Tag: Sacarmento A’s

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: From My Notebook-Nothing Like It-World Series with an Earthquake in the Middle

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In this photo taken October 17, 1989, Oakland A’s Jose Canseco walks off the field with his wife Ester and other A’s players before the start of the World Series at Candlestick Park in San Francisco.Dan Rosenstrauch/AP

By Amaury Pi-González

This October marks a unique anniversary of the 37th anniversary of the Loma Prieta Earthquake, and the World Series between two teams representing the neighboring cities of Oakland and San Francisco, 8 miles apart and separated by the Bay Bridge.

37th anniversary. On October 17, 1989, at 5:04 PM, the Loma Prieta Earthquake shook the Bay Area. It was a magnitude 6.9 earthquake, although early reports called it 7.1. It hit Candlestick Park in San Francisco just before the third World Series game began. Never before or since has an Earthquake stopped a World Series. Those of us who experienced it in the Candlestick Park broadcasting booth have many stories to tell of a ‘once in a lifetime ‘ event, a unique event, an Act of God in the middle of a World Series.

It was the perfect storm: the Oakland A’s and the San Francisco Giants represented their leagues, the ultimate event, the World Series. First game at the Oakland Coliseum: A’s 5, Giants 0. Second game at Oakland Coliseum: A’s 5, Giants 1. Third game at Candlestick Park: A’s 13, Giants 7. Fourth game at Candlestick Park: A’s 9, Giants 6.

The title was the fourth for the Oakland A’s and the ninth title overall for the franchise since they also won five World Series titles while based in Philadelphia. However, this was anything but your normal World Series; the 1989 World Series game stopped on October 31, 1989, at 5:04, just 31 minutes before Game 3 between the San Francisco Giants and the Oakland Athletics was scheduled to begin at Candlestick Park

In the main Press Box, chaos reigned as media interviewed each other; the talk wasn’t baseball, but the earthquake. I spoke to reporters from Miami, México, and Colombia who were there to cover the World Series, but an act of God had another plan.

On the field, there were the players from both the Giants and A’s, some with their wives, looking shell-shocked; dozens of SF Police and SF Fire Department were there also; this was like a huge crime scene.

Some players were talking with the media; I had a couple of minutes with my friend and Cuban compatriot, A’s star José Canseco, who usually had a stutter, but this time he just looked at me and said very little, with his wife Esther standing next to him.

 In 2026, there will be no World Series in the Bay Area; both the A’s and Giants finished near the cellar, and they are thinking about 2027, with a Spring Training lockout looming.

To me, this experience was unique; perhaps this is the most historic World Series ever., This indeed was  “Nothing Like It”

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.

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. 

A’s Walk Off Blue Jays in 6-5 Thriller at Sutter Health Park

Published on by Jeremiah SalmonsonLeave a comment

(L-R) Tommy White #47, Jeff McNeil #22 and Carlos Cortes #26 of the Athletics celebrate McNeil’ walk-off infield single scoring Donovan Walton to defeat the Toronto Blue Jays 6-5 at Sutter Health Park on September 07, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Mandatory photo credit: Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The A’s returned home to Sacramento on Labor Day Monday after a successful series up north in Seattle. After losing two of three to the Texas Rangers, the A’s went to Seattle and took three of four from the struggling Mariners to come home with a winning 4-3 trip. Monday, the A’s welcomed our friends from the North, the Toronto Blue Jays, to town for the first of a three-game series at 7:05 p.m. PDT.

The A’s defeated the Blue Jays in a walk-off thriller on Monday night, 6-5, to take the first game of the three-game set.

Jacob Lopez took the ball for the A’s to start Monday’s series opener. Lopez, who has spent time in Triple-A Las Vegas and with the big league club this season, made his 24th appearance of the year and his 21st start for the A’s this season in game one. Lopez pitched lights out, but the seventh inning would soil his otherwise fantastic performance. Lopez tossed six innings of three-hit, one-run baseball, but it was in the seventh inning where he allowed four hits and three runs that did him in. Lopez was pulled after not being able to get an out in the seventh inning with a final line of six innings, allowing four runs on seven hits while allowing one walk and striking out one.

Mark Kotsay was happy with Lopez after the game, saying they got “another solid six” from the left-hander.

Lopez was also happy after the game, mostly because the A’s won the game, but also with his first six innings of work.

“We won, so that’s the priority,” Lopez told reporters after the game. “The first six innings were great. Just the seventh inning [I] made some bad pitches, obviously. And I think I just ran out of gas.”

