Tag: San Francisco Giants

Oakland A’s post game wrap: Pinder’s homer stands up; Blackburn and bullpen shuts out Giants hitting 1-0

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Oakland Athletics’ Chad Pinder (10) is congratulated by teammates after hitting a home run against the San Francisco Giants in the top of the first inning at SAP Park in San Francisco on Wed Apr 27, 2022 (AP News photo)

Oakland. 1. 7. 2

San Francisco. 0. 3. 1

Wednesday, April 27, 2022

By Lewis Rubman

SAN FRANCISCO–The good news for A’s fans is that before tonight’s game, Chad Pinder returned to the active roster. Pinder, who had been batting .237 in ten games before being placed on the Covid list, was as versatile as former A Mark Canha, although he was not the human bull’s eye at the plate that old teammate and current Met, had been. .237 is not much, but neither are ten games, and it’s certainly better than the .206 team batting average that Athletics brought with them to Oracle Park this evening.

With Pinder’s return, Christian Lopes, who had been with the big team as a substitute player, was returned to Sacramento. Lopes had gone 0 for 9 in four gamesas an Athletic and suffered the further indignity of my having named him as the player for whom Seth Brown pinch hit in the top of the seventh last night.

For the record, the correct, ungarbled account of Oakland’s last scoring frame was 1) Andrus grounded out to short; 2) Pache singled to center; 3) Lopes struck out swinging; 4) García relieved Leone; 5) Brown, pinch hitting for Nick Allen, doubled to right center, driving in Pache; 6) Kemp was called out on a disputed third strike. You read it here last.

Last night the A’s performed as poorly as my malfunctioning ipad and I did. Tonight, they weren’t perfect in the field, but their pitching was outstanding with six moundsmen holding the Giants to three hits in a 1-0 shutout, that brought the green and golds’ record back over .500 to 10-9. San Francisco slipped to 13-6.

Sam Long, a southpaw who’d allowed three hits and a walk while striking out five over the 5-2/3 innings he’d thrown in his five appearances before today, was the Giants’ opener. The returning Pinder sent Long’s sixth pitch, an 83 mph changeup, 372 feet, into the left field bleachers It was Pinder third homer of the year, his career first leading off a game.

Sheldon Nuese reached first on Brandon Crawford’s throwing error and was erased when Sean Murphy hit into an around the horn double play, the prelude to Stephen Piscotty’s going down swinging. And Long had completed his assignment, replaced by Jacob Junis, who. set the A’s down in order.

Paul Blackburn, who started for Oakland at (2-0,1.80), escaped unscathed in the first two innings of his performance, with a little help from a pitcher’s best friend in each of those frames. but it looked as though the third would be different.

The A’s righthander retired Thairo Estrada on a ground out to second. but then issued a full count walk to Jason Vosler.

Number nine batter reached on Neuse’s second error of the evening, bringing the top of the order to bat with two on and one down. Murphy kicked Joc Pederson’s little nubber in front of the plate for a bases loaded infield single. But, marvelous to tell!, Brandon Belt hit into a beautifully executed twin killing, Brown at first, to Andrus at short, back to Blackburn, covering first.

Three double plays in three innings, ‘dtaint bad. Austin Slater replaced Pederson in the top of the fourth, playing in center field, while Luis Gonález moved from center to right. The reason given was right groin tightness.

Junis and Blackburn matched goose eggs until the latter was lifted in favor of Domingo Acevedo to start the bottom of the sixth. In his five innings of work, Blackburn allowed three hits and a walk. He threw 84 pitches, only 30 of which were balls. He struck out four, reducing his ERA down to 1.35.

Junis left the game after retiring Bethancourt to end the visitor´s sixth. Like Blackburn, he hurled five shutout innings. He struck out eight, allowing four hits and a walk. Of his 64 offerings, 46 were strikes.

Junis´s replacement, Jake McGee, allowed a two out triple that Cristian Pache slashed to right center before retiring Kemp. on a line drive to Slater in center field.

It was Sam Moll on the mound to face the Giants after the seventh inning stretch. He lasted the required three batters, the first two of whom he retired but left after walking the third, González, giving way to Zach Jackson, who had to deal with Estrada. He got him swinging on an 85mph full. count slider.

