Oakland A’s podcast with Daniel Dullum: Oakland Mayor wants to keep A’s name and wants an expansion team in exchange for lease extension

Oakland Coliseum could be the home of the Oakland A’s from 2025-2027 if they can’t land either at Oracle Park in San Francisco or at the Las Vegas Ballpark while their new park at the Tropicana on the Las Vegas strip is under construction (AP file photo)

On the A’s podcast with Daniel:

#1 Daniel, the Oakland A’s will still be at the Oakland Coliseum next season, the Nevada Independent reported that the A’s could make an early leap for Las Vegas but that has not been determined yet. The A’s are considering many venue options one of them is using their minor league facility in Vegas which the Aviators are using. A’s president David Kaval that there needs to be upgrades and the A’s might re-think using the Aviators 10,000 seat facility.

#2 The A’s reportedly have explored playing at the Oakland Coliseum until their new ballpark at the Tropicana on the strip is ready. There in lies the problem as Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao wants some concessions before the A’s get committed to the Coliseum as a lame duck team, one is the city of Oakland keeps the team name A’s and MLB commits to expanding to Oakland when expansion opens up.

#3 Kaval said that the decision of where the A’s will play after 2024 is totally up to MLB Commissioner and Rob Manfred. Kaval did say that the A’s have looked at three locations Oracle Park in San Francisco and share the park with the Giants, Aviators Park/Las Vegas ballpark in Vegas, and the Oakland Coliseum.

#4 Some have said that it’s a bad idea for the A’s to play at Aviators park because it becomes a spoiler to the A’s 2028 arrival and it kind of blows the hype of the team after being there for three years in the making and sharing the ballpark with the Giants might not be a good idea because that’s a lot of wear on the turf for 162 games.

#5 Staying at the Oakland Coliseum from 2025-2027 might be the best place and they might as well finish up what they started and visiting teams have said they want to play in Major League facility rather than playing in a minor league facility like Las Vegas.

Join Daniel Dullum for the Oakland A’s podcasts Fridays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Oakland A’s podcast with Jeremiah Salmonson: A’s open series with Ohtani and Angels tonight at Coliseum

Shohei Ohtani returns with the Los Angeles Angels to face the Oakland A’s at the Oakland Coliseum beginning Fri Sep 1, 2023 (AP News photo)

On the A’s podcast with Jeremiah:

#1 The Oakland A’s returned home from a seven-game road trip to Chicago and Seattle. The A’s won three and lost four. 

#2 The A’s split the four-game set with a Chicago White Sox team in turmoil. The Sox fired their team’s president and general manager. There were two women who were shot on Friday when the A’s opened the series in Chicago, one got hit in the abdomen and the other shot in the leg neither suffered life threatening injuries.

#3 The A’s lost two games to the red-hot Seattle Mariners. Two of the games were very competitive. The A’s won 3-1 on Tuesday and lost 5-4 on Wednesday. The M’s took game three by a run it was a close contest but the M’s as they always do held off the A’s to take the series.

#4 Up next for the A’s is the visiting Los Angeles Angels tonight at the Oakland Coliseum. The Angels had high hopes at the start of the season. Their roster includes two superstars, Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani. Trout, a three-time AL MVP, has lost playing time the last couple of years due to injury. Trout, again his year, has been hit with another injury.

#5 The Angels will send Patrick Sandoval to the mound Friday night to face the A’s. Sandoval is 7-10 with a 3.95 ERA. The A’s will counter with J.P.Sears. Sears is having a tough season. His record is 2-11 and a 4.80 ERA a 6:40pm PT first pitch.

Join Jeremiah Salmonson each Friday for the Oakland A’s podcast at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Oakland A’s Preview: A’s open series against Los Angeles Angels at Coliseum Friday night

Oakland Athletics starting pitcher JP Sears will get the start against the Los Angeles Angels on Fri Sep 1, 2023 at the Oakland Coliseum (AP News file photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

OAKLAND–The Oakland A’s returned home from a seven-game road trip to Chicago and Seattle. The A’s won three and lost four. They split the four-game set with a Chicago White Sox team in turmoil. The Sox fired their team’s president and general manager.