Luis Medina was the first man out of the bullpen for the A’s, coming in for Lopez as he unraveled in the seventh. Medina pitched the seventh inning and two outs of the eighth, allowing no runs, one hit, a walk and two strikeouts in his inning and two-thirds of work.

Mark Kotsay called on Hogan Harris to try to get the four-out save. Harris got the final out of the eighth and pitched the ninth inning, where he ran into trouble. Harris wasn’t able to complete the save as he gave up a game-tying home run to Andrés Giménez in the ninth to tie the game. Harris managed to get out of the rest of the inning, allowing no more runs and finishing his inning and a third of work allowing one run on one hit while walking one and striking out one.

On the offensive side of the ball, the A’s managed to score early and often to get out to an early lead against the Blue Jays. The A’s totaled six runs on six hits while walking four times (three from Henry Bolte) against the Blue Jays pitching staff.

The A’s first run came in the first inning when Zack Gelof hit an RBI ground-rule double over the wall in left field to score Henry Bolte. It was Gelof’s 15th double of the year and his 43rd RBI.

Later that inning, the A’s got their second run of the game when Zack Gelof scored on a caught-stealing throwing error. The third baseman for the Blue Jays made two errors on the play that allowed Gelof to score.

In the third inning, the A’s scored their third and fourth runs of the game. The third run came when Henry Bolte scored on a fielder’s choice off the bat of Zack Gelof. It allowed the diving Bolte to score before the tag could be applied. Later in that inning, Carlos Cortes singled home Zack Gelof to give the A’s their fourth run of the game and the 39th RBI of the year for Cortes.

In the fifth inning, it was Henry Bolte again, this time doing it all himself as he sent a fly ball over the right-field wall for a solo home run. The home run was Bolte’s ninth of the year and it was his 32nd RBI as the ball traveled 341 feet from home plate.

The A’s final run came in the bottom of the ninth inning to walk off the Blue Jays. Jeff McNeil beat out an infield single to shortstop that scored Donovan Walton from third base to secure the win for the A’s. It was McNeil’s 53rd RBI of the season and his first hit of the game.

With the win, the A’s improved to 58-87 while the Blue Jays fell to 72-73. Hogan Harris got the win (his fourth), while Louis Varland of the Blue Jays got the loss (his fifth).

The A’s will take on the Blue Jays in game two of the series on Tuesday at 6:40 p.m. PDT at Sutter Health Park. Jack Perkins (3-10, 6.50 ERA) is scheduled to start for the A’s, while José Soriano (11-7, 3.52 ERA) is set to start for the Jays.

Sacramento A’s podcast Barbara Mason: A’s open up series with Rangers in Arlington on Monday Night Baseball

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Sacramento A’s righthander Gage Jump will open the series as starting pitcher against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field in Texas in game 1 of the series on Mon Aug 31, 2026 (AP News file photo)

Sacramento A’s podcast Barbara Mason:

#1 Lawrence Butler drove in two runs early for the A’s Sunday. What was the situation that led to Butler’s two-run hit in the first inning?

#2 Brian Serven hit a two-run home run in the third inning. How did his homer affect the A’s lead at that point?

#3 Jeff McNeil doubled in a run in the second inning. What did that hit give the A’s in terms of momentum against Orioles starter Chris Bassitt?

#4 Jeffrey Springs started on the mound for the A’s. What happened after he allowed Coby Mayo’s three-run homer and Gunnar Henderson’s second home run?

#5 The A’s open up a three game set to start the road trip in Arlington against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field on Monday night. Starting pitchers for Sacramento LHP Gage Jump (6-8 ERA 4.69) for Texas RHP Jacob deGrom (9-9 ERA 4.21) first pitch 5:05pm PDT.

Barbara Mason does the Sacramento A’s podcasts Mondays 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. 

A’s Take Rubber Game Against Twins 7-4 to Secure Series Win

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Mandatory Photo Credit: Mauricio Segura – The Athletics take on the Twins on Wednesday night at Sutter Health Park.

By Jeremiah Salmonson

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Sacramento A’s and Minnesota Twins wrapped up their three-game series on Wednesday night at Sutter Health Park as the A’s came away with a 7-4 win to take the series. It was the rubber game of the series, as both teams had won one of the previous two games, with the A’s looking to take their second series of the year from the AL Central (the first was against the Kansas City Royals earlier this season).