Tyler Rogers rode San Francisco’s bullpen merry-go-round in the eighth. He got his three men out with no trouble, fanning two of them, Pinder and Murphy.

Jackson came out to face Jason Vosler in the Giants eighth. The third sacker walked on a 3-2 change up that caught the lower outside corner of the strike zone, but home plate umpire Carlos Torres didn’t see it that way. Casali went down swinging on another full count, bringing the top of the order to the forefront.

Andrus made a sterling grab and behind the back toss on Slater’s grounder up the middle to force Vosler out at second for the second out of the inning. This paved the way for Kirby Snead to face off against Brandon Belt. Slater stole second, increasing the tension, but Snead stayed calm and got the Giants’ first baseman to fly out to medium left field.

Camilo Doval entered the fray to try to maintain San Francisco’s deficit to a single tally. He got Piscotty on a three pitch strikeout and then surrendered a a solid double to right to pinch hitter Billy McKinney, batting for Bethancourt. Following an intentional walk to Brown, Doval. dodged a couple of bullets to strike Andrus out swinging and induce a fly out to center from Pache.

Danny Jiménez was called on to act as the closer. He pitched well to lead off man Flores, who hit a grounder wide of first to Brown. Jiménez admired the play rather than going to first to cover the bag. Crew Chief Martiy Foster called Flores safe, but his call was overruled on review. Crawford grounded out to Kemp, and Ruf popped out to first, and that was it.

The win went to Blackburn, leaving him undefeated at 3–0. Jiménez earned the save, his forth in four attempts. Long took the loss.

The first play of the game decided iit.

Both teams have tomorrow off. The A’s will send Frankie Montás against the Cleveland Guardians´ Aaron Civales at the Coliseum on Friday evening, the 19th, while the Giants will play host to the Washington Nationals at Oracle Park at 7:15 that same evening. The probables are Aaron Sánchez for the Nats and Alex Wood for the Gints.

Oakland A’s game report: Mark Kingwell writes in Fail Better Why Baseball Matters

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Home plate umpire Chris Conroy (98) talks over a strike three call on Oakland A’s hitter Tony Kemp (5) in the top of the seventh inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Tue Apr 26, 2022 (AP News photo)

Oakland. 2. 5. 1

San Francisco. 8. 7. 1

Tuesday, April 26, 2022

By Lewis Rubman

Oakland A’s game report: Mark Kingwell writes in Fail Better Why Baseball Matters

SAN FRANCISCO–We know, with part of our rational minds, that it does not matter who wins a baseball game. And yet, it matters—-sometimes so deeply as to generate much genuine emotion. And if we wonder how non-real things can arouse real emotions, we need only recall Aristotle’s analysis of catharsis, the psychologically beneficial venting of painful feelings under controlled conditions such as the theatre.

If this is the case–and I think it is–it is even more so in the Bay Bridge Series. The final score of a ball game may not amount to a hill of beans in the grand scheme of things (if there is such a thing), and it means even less in the pretend world to which Kingwell refers.

When play began (the “controlled conditions such as the theatre”), Oakland, refreshed after their first day of rest since completing a season opening 17 consecutive days of arduous labor, occupied third place in the AL West standings, at 9-8, a game and a half behind the division leading Mariners and one game behind the second place Angels.

The Giants had just flown over half the continent after spending three hours of their lightening visit to Milwaukee, where they completed a 11 game swing through the east and Midwest by coming from behind to defeat the talented Brew Crew 4-2, scoring two runs in each of the eighth and ninth innings.

That win put San Francisco’s record at 12-5, a half game behind the Dodgers for the lead in the NL. In a season of 162 games followed by nearly all-inclusive playoffs, tonight and tomorrow’s contests fade into insignificance.

Yet we care.

My wife likes to say that we’re Athletics fans but the Giants are mishpokhe, a Yiddish word for extended family. I usually add that families fight. They did in classical Greek drama, and they do in Major League Baseball.

The rivals’ starting pitchers took the mound with almost identical earned run averages. The visitors sent right hander Daulton Jefferies, who had posted an almost unbeatable ERA of 1.17 but still had come out on the short end of two out of his three decision, while the home team entrusted its fortunes to left handed Carlos Rodón, whose 1.16 was paired with a 2-0 won-lost record. That says a lot about the teams’ relative strength at bat and on the field.