The A’s lost two games to the red-hot Seattle Mariners. Two of the games were very competitive. The A’s won 3-1 on Tuesday and lost 5-4 on Wednesday. The A’s will host another troubled franchise, the Los Angeles Angels, for three games starting Friday night.

The Angels had high hopes at the start of the season. Their roster includes two superstars, Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani. Trout, a three-time AL MVP, has lost playing time the last couple of years due to injury. Trout, again his year, has been hit with another injury.

Trout suffered a broken hamate bone and has not fully recovered. He is due back on September 15th. Shohei Ohtani, the most remarkable player in baseball, also suffered an injury. Ohtani is both a pitcher and a designated hitter.

Ohtani is in line for another AL MVP and Cy Young awards. However, it is unlikely that Ohtani will win the Cy Young trophy as he suffered an injury to his ulnar collateral ligament, and he will not pitch again this year.

Ohtani, as a designated hitter, leads the American League with 44 home runs and has driven in 95. Ohtani had Tommy John surgery a few years ago, and no decision has been made regarding a second surgery.

The Angels made news yesterday as they placed six players on waivers. Two of the six came to the Angels at the trade deadline. It was clear that these moves were a salary dump. Five of the six players were claimed by other teams.

The Cleveland Guardians claimed pitchers Lucas Giolito, Matt Moore, and Reynaldo Lopez. Giolito came to the Angels from the White Sox at the trade deadline. The Cincinnati Reds claimed outfielder Hunter Renfroe. The other player placed on waivers, Randal Grichuk, was not selected by another team and remains with the Angels.

The A’s are 2-5 against the Angels this year. The A’s met the Angels in the opening series of the 2023 season. The teams have yet to meet since April 27th. A lot of things have happened to both teams in that interval.

The A’s are in the midst of a rebuild. Their starting rotation is a work in progress. The A’s have used Kyle Muller, Hohan Harris, and Mason Miller in the rotation. Muller has been with the A’s and the Tripe-A LAs Vegas Aviators this year.

The same goes for Harris. Miller was injured and may return to the club in September. The current rotation of Luis Medina, Ken Waldichuk, J.P. Sears, Paul Blackburn, and Zach Neal is a study of mediocrity. Neal is the only pitcher with a winning record. 1-0. Hardly sensational.

The A’s bullpen is also a work in progress. A’s closer, Trevor May, has been reliable. Austin Pruitt did a good job but is out for the season with an injury.

There are some bright spots on the A’s roster. Rookie second baseman Zack Gelof has played well. Gelof has hit ten homers in his short time with the A’s. His average has dropped slightly, but he is a good hitter and has done well at second base.

Catcher Shea Langeliers does not hit for average, but he has hit four homers in his last six games. He is on track to finish the season with 20 or more home runs. First baseman Ryan Noda has a great eye at the plate. Noda is a leader in the league by drawing walks and has a good on-base percentage.

Outfielders Esteury Ruiz and Lawrence Butler have played well. Ruiz leads the AL in stolen bases. Ruiz stole two bases Wednesday against the Mariners. He has stolen 53 this season. Butler hit his second big league home run in the loss to Seattle on Wednesday.

Butler is 22 years -old and has a tremendous upside to his game. Third baseman Jordan Diaz is another player who looks to be with the A’s for a while. Outfielder Brent Rooker is having a career year, and the A’s will want to keep him on the roster.

The Angels will send Patrick Sandoval to the mound Friday night to face the A’s. Sandoval is 7-10 with a 3.95 ERA. The A’s will counter with J.P.Sears. Sears is having a tough season. His record is 2-11 and a 4.80 ERA. Sears has given up too many gopher balls this season. He is among the leaders in home runs allowed with 31. Sears pitches well for about three innings before the roof caves in on him.

