Tag: Sacramento A’s

Sacramento A’s go quiet 2-0 in Pittsburgh as bats freeze against Pirates pitching

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Sacramento A’s starter Luis Morales pitches against the Pittsburgh Pirates in the bottom of the first inning at PNC Park in Pittsburgh on Sat Sep 20, 2025 (AP News photo)

Sacramento A’s go quiet in Pittsburgh as bats freeze against Pirates pitching

By Mauricio Segura

The Sacramento Athletics rolled into Pittsburgh’s PNC Park Saturday night with the swagger expected of a club that had taken seven of its last eight. But baseball has a way of humbling even the hottest teams, and Saturday night, the bats of the Green and Gold fell silent in a 2-0 loss to the Pirates.

From the first pitch at 6:42 p.m., it was clear the A’s weren’t going to find many friendly bounces. Bubba Chandler, Pittsburgh’s rookie right-hander, entered the night with a 5.66 ERA but looked like he was back on the Florida showcase circuit, mowing down the A’s lineup with a calm efficiency that belied his numbers.

Chandler punched out six Sacramento hitters through five innings, including a first-inning one-two-three of Lawrence Butler, Brent Rooker, and Nick Kurtz, all swinging or fouling into outs. That set the tone for the kind of night it would be.

Luis Morales, the A’s own rookie arm, took the mound with a 4-1 record and a crisp 3.08 ERA. He didn’t implode, but he also didn’t have much room for error. Morales surrendered just four hits in his outing, but two left the yard.

Nick Yorke struck first in the second inning with a solo shot to left, his first in the big leagues, giving the home crowd something to cheer about and putting the A’s in an early hole. An inning later, Bryan Reynolds added his 16th homer of the season, this one a blast to right-center that doubled the Pirates’ lead.

And that was all Pittsburgh needed. The rest of the night belonged to their bullpen, which combined with Chandler to scatter just three Sacramento hits, Wilson’s double in the second, Harris being plunked in the third, and nothing else that resembled a threat. From the fourth inning on, the A’s never put a runner past first base.

Shea Langeliers, who has been one of baseball’s hottest hitters since the All-Star break with 18 home runs and 34 extra-base hits in that stretch, couldn’t find the spark. He struck out three times, leaving his bat mostly ornamental.

Rooker, fresh off reaching the 30-homer plateau for the third straight season, also wore the collar, fanning in all four trips. Even Kurtz, the rookie phenom whose 33 long balls have him leading all Major League first-year players, looked mortal as he went down swinging twice and grounded out weakly once.

The A’s had some defense to hang their hats on. Jacob Wilson, Sacramento’s other Rookie of the Year candidate, doubled in the second and made several sharp plays at shortstop, including a heads-up throw to catch Yorke trying to stretch his luck on the bases in the fourth.

Morales himself settled after the Reynolds blast, retiring seven of the final eight he faced. But when your offense can’t get out of neutral, tidy defense and solid pitching performances turn into footnotes instead of headlines.

By the seventh, the game had the feel of inevitability. Pirates reliever Braxton Ashcraft entered and didn’t blink, striking out five of the nine hitters he faced. Dennis Santana came on in the ninth to finish it, needing just a groundout, a flyout, and one more strikeout of Rooker to slam the door shut.

The 2-0 defeat was the A’s 82nd of the season, officially guaranteeing a fourth straight losing campaign, something the franchise hasn’t endured since the dark days of 1993 through 1998. Yet, perspective matters. This team had already secured more wins than any A’s club in the past four years, and the Green and Gold still boast a pair of rookies in Kurtz and Wilson who look like franchise cornerstones.

Baseball fans in Sacramento won’t take much solace in moral victories, but they can at least see the outlines of a competitive future. For now, though, the reality is simple: when the A’s don’t homer, they don’t win. They are 46-9 this season when out-homering opponents, but just 10-46 when the other side takes them deep more often. Saturday fell squarely in that latter column.

The series wraps up Sunday with a day game before the A’s return home to close out 2025 against Houston and Kansas City. The Pirates, long out of the playoff picture, were just playing spoiler. And on this night, spoil they did.

Starting pitchers for Sunday: For Sacramento RHP Mitch Spence (3-5 ERA 4.48) for Pittsburgh RHP Mike Burrows (2-4 ERA 4.10) first pitch 10:35 am PT.