J.T. Ginn took home the win as he improved to 9-8 on the season. The A’s improved to 53-81 as the Twins fell to 64-70 on the year.

J.T. Ginn took the ball for the A’s to close out the series and the homestand for what was his 27th appearance and 24th start for the club this season. Ginn, who has been arguably the A’s best starter this season, came into the game on Wednesday with an 8-8 record and 3.60 ERA. He struggled early in the game but managed to settle in for a solid outing. Ginn tossed six full innings while giving up four runs (three home runs) on six hits while walking two and striking out three. Ginn gave up a solo home run in the first inning, followed by two solo home runs in the second inning that did the bulk of the damage against him. Otherwise, Ginn only allowed one other run and three hits aside from those first two frames.

“For him to go out and give us six innings tonight, I thought was exceptional,” Mark Kotsay said of Ginn after the game.

The A’s first turned to the bullpen in the seventh inning in relief of Ginn, who went the first six innings of the game.

Brady Basso was first out of the pen for the A’s as he pitched both the seventh and eighth innings. Basso was lights out for the A’s as he gave up one hit and nothing else during his two innings of relief. Basso needed only 15 pitches to get through his outing and created a nice bridge for the back end of the A’s pen.

In the ninth inning, it was Elvis Alvarado who came in to try and record the save for the A’s after getting the save one night earlier. It wasn’t easy for Alvarado as he gave up a hit and a walk in the ninth, but ultimately, Elvis didn’t allow any runs and shut the door on the Twins.

On the offensive side of the ball, the A’s scored seven runs off 12 hits and a walk to drum up enough offense to defeat the Twins.

The A’s first run came in the fourth inning when Michael Stefanic doubled home Lawrence Butler to pull the A’s to within two and make it a 3-1 ballgame. It was the first double and RBI for Stefanic this season with the A’s.

The A’s second run came later that same inning as [PLAYER] grounded out and scored Lawrence Butler from third base for the A’s second run.

The A’s had to wait until the sixth inning for their next runs as they would score four in the inning.

Jeff McNeil hit a pinch-hit RBI double for the A’s in the sixth that scored one run and put runners at second and third. It was the 18th double for McNeil so far this season.

One batter later, it was Alika Williams who cleared the bases with a two-RBI triple for the A’s to give them the 5-4 lead at the time. It was the first triple for Williams this season and RBIs 11 and 12 for the shortstop.

The last run for the A’s in the sixth inning came courtesy of Darell Hernaiz, who singled home Williams for the A’s sixth run of the game.

To cap the A’s scoring, it was Lawrence Butler in the seventh inning who drilled a solo home run over the wall in left-center field. It was the 12th homer for Butler and traveled 425 feet while leaving the bat at 104.3 mph.

The A’s will have an off day on Thursday prior to welcoming the Baltimore Orioles to Sacramento for a three-game series on Friday at 6:40 p.m. PDT.

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. 

Gage Jump Shines as A’s Take Down Twins 4-2

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Gage Jump #61 of the Athletics pitches against the Minnesota Twins in the second inning at Sutter Health Park on August 25, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Mandatory photo credit: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Sacramento A’s and Minnesota Twins played game two of their three-game series on Tuesday night at Sutter Health Park. The A’s, who have struggled mightily against the AL Central division this year (5-21 entering Tuesday’s action), tried to get back on track against a team vying for a wild-card spot.

The A’s evened the series with the Twins as they defeated them 4-2. With the win, the A’s improved to 52-81 as the Twins fell to 64-68. Gage Jump got the win and is now 6-8 on the season.

It was Gage Jump who took the ball for the A’s on Tuesday in what was his 17th appearance of the season (all starts). Jump was really solid for the A’s in a game that they desperately needed some length from their starter. Jump cruised through six innings for the A’s before running into some trouble in the seventh inning, where he gave up two runs. All in, Jump gave up just two runs on three hits while walking two and striking out nine Twins hitters across his outing. He left with the lead and turned the ball over to the bullpen with one out in the seventh inning after throwing 94 pitches.

“His mechanics looked great,” Mark Kotsay said about Gage Jump after the game. “He made a conscious effort to stay in line and pound the zone. Probably I would say, I don’t want to say it was his best outing, but it was definitely one of the top for him to get into the seventh inning…”

“Frustrated with how it finished, but I think overall compared to my last couple of outings, the efficiency was better,” Jump said after the game. “[I was] landing breaking balls in zone early, landing the changeup in zone early. So all that stuff, the execution was much better. So that’s what I was happy about.”