Some Angel players who will perform this weekend were missing from the roster at the start of the season. Nolan Schanuel will be at first base. Schanuel has played ten games and is hitting. 324. Mike Moustakas will be at third base, filling in for the injured Anthony Rendon. Rendon, signed as a free agent after 2019, has been a disappointment.

It will be interesting to see if the A’s can win the series this weekend. The Angels are going to finish in fourth place in the AL West. The A’s will be in last place in the division. A’s skipper Mark Kotsay always has his team primed to play their best irrespective of the place in the standings. The Angels’ manager, Phil Nevin, also wants his players to give 100%. It will be interesting to see how the series goes this weekend.

Oakland A’s podcast with Jerry Feitelberg: M’s hot August nights do in A’s in Seattle; A’s host Ohtani and Halos Friday at Coliseum

Oakland Athletics’ Lawrence Butler hits a two-run home run against the Seattle Mariners to score Jordan Diaz during the second inning at T Mobile Field in Seattle on Wed Aug 30, 2023 (AP News photo)

On the Oakland A’s podcast with Jerry Feitelberg:

#1 Sometimes there’s no stopping the Seattle Mariners and August 2023 just so happened to be the M’s hottest August they’ve had in their franchise history ending with a series 5-4 win at T Mobile Field on Wednesday afternoon.

#2 The Mariners have been going so well they ended up 21-6 and the A’s were fortunate to even win the second game from the M’s on Tuesday night 3-1.

#3 The A’s didn’t have a bad road trip going 3-4 taking two out four games against the Chicago White Sox and winning one game from the M’s. The A’s are competitive but they did run into a hot Mariners team.

#4 The Mariners starter Bryce Miller went six inning against the A’s giving up seven hits and three earned runs. The M’s used three relievers behind Miller for the one run win.

#5 A’s open up a three game homestand against the Los Angeles Angels on Friday night at the Oakland Coliseum starting pitcher for the Angels Patrick Sandoval (7-10) and for the Oakland A’s JP Sears (2-11 ERA 4.80) first pitch 6:40pm PT

Join Jerry Feitelberg for the A’s podcasts Thursdays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Mariners’ two-run rally in seventh sends A’s down to another loss 4-3 at T Mobile

Oakland Athletics’ Lawrence Butler rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run to score Jordan Diaz against the Seattle Mariners during the second inning at T Mobile Center in Seattle on Wed Aug 30, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Oakland A’s hoped to stop the powerful Seattle Mariner offense Wednesday afternoon. The A’s beat the M’s Tuesday night. The A’s pitchers held the Mariners to four hits. Could the A’s do it again? The Mariners did not have Julio Rodriguez in the lineup on Wednesday. The 22-year-old superstar was out with discomfort in his left foot.

The answer to the above question was no, and the A’s could not beat the M’s for a second straight game. Oakland tried hard as they went ahead 4-3 when they scored a run in the top of the seventh. Unfortunately for Oakland, the Mariners scored twice in their half of the seventh to go ahead 5-4. The Mariners bullpen held the A’s scoreless in the last two innings of the game to win 5-4.

The A’s plated three runs in the top of the second inning. A’s third baseman, Jordan Diaz, singled to get the rally going. Mariners’ starter, Bryce Miller, struck out catcher Carlos Perez for the first out. Miller was now pitching to centerfielder Lawrence Butler. Butler hit his second career home run.

There was no doubt about the ball going out of the park. The ball left the bat at 109 miles per hour and landed 431 feet away in the right-centerfield seats. The ninth hitter in the lineup, Esteury Ruiz singled. Ruiz stole his 52nd base of the season and went to third on M’s catcher Cal Raleigh’s throwing error. Ryan Noda doubled to drive in Ruiz with the A’s third run. Oakland leads 3-0 midway through the second inning.