Costa Rican-born Mauricio Segura has been covering sports in the Bay Area since 2001 for a variety of magazines and newspapers, as well as his own publication, Golden Bay Times.

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

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

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

Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.

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

Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm

Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in. 

Sacramento A’s podcast Lincoln Juarez: A’s are winners of seven of their last eight games after 4-3 win in Pittsburgh; Gelof out for rest of season with dislocated shoulder

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Sacramento A’s second baseman Zack Gelof is laid out with a dislocated left shoulder while surrounded by A’s manager Mark Kotsay, the trainer and teammates in the bottom of the fifth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park in Pittsburgh on Fri Sep 19, 2025 (AP News photo)

Sacramento A’s podcast Lincoln Juarez:

#1 Lawrence Butler’s three-run homer in the fifth inning powered the A’s past the Pirates Friday night. It was his 21st home run of the year.

#2 Luis Severino picked up his seventh win of the season Friday night throwing five innings allowing one earned run.

#3 Nick Kurtz tied Jose Canseco for the most home runs by an A’s rookie with his 33rd of the season Friday night.

#4 The A’s have won seven of their last eight games after taking game one against the Pirates.

#5 Looking ahead to the rest of the weekend Luis Morales will start for the A’s and the Pirates have yet to announce a starter for Saturday.

#6 Zack Gelof dislocated his shoulder in the bottom of the fifth inning and will miss the rest of the season.

Lincoln Juarez does the A’s podcasts weekly 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.

Athletics Grind Out Narrow 4-3 Win Over Pirates

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Sacramento A’s Lawrence Butler (4) is greeted at home plate by teammates Carlos Cortes (26) and Zack Gelof (20) after hitting a three run home run in the top of the fifth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park in Pittsburgh on Sat Sep 19, 2025 (AP News photo)

Athletics Grind Out Narrow 4-3 Win Over Pirates

By Mauricio Segura

The Sacramento A’s had to claw their way through mistakes, momentum swings, and a stubborn Pittsburgh Pirates lineup, but when the dust settled at PNC Park, they escaped with a 4-3 victory Friday night.

A’s starter, Luis Severino, labored through early trouble after Darell Hernaiz’s throwing error opened the door for a three-run first inning capped by Bryan Reynolds’ RBI single and Nick Gonzales’ sacrifice fly. Down 3-0 before they even picked up a bat in the second, the Green and Gold looked like they might be in for a long night. Instead, they steadied themselves, relying on power and patience to flip the script.

Nick Kurtz put Sacramento on the board with his 33rd home run of the season in the fourth, then Lawrence Butler delivered the knockout punch an inning later, launching a three-run blast to right-center that put the A’s ahead 4-3.

From there, the bullpen took control. Elvis Alvarado, Brady Basso, Justin Sterner, and Michael Kelly combined to cover the final four innings, striking out six and stranding runners in scoring position to preserve the one-run edge.

The ninth was not without drama: Rafael Flores doubled to lead off for Pittsburgh, and a Bryan Reynolds grounder moved pinch-runner Alexander Canario to third with only one out. But Kelly refused to buckle. After walking Andrew McCutchen to set up the force, he induced Tommy Pham into a game-ending double play, with Brett Harris starting a crisp 5-4-3 turn that sealed the win.

While Sacramento managed only six hits and struck out ten times, their ability to capitalize on two swings, the homers from Kurtz and Butler, proved the difference. The Pirates, meanwhile, outhit the A’s and forced multiple delays due to injuries and substitutions, but they never answered after their early burst.

Sacramento’s offense showed just enough pop, the bullpen showed resilience, and the defense, shaky at the start, tightened when it mattered.

Saturday’s starters for Sacramento Luis Morales (4-1 ERA 3.08) and Pittsburgh has not announced a starter first pitch 3:40pm PT.

Costa Rican-born Mauricio Segura has been covering sports in the Bay Area since 2001 for a variety of magazines and newspapers, as well as his own publication, Golden Bay Times.