First out of the bullpen for the A’s was Hogan Harris, pitching in what is probably not his normal inning, but a high-leverage situation Mark Kotsay wanted one of his best relievers for. Harris got the final two outs of the seventh inning, albeit allowing one inherited runner to score. Harris was charged with one hit and a walk with one strikeout across his two-thirds of an inning of work.

In the eighth inning, it was Luis Medina on for the A’s. Medina was sharp as he allowed nothing in his one inning of relief while striking out one in what was a stress-free affair for the young right-hander.

In the ninth inning, the A’s went to Elvis Alvarado to close things out. Alvarado had a flawless ninth inning to record the save for the A’s and wrap up what was a pretty clean pitching game for the A’s.

On the offensive side of the ball, the A’s managed four runs on just seven hits and one walk in the ballgame.

The A’s first two runs came in the second inning courtesy of Carlos Cortes. Cortes blasted a two-run home run over the wall in right field to give the A’s the early 2-0 lead. It was the eighth home run for Cortes and RBIs 36 and 37 for the outfielder. The home run left the bat at 100.5 mph and landed 391 feet from home plate.

The rest of the A’s scoring came in the sixth inning when the A’s scored two more runs. The first of the two runs came when Tommy White doubled home Lawrence Butler for his eighth RBI of the season and his fourth double. Later that inning, it was Donovan Walton who hit an RBI single to give the A’s their fourth and final run of the game. It was the 19th RBI for Walton and gave the A’s the 4-0 lead at the time.

The A’s and Twins will play the rubber game of the three-game series on Wednesday at 6:40 p.m. PDT at Sutter Health Park. J.T. Ginn (8-8, 3.60 ERA) will take the ball for the A’s on Wednesday as the Twins will counter with Connor Prielipp (3-7, 5.57 ERA).

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. 

A’s Late Comeback Falls Short in 9-6 Loss to Twins

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Jeffrey Springs #59 of the Athletics pitches against the Minnesota Twins in the top of the first inning at Sutter Health Park on August 24, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

WEST SACRAMENTO–Returning home to Sutter Health Park after a rough 2-5 road trip last week, the Sacramento A’s welcomed the Minnesota Twins to Sacramento on Monday night at 6:40 p.m. PDT. The A’s, who are well past the point of saving their season, looked to play spoiler to the Twins. The Twins entered play on Monday only two games out of a wild-card spot in the AL, albeit with a record substantially under the .500 mark, at 63-68. 

The Twins defeated the A’s in game one of the series, 9-6, as Jeffrey Springs took the loss in the game (his 12th of the season). The Twins improved to 64-68 as the A’s fell to 51-81.

A’s workhorse Jeffrey Springs got the nod on Monday to begin the series with the Twins. It was the 24th appearance for Springs this season (all starts), as he has had a rough go of it, allowing league-high totals in earned runs (76) and home runs (29) entering Monday’s action. Springs pitched OK for the A’s on Monday, some would say a solid outing for the way his 2026 has gone, but he was only able to get through four and two-thirds innings. Springs ran into immediate trouble in the first inning when he gave up a run, but he managed to limit the damage in the hopes of going deep in the game. Overall, Springs gave up four runs on seven hits while walking two, striking out three and giving up a home run, which has been his nemesis all season.

“A couple mistakes that obviously got hit, but overall a few ground balls that found holes,” Mark Kotsay said of Springs after the game. “I felt like there was a lot of soft contact. He obviously probably would feel like he didn’t execute as well as he needs to with some mislocation on the balls that got hit.”

The A’s bullpen had to put in major work on Monday with the early exit of an A’s starter, yet again.

Mark Kotsay elected to go to Hayden Juenger first out of the bullpen. Juenger finished the fifth inning in place of Springs and only got one out in the sixth inning. Across his two-thirds of an inning of relief, Juenger gave up three runs on three hits while walking one and striking out none.

Next up, Kade Morris came on in relief in the sixth inning. Morris pitched the rest of the sixth, seventh and eighth innings. Across his two and two-thirds innings of relief, Morris allowed two runs on five hits while walking no one and striking out two Twins hitters. It was a solid outing for Morris, who gave the A’s the length they needed after the abbreviated start from Springs.

Last out of the bullpen for the A’s was Drew Rom, who pitched the top of the ninth inning to close things out on the pitching side for the A’s. Rom managed to throw a scoreless inning where he allowed just one hit in the frame.

