Tag: Oakland A’s

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: KNTA radio days a look back on A’s Spanish radio; Memories of Oakland (No. 10 in series)

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Author Amaury Pi Gonzalez (left) and broadcast partner Evelio Mendoza (right) as Oakland A’s Spanish broadcast partners during the 1989 World Series part of the Memories of Oakland number 10 in a series (photo provided by Amaury Pi Gonzalez)

By Amaury Pi Gonzalez

During the mid to late 1980’s the Oakland Athletics Spanish radio broadcast took place on the airwaves of KNTA 1430AM Radio, Santa Clara whose format was all in Spanish. Today KNTA 1430 is KVVN 1430AM, and is the only Vietnamese radio station in America owned and operated by a Vietnamese-American. So goes, the ever changing scenery of radio in one of the most diverse areas in the US.

Mr. Gene Hogan was the General Manager of KNTA Radio Spanish, a station represented by Lotus Communications. Hogan was a seasoned General Manager for one station and handled all the business as well as programming for his station. He was always accessible. Gene Hogan was not fluent in Spanish but he understood more than he let everybody knows and he was a hands on manager, Gene knew radio inside and out.

With a great sense of humor, Hogan could sell ice to an Eskimo. Like most General Managers at that time, he came from a sales background. It was there at KNTA in Santa Clara that I met Erwin Higueros, who was a disc jockey at the station during the Graveyard shift (midnight to sunrise) live on radio those days.

Mr. Hogan told me he had this young man working for him and he (Erwin) was interested in baseball. Erwin came along and joined our broadcasts, first as engineer and later on the air would join Evelio and yours truly for an inning or so.

Evelio Areas Mendoza was my broadcast partner at KNTA 1430 radio, the home of the Oakland Athletics in Spanish at the time, doing most home games and selected road games. The road games we would broadcast from their main studio in Santa Clara by watching a television monitor.

Not to miss a play, I usually had a transistor radio listening with my earphones and when Evelio was doing the play by play I would listen to Bill King, so we could not miss anything that was happening when the team was playing abroad.

We had the authorization from the Athletics and the broadcast went very well. During that time we broadcasted home games at Oakland right behind the plate (in front of the backstop, at field level) under a canopy with the KNTA 1430 AM identification letters written on the side.

I enjoyed broadcasting games at that unique location, however, later the A’s told us they would have to remove us from there, because, “some scouts for other teams thought we were stealing signs in favor of the A’s”. Which it was totally ludicrous and I would happily testify in front of a judge if it came to that. It never did. We went back to the press box level inside a regular broadcast booth.

In my many talks with Gene Hogan, like I said before, he ran every facet at the station, I always would speak about sports, he was not really a sports fan, but he understood radio and the importance of major league baseball broadcast for a local station, he would mention the prestige and possible magnet for other advertisers when a station can secure a contract to broadcast professional baseball.

One occasion I told him about the importance of covering Spring Training, and after we went back-and-forth in a meeting he understood that would be good for the station. It was the 1980’s and radio still played a big part in our culture, especially local radio stations.

A few days later he called me into his office and told me he had approved a trip for us to go to Spring Training. So, Erwin and I rented a car and drove to the Phoenix area to cover A’s Spring Training. KNTA 1430 AM is where the 1989 “Earthquake Series” won by the A’s, was broadcast in Spanish for the Bay Area as well as the previous World Series against the LA Dodgers in 1988.

KNTA Radio 1430 was popular radio, famous for doing lots of remotes from different community events in the San José area, decades before San José became the home for Silicon Valley, home to many start-up and global technology companies. Apple, META and Google among the most prominent. Today a lot of this history is at The Tech Museum of Innovation in San José.

KNTA Radio Days in Spanish was a legendary time when San José was still into a “growing spurt”, and Gene Hogan, RIP, was one of great characters I had the pleasure of meeting in the broadcast business.