A’s Hold Steady in 5-3 Win Over Red Sox

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A Fenway Park groundskeeper helps prepare the field before the Sacramento A’s and Boston Red Sox Wed Sep 17, 2025. The A’s and Sox completed their three game series on Thu Sep 18, 2025. (AP News photo)

A’s Hold Steady in 5-3 Win Over Red Sox

By Mauricio Segura

The Sacramento A’s wasted no time setting the tone, launching an early offensive surge that carried them to a 5-3 win over the Boston Red Sox. Lawrence Butler got the Green and Gold rolling with a leadoff double in the top of the first, and Brent Rooker followed with his 30th home run of the season, a no-doubt shot into the left-field seats that put Sacramento ahead 2-0 before many fans had settled into their seats.

Nick Kurtz added a double, and Tyler Soderstrom’s RBI single pushed the lead to three runs. Though the Red Sox scratched one back in the bottom half on a Trevor Story sacrifice fly, J.T. Ginn settled in and delivered a composed start, working into the seventh inning and handing the game to a bullpen that has quietly become one of the best in the majors since the All-Star break.

Boston briefly threatened in the second when David Hamilton’s solo homer cut the lead to 3-2, but Sacramento’s defense and Ginn’s efficiency quieted the bats through the middle innings. Jacob Wilson’s RBI single in the third widened the gap to 4-2, and in the seventh Butler manufactured a run with a single, stolen base, and hustle around the bases, scoring on a Trevor Story error.

That insurance tally loomed large after Story went deep in the eighth to trim the deficit to 5-3, but Hogan Harris slammed the door in the ninth, striking out Nick Sogard to seal it.

For Sacramento, the formula was clear: timely power, clean defense, and steady pitching. Rooker’s 30th blast gave the A’s three players at or near the 30-homer plateau, a reminder of how dangerous this lineup has become in the second half.

Ginn’s line, six innings, two runs, wasn’t flashy, but it was exactly what manager Mark Kotsay needed from a rotation that has struggled with length all season. The bullpen, with Harris earning the save, continued its dominance since the All-Star break, a stretch in which it owns one of the best ERAs in baseball.

The victory reflected the resilience of a team that once lost 20 of 21 games earlier this year but has since played above .500 ball. The Athletics are 30-24 since the All-Star break, their best second-half showing since 2019.

The offense, now among the league leaders in doubles and slugging, looks nothing like the light-hitting squad from the past five years. Sacramento’s road record has climbed back to .500, ensuring their best showing away from home since 2021.

Butler’s speed and all-around game, Kurtz’s rookie power numbers, Wilson’s steady bat, and Rooker’s consistency have created a balanced attack that opposing pitchers can’t take lightly. Even as the standings show the A’s with a sub .500 record, the trajectory is upward.

Thursday’s win in Boston was another snapshot of a team starting to find its identity, a group no longer defined by its rebuilding struggles but by its growing core and knack for grinding out wins.

It’s onto Pittsburgh as the A’s will face the Pirates on Friday night at PNC Park and the A’s will start RHP Luis Severino (6-11 ERA 4.82) the Pirates have not announced a starter yet.

Costa Rican-born Mauricio Segura has been covering sports in the Bay Area since 2001 for a variety of magazines and newspapers, as well as his own publication, Golden Bay Times.

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

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

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

Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.

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

Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm

Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in. 

Sacramento A’s podcast Jeremiah Salmonson: A’s Kelly loses in close game to Sox in ten innings 5-4

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Sacramento A’s reliever Michael Kelly took the loss against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on Wed Sep 17, 2025 (AP file photo)

Sacramento A’s podcast Jeremiah Salmonson:

#1 Boston Red Sox pinch hitter Nick Sogard hit a tenth inning infield ground ball to knock in Nate Eaton off Sacramento A’s pitcher Michael Kelly for a walk off hit to defeat the A’s in the bottom of the tenth inning at Fenway Park in Boston on Wednesday night.

#2 In a back and forth game the Red Sox never gave up and with Sogard’s game winning base hit the Red Sox lead the American League with 11 walk off hits for 2025.

#3 Boston pitcher Chris Murphy picked up his third win of the season pitching one third of an inning in relief. It was a tough loss for Kelly who drops his record to 4-4.

#4 In the top of the fifth the A’s Lawrence Butler walked Darrell Hernaiz hit a two run single. The did lose by a run but Hernaiz has been key for the A’s run production of late.

#5 A’s and Red Sox going at it Thursday RHP J.T. Ginn (3-6, 4.69 ERA) for Sacramento, RHP Brayan Bello (11-7, 3.25) makes the start of Boston. A’s currently currently in front early in the ball game at Fenway Park.