Neither team was at full strength. Drew Jackson, Jed Lowrie, Chad Pinder, and Lou Trivino were on Oakland’s Covid list, Sky Bolt, James Kaprielian, Kevin Smith, and Stephen Vogt were on the 10 day list, and Deolis Guerra and Brent Hnneywell were out for 60 days. Ramón Laureano still was serving his suspension, doing rehab in the minors.

San Francisco had to manage without the services of Alex Cobb, Anthony DeSclafani, Tommy La Stella, Evan Longoria, and LaMonte Wade, Jr., all on the 10 day IL; Mike Yatrzemski, on the Covid list; Matthew Boyd, on the 60 day list; John Brebbia, on bereavement leave; and Tyler Rogers, on paternity leave.

The Giants took an early lead when Brandon Crawford led off the second with a walk and advanced to second on a wild pitch to DH Wilmer Flores, who proceeded to jump all over a hanging curve, driving Jefferies´offering of the left centerfield wall and bringing Crawford home with the initial tally.

Flores moved up a base on a single to center by Luis González. Both Thairo Estrada and Jason Vosler hit grounders to Nick Allen at second, whose tosses retired the lead runner. Elvis Andrus, however, didn’t get his relay over to first on time, allowing Flores to score on Estrada’s force out. Joey Bart grounded out to Andrus to end the inning with the Giants ahead, 1-0.

A wild pitch from Rodón in the top of the third allowed Nick Allen, who. had walked, to take second with one down. After Tony Kemp struck out, Sheldon Neuse’s single to left center drove him home, cutting San Francisco’s lead in half. Murphy went down swinging, and that was it for Oakland’s rally.

That close score was short lived. The home team came roaring back with Belt’s single to right center and a walk to Crawford, followed by Flores’s 389 foot blast over the left field wall on a 93 mph sinker that didn’t sink enough. Just like that, it was 5-1, San Francisco after three.

Jefferies didn’t come out for the bottom of the fifth. He left the game, having thrown 72 pitches, 43 for strikes. All five of the runs he allowed were earned. He gave up four hits, one of which went the distance and a pair of walks. He also unleashed a wild pitch. His slim ERA ballooned to 3.26. AJ Puk replaced him on the mound, and Austin Slater replaced Joc Pederson in the San Fran line up.

Rodón’s night was over after six innings of work, in which he allowed just that single, earned, run in the third. He gave up two walks and a costly wild pitch. His pitch count was 107, 74 for strikes. His ERA crept up to 1.17.

Rodón gave way to Dominic Leone, who faced four batters in the seventh, two of whom touched him hits; Cristián Pache, a one out single and Seth Brown, pinch hitting for Christian Lopes, a two out double to right center that drove in Andrus and brought Jarín García to strike out Nick Allen on a disputed, and very disputable, called third strike.

After pitching two three-up. three down frames, Puk gave way to Jacob Lemoine in the home half of the seventh. Again, a three run Giant homer was the counterweight to a lone Oakland tally.

This one was a towering fly that travelled 345 feet before smacking against the right field wall. Lemoine then surrendered a single to Belt and struck out Darin Ruf before turning mound duties over to Adam Kokarek.

The Athletics’ southpaw side armer who walked Crawford but retired Flores on a grounder to third to close out the inning with Oakland on the short end of an 8-2 score.

It was Yunior Marte’s turn to face the A’s in the visitors’ eighth. He set them down in order. The Giants entrusted their six run lead to Kervin Castro, recalled today from Sacramento, in Oakland’s last chance top of the ninth. He allowed a two out walk to Pache, but struck out the three other batters he faced,

The win went to Rodón and the loss to Jefferies.

The trans bay rivals go at it again tomorrow, Wednesday, night at 6:45. The probable starters will be Paul Blackburn (2-1,1.80) for the Athletics and for the Giants they will go with left hander Sam Long (0-0 ERA 0.00) at Oracle Park in San Francisco.