Famous Radio quotes: “It’s not true I had nothing on, I had the radio on” – Marilyn Monroe

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the lead play by play voice on the Oakland A’s Spanish Network at 1010 KIQI San Francisco and 990 KATD Pittsburg and does News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Scherzer shuts down A’s as Rangers pick up 8th straight win 6-1 at Coliseum

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Texas Rangers starter Max Scherzer pitches into the bottom of the sixth inning at the Oakland Coliseum against the Oakland A’s on Tue Aug 8, 2023 (AP News photo)

Texas (68-46). 010 030 110 – 6. 13. 0

Oakland (32-82). 000 100 000 – 1. 3. 0

Time: 2:33

Attendance: 5,419

Tuesday, August 8, 2023

By Lewis Rubman

OAKLAND–We all knew it was coming, but now it’s a mathematical certainty; the A’s will not finish this season over .500. Tuesday night’s 6-1 loss to the division leading Texas Rangers was the hapless, homeless team’ 82nd of the 162 game 2023 season

After Dan Jiménez’s dismal eighth inning in yesterday evening’s loss to Texas, the A’s optioned him to their PCL farm team and recalled Adrián Martínez from the Aviators. Neither pitcher has performed up to his potential this year, in The Town or in Sin City.

The Mexicali native saw action today, entering the game in the top of the fifth and overstaying his welcome until there were two out in the top of the ninth.

Oakland’s starting pitcher, JP Sears was 0-3, 5.54 in his first seven starts of the season. He went 2-5, 3.42 over the remaining 15, to bring his record to 2-8, 4.07 at game time.

Sears performance this evening was underwhelming. He allowed four runs, all earned, in four innings, in which he threw 86 pitches, 59 of which weren’t balls. He gave up nine hit and a walk, striking out six. He took the loss and ended the day at 2-9, 4.23.

The Athletics’ 27 year old lefty’s opponent was the likely Hall of Fame candidate, the 39 year old right hander Max Scherzer, now on the downhill side of his career, although you’d hardly thought so when he signed his three year, $43,333,333 contract with the Mets this past off season.

Scherzer was traded to the Rangers 10 days ago and promptly exercised his option to become a free agent once 2023 is in the rear view mirror. He’d been 9-4, 4.01 for the Mets and 10-4, 4.04, combined with his two teams.

Tuesday, though, he was excellent, holding Oakland one run, earned on three hits, one of the a home run, and two walks, while striking out six. He threw 89 pitches, 58 for strikes, and earned his second win for Texas, and now is 11-4, 3.88 overall.

Robbie Grossma’s one out double to left, followed by Ezeequiel Durán’s single to center, put Texas on the board in the top of the second.

The Rangers had to settle for that one run, thanks in great part, to a beautiful play by Nick Alllen on short that turned what would have been an RBI single to left by Marcus Semien into an infield single that loaded the bases with two outs before Sears fanned Corey Seager to end the threat.

Grossman doubled again in the fourth, and Huff drove him in with a two bagger of his own. So much for The Curse of the Leadoff Double. After Leody Tavares went down swinging, Allen made another beautiful play on Semien’s grounder, but the Rangers’ second sacker beat the throw to first, and Huff came all the way around to score.

Semien then came home on Seager’s double off the xfinity ad just to the left of the 388 foot marker in left center. The one run Texas lead had blossomed into a 4-0 gap before Adolis García, the eighth batter of the frame, went down swinging to end the inning.

JJ Bleday got one of those runs back for the A;s with his leadoff home run in the bottom of the frame, his ninth four bagger of the season. It travelled 420 feet into center field and left Bledauy’s bat at 108.7 mph and came off a 92.6 mph four seamer.

Adrián Martínez celebrated his return to the show by striking out the three batters he faced in the fifth, to the accompaniment of the now traditional “Sell the Team” chants of that frame. He set the Rangers down to a conga beat in the sixth as well.

But Martinez’ patch of perfection ended abruptly with Seager’s leadoff home run over the right center field State Farm advertisement in the seventh, making it 5-1 Lowe followed with a double to right center but was eliminated on an inning ending unassisted double play on a liner by Mitch Garver to Gelof at second. Martínez, who has a history as a starter, stayed on for the eighth.

’twas the night before Christmas in the Athletics’ bullpen; not a creature was stirring, when Grossman walked to start the inning. Travis Jankowski pinch ran for him and scored two outs later on Huff’s triple to left center. That gave Brock Burke a 6-1 lead to work with when he replaced Scherzer to start the eighth. He preserved that six run margin.

Zach Neal finally began to warm up in the pen with Lowe’s one out double in the ninth. He continued until two walks and a fly out loaded the bases with two down. Then he replaced Martínez and got a pinch hitting Josh Smith to fly out to right on three pitches.

The loss dropped Oakland to 31-82, .274.

Kansas City improved its record to 37-78, .322 with their 9-3 defeat of the Red Sox at Fenway earlier this evening.