Jeremiah Salmonson does the A’s podcasts Thursdays 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. 

Sacramento A’s game wrap: Athletics Fall Short in Extra Innings 5-4 at Fenway

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Boston Red Sox Nate Eaton slides underneath Sacramento A’s catcher Shea Langeliers for the game winning run in the bottom of the tenth inning at Fenway Park in Boston on Wed Sep 17, 2025 (AP News photo)

Athletics Fall Short in Extra Innings 5-4 at Fenway

By Mauricio Segura

The Sacramento Athletics found themselves locked in another razor-thin battle in Beantown. From early long balls to late-inning strategy, and ultimately heartbreak in extras, the game provided plenty of edge of your seat excitement.

Unfortunately, after clawing their way through nine innings of back-and-forth baseball, the Green and Gold dropped a 5-4 decision to the Boston Red Sox on a frustrating walk-off fielder’s choice in the tenth.

Mason Barnett made his fourth career start and, consistent with his brief track record, worked in and out of trouble before turning things over to the bullpen. Boston wasted little time drawing first blood in the first inning when Masataka Yoshida singled home Trevor Story after a passed ball advanced the runner into scoring position.

Barnett’s uneven command left him exposed again in the second, as Rob Refsnyder hammered a solo homer to give the Sox a 2-1 edge. The Athletics had briefly tied it in the top half on a Lawrence Butler run manufactured by a Carlos Cortes double and a Darell Hernaiz sacrifice fly.

Sacramento’s offense threatened in the third when Nick Kurtz singled and Shea Langeliers drew a walk, but they came up empty after Brent Rooker’s flyout and Tyler Soderstrom’s strikeout. Jacob Wilson added a base hit, but Butler went down swinging to strand the bases loaded. That missed opportunity loomed large, as Barnett labored through the bottom half, yielding a Jarren Duran single and wild pitch before escaping further damage.

The A’s briefly found rhythm in the fifth. Langeliers and Rooker both reached base, setting the table for Soderstrom and Wilson. A walk forced in a run to tie it 2-2, and Hernaiz followed with the biggest swing of the night, a two-run single that put Sacramento ahead 4-2.

For a moment, the Fenway crowd hushed as the Green and Gold seized momentum. But the Red Sox quickly responded in their half, capitalizing on a defensive miscue at second base. Duran and Story reached, and Yoshida’s infield single plated a run. By the end of the inning, the margin was cut to 4-3.

From there, the bullpens took over. Tyler Ferguson, Justin Sterner, Elvis Alvarado, and Michael Kelly were summoned in succession, and each found themselves in high-leverage moments. In the sixth, Trevor Story tied the game with a sharp RBI single to center, and suddenly it was 4-4 heading into the late innings. The A’s had no answers for Boston’s relief corps, striking out frequently and failing to advance runners in scoring position. Wilson and Soderstrom combined for four hits, but timely execution was lacking.

The ninth inning embodied the night’s frustration. With two outs, Soderstrom singled and Wilson followed with another sharp liner to right, putting runners on the corners. Butler lofted a fly ball to left that died in Jarren Duran’s glove, ending the threat.

The game drifted into extras, where the A’s simply could not manufacture the big hit. Colby Thomas reached to start the tenth, but consecutive strikeouts and a pop out left Butler stranded at third.

That opened the door for Boston. With Nate Eaton placed at second under the new rules, the Red Sox bunted him to third, then watched as Nick Sogard chopped a grounder to second. Zack Gelof’s only play was to first, allowing Eaton to score the game-winner. Just like that, Sacramento’s bid for a third straight win in Boston vanished.

For the Athletics, the loss was another in a season filled with one-run battles. They fell to 18-21 in such games, with both of their victories against Boston this year decided by a single run. Despite offensive firepower, with Nick Kurtz, Shea Langeliers, and Brent Rooker all pushing toward 30-plus home run seasons, the club remains plagued by inconsistent pitching and stranded baserunners.

Barnett’s line reflected the struggle: multiple innings cut short by missed execution and an early hook that forced the bullpen into heavy duty. Overall, it was a great showing of traditional baseball.

Starting pitchers for Thursday for Sacramento RHP JT Ginn (3-6 ERA 4.69) for the Boston Red Sox RHP Brayan Bello (11-7 ERA 3.25) first pitch 10:35am PT.