Powered by Rodon, Long Balls, Giants Move into First Place with 8-2 Whupping Of A’s

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

San Francisco Giants third baseman Jason Vosler goes to field a hot grounder hit by Oakland Athletics’ Elvis Andrus, who Vosler threw out at first base in the seventh inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Tue Apr 26, 2022 (AP News photo)

By Tony “The Tiger”Hayes

SAN FRANCISCO–The Giants used the phenomenal power arm of pitcher Carlos Rodon and home runs by Wilmer Flores and Austin Slater to dismantle the visiting Oakland A’s 8-2 Tuesday night at Oracle Park.

The win improved the Giants record to 13-5 as San Francisco leapfrogged the Dodgers -who lost 5-3 at Arizona – into first place in the NL West by half a game.

Meanwhile San Francisco Rodan continued a historically significant start to his Giants career, pitching six lock down innings, while allowing one earned one run on three hits to improve his record to 3-0, with a 1.17 ERA.

Rodon struck out nine, giving him 38 for the season, the most by a Giants pitcher in his first four starts of the season since 1901.

Oakland’s run off Rodon came of a solo round tripper by Sheldon Neuse.

With the Giants up 2-1 in the third, Flores murdered a fastball by A’s starter Daulton Jefferies, sending a searing bolt into the left field seats for a three run home to put the Giants up 5-1. Flores had a hot bat swinging for five RBIs in his last ten games when the Giants were on their last 11 game road trip. Flores was the Giants designated hitter who touched up Jefferies for in the second inning.

The lead held until the seventh, when the A’s Seth Brown pummeled a run scoring double off Dominic Leone.

With two runners on in the bottom of the frame Slater sliced an opposite field sizzler off the right field tin roof to put San Francisco up 8-2.

Giants Jottings: San Francisco right-handed reliever John Brebbia was placed on the injured list before the game and replaced with RHP Kervin Castro. Castro struck out the side in the ninth to close out tonight’s win.

The Giants also completed a trade, picking up infielder Kevin Padlo in a cash deal with Seattle. Padlo was recently designated for assignment by the Mariners. Padlo was assigned to Triple-A Sacramento.

Starting pitchers for Wednesday night: Starting for Oakland right hander Paul Blackburn (2-0 ERA 1.80) and for San Francisco left hander Sam Long (0-0 ERA 0.00) first pitch is 6:45 pm PDT at Oracle Park.

San Francisco Giants podcast with Morris Phillips: Giants Pederson a huge feature to open two game series against A’s at Oracle Park

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

San Francisco Giants rookie Luis Gonzalez slugs what would be the game winning home run at Miller Park in the top of the ninth inning in Milwaukee against the Milwaukee Brewers on Mon Apr 25, 2022 (AP News photo)

On the Giants podcast with Morris:

#1 Morris, no doubt that the San Francisco Giants (12-5) outfielder Joc Pederson has been a rock for the team in the last two games in Washington on Sunday with two homers, three hits and three RBIs and hit a two run homer in the eighth inning to tie up the ball game against the Milwaukee Brewers on Monday.

#2 Morris, Pederson was touted when it was first learned that he was coming to San Francisco after seeing what he has done recently are you surprised?

#3 Rookie Luis Gonzalez couldn’t wait to get into the act with a two run homer of his own that put the Giants in the drivers seat for keeps it was Gonzalez’ first MLB home run to help win the ball game.

#4 Morris, Alex Wood got a groin injury on the trip in New York last week he got to do a 30 pitch session off the mound and is expected back pretty soon.

#5 Morris, talk about the match up tonight for the Oakland A’s (9-8) Daulton Jefferies (1-2 ERA 1.17) and for the Giants Carlos Rodon (2-0 ERA 1.06) a 6:45 pm PDT first pitch at Oracle Park in San Francisco.

Morris does the San Francisco Giants podcasts Mondays was on for a special Tuesday edition at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Oakland A’s podcast with Jerry Feitelberg: A’s expect to have lots of fans behind them at Oracle Park

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Oakland A’s starter Cole Irvin combined with the bullpen for a shutout over the Texas Rangers on Sun Apr 24, 2022 at the Oakland Coliseum (AP News photo)

On the A’s podcast with Jerry F:

#1 The Oakland A’s (9-8) have been getting lots of mileage out of centerfielder Cristian Pache with the defensive job that he’s done with the glove.

#2 Jerry, was Pache everything you expected him to be coming over from the Atlanta Braves in the Matt Olson trade in March?