On August 8, 1899 the worst team in major league history, the Cleveland Spiders, were clobbered by the Boston Beaneater in the hub, 18-8 and fell to 18-71, .202. On August 9, 1962, the worst team of the modern era, the New York Mets, were in San Francisco, where Roger Craig beat the Giants, 5-2, at the brand new ball park at Candlestick Point. That raised the Mets’ record to 30-82, .268.

On August 9, 2023, the A’s will send Freddy Tarnok (0-1, 6.75) against the Rangers and Jordan Montgomery (7-9, 3.40). Game time is 12:37.

Rangers Jankowski scores tying run; gets winning RBI defeat A’s 5-3 at Coliseum

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Texas Rangers’ Travis Jankowski, right, is congratulated after scoring against the Oakland Athletics during the seventh inning at the Oakland Coliseum on Mon Aug 7, 2023 (AP News photo)

Texas (67-46). 000 200 120. – 5. 7. 0

Oakland (32-81). 003 000 000 – 3. 6 1

Time: 2:42

Attendance: 4,013

Monday, August 7, 2023

By Lewis Rubman

OAKLAND–It was fun seeing and hearing large and loud crowds at the old Oakland Coliseum over the weekend. Even fighting for a parking spot brought a touch of nostalgic pleasure, an awareness that this was an experience we’d had in the past but could not hope to enjoy again.

Monday brought a return to reality. The paid attendance was 4,013, and the A’s, instead of winning, as they unexpectedly had done Saturday and Sunday, blew a lead and lost 5-3 to the division leading Texas Rangers.

Southpaw Ken Waldichuk has been versatile, if not particularly successful, this season. He brought a 2-7, 6.52 record with him when he toed the rubber at 6:42. It was his 26th game. He was what is now called the traditional starter in a dozen of the previous 25, as he was tonight.

In two others, he was the opener, and he relieved in the remaining ten. Waldichuk did an adequate job against the Rangers tonight. He threw 92 pitches, including 30 balls, over six innings, limiting the Rangers to a pair of runs, both earned, on six hits. He had to settle for a no decision that left him at 3-7 2-7, 6.30.

It was the Rangers’ Dane Dunning’s first start against the Athletics and 17th overall for 2023. He came to work with a 9-4, 3.14 record, which is the fourth best among the American League hurlers who qualify for the rankings. He pitched well in his last start, striking out 11 White Sox in 7-2/3 frames while allowing only one run, which was earned.

Monday night, he, too, got a no decision. The lefty went six frames and allowed three runs, all earned, on five hits and three walks while striking out six. He threw 94 pitches, 55 for strikes and went back to the hotel at 9-4, 3.21.

Oakland took a 3-0 lead in the home third. Tony Kemp drew a one out walk and scored on a double by the surging Nick Allen, who reached the Mendoza line with the two bagger.

He had a little bit of luck on his side; Robbie Grossman slipped trying to field his hit, which probably would have been a single, at most, under other circumstances After Dunning fanned Cody Thomas, JJ Bleday walked, and both runners scored on rookie Zack Gelof’s double to right.

The Rangers came charging back in the top of the fourth. A leadoff single by Corey Seager and back to back doubles by Adolis Garcia and Mitch Garver made it a 3-2 game. The second time through the lineup strikes again!

Texas put runners in scoring position in the fifth and sixth, and Oakand’s Gelof fell victim to the Curse of the Leadoff Double in the sixth, but the score remained 3-2 in favor of the A’s through the six innings of Waldichuk’s mound tenure.

His replacement, Lucas Erceg, faced three batters and walked two of them, getting his sole out on a fly to left. Kirby Snead almost saved his bacon, retiring Seager on a grounder to short, but he dropped Tyler Soderstrom’s throw while covering first on Nathaniel Lowe’s grounder. The error allowed Travis Janowski, who had hit for Sam Huff, to score the tying run, charged to Erceg.

Josh Sborz relieved Dunning for the bottom of the seventh, and Dany Jiménez took. over for Snead to start the eighth for Oakland. It was not a fortunate move for the A’s. Mitch Garver lled off with a single to right. Jonathan Ornelas pinch ran for him. Robbie Grossman drew a base on balls. Ezequiel Durán sacrificed both men up 90 feet.

Travis Jankowski, who had pinch hit for DH Huff in the seventh, hit a grounder to second that Gelof unwisely threw home. Ornelas beat the offline throw to break the tie, and the next batter, Leody Tavares, hit a sacrifice fly to center that made it 5-3, Texas.