On the offensive side of the ball, the A’s had their opportunities, but they only managed six runs against the Twins pitching staff on 12 hits and three walks.

The A’s first run came in the third inning when Lawrence Butler brought home Henry Bolte with an RBI single up the middle of the field. The RBI was the 39th of the season for the right fielder, who has played much better since the All-Star break in July.

The A’s second run of the game came in the eighth inning when Tommy White hit an RBI sacrifice fly to bring home Henry Bolte. It was White’s seventh RBI of the year and Bolte’s second run of the game. Bolte also had three hits in the game (all singles) to bring his hit total in August to 30.

The A’s next two runs came in the ninth inning as Jeff McNeil hit a two-RBI double to score Jonah Heim and Henry Bolte to give the A’s their third and fourth runs of the game. They were RBIs 44 and 45 for the A’s current first baseman in Nick Kurtz’s absence due to injury.

The A’s fifth run of the game came a batter later as Zack Gelof hit an RBI double of his own that scored Jeff McNeil. It was Gelof’s 13th double of the year and his 37th RBI of the campaign.

However, the A’s weren’t done yet. Lawrence Butler came up and hit the third straight RBI double for the A’s as he drove home Zack Gelof and ended up at second base. It was Butler’s 40th RBI of the season and his 15th double.

That was all the A’s offense could muster as they mounted a late comeback that fell just short of what they needed.

The A’s will stay home to take on the Twins in game two of the three-game series on Tuesday at 6:40 p.m. PDT. Gage Jump (5-8, 4.83 ERA) is slated to take the ball for the A’s as the Twins will counter with Taj Bradley (9-5, 3.90 ERA).

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. 

Bolte Homers, but A’s Can’t Hold Off Rangers in 5-3 Loss

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J.T. Ginn #35 of the Athletics pitches during the top of the second inning against the Texas Rangers at Sutter Health Park on August 15, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Scott Marshall/Getty Images)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Coming off a sweep at the hands of the Rays in their last series, the A’s bounced back on Friday against the Rangers as they took game one of the three-game series, 8-3. On Saturday, the A’s and Rangers faced off in game two of the series at 6:41 p.m. PDT at Sutter Health Park.

Thanks to a big sixth inning, the Rangers managed to just edge the A’s in a 5-3 tilt on Saturday night.

J.T. Ginn got the start for the A’s, which was his 22nd start in 25 appearances with the club this year. Ginn has made big strides over what he was a year ago for the A’s, proving more mature and able to work himself deep into games. On Saturday, Ginn ran into a bit of trouble immediately in the first inning, but he managed to work out of it and cruised through the fourth inning of the game. However, it was the fifth and sixth innings that did Ginn in as he gave up four runs across those two innings. All in, Ginn managed to get through six innings of work while surrendering four runs on eight hits while walking none and striking out seven.

“J.T. obviously has been our best this year,” Mark Kotsay said after the game. “So overall, a line like this in this ballpark, four runs, six innings, you don’t walk off here saying it’s not a battle. He had seven punchouts, I think one walk. So maybe not his best night, but he gave us a chance to win the game.”

First out of the bullpen for the A’s was Brady Basso as he came on to relieve Ginn in the seventh inning. Basso pitched well in his outing as he went one and two-thirds innings of work while allowing no runs on one hit and striking out two.

Mark Kotsay elected to go with Scott Blewett to wrap up the eighth inning, but Blewett didn’t throw any pitches in the eighth as the A’s executed a pickoff at first base to record the last out of the inning. It was Blewett back out to finish the game in the ninth inning. Scott wasn’t able to pitch a clean ninth as the Rangers got to him for a run to extend their lead to 5-3 heading into the bottom half. Blewett was able to get out of the ninth, limiting the damage as the Rangers scored one run on two hits while striking out once and walking one time against Blewett in his inning and a third of work.

The A’s offense appeared to be hot early, but they finished the game scoring just three runs on eight hits and walking three times.

The A’s recorded their first runs of the game in the second inning when Henry Bolte came up with the clutch two-out knock. Bolte, with two outs and two on, drove a ball just over the wall in left field that clanked off the outside of the foul pole.

The call was ruled foul after a quick meeting of the umpires, and Mark Kotsay asked for a crew chief review, a request the umpires granted. The review ultimately showed the ball hit the pole, and they correctly ruled it a home run. It was Bolte’s sixth home run of the season and gave him RBIs 23, 24 and 25 on the season. The ball traveled 341 feet and left Bolte’s bat at 102.1 mph and at a 22-degree launch angle to give the A’s the 3-0 lead at the time.