The Mariners tied the game in the bottom of the third. A’s starter Zach Neal retired the first two hitters. Neal walked Eugenio Suarez. Cal Raleigh doubled to put men on at second and third. To get out of the jam, Neal would have to retire Teoscar Hernandez for the third out. That did not happen. With one swing of Hernandez’s bat, the game was tied. For Hernandez, it was his 23rd bomb of the season.

The A’s broke the tie in the top of the seventh. Justin Topa was now pitching for Seattle. With one out, back-to-back doubles by Aledmys Diaz and Esteury Ruiz produced Oakland’s fourth run. Ruiz stole third. Teoscar Hernandez caught Ryan Noda’s fly ball to shallow right field.

Ruiz tagged, and the play at home was close. The home plate umpire called Ruiz safe. The Mariners asked for a review, and the call was overturned. The A’s led 4-3 midway through the seventh.

A’s manager Mark Kotsay summoned lefty Kirby Snead to pitch the seventh. The first two Mariner hitters were left-handed hitters. The strategy failed. Dominic Canzone led off the inning with a double. M’s DH Mike Ford singled, sending Canzone to third.

Snead walked Dylan Moore to load the bases with no out. Snead struck out Josh Rojas for the first out. M’s shortstop J.P. Crawford singled to drive in Canzone and pinch-runner Jose Caballero to put Seattle ahead 5-4. Kotsay brought in Dany Jimenez to end the M’s rally. Seattle leads 5-4 after seven.

The Mariners’ Matt Brash held the A’s scoreless in the eighth, and closer Anders Munoz set the A’s down to secure the win for Seattle.

Game Notes: With the loss, the A’s are now 39-95. The Mariners improved to 76-57. The Mariners record for August is 21-6. It is the first time in M’s franchise history that the team has won 21 games in a month. The Mariners needed the win as the Houston Astros beat the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday. The teams are in a virtual tie for first place in the AL West. The Texas Rangers lost to the New York Mets to fall one game behind the leaders.

 292,47 fans were in the park to watch the game. The attendance for the three-game series was over 110,000. When teams win, people will show up. Put a good product on the field, and the fans will come.

The A’s are off on Thursday. Oakland will host the Los Angeles Angels for three games starting Friday night. Friday’s starting pitchers for the Angels Patrick Sandoval (7-4 ERA 3.95), starting for the A’s JP Sears (2-11 ERA 4.80) a 6:40pm PT first pitch at the Coliseum.

The A’s bullpen sparkles as the A’s beat the Mariners 3-1

Oakland Athletics’ Brent Rooker hits a single against the Seattle Mariners during the eighth inning at T Mobile Field in Seattle on Tue Aug 29, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Oakland A’s upset the Seattle Mariners apple cart Tuesday night in Seattle. The lowly A’s pitching staff held the hard-hitting Mariners’ lineup to just four hits, two of which came in the ninth inning with two out. A’s starter, Ken Waldichuk, pitched well for three innings.

Waldichuk held the M’s hitless in those innings. In the meantime, the A’s put three runs on the board after two innings of play. Seth Brown hit a solo homer in the first, and Shea Langeliers blasted a two-run job in the second. That was all the offense the A’s would need. 

Two things happened to help the A’s get the win. George Kirby was supposed to start for Seattle. Kirby was scratched due to not feeling well. M’s skipper, Scott Servais, inserted Luke Weaver into the starting role. Weaver made two mistakes.

One was the home to Brown, and the second was Langeliers’ big fly. The other thing was the absence of superstar centerfielder Julio Rodriguez. J-Rod, the hottest hitter in baseball, was sidelined with discomfort in his left foot. J-Rod had four hits in Monday’s win over the A’s.

As mentioned above, Waldichuk was good for three innings. Things did not go well for him in the fourth. Teoscar Hernandez singled, leading off the inning. It was the M’s first hit in the game. Waldichuk walked catcher Cal Raleigh to put two men on with no out.