The legendary Aroldis Chapman came in for the Rangers to face the A’s in their half of the eighth. He overwhelmed the four Athletics he faced, allowing only a walk to Aledmys Díaz, batting for Brown.

Sam Long was tasked with keeping the A’s in striking distance in the top of the ninth, which he did with two Ks and a pop up (with a walk on the side).

Will Smith went for his 21st save in the ninth. He got it.

The win went to Sborz, now 5-4, 4.01, and the loss was charged to Jiménez, whose record now stands at 0-1, 7.04.

The loss was the Athletics’ 81st of the year, leaving them with a winning percentage of .283, the Royals were grand slam walked off by the Red Sox, 6-2 and fell to 36-78, .316.

The 1899 Cleveland Spiders were idle on August 7 and so remained at 17-80, .175. The same day in 1962, the New York Mets fell, 7-5 at Chavez Ravine to Don Drysdale and the Dodgers.

The Mets, who finished the season at 40-120, .250,were 29-82, .261. So the A’s might yet escape the dishonor of having the worst record of any major league team in the early or modern era of big league baseball.

The four game series between the teams from Dallas-Fort Worth and Oakland -Las Vegas will resume Tuesday night at 6:45. Oakand’s JP Sears (2-8, 4.07) will arm wrestle with newly acquired Ranger starter, Max Scherzer (10-4, 4.04).

San Francisco Giants podcast with Marko Ukalovic: Giants take on Angels and Ohtani tonight at the Big A

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San Francisco Giants pitcher Alex Cobb deals in the first inning against the Oakland A’s at the Oakland Coliseum on Sun Aug 6, 2023 (AP News photo)

On the Giants podcast with Marko:

#1 Early on in Sunday’s game the A’s (32-80) got to Giants (61-51) starting pitcher Alex Cobb who allowed runs early with a run in first inning and two runs in the second inning. Did Cobb struggle with his control early in the game?

#2 Marko, take a look at Cobbs line against the A’s pitching 5.1 innings, seven hits and five runs and strikeouts. Cobb had trouble keeping runners off the base paths.

#3 How unusual was it for shortstop Brandon Crawford to make two bad throws for errors, was this a matter of him not focused on his throws or do you believe he might have an injury that is causing him to make those errors?

#4 Marko, the Giants and A’s traded leads but when the A’s had that three run sixth inning that pretty much broke the game open for them and they had that confidence they could seal the deal.

#5 Marko, the Giants open a three game series in Anaheim against the Angels, the Giants who won five of six before getting swept by the A’s. The Giants will start Logan Webb (9-9 ERA 3.45) and the Angels will start Pat Sandoval (6-8 ERA 4.11) first pitch 6:40pm PT at the Big A in Anaheim.

Join Marko for the Giants podcasts each Monday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast: Las Vegas visitors president Hill says School vote won’t make the Jan 2024 deadline; plus more A’s news

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From left, analyst Jeremy Aguero, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority CEO Steve Hill and Oakland A’s President Dave Kaval during a presentation to a Senate committee of the whole on the team’s proposed stadium funding during the 35th special session of the Legislature on June 7, 2023, in Carson City. Hill said that the attempted Nevada ballot measure to stop using public money to build a brand new Tropicana ballpark will be past the MLB owners vote to relocate the A’s. Schools over Stadiums are pushing education over spending $380 million for a new Las Vegas A’s park the election is in Nov 2024. (Nevada Independent photo)

On That’s Amaury News and Commentary:

#1 Amaury, Steve Hill who Las Vegas Convention and Visitors president said that the Schools over Stadium initiative will not do any good as the vote would take well after the Jan 1, 2024 deadline by that time the A’s would have submitted their renderings to MLB for the owners to vote on the new Las Vegas Park. The Schools over Stadiums vote could take place Nov 2024.

#2 Hill said if it measure were to pass it would be past the owners vote and the renderings being submitted in November and December would be when the owners would vote on the A’s relocation. Hill said that the A’s stadium project would forward even if the voters were to vote on using public funds for the Tropicana ball park.

#3 Hill also stated that it would be hard to get the initiative on the ballot and he doubts Schools over Stadiums can get on the ballot before the Aug 10th deadline and if they were able too the vote takes place well after the owners approve the A’s relocation. It seems like there were many involved to try and stop the A’s from getting their relocation approved but it’s heading down the wire.