That was all the offense the A’s could muster as they went out in the ninth inning unable to mount a sufficient offensive comeback, or really any offense since the second inning.

With the loss, the A’s fell to 48-75 on the season as the Rangers improved to 61-63.

The A’s and Rangers will play the rubber game of their three-game series on Sunday at 1:05 p.m. PDT. The A’s are scheduled to send Jacob Lopez (5-4, 5.38 ERA) to the hill to start for them as the Rangers will counter with Cody Bradford (0-1, 2.38 ERA).

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

A’s Bounce Back With 8-3 Win Over Rangers Behind McNeil’s Four-Hit Night

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Gage Jump #61 of the Sacramento Athletics pitches during the top of the second inning against the Texas Rangers at Sutter Health Park on August 14, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Scott Marshall/Getty Images)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — After a rough three-game series for the Sacramento A’s against the Tampa Bay Rays in Sacramento, where they were swept and outscored 30-14, the A’s welcomed the Rangers to Sutter Health Park for a three-game series on Friday night. After the day game on Wednesday followed by the off day on Thursday, the A’s and Rangers kicked off at 6:40 p.m. PDT under clear skies at a perfect 77 degrees.

The A’s beat the Rangers in game one of the series, 8-3.

Gage Jump took the mound for the A’s in the first game of the series in what was his 14th appearance this year for the A’s (all starts). Jump tried to build off his last outing, which was a six-inning, two-run performance, and he largely did that. Jump cruised through the first five innings on Friday as he faced only four over the minimum (including a fielding error).

However, it was the sixth inning that Jump found himself in trouble. Jump got the first man in the sixth but followed that up with a walk, single and then a three-run, game-tying home run. Kotsay pulled Jump after the home run that spoiled his outing, albeit still leaving with the game tied. Overall, Jump managed five and a third innings, giving up three runs on three hits while walking four and striking out one.

Mark Kotsay thought Jump pitched well, albeit without having his best command.

“Yeah, overall I thought it was a solid outing,” Kotsay said of Jump. “He probably didn’t have the best command of everything tonight, but I thought he worked that lineup really well.”

First out of the bullpen to finish the sixth inning in relief of Jump was Luis Medina. Medina managed to strike out two and get out of the sixth inning with relative ease. Medina again went back out for the seventh inning and was able to record two groundouts before being lifted by Mark Kotsay. Medina finished with a line of one and a third innings of work while allowing no runs and no hits and walking just one batter. Medina struck out two of the five batters he faced.

Mark Kotsay elected to go with Drew Rom next out of the bullpen for the A’s. Drew recorded the final out of the seventh and the first out of the eighth before giving up a double and being pulled by the A’s. Overall, Rom faced three hitters and retired two of them in his two-thirds of an inning scoreless.

Elvis Alvarado came on next for the A’s and managed to get the final two outs of the eighth inning without allowing the runner from second (that he inherited) to score. A pumped Elvis walked off the mound after finishing off the Rangers in the eighth with a strikeout and a flyout. Elvis allowed nothing but a walk while striking out one in his two-thirds of an inning of work.

Hogan Harris was the last man out of the bullpen for the A’s as he pitched the ninth inning. Harris pitched a clean ninth inning other than an E5 that caused a runner to reach base.

The A’s offense took advantage of all their opportunities on Friday as they managed eight runs while gathering nine hits and seven walks.

The A’s first runs came in the first inning of the game thanks to some Carlos Cortes heroics. Cortes, with the bases loaded and two outs, drilled a three-RBI double to the right-center field gap to clear the bases in the first inning. It was the 15th double of the year for Cortes and RBIs 33, 34 and 35 for the left-handed outfielder.

The A’s next run came in the sixth inning thanks to Jeff McNeil. McNeil connected on just his fifth home run of the season on a low rope over the bullpen in right-center field. It was RBI No. 37 for McNeil as he gave the A’s back the lead at the time, 4-3. The home run left Jeff’s bat at 101.5 mph and traveled 400 feet with a 26-degree launch angle.

The A’s got back on the board with another run, this time in the seventh inning and courtesy of Lawrence Butler. Butler drove a solo home run over the wall in center field to give the A’s, at the time, the 5-3 lead. It was Butler’s 10th homer of the season and was good for his 34th RBI of the campaign. The ball left Butler’s bat at 103.4 mph and landed 411 feet away from home plate beyond the wall in center field just left of the grass berm.