Mike Ford, hitting for Ty France, flew out to right field. Waldichuk struck out Dominic Canzone for the second out. Dylan Moore walked to load the bases. Waldichuk’s wildness continued as he walked Cade Marlowe to force in a run. Jose Caballero pooped up to shortstop Nick Allen to end the inning. The A’s led 3-1 after four.

A’s manager, Mark Kotsay, sent Waldichuk to pitch the fifth. Kotsay had Waldichuk on a short leash. Waldichuk’s pitch count was high. Kotsay would remove him from the game if nothing was left in the tank. Waldichuk walked the leadoff hitter, J.P. Crawford.

Kotsay brought in Lucas Erceg to pitch. Erceg got the next three outs. The A’s Sean Newcomb, Dany Jimenez, and Kirby Snead kept the M’s off the board. The Mariners got their second hit of the night in the bottom of the eighth.

The stage was set for closer Trevor May. May had to face the bottom of the Mariners’ lineup to earn the save. May struck out the first two hitters. Pinch-hitting for Jose Caballero, Josh Rojas singled to keep the Mariners’ hopes alive. J.P. Crawford then doubled down the left-field line to send Rojas to third.

The two hits electrified the 44,280 fans in the park. All the Mariners needed was a single. The batter was the dangerous Eugenio Suarez. Suarez had doubled twice in Monday night’s game. The fans were on their feet. Could Trevor May rise to the occasion for Oakland? The Answer was yes. May struck out Suarez to end the game. The A’s win 3-1.

Game Notes: With the win, the A’s are now 39-94. The A’s need four more wins to avoid tying the 1962 New York Mets record of 120 losses. The Mariners record dropped to 75-57. The Mariners are in a dogfight with the Texas Rangers and Houston Astros for first place in the AL West Division. The Rangers and Astros won Tuesday night, and the three teams are in a virtual tie for the lead.

The line score for Oakland was three runs, nine hits, and one error. The winning pitcher was Lucas Erceg. The line for Seattle was one run, four hits, and no errors. The losing pitcher was Luke Weaver.

The A’s beat the Mariners for the first time this season. They are 1-8 and will finish the three-game series Wednesday afternoon at T-Mobile Field in Seattle.

Zach Neal (ERA 6.88) will pitch for Oakland, and Bryce Miller (8-4 ERA 3.90) will be Seattle’s starter choice. The game will start at 1:10 p.m.

Mariners shut out A’s 7-0 win first game of the three-game series

The Seattle Mariners Julio Rodriguez celebrate with the M’s trident after clouting a home run in the bottom of the fourth inning home run against the Oakland A’s at T Mobile in Seattle on Mon Aug 27, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Seattle Mariners continued mastery over the A’s for the eighth straight time this season. The Mariners, the hottest team in baseball, beat the A’s 7-0 Monday night at T-Mobile Field in Seattle. The Mariners improved to 20-5 in August. The M’s superstar centerfielder Julio Rodriguez had his fifth four-hit game this month. J-Rod had a home run, a double, and two singles.

For the third game in a row, the A’s offense was nowhere to be found. The A’s managed four hits, three of which were singles. Seth Brown’s double with two out in the ninth was the only extra-base hit for the A’s. The A’s have yet to beat Seattle this season.

The A’s starter, lefty Kyle Muller, had nothing going for him Monday night. The Mariners have averaged six runs a game since August 2nd. The M’s potent offense scored six runs in the first four innings. The Mariners pitchers have the best collective ERA in baseball.

With the win, the M’s remain one game ahead of the Texas Rangers and Houston Astros in the race for the best American League West Division record. The Rangers beat the Mets and the Astros trounced the Boston Red Sox to keep pace with the Mariners.

The Mariners sent righty Brian Woo to the hill Monday night. Woo, born in Oakland and a graduate of Alameda High School and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, dazzled the A’s in his six innings of work. The M’s had him penciled in for 80 pitches maximum. The 23-year-old righty went six innings and allowed three singles. He struck out five and walked one. He threw 69 pitches and earned his second win.