#4 Back on the A’s field the A’s surprised a lot of people with their two game sweep over the San Francisco Giants on Saturday and Sunday at the Oakland Coliseum. The A’s edged out the Giants on Saturday and got two key home runs from Nick Allen on Sunday.

#5 Going into the series with the Texas Rangers tonight and coming off two wins against the Giants does this look like a momentum going into the series or Bruce Bochy and the first place Rangers will be just as tough as the Los Angeles Dodgers were for the A’s.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the lead play by play announcer for the Oakland A’s Spanish radio network on 1010 KIQI San Francisco and 990 KATD Pittsburg and does News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Oakland A’s podcast with Barbara Mason: Nothing but Nick as A’s sweep Giants in two games; A’s host Rangers tonight at Coliseum

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Oakland A’s Nick Allen (left) and Tony Kemp (right) jump for joy after taking two games from the San Francisco Giants at the Oakland Coliseum (AP News photo)

On the Oakland A’s podcast with Barbara:

#1 The Oakland A’s Nick Allen belted two home runs against the San Francisco Giants and that made up the difference in the A’s two run win over the Giants at the Oakland Coliseum 8-6 on Sunday.

#2 A’s catcher Shea Langeliers belted a two run single in the bottom of the sixth to help the A’s rally from behind to pick up the win.

#3 Barbara, the Giants had come into this series in Oakland last Saturday night having won five of their last six games, the A’s had opened up the series after losing four straight games including a three game sweep by the Dodgers in Los Angeles. They battled in this brief two game series with a sweep.

#4 Allen had surprised everyone coming into this game he was hitting .155 in his last 21 games after returning July 4th from playing at triple A Las Vegas. “Anytime I hit a home run, it’s special. But hitting two, it’s amazing,” said Allen in the A’s clubhouse post game.

#5 The A’s will have a real challenge Monday night when they open a three game series against the Texas Rangers (66-46). The Rangers are in first place in the AL West and one of the toughest teams in MLB having won seven of their last ten games. The Rangers will start Dane Dunning (9-4 ERA 3.14) for the A’s starter Ken Waldichuk (2-7 ERA 6.52) first pitch 6:40pm PT.

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

Oakland A’s game wrap: A’s Allen goes deep twice on Giants for 8-6 win at Coliseum

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Oakland Athletics’ Nick Allen, right, celebrates next to San Francisco Giants catcher Patrick Bailey after hitting a solo home run during the fifth at the Oakland Coliseum on Sun Aug 6, 2023 (AP News photo)

San Francisco (61-51). 112 020 000 – 6 9 2

Oakland (32-80). 120 013 10x. – 8 11 1

Time: 3:04

Attendance: 27,381

Sunday, August 6

By Lewis Rubman

OAKLAND –It was a bittersweet day for the Oakland Athletics. Before the game started, the five members of the 2023 cohort of the team’s hall of fame were inducted. The late Bob Johnson, who played for the Philadelphia Athletics, was the first, followed by the late Voice of God, Roy Steele.

Next came the MVP of the 1972 World Series, Gene Tenace, who paid tribute to those teammates of his who had died recently. Dave Stewart introduced Carney Lansford. Tony LaRusa did the same for Jason Giambi. We shall not see their like again, at least not in the uniform of the Oakland A’s. The A’s Nick Allen provided the punch with two home runs which made the difference in the A’s 8-6 two game sweep over the Giants at the Oakland Coliseum.

When the game began, Luis Medina was one the mound, making his 12th start for the A’s, carrying the burden of a 3-8, 5.35 record. The good news is that it was 1-1, 2.86 in July. It was his first appearance against the visiting San Francisco Giants.

This afternoon, Medina got knocked about in 3-1/3 innings of hard labor under a broiling sun, allowing four runs, three of them earned, on five hits and an equal number of walks while striking out three. 53 of his 88 pitches qualified as strikes. He escaped with a no decision and went home with a record of 3-8. , ERA 5.47.

His opposite number for the visitors was Alex Cobb, whose off speed and breaking ball offerings gained him a 6-3, 3.05 record at game time. He throws sinkers 41.3% of the time; splitters 35.8%; curves, 16.5%; sliders, 86.3%; and the traditional four seam fastball, a mere 0.4%. Cobb wasn’t particularly impressive today.