#3 Daulton Jefferies starts for the A’s tonight (1-2 ERA 1.17) he’ll be opposed by the San Francisco Giants Carlos Rondon (2-0 ERA 1.06) Jefferies has been great at not allowing runs but Rodon has been lights out in April for the Giants.

#4 Jerry, the A’s have been playing in front of empty crowds at the Oakland Coliseum what will be ironic they’ll be playing in front of a capacity Oracle Park tonight and a good number of those customers will be A’s fans should be an interesting to have a few more vocal fans in an opposing team’s park?

#5 The A’s two games in San Francisco sandwich between homestands the A’s just completed a seven game homestand against the Baltimore Orioles and the Texas Rangers and after this two game series in San Francisco they start a six game series in Oakland against the Cleveland Guardians and the Tampa Bay Rays.

Jerry did a special Tuesday edition of the A’s podcast and does the A’s podcasts Thursdays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Fly In Win: Giants beat Brewers 4-2 with dramatic finish

Published on by moepeaLeave a comment

By Morris Phillips

For struggling National League offenses–and there are a bunch of them–knowing opponents’ aces aren’t quite ready to pitch deep into games is a welcome break.

The Giants caught a break Monday. Milwaukee’s Corbin Burnes mowed down hitters into the seventh but was lifted, leading 1-0 in deference to the shortened spring due to the lockout. Teams just aren’t going to risk their best arms to finish a game this early in a long season.

Burnes won the Cy Young last season and has looked the part again thus far. The St. Mary’s alum allowed two hits and registered 11 strikeouts while lowering his ERA to 1.75.

But then he was gone.

And in Burnes’ absence the Giants’ early-season magic appeared. This time to cap their best, lengthy road trip in 28 seasons with a pair of dramatic home runs. Manager Gabe Kapler sensed his club’s locked in mentality that had them engaged despite having just one day off thus far this season and needing to rally in the environment of a rare, one-game trip to Milwaukee.

“I’m not always sure what day of the week it is,” Kapler said. “You come to the ballpark, you prep for the game, you’ve got a good understanding of all the teams around the league.”

And you rake.

Joc Pedersen–fresh off a two home run game in D.C. on Sunday–struck first. With fans audible behind the Giants’ dugout, Pedersen responded to their heckling with a two-run blast off Trevor Gott that put San Francisco on the scoreboard for the first time on the eighth inning.

And after Milwaukee’s Wily Adames answered with a homer to tie the game 2-2 in the bottom of the inning, rookie Luis Gonzalez took over in the ninth.

The base hit off Burnes (earlier in the fifth inning) really gave him a lot of confidence,” Kapler said of Gonzalez. “In that situation, it was the best time for his first Major League home run to show up and so clutch. Also aesthetically, really pretty.”

In only his 23rd official MLB plate appearance–all over the previous week on the road–Gonzalez delivered, with two outs and a man on off reliever Jake Cousins. In a two-strike count, and by just barely avoiding the right field foul pole with his shot that silenced American Family Field.

“It’s just incredible,” Gonzalez gushed. “I’m just loving life right now.”

The Giants completed the road trip 8-3, a record last achieved on a trip of 11 games in July 1994. They swept the Guardians and Nationals each in three-game sets.

“The road trip finished in dramatic fashion with one of our newer players introduced with his first Major League home run. I think we’re going to enjoy the flight home and get ready for when we get back.”

The Giants open a two-game set on Tuesday with the A’s. Carlos Rodon faces Oakland’s Daulton Jeffries at 6:45pm.

Preview of A’s series with San Francisco Giants; Two game series begins Tuesday night at Oracle Park

Published on by rxsluggerLeave a comment

Oakland A’s manager Mark Kotsay pictured here during 2022 Spring Training Cactus League will lead the A’s into Oracle Park in San Francisco for a two game series beginning Tue Apr 26, 2022 (photo from the San Francisco Chronicle)

By Jerry Feitelberg

SAN FRANCISCO–After playing 17 straight games, the Oakland A’s have a day off on Monday to rest up before facing the San Francisco Giants in the annual Battle of the Bay interleague series. The A’s were 9-8 in that stretch and surprised many baseball experts.

Many still think the youthful A’s will end up near the bottom of the standings in the AL West. A’s manager Mark Kotsay doesn’t feel that way. He knows he has some talent on his team, and he implores his players never to quit.