Costa Rican-born Mauricio Segura has been covering sports in the Bay Area since 2001 for a variety of magazines and newspapers, as well as his own publication, Golden Bay Times.

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

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

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

Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.

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

Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm

Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in. 

That’s Amaury News and Commentary–A’s Nick Kurtz Rookie of the Year

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Sacramento A’s slugger Nick Kurtz is congratulated in the A’s dugout after hitting a two run home run against the Cincinnati Reds at Sutter Health Park in Cincinnati on Sun Sep 14, 2025 (AP News photo)

A’s Nick Kurtz Rookie of the Year

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

On November 18 at 6 PM ET, the BBWAA will announce its Rookie of the Year Award. In the American League, there is only one player who deserves such an accolade: Nick Kurtz.

Kurtz became a name in baseball this year. Kurtz of the Sacramento Athletics is the first and only rookie in Major League Baseball history to hit four home runs in a single game, a feat he accomplished on July 25, 2025, against the Houston Astros. His six-hit, four-homer performance also tied the MLB record for total bases in a game, set by Shawn Green in 2002.

The Athletics were the first team to have three consecutive players winning the American League Rookie of the Year Award. OF José Canseco in 1986,1B Mark McGwire in 1987, and shortstop Walt Weiss in 1988. For us who covered/broadcast that great era of A’s baseball, those three were key players in the championship seasons under the Walter Haas ownership.

Wednesday, with approximately ten games left in the regular season for most teams, the A’s have two top candidates for the 2025 Rookie of the Year Award. 22-year-old first baseman Kurtz and 23-year-old shortstop Jacob Wilson, who was also the starting shortstop for the American League in this season’s All-Star Game. Other American League rookies that are notable, but will not win the Rookie of the Year, are Boston outfielder Roman Anthony and Houston outfielder Cam Smith.

The A’s (now playing in Sacramento temporarily) are entering the last part of the season with the possibility of ending in fourth place again, like last season. The difference is that this 2025 season, the A’s have new blood, including very young and talented players, among them the two rookies like Kurtz and Wilson, who have propelled the team to a better record than the 69-93 Oakland A’s of 2024.

History: Jackie Robinson won the first official Rookie of the Year award in 1947. The award was given to only one player for both leagues in 1947 and 1948, but has been given to one player in each league since 1949. The award was later named the Jackie Robinson Award. 

Amaury Pi-Gonzalez – Cuban-born Pi-González is one of the pioneers of Spanish-language baseball play-by-play in America. Began as Oakland A’s Spanish-language voice in 1977 ending in 2024 (interrupted by stops with the Giants, Mariners and Angels). Voice of the Golden State Warriors from 1992 through 1998. 2010 inducted in the Bay Area Radio Hall of fame.

While in the Bay Area, great food and great prices. 998cuba.com

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. 

Soderstrom and Harris Spark Athletics to Narrow 2-1 Win at Fenway

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Soderstrom and Harris Spark Athletics to Narrow 2-1 Win at Fenway

By Mauricio Segura

The Sacramento Athletics keep finding ways to make things interesting. Tuesday night’s pendulum swung between frustration and redemption, the Green and Gold leaned on timely hitting from Tyler Soderstrom and Brett Harris to beat the Boston Red Sox 2–1 at Fenway Park.

It wasn’t pretty, but it was enough to extend a September surge that has kept the club competitive despite being mathematically eliminated from the postseason.

The night began with little to celebrate for Jeffrey Springs. The veteran left-hander, making his 31st appearance of the year, struggled again with efficiency. Springs surrendered the first run of the game in the third when Rob Refsnyder worked a walk and came around on Carlos Narváez’s double that deflected awkwardly off Lawrence Butler in center.

That lone blemish stung given the A’s inability to generate offense early. Shea Langeliers and Jacob Wilson reached in the first inning, but both were left stranded. By the middle of the fourth, Sacramento had more strikeouts than baserunners.

The game flipped in the sixth inning when the offense finally found an edge. Wilson singled to start the inning, and after Nick Kurtz went down swinging, Boston went to the bullpen. That decision cracked the door for Soderstrom, who came off the bench with two outs and promptly ripped a double into left field to score Wilson and tie the game.