In the eighth inning, the A’s put a crooked number up to seal the deal against the Rangers. Henry Bolte hit into a fielder’s choice to the catcher, who then threw the ball away down the left-field line. The throwing error by the catcher allowed Tommy White to score and extended the A’s lead to 6-3.

Jeff McNeil, who already had a single, double and home run in the game, stepped up next and ripped a two-RBI double down the right-field line to put the A’s up 8-3. McNeil rounded the corner at second hard but slammed on the brakes as he thought about going for the cycle. It was McNeil’s fourth hit of the game and RBIs 38 and 39 on the season.

With the win, the A’s improved to 48-74 as the Rangers fell to 60-63.

The A’s and Rangers will play game two of the three-game series on Saturday at 6:40 p.m. PDT at Sutter Health Park. J.T. Ginn (8-6, 3.41 ERA) is scheduled to start for the A’s as the Rangers will send MacKenzie Gore (6-9, 4.43 ERA) to the hill.

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

A’s Drop Another Series as Rays Roll to 12-4 Victory in Sacramento

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Mason Barnett #63 of the Athletics pitches against the Tampa Bay Rays in the top of the first inning at Sutter Health Park on August 11, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Mandatory photo credit: Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif.— Coming off a disastrous bullpen implosion on Monday night against the Rays, the A’s looked to flip the script and get back in the win column on Tuesday night at Sutter Health Park.

Unfortunately for the A’s, they sealed their fate of another losing series as they fell to the Tampa Bay Rays 12-4.

Mason Barnett took the ball for the A’s to start the game in what was his 17th appearance for the club and his third start of the season. Barnett, much like Lopez yesterday in the first inning, gave up the lead immediately as the Rays took a 2-0 lead three batters into the game on a two-run shot. From there, Barnett continued to struggle with the long ball as he gave up two more home runs during his outing. Mason went a total of four innings in the game while giving up six runs (five earned) on five hits, while walking three and striking out no Rays hitters.

Mark Kotsay said that Barnett tweaked his hip during the game and that they hope he can continue to pitch with no setback. As for the performance Tuesday, Kotsay spoke on Barnett going as long as he could.

“He pitched that fourth inning knowing that he wanted to go out and give us as much as he possibly could … just the execution portion of his pitches (was lacking).”

In the bullpen, it was Brady Basso who was first out as he tried to keep the game where it was in hopes of an A’s comeback. Basso pitched OK, giving up one run on three hits across two innings of work while striking out two, but it was a solo home run that the Rays did their damage on.

In the seventh inning, Mark Kotsay turned to Elvis Alvarado next. Alvarado struggled, giving up two runs on one hit and a walk in his one inning of relief.

In the eighth inning, with the game mostly in the books, the A’s turned to Yunior Tur to get the final six outs of the game. Tur, like his fellow relievers, struggled to get outs as he gave up three runs in the eighth inning. In the ninth, Tur was able to settle in and retire the side in order, but the damage was already done by the Rays in the inning prior. Tur tossed two innings of three-run, two-hit baseball while walking no one and striking out three hitters.

On the offensive side of the ball, the A’s did their scoring in the middle of the game as the offense dried up in the later innings, aside from a ninth-inning burst. The A’s managed four runs on eight hits while not walking at all in the ballgame.

The A’s first two runs of the game came in the fourth inning when Lawrence Butler sent a long drive over the right-center-field wall for a two-run home run. Butler’s blast was his eighth of the season and tallied his 31st and 32nd RBIs of the year as he drove in Jacob Wilson, who singled two batters earlier.

The A’s scored two runs late in the game on a Carlos Cortes two-run double in the bottom of the ninth inning. It was the 13th double of the year for Cortes and RBIs 29 and 30.

That was all the offense the A’s could muster as they went away quietly without much of a fight late in the game other than the brief ninth-inning rally.

With the loss, the A’s fell to 47-73 while the Rays improved to 73-46 on the year.

On Wednesday, the A’s and Rays will wrap up their three-game series with a matinee affair at 12:05 p.m. PDT. The A’s will send Jack Perkins (2-8, 7.04 ERA) to the hill while the Rays will start Drew Rasmussen (11-5, 2.75 ERA).

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. 