The young A’s have quite a task ahead of them. They have to find a way to make up for the loss of key players such as Matt Chapman, Matt Olson, Mark Canha, Starling Marte, and pitchers Chris Bassitt and Sean Manaea.

This past weekend, the A’s offense was nearly non-existent in the series with the Texas Rangers. The Rangers took two out of three from Oakland. Cole Irvin’s great pitching helped the A’s earn a win in Sunday’s game.

The A’s lineup will feature catcher Sean Murphy. Either Billy McKinney or Christian Bethancourt will play first base. McKinney can also play in the outfield, and Bethancourt can also catch. Tony Kemp has been busy for Oakland this season.

Kemp is usually at second base. He has played several games as the left fielder. Christian Lopes or Nick Allen are backup choices to play second. Elvis Andrus will be at shortstop. A’s manager Mark Kotsay will use Nick Allen to backup Andrus. Sheldon Neuse will be at third base.

Neuse can play other infield positions, too. Rookie Cristian Pache will be in centerfield. Stephen Piscotty is off the IL and will resume his position in right field. Chad Pinder is on the IL. Ramon Laureano, currently serving a 27-game suspension for using a banned substance, will be eligible to return to the A’s on May 8th.

The A’s bullpen is a work in progress. Yusmeiro Petit, who was a stalwart in the bullpen, is gone. Lefty Jake Diekman now works for the Boston Red Sox. Sergio Romo left as a free agent. Lou Trivino, the closer, is on the 10-day IL.

Dany Jimenez has the job for the time being. The new names in the bullpen are righties Domingo Acevedo and Dany Jimenez. The A’s have four left relievers. They are A.J.Puk, Kirby Snead, Sam Moll, and Adam Kolarek.

The Giants swept the Washington Nationals three straight in the Nation’s Capitol. The Giants have started the season and are 11-5 this season. The Giants are playing a one-game series with the Milwaukee Brewers in Milwaukee Monday before returning home to face the A’s for two games starting Tuesday night.

The Giants, who won a team record 107 games last year, had most of their key personnel return for the 2022 season. However, several of their key players are on the injured list. They include third baseman Evan Longoria, second baseman Tommy LaStella, outfielder La Monte Wade, Jr, Steven Duggar, Mike Yastrzemski, and pitchers Anthony DeSclafini, Alex Cobb, and Matthew Boyd.

Giants’ manager Gabe Kapler is fortunate to have players on his squad who can play different positions. Wilmer Flores, Darin Ruf, Austin Slater, and Mauricio Dubon all can play well at different positions in the Giants’ lineup.

The Giants signed Palo Alto product Joc Pederson to a one-year deal. Pederson, a member of two World Series championship teams, the Dodgers and the Atlanta Braves, has started the season well. He has hit five dingers and is hitting over .300.

Even with all the players on the IL, the Giants can put a very good lineup on the field. Brandon Belt, the Captain, will be at first base. Thairo Estrada will be at second. Brandon Crawford, who won the Gold Glove last year, will be at shortstop, and Wilmer Flores will play third base. Joc Pederson will be in left field, Austin Slater in center, and Darin Ruf in right field.

The probable pitchers for the two-game series look to be righty Daulton Jefferies going for Oakland Tuesday night. Jefferies has pitched well in the early going. He is 1-2 and owns a sparkling 1.17 ERA. The Giants’ lefty, Carlos Rodon, has also been impressive.

Rodon, who came over to San Francisco as a free agent from the Chicago White Sox, is 2-0 with a minuscule ERA of 1.06. He has struck out 29 hitters, too.

The A’s Paul Blackburn will pitch Wednesday night. Blackburn is 2-0 with a 1.80 ERA. The Giants have not announced their starter yet. The Giants have three starters on the IL right now.

The teams are meeting very early in the season. They usually don’t meet until later. Nevertheless, it should be an entertaining set. There will be a lot of fans in the seats at Oracle Park. The first game of the series will start at 6:45 pm Tuesday.