A pinch-hit walk from Carlos Cortes kept the pressure on, and Harris delivered the dagger with a line drive single that brought Soderstrom across to give Sacramento its first lead at 2–1.

From there, the bullpen took over and protected the slim advantage with an efficiency that has become a late-season trademark. Mitch Spence, called up again from Triple-A, navigated through the middle innings and handed things off to Hogan Harris, who picked off Nick Sogard to escape the eighth.

The ninth belonged to Zack Gelof defensively, as the second baseman entered on a double switch and immediately turned a crisp game-ending double play with Jacob Wilson.

While the scorebook highlights Soderstrom and Harris as the heroes, the bigger story remains Sacramento’s ability to outlast opponents despite offensive inconsistencies. The club entered the night ranked third in the majors in slugging since the All-Star break. Not bad, it leaves hope for next season for sure!

Starting pitchers for Wednesday’s game for the A’s RHP Mason Barnett (1-1 ERA 8.53) for the Red Sox RHP Lucas Giolito (10-4 ERA 3.31) first pitch 3:45pm PT.

Costa Rican-born Mauricio Segura has been covering sports in the Bay Area since 2001 for a variety of magazines and newspapers, as well as his own publication, Golden Bay Times.

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

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

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

Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.

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

Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm

Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in. 

Sacramento A’s podcast Barbara Mason: A’s take momentum from sweep to Boston Tuesday

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The Cincinnati Reds Gavin Lux (2) is thrown out sliding into home plate in the fourth inning by Sacramento A’s catcher Willie MacIver (left) at Sutter Health Park on Sun Sep 14, 2025 (Dennis Lee-Imagn Images photo)

Sacramento A’s podcast Barbara Mason:

#1  Sacramento A’s rookie Nick Kurtz hit one of four of the Athletics home runs that put Sacramento ahead in the bottom of the fifth 7-4 over the visiting Cincinnati Reds 7-4 on Sunday afternoon.

#2 The A’s wound up sweeping the Reds and the loss pushes the Reds 2.5 back in the NL Wild Card as the A’s played spoiler.

#3 The A’s Jacob Wilson, Colby Thomas, and Brent Rooker hit home runs as the A’s came back from being down 3-0. The win also passes their 2024 win total with 12 regular season games remaining.

#4 Wilson and Thomas hit home runs in the bottom of the fourth. Nick Kurtz hit a home run with two out in the fifth inning for his 32nd of the season.

#5 Sacramento heads to Boston to open up a three game series against the Red Sox at Fenway Park. Starting pitcher for the A’s LHP Jefferey Springs (10-11 ERA 4.28) the Sox have not announced a starter for Tuesday night’s game first pitch 3:45pm PT.

Join Barbara for the A’s podcasts each Monday 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. 

Sacramento Bats Blast Reds 7-4 in Series Closer

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Sacramento A’s reliever Michael Kelly (49) shuts the door on the Cincinnati Reds in the ninth inning at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento on Sun Sep 14, 2025 (Athletics X photo)

Sacramento Bats Blast Reds in Series Closer

By Mauricio Segura

WEST SACRAMENTO–For three innings on Sunday afternoon, it looked like the Sacramento Athletics were about to limp into another quiet loss. The Cincinnati Reds came out swinging, tagging rookie starter Luis Morales for an early barrage and silencing the home crowd with a pair of long balls.

But if the 2025 Athletics have proven anything, it’s that they can take a punch, reset, and then slug their way right back into a fight. By the time the dust settled, the Green and Gold had out-homered Cincinnati, flexed the depth of their power, and stormed to a 7-4 win that completed a series sweep and gave fans another taste of why this late-season stretch has been worth watching.

Cincinnati wasted no time getting on the board. Noelvi Marte ripped a solo homer in the first, his 13th of the season, and two innings later, Will Benson’s two-run shot off Morales had the Reds sitting pretty with a 3-0 lead. Morales, making just his seventh career start, looked rattled early. His command wavered, and although he settled down to induce some ground ball outs, the Reds appeared in control, capitalizing on every mistake he left over the plate.

In the bottom of the fourth, Jacob Wilson, who continues to flirt with a batting title in his rookie campaign, stepped up and launched a solo homer into the left-field seats, sparking life in the dugout. Moments later, Colby Thomas followed suit with his sixth homer, this one a laser to left-center that brought Sacramento within a run. Suddenly, Lodolo’s early strut turned into a careful grind.