Cobb lasted 5-1/3 innings, in which he threw 77 pitches, 51 for strikes. He allowed five runs, all earned, although one was posthumous.. The A’s touched him for seven hits, two of them for the distance. He wasn’t involved in the decision and ended the day at 6-3, 3.30.

The Giants lost no time in taking an early lead. LaMonte Wade, Jr., led off with a single to left center. Two outs later, a walk to Joc Pederson and a single by JD Davis brought in the game’s first tally.

Oakland answered back with a run in the bottom of the frame. A two out double by Zack Gelof that bounced off the center field fence to the right of the NBC Sports California sign, followed on the next pitch by Seth Brown’s triple to center, and the game was tied at 1-1.

That didn’t last long. Wade hit another single in the top of the second, this one with runners on the corners and one away, made it 2-1, Giants. That changed with Tyler Soderstrom, who had walked, on first and two men out, when the good field, no hit shortstop Nick Allen parked a fly on the steps separating the left field grandstand from the bleachers. It was Allen’s second homer of the year and raised his batting average from .181 to .186. He ended the day at .195.

San Francisco responded by sending two men across the plate in their next at bat. A leadoff walk to Pederson led to Davis’s grounder to the left side. Jordan Díaz cut in front of Allen and bobbled the ball. The error put runners on first and second, and a walk to Michael Conforto clogged the base paths with no one out.

Patrick Bailey singled to left to bring in Pederson with the tying tally, and Brandon Crawford’s grounder to short forced him out at second and allowed Davis to score the tie-breaking run that put San Francisco up, 4-3.

Medina’s afternoon’s work was over when he walked Flores with one out in the visitors’ fourth, Sam Long relieved him, retired the next two batters and stayed in the game. long enough to give up singles. to Conforto and Bailey and then strike out Crawford looking in the top of the fifth before passing the ball to Austin Pruitt.

Pruitt got Matos to pop out to short, but Wade slammed a single to right, scoring Conforto. Estrada then laid down a beautiful bunt towards third, which he beat out for a single that advanced Wade to second and brought Bailey home with the Giants’ sixth run of the game. Both runs were charged to Long.

In the home fifth, Allen closed the gap to 6-4, with his second round tripper of the game and third of the. year, a line drive into the Oakland Lading seats, a little to the left of where his earlier blast had landed. His BA moved up again, this time to .191 It didn’t help that, after Esteury Ruíz followed Allen’s homer with a single, got picked off first.

Pruitt didn’t come out to pitch after his unfortunate showing in the fifth. Kirby Snead struck out the side in his stead. Three up, three down.

After Seth Brown’s one out double to left in the sixth, Luke Jackson relieved Cobb. He got Brent Rooker to hit a grounder to Crawford, whose errant throw to first put runners on at first and third. Díaz walked, loading the bases. Soderstom also strolled to first, bringing Brown home.

Shea Langeliers lined a single to left, driving in Rooker and Díaz, and Alllen’s force out of Langeliers at second plated Soderstrom, and Oakland was leading, 7-6, when Lucas Erceg took over mound duties for the A’s in the top of the seventh. In spite of a pair of walks, he got through that half inning with Oakland still on top.

Scott Alexander faced the A’s after the seventh inning stretch. Gelof got a one out single to left off him, and Conforto dropped Brown’s fly to right after having lost it in the sun. Gelof went to third and Brown to second on what was ruled, properly, a double.

That brought Ryan Walker to the mound. Tony Kemp pinch hit for Rooker and drove in Gelof with a sacrifice fly to right as Brown moved on to third. Once more, an Oakland base runner was picked off first. This time it was Díaz. The A’s challenged the call, but it stood.

Angel Felipe had an 8-6 lead to protect when he entered the game when the Giants came to bat in the eighth. He was angelic, striking out all of the three batters he faced.

Jakob Junis kept the game in reach in the home eighth, allowing only an infield single to Allen, his third hit of the day. On that play, Crawford committed his second error; his wild throw allowed Allent to take second.

Trevor May set the visitors down in order to earn his 11th save. Jackson took the loss and now is 1-1, 1.98.

With today’s Kansas City 8-4 defeat by the Phillies, the Royals are 36-77 .319 and seem to be falling out of the race to the bottom. The A’s remain contenders with their 32-80, 2.86.

On this day in baseball infamy, the 1899 Cleveland Spiders split a double header with the Chicago Orphans, which improved the Forest City club’s record to 17-80, .175. They finished the season at 20-134, ,130.