The Mariners’ shortstop, J.P. Crawford, sent Muller’s second pitch of the game over the wall for his 12th dinger of the year. Muller escaped the first inning with no further damage.

The A’s scored three times in the bottom of the third. Crawford singled, leading off the inning. J-Rod doubled to drive in Crawford with the M’s second run. The double extended J-Rod’s hitting streak to 13 games. J-Rod reached third on a passed ball. Muller walked third baseman Eugenio Suarez to put men at first and third with no out.

Teoscar Hernandez singled to drive in J-Rod. Ty France singled to load the bases. Dylan Moore grounded into a fielder’s choice, and Suarez scored on the play. The Mariners led 4-0 after three complete.
Muller walked the leadoff hitter, J.P. Crawford, in the bottom of the fourth. J-Rod blasted his 24th home run of the year to make it a 6-0 game.

The Mariners added a run in the sixth to finish scoring for the night. The M’s bullpen kept the A’s from scoring in the game’s last three innings. The M’s win 7-0.

Game Notes- With the loss, the A’s dropped to 38-94. The Mariners improved to 75-46.

The line score for Oakland was no runs, four hits, and no errors. Kyle Muller was the losing pitcher.

The line score for Seattle was seven runs, 14 hits, and no errors. Brian Woo was the winning pitcher.

J-Rod was the hitting star for Seattle. He had a home run, double, and two singles. J.P. Crawford had a home run and a single. Eugenio Suarez had two doubles. Teoscar Hernandez had two singles.

The A’s will send Ken Waldichuk to the mound Tuesday night. Waldichuk (2-7 ERA 6.05) for the year. The M’s George Kirby (10-8 ERA 3.28) will pitch for Seattle. The game will start at 6:40 p.m. PT.
34, 434 fans saw the home team send the A’s down to defeat.

Oakland A’s podcast with Barbara Mason: A’s just couldn’t figure out Sox Clevinger; Oakland gets K’d 10 times in 7 innings

Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Mike Clevinger throws against the Oakland Athletics during the first inning at Guarantee Rate Field in Chicago on Sun Aug 27, 2023 (AP News photo)

On the A’s podcast with Barbara:

#1 The Chicago White Sox needed good pitching to beat Oakland A’s good hitting and the Sox Mike Clevinger came through with ten strike outs in seven innings to help defeat the A’s on Sunday 6-1 at Guarantee Rate Field in Chicago.

#2 You just can’t keep a good man down as Yoan Moncada had a hot bat for the Sox going 4 for 4 when your going good at the plate like that you have confidence each time you come up to the plate.

#3 A’s pitching just couldn’t shut down the Sox Tim Anderson, Andrew Benintendi and Andrew Vaughn who had two hits a piece.

#4 Clevinger, Lane Ramsey and Tanner Banks were the key in the pitching side of things for the Sox as they held the A’s just to one run and the A’s just couldn’t figure out anything in the batter’s box during Sunday’s mattinee.

#5 It’s off to Seattle where the A’s will open up a three game series against the Mariners at T Mobile Field. The A’s haven’t announced a starter for Monday night, the M’s are going with Bryan Woo (1-3 ERA 4.58) first pitch 6:40pm PT.

Join Barbara Mason for the A’s podcasts Mondays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: A Friend and my Favorite Baseball Official Scorer

A Friend and my Favorite Baseball Official Scorer

This photo was taken by The Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum Hall of Fame (2012 Pioneer Award) which former MLB official scorer Arturo Santo Domingo was a winner of that year

A Friend and my Favorite Baseball Official Scorer Arturo Santo Domingo

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi Gonzalez

Our deepest condolences to the Santo Domingo family for the passing of Mr. Arturo Santo Domingo. All of us who knew Arturo share great lifetime memories that enriched our lives. He was the ultimate professional, a friend in the Press Box in San Francisco and Oakland.