The fifth inning delivered the decisive moment. After Wilson was hit by a pitch, Nick Kurtz stepped in, and as he’s done so many times this year, turned the game on its head with one violent swing. His two-run shot, a towering drive to left, gave Sacramento its first lead of the day at 4-3. For Kurtz, it was his 32nd of the season, putting him further ahead of the rookie leaderboard and reaffirming what scouts have been saying since spring: this is a cornerstone bat in the making.

With momentum firmly in their favor, the A’s added insurance in the sixth when Thomas singled and Brett Harris laced a double down the line to make it 5-3. Brent Rooker then joined the power parade in the seventh, belting his 29th of the year to dead center. By then, Cincinnati’s bullpen looked shell-shocked, and Sacramento’s confidence was on full display. Thomas capped his afternoon with another hit in the seventh, part of a three-hit day that showcased his knack for producing in the middle of rallies.

The Reds tried to claw back in the eighth, with Sal Stewart cutting the deficit to 7-4 on a solo homer, but the A’s bullpen had enough answers. Brady Basso, Tyler Ferguson, Sean Newcomb, and Justin Sterner combined to bridge the gap before Michael Kelly closed things out in the ninth.

Morales, despite his shaky start, was backed up perfectly by a relief corps that has quietly transformed itself since the All-Star break. Once one of the shakiest units in baseball, Sacramento’s bullpen has carried a 3.01 ERA since late June, among the best in the majors.

The win carried significance beyond the box score. By sweeping Cincinnati, the Athletics improved to 69-80 on the season, officially eliminating them from AL West contention but keeping a flicker of Wild Card math alive, at least for another day.

More importantly, the team continued to prove it can hang with opponents by out-homering them, a formula that has worked like clockwork. Sacramento is now 44-9 when it clears the fences more often than its opponent, a staggering .830 winning percentage that underscores just how central power has become to its identity.

That reliance on the long ball might not always be sustainable, but this September surge is giving fans glimpses of the future. Kurtz, Wilson, and Thomas are all rookies. Together, they combined for four hits, three runs, and three home runs in Sunday’s victory.

It’s the kind of production that hints at a foundation being built, not just a streak of hot bats. Wilson, hitting .318, continues to press Aaron Judge for the AL batting crown, something an Athletic hasn’t won since Ferris Fain in 1952. Kurtz, meanwhile, already has more home runs than any A’s rookie since Yoenis Céspedes, and Thomas is quickly proving he can be more than just a depth piece.

Rooker, the veteran presence among the mashers, keeps doing his part too. His seventh-inning homer not only gave Sacramento breathing room, it also put him among the league leaders in doubles and extra-base hits. If the rookies are the promise of tomorrow, Rooker is the reminder that established power can still set the tone today.

It wasn’t a perfect afternoon. Morales lasted just 4.2 innings and was tagged for three early runs, raising questions about how many more innings his arm can handle this year. But even that storyline had a silver lining. Morales is just weeks removed from pitching in Double-A, and for all the lumps he’s taken, the A’s are 4-2 in his starts. That kind of trial by fire is how young rotations are forged.

By the time Kelly induced TJ Friedl’s final out in the ninth, the 8,778 fans in attendance were on their feet, savoring a series sweep that carried the weight of both momentum and meaning. It’s been a long, uneven season for Sacramento, one defined by brutal losing streaks and flashes of promise. Sunday’s win leaned hard into the latter, a young team showing fight, flashing power, and sending a message that the future might not be as far away as it sometimes feels.

As the A’s now pack their bags for Boston, they do so with a swagger that only comes from beating a team at its own game. Cincinnati brought the early thunder, but Sacramento answered with a storm of its own. And if this weekend was any indication, the Athletics’ blueprint is clear: keep swinging, keep slugging, and let the long ball carry them wherever it can.

Sacramento heads to Boston to open up a three game series against the Red Sox at Fenway Park. Starting pitcher for the A’s LHP Jefferey Springs (10-11 ERA 4.28) the Sox have not announced a starter for Tuesday night’s game first pitch 3:45pm PT.

Costa Rican-born Mauricio Segura has been covering sports in the Bay Area since 2001 for a variety of magazines and newspapers, as well as his own publication, Golden Bay Times.

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

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

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

Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.

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

Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm

Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in.