On August 6, 1962, the New York Mets, on their way to a 20-140, .250, monument to futility, dropped a 2-1 squeaker at Chavez Ravine in Johnny Podres and the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Bruce Bochy’s Texas Rangers ride into town tomorrow, the seventh. They’ll face the A’s at 6:45 in the evening. Ken Waldichuk (2-7, 6.52) is expected to start for the Athletics, facing the Rangers’ Dane Dunning (9-4, 3.14).

San Francisco Giants game wrap: Oakland A’s Secure Back To Back Wins Against Their Bay Area Rivals With A 8-6 Victory

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San Francisco Giants’ Thairo Estrada hits an RBI single on a bunt during the fifth inning against the Oakland A’s at the Oakland Coliseum on Sun Aug 6, 2023 (AP News photo)

Sunday, August 6th, 2023

By Troy Ewers

Oakland, California – On a beautiful Sunday in Oakland Coliseum in front of 27,381 people, the battle of the Bay part 2 took place as the San Francisco Giants faced the Oakland A’s. The final game of this series for the two teams and it’s coming off the heels of an Athletics win 8-6. Alex Cobb took the mound for San Francisco and Luis Medina on the mound for Oakland, this ball game was all about the bats.

From the opening inning, the offense was on display. Giants struck first, after a J.D. Davis single scores Lamonte Wade Jr. 1-0 Giants. The A’s put up one on the board when it was their turn in the 1st as Seth Brown tripled to center and scored Zack Gelof to tie everything up.

Second inning saw more back and forth, this time Wade Jr. singled and Brandon Crawford scored, but in the bottom of the second ‘s took the lead when Nick Allen hit a two run bomb. This home run scored Tyler Soderstrom and the score became 3-2 Oakland.

The third inning was where San Francisco took momentum back in their hands. Patrick Bailey hit a single and Joc Pederson scored the tying run. 3-3. The Giants took the lead in the same inning when Crawford hit into a fielder’s choice which allowed Davis to score, 4-3 Giants.

The Giants kept their foot on the pedal in the fifth inning when Wade Jr. got his second RBI by hitting a single and Michael Conforto scored, 5-3 Giants, but they weren’t done. Estrada dropped a bunt for a single and Patrick Bailey crossed the plate, 6-3 Giants.

The A’s fought back in the fifth and sixth innings to take a one run lead. In the fifth Nick Allen hit his second home run of the day and that got the place riled up. In the sixth inning with bases loaded, Soderstrom was walked and Brown scored, but right after that Shea Langeliers hit a deep double and scored both Diaz and Rooker to take the lead, 7-6 Oakland.

This onslaught of offense didn’t stop for Oakland after the seventh inning stretch when Gelof, who got on base from a single, scored off a Tony Kemp sacrifice fly. 8-6 A’s. The Giants would get out this inning after Ryan Walker would pick off Diaz and this seemed like the sigh of relief San Francisco needed to generate a comeback.

In the eighth the Giants couldn’t get a rally started, because Angel Felipe struck out the side and the A’s had the momentum in their hands. Jakob Junis retired the side when he checked in the eighth inning, but now it was up to the Giants offense to make things pop one last time before they lose the Oakland leg of the battle of the Bay.

A’s closer Trevor May came in and delivered three straight outs to secure the victory for Oakland with the final score being 8-6 Oakland and a series sweep.

The winning pitcher is Kirby Snead, losing pitcher is Luke Jackson, and Trevor May locks in the save. Alex Cobb clocked in 5.1 innings and record seven hits, four runs, and three strikeouts, with two home runs.

The Giants have to flush this series out of their system, because the next day Monday, August 6th, they will be in Anaheim to face the Angels with Patrick Sandoval (6-8, 4.11) on the mound for the halos and Logan Webb (9-9, 3.45) taking the hill for the Giants.

MLB The Show podcast with Charlie O: Verlander defeated in Astro return; Down goes Sox Anderson by Guardians Ramirez punch; plus more

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In the bottom of the sixth inning at Progressive Field in Cleveland the Cleveland Guardian Jose Ramirez (left) gets a right into the head of Chicago White Sox Tim Anderson which knocked Anderson down and the bench clearing brawl was on Sat Aug 5, 2023 (AP News photo)

On the MLB The Show podcast with Charlie O:

#1 The Houston Astros Justin Verlander looked familiar in his Astros uniform but lost his debut return losing Saturday’s game to the New York Yankees 3-1 at Minute Maid Field in Houston. Verlander said after the game he was battling and was all over the place was it butterflies?