Arturo shared his knowledge, love, and passion for the game of baseball like few people I have ever met in this business. We met in the 1970’s at the Candlestick Park Press Box during a San Francisco Giants game.

I remember when he introduced me to Mr. Chub Feeney who was the Vice President of the Giants and often was in the press box standing in a corner smoking a cigar watching the game (it was allowed back then to smoke in the Press Box) Feeney was a real character.

Arturo was the first Latin American-born Traveling Secretary in Major League Baseball with the San Francisco Giants in the early 1960’s Born in Colombia but educated in the United States, a graduate in Business at Duke University, this humble reporter and Arturo mostly spoke in Spanish.

He would often join me on the air during a Spanish-language baseball broadcast of the A’s or Giants here in the Bay Area, which he really enjoyed and was excellent in his commentary. His knowledge of the game made him my favorite Official Scorer in baseball.

But his stories when we spoke about some of the greatest players he had the privilege of knowing and traveling with, like the great Willie Mays, were priceless. When Arturo spoke in any Press Box people listened.

Through the years I realized how much he loved Cuban food, which we shared in various restaurants with him and some of his friends who are also missing him today. In 2012 Arturo Santo Domingo who was co-founder and benefactor of the 46th Cable Car Classic in Santa Clara,(which I had the pleasure of covering for Telemundo) announced that he would not be part of the tournament in the future.

That same year on August 12, 2012, The Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum and Hall of Fame http://www.hhbmhof.com Awarded him with the Pioneer Award. Official Scorekeepers do not come better than Arturo.

Descansa en Paz Arturo.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the vice president of the Major League Baseball Hispanic Heritage Hall of Fame Museum and does News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Oakland’s Rally Falls Short Losing to Chicago 6-2

Oakland A’s Brent Rooker is greeted by teammates after slugging a home run in the top of the eighth inning at Guarantee Rate Field in Chicago in the third game of this four game series on Sat Aug 25, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

The Oakland A’s (38-91) were riding high going into Saturday’s game three against the Chicago White Sox (50-79) but came away disappointed 6-2 at Guarantee Rate Field in Chicago. They couldn’t get a third win this game Saturday and are in front in this four game series 2-1.

It was an awful start for Oakland pitcher JP Sears. He has been struggling for awhile now and the struggles continued in this game. He was not executing his pitches. He went six innings and gave up nine hits and six runs.

The White Sox got things going early scoring a single run in the first inning and followed it up with a single run in the second inning to take a 2-0 lead. Luis Robert Jr. scored Chicago’s first run which was followed by a home run off the bat of Lenyn Sosa.

The White Sox had a second home run in the third inning, a three-run homer from Yoan Moncada taking a 5-0 lead. They would score another run in the fifth inning and with a 6-0 lead it was all White Sox in this game so far. The A’s only had two hits through seven innings.

Oakland would finally get up on the board in the eighth inning thanks to a fielding error from Moncada. Esteury Ruiz scored on that error and so with only one out and two on base Oakland had opportunity to score a few more runs and get a rally going for the A’s.

Oakland was able to bring home another run. Jonah Bride singled Brent Rooker home for a second run and the A’s trailed 6-2 going into the bottom of the eighth.

The White Sox went three up and three out in the eighth and the A’s were looking to finish with a flurry in the ninth inning. Oakland actually went out with a whimper in the final inning but still has the chance to win the series Sunday.

A’s post game notes: The A’s had won game one of the series 8-5 Thursday night and followed that game up Friday night with an offensively brilliant game winning 12-4. Nick Allen had an amazing game in the second game of the series driving in five runs.

Oakland will wrap up the series tomorrow with Paul Blackburn on the mound with a 3-3 win/loss record and a 4.00 ERA. The White Sox will send Mike Clevinger with a 5-6 win/loss record and a 3.47 ERA.

The A’s will be looking to get back the energy they had in the first two games of this series. They will be needing to get their bats going; they will certainly need more than the four hits that they got in Saturday’s game.