until there were two outs in the top of the seventh. Former A’s prospect Max Stassi hit a bomb that went over the right-center-field wall for his third of the season. The next hitter Derek Fisher outdid Stassi as his home run went way, way back into the second deck of the bleachers in center field.

A’s manager Bob Melvin took Mengden out of the game and brought in Yusmeiro Petit to get the final out of the inning

Game Notes: The A’ s announced that starting pitcher, Trevor Cahill has been placed on the 10-day DL.

The A’s have five pitchers on the DL: Cahill, Paul Blackburn, Liam Hendriks, Jharel Cotton, and Ryan Buchter.

The A’s recalled Dustin Fowler from Nashville to fill the spot on the roster. Fowler had his first at-bat in the Majors in the bottom of the seventh, and he popped out to the Astros’ second baseman Jose Altuve.

The Astros used four pitchers to down the A’s on Wednesday. Cole got the win, but relievers Joe Smith and Will Harris were credited with holds and Ken Giles was credited with his fifth save of the season.

The A’s split the six-game home series with a record of 3-3.

Up Next: The A’s start a 10-game road trip on Friday in New York as they face the red-hot New York Yankees at 4:05 pm PT. Then it’s off the Boston for three and Toronto for four. It doesn’t get any easier as the A’s return home to play the Seattle Mariners and Arizona Diamondbacks. Whoever put this schedule together at MLB must have it in for Oakland.

This date in A’s history: Braden pitched 19th perfect game against Rays

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Photo credit: @Athletics

By: Ana Kieu

OAKLAND — The A’s are undoubtedly struggling against the world champion Astros at the moment, but here’s a positive fact to take your mind off the Green and Gold’s issues.

On this date in 2010, which happened to be on a Mother’s Day, Dallas Braden pitched the 19th perfect game in MLB history against the Tampa Bay Rays. It was the second by an Athletic and it came 42 years and one day after Catfish Hunter did it against the Minnesota Twins on May 8, 1968.

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Braden is the first pitcher to throw a perfect game against a team entering the day with the best record in the majors and it came in his 68th career appearance, which was third fewest among the pitchers with a perfect game at the time.

Braden’s no-hitter was the sixth no-hitter by an Athletic and the first since Dave Stewart on June 29, 1990 against the Toronto Blue Jays. Also, Braden’s astonishing performance was the 11th nine-inning no-hitter in A’s history.

Astros top A’s 4-2

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By Jerry Feitelberg

OAKLAND — The Houston Astros downed the A’s 4-2 in the second game of the three-game series. The A’s had their ace, Sean Manaea, going for his fifth win of the season. That did not happen as the very talented Astros team sent Manaea to the showers in the sixth inning, and he had no choice but to absorb his fourth loss of the year.

Lance McCullers, who dominated the A’s when the Astros won 11-0 on April 29th. McCullers went just five innings, and the A’s could have made it closer, but they couldn’t get it done, and the Astros’ bullpen did its job as the A’s could not get anything done in the last four innings of the game.

The A’s put a run on the board in the bottom of the first without the benefit of a hit. Lance McCullers walked the A’s leadoff hitter Marcus Semien. Semien advanced to second on a wild pitch. With one out, Jed Lowrie hit a fly ball to deep right-field for the second out. Semien tagged up and went to third. With Khris Davis at bat, McCullers uncorked his second wild pitch of the inning and Semien slid in safely for the score. Davis doubled on the next pitch, but the A’s could do no more.

The Astros tied the game in the top of the second. With one out, Astros’ third baseman Alex Bregman slammed his third home run of the year over the wall in the right field wall. Manaea retired the next two hitters to end the inning.

The A’s regained the lead in the bottom of the third. Semien singled to start the rally. McCullers, who was having problems with his control, walked Matt Joyce and Jed Lowrie to load the bases with no out. Khris Davis lined out to deep right field. Astros’ right fielder George Springer made a nice running catch as the ball almost went over his head. Semien scored, and Joyce tagged and advanced to third. Matt Olson hit into a double play to end the inning. The A’s lead 2-1 after three.

Houston put two on the board in the top of the fifth. With two out, Manaea hit just grazed Brian McCann uniform with an inside pitch. The next hitter, Jake Marisnick, hitting a buck 51, doubled to put men on at second and third. Manaea now had to face the red-hot hitter George Springer. Springer doubled to drive in McCann and Marisnick. Springer now has eight hits in his last nine at-bats. The Astros lead 3-2 halfway through the fifth inning. The A’s Bruce Maxwell committed a blunder on the base paths that may have cost the team a chance to tie the game. Maxwell doubled to start the inning. Marcus Semien followed with a ground ball that squeezed into shallow left field. Maxwell hesitated as he didn’t know if the ball would be fielded and when it wasn’t, he took off for third. Maxwell, who is not a speed demon, was cut down when left fielder Marwyn Gonzalez hustled in to field the ball and threw Maxwell out as he was sliding into the base. Houston leads 3-2 after five innings.

The Astros tacked on another run in the sixth inning. With one out, Yuli Guriel doubled. Manaea retired Bregman for the second out. He now had to face the ever-dangerous Marwin Gonzalez. Gonzalez came through for Houston as he singled to left to drive in Guriel with the Astros’ fourth run of the night. A’s manager Bob Melvin trudged out to the mound and took the ball from Manaea and brought in rookie reliever Lou Trivino. Trivino gave up a hit but was able to get the third out without any further damage.

The Astros’ relievers’ Brad Peacock, Chris Devenski, and Ken Giles shit down the A’s offense to secure the win for Houston. The Astros beat the A’s 4-2.

Game Notes and Stats: There was a very emotional moment in the second inning when Stephen Piscotty came to bat. Piscotty, who lost his mother Gretchen to ALS on Sunday, decided to play in the last two games of the homestand and then go on bereavement leave when the A’s go on the 10-game road trip. Piscotty received an extremely warm, heartfelt reception from the fans. He was very touched by the show of support and tapped his heart before going to bat. He singled, and every one of the 9,764 fans in the stadium knew that that was for his mother.

With the win, the Astros moved back into a virtual tie for first place with the Los Angeles Angels. The A’s drop to 18-18. McCullers improves to 5-1 while Manaea is now 4-4. Ken Giles recorded his fourth save of the year.

Up Next: The final game of the three-game set will be played Wednesday afternoon at the Coliseum. Game time will be at 12:35 pm PT.

Oakland A’s podcast with Charlie O: Was 16-2 blowout just a rare occasion or is A’s pitching in trouble?; A’s considering switching flagship stations

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On the Oakland A’s podcast with Charlie O:

1) The A’s were blown out 16-2 in the opening game of the Astros series. How would you say the team is playing at the moment?

2) You had some overall concerns about the Orioles series. What exactly bothered you about the A’s three-game sweep?

3) I know you believe there is one story involving an Athletic that trumps all other baseball stories

. 4) What is up with A’s president Dave Kaval asking the fans if they should keep 95.7 The Game as their flagship radio station?

Charlie O does the A’s podcasts each Tuesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com