#2 The Chicago White Sox Tim Anderson didn’t appreciate the Cleveland Guardians Jose Ramirez sliding under Anderson into second base got up and started boxing with Ramirez after connecting with two glancing punches Ramirez connected with Anderson and knocked him to the ground later Anderson getting up and wanting more. Both benches and bullpens emptied after Anderson and Ramirez were separated White Sox manager Pedro Grifol and Guardian manager Tito Francona started jawing and both players ran back out on the field and the pushing and shoving was in full effect. White Sox outfielder Eloy Jimenez was injured in the brawl and hopped off the field with an injured foot. Suspensions are expected to be meted out by MLB. Ramirez and Cleveland players complained of Anderson tagging runners harder than necessary and agitating the eventual fight.

#3 Charlie the New York Mets fans at Citi Park in Flushing aren’t exactly chanting “Sell the team” but they are very disappointed with Mets owner Steve Cohen’s moves dealing away pitchers David Robertson to the Miami Marlins, Max Scherzer to the Texas Rangers and Justin Verlander to Houston. Season ticket holders have been complaining with trades and Cohen promised next year to be competitive and formidable for 2024.

#4 Charlie, wanted to get your take on Yankees starter Domingo Herman was under the influence in the Yankees clubhouse after Thu Aug 3 game at Yankee Stadium after a 4-3 win over the Houston Astros. Herman according to witnesses was out of control and had to be calmed by his fellow teammates. Herman turned over a coach and smashed a TV set in the clubhouse. Herman is on the restriction list and suspended for the rest of the season and is in rehabilitation.

#5 The only two things left that will determine the fate of the Oakland A’s future in Oakland is the owners voted which is expected to be held after the A’s submit the relocation application and renderings just before Thanksgiving well after the World Series is over and the owners will take the relocation vote in December. Second the organization Stadiums over Schools needs to have enough signatures in four Nevada districts to put the measure on the ballot to stop the spending of $380 million in public funds for the Tropicana ballpark and use that money for education in the state. Can either stop the A’s from moving to Las Vegas?

Join Charlie O for the MLB podcasts each Sunday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Giants Lose to A’s 2-1 in Game One of Battle of the Bay II, in front of Large Protesting Crowd

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Oakland A’s and San Francisco Giants shared one thing in common on Sat Aug 5, 2023 there distaste for the A’s moving to Las Vegas which brought them together for another Reverse Boycott game at the Oakland Coliseum on Sat Aug 5, 2023 (photo from San Francisco Chronicle)

By Michael Roberson

OAKLAND, Calif. — The San Francisco Giants (61-50) did not win their third straight game of the Bay Bridge Series versus the Oakland Athletics (31-80), as the Green & Gold somewhat pleased the raucous 37k+ fed up East Bay fans.

After 4 1/2 scoreless innings, the Athletics finally gave the jeering fans something to cheer for in their half of the fifth stanza.

The mostly Alameda County faithful repeatedly chanted, “Sell the Team!” A gesture-also T-Shirts-aimed at Oakland’s ownership, and apparent move to Las Vegas, which would reunite them with their former stadium mate Raiders.

This was Oakland’s largest crowd of the season ironically surpassing their last reverse boycott game that had a season high of 27,000 plus on June 13th. Sat Aug 5th’s crowd was 37,553 for the A’s fans second reverse boycott.

Third baseman Jordan Diaz knocked a solo blast over the left field wall, giving the home team the first tally of the contest.

The Giants responded in the top of the seventh when left fielder Joc Peterson hit a deep center sacrifice fly, scoring second baseman Thairo Estrada and tying the game 1-1.

Oakland had something to say about the outcome in the bottom of the eighth inning, when Seth Brown singled to right field, scoring the eventual run on the feet of Aledmys Diaz.

However, there was controversy on that same play as Tony Kemp also tried to score on the hit, but was tagged out at home. The issue became a question of did the catcher block the plate illegally?

Kemp was called out on the play, which became irrelevant because the previous run was enough to win the ballgame and give the disgruntled masses something to be happy about on a beautiful day in the Town. 2-1 A’s!

The same two Bay Area sluggers face each other Sunday Afternoon (1:07 PDT) August 6, at the Coliseum. Expected starting pitchers: Oakland’s RHP Luis Medina (3-8, 5.35) and Giants’ RHP Alex Cobb (6-3, 3.05)