A’s Bullpen Implodes in Eighth Inning as Rays Rally for 10-6 Win

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Jacob Lopez #57 of the Sacramento Athletics pitches during the game between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Athletics at Sutter Health Park on Monday, August 10, 2026 in West Sacramento, California. (Mandatory photo credit: Jacob Soriano/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Fresh off their first series win since June, as they beat the Boston Red Sox in two out of three games this past weekend in Boston, the Sacramento A’s welcomed the Tampa Bay Rays to Sacramento for a three-game series beginning on Monday night. The Rays have been having a great season so far (71-46 entering Monday’s game) compared to the A’s (47-71 entering Monday’s game).

The A’s were able to flip the script early as they jumped out to the early lead, but as the late innings approached, the bullpen gave away yet another winnable game for the A’s as they fell to the Rays 10-6.

Jacob Lopez started the ballgame for the A’s as he was making his 19th appearance and 16th start for them. Lopez, with the exception of a home run in the first inning and some bad luck in the seventh inning, pitched exceptionally well for Mark Kotsay and the A’s. Lopez was sharp, allowing just one walk in his outing and striking out five. All in, Lopez went seven innings of two-run, five-hit baseball while needing 93 pitches to get through his outing.

“I think Jacob was excellent tonight,” Kotsay said after the game. “This is an outing where we talk about Jacob taking the next step since he’s been back. He’s been really effective, really good. Tonight was probably the best.”

A much more mature Jacob Lopez from last season echoed those thoughts after the game.

“Overall, being able to get past six innings finally and give the team a good chance to win a ballgame felt good,” Lopez said. “…the ending was kind of tough, but I think it was a good game overall.”

The A’s bullpen immediately imploded when it came in to relieve starter Jacob Lopez.

Seth Johnson, who Mark Kotsay turned to in the eighth inning, couldn’t record an out as he faced four batters who all reached base. Johnson gave up three hits and four runs while walking one during his four-batter appearance.

Mark Kotsay elected to go with Jose Suarez to try to stop the bleeding, but Suarez wasn’t much better. Suarez was only able to get one out while giving up a near-identical line to Johnson. Suarez gave up four runs on three hits while striking out one and walking one during his stint in the game during the eighth-inning meltdown.

Last out of the bullpen for the A’s was Scott Blewett, who the A’s turned to for the final two outs in the eighth and the ninth inning. Blewett allowed one single in the eighth, but that was his only blemish in his outing as he tossed a scoreless ninth inning. Overall, Blewett allowed one hit and no runs across his inning and two-thirds of relief for the A’s.

However, even with Blewett’s solid outing, the damage was already done as the A’s bullpen gave up two walks, six hits and eight runs, all in the eighth inning.

On the offensive side of the ball, the A’s totaled six runs on 10 hits while collecting two walks.

The A’s scored two runs in the first inning to get right back at the Rays, who homered in the first inning.

Tyler Soderstrom got the A’s on the board with their first run of the game as he drilled an RBI double to center field to score Jeff McNeil, who was on first base. It was Soderstrom’s 56th RBI of the season.

The A’s second run of the inning came courtesy of a steal of home by Tyler Soderstrom. The A’s put the runner in motion from first base, and that led Soderstrom to break for the plate from third. Soderstrom slid into home safely as the Rays threw down to second base. It was Soderstrom’s second stolen base of the season.

In the fifth inning, the A’s scored their third run of the game as Zack Gelof sent a booming home run over the left-center-field wall to give the A’s a 3-1 lead at the time. The home run left the bat of Gelof at a scorching 109 mph and traveled 456 feet. It was Gelof’s 12th home run of the season and his 30th RBI.

The A’s added on again in the seventh inning when they scored three runs.

Zack Gelof led the attack in the seventh as he knocked an RBI double into center field to extend the lead for the A’s at the time. It was Gelof’s 12th double of the season and 31st RBI.

Jeff McNeil followed shortly after with his 36th RBI of the season on an RBI sacrifice fly for the A’s that gave them a 5-2 lead at the time.

The final run the A’s would score came on a Jacob Wilson RBI double in the seventh in what was his 16th double and 37th RBI of the season.

With the loss, the Rays improved to 72-46 as the A’s fell to 47-72.

The A’s will take on the Rays in game two of their three-game series at Sutter Health Park on Tuesday at 6:40 p.m. PDT. The A’s have not announced their starter for Tuesday, but the Rays will send Nick Martinez (11-3, 2.65 ERA) to the hill.

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.