San Francisco Giants podcast with Jeremy Harness: Giants face Brewers in one game match today at Miller Park after three game sweep of Nationals

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

San Francisco Giants Brandon Crawford (35) adds to the score on an RBI single by Wilmer Flores as Washington Nationals catcher Keibert Ruiz, left tries to apply the tag in vain at Nationals Park in DC on Sun Apr 24, 2022 (AP News photo)

On the Giants podcast with Jeremy:

#1 The Giants have had a lot of success in the early innings of games this season and they went right to work in the first two innings of Sunday’s game leading after two innings 4-1 in Washington. Joc Pederson hit a home run to lead off in the first inning and he did not look back.

#2 The Giants continued to extend their lead in the second inning when Joc Pederson hit a sacrifice and Thairo Estrada scored from third base. Pederson at the plate has been keeping the offense going and the Giants continuing to pile on in the three game series sweep of the Washington Nationals.

#3 Brandon Belt came to bat and tripled in the second driving Joey Bart home to extend the lead 4-1. Belt seeing the ball well and contributing in big ways towards Giant leads.

#4 The Giants added six more runs in the top of the ninth inning and ran away with an uncontested game 12-3 this was second in this three game sweep where the Giants have won by six or more runs.

#5 The Giants get right back at it again with a one game match up later today in Milwaukee’s Miller Park against the Brewers (10-6) starting for the Giants Sam Long (0-0 ERA 0.00) and for the Brewers Corbin Burnes (1-0 ERA 2.37) a 3:10 pm PDT first pitch.

Join Jeremy Harness filled for Morris Phillips for the San Francisco Giants podcasts heard Mondays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: A’s vs. Giants Bay Area Rivalry on Tap

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

The Oakland A’s and San Francisco Giants open up a brief two game series at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Tue Apr 26, 2022 (photo from sfgate.com)

A’s vs Giants: Bay Area Rivalry On Tap

That’s Amaury News and Commentry

By Amaury Pi-González

SAN FRANCISCO–The two Bay Area teams will face each other in a quick two-game set at Oracle Park this Tuesday and Wednesday, with both games’ first pitch scheduled for 6:45. Two teams right now on different paths. A’s rebuilding and with an uncertain future, the Giants try to prove they can win again over 100 games and advance into the playoffs over the heavily favorite LA Dodgers.

This is a friendly rivalry, with many families split with their support of their favorite team. April is usually the lowest attendance month of the baseball season but there should be no problem with attendance at Oracle during this mid-week series between the A’s and the Giants, maybe not sellout crowds but definitely plenty of people.

This regional rivalry had it’s epic moment during the 1989 World Series, interrupted by a strong Earthquake which postponed that October Classic for 11 days.

The A’s swept the Giants during that historic and memorable 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake. Those were different times, the Giants were playing at Candlestick Park one of the most maligned major league stadiums in history and the A’s were playing in the middle of their very successful late 1980’s when they advanced to three consecutive World Series with the direction of their Hall of Fame manager Tony LaRussa.

In 1988 World Series the A’s lost to the Dodgers, in one of the biggest upsets in history. 1989 they swept the Giants and in 1990 they lost to Cincinnati.

Nobody was talking about the Oakland Coliseum and how bad it was because the team was winning, and winning cures everything. For many hardcore A’s fans they still talk about the great team that should had won those three consecutive World Series.

The A’s are only the second team do to such when they won three consecutive World Series in 1972,1973 and 1974. Only the New York Yankees under various dynasties, winning as many as five World Series in a row during the 1950’s.

The A’s have a rookie manager in Mark Kotsay and a cast of inexperienced players, mixed with veterans like Jed Lowrie and Stephen Vogt. The Giants under skipper Gabe Kapler in his second season trying to disprove most of the experts that predicted they will not win as many games again as last season.

That prediction is not fair, because 2021 was a great surprise for the Giants as many of their players (including veterans Brandon Belt and Brandon Crawford) enjoyed their best season. In a way the Giants have a chip on their shoulders.

They still are not getting a lot of respect from the national baseball media. The Giants organization would like nothing more than to win this year’s World Series, and in the process, tie the A’s with a fourth World Series title.

The history of these two major league franchises is similar in many ways. With the A’s today threatening to possibly leave Oakland for Las Vegas, if the plan for the new Howard Terminal stadium is not approved.

In 1992 the Giants under owner Bob Lurie who agreed to sell the Giants and move them to Florida almost came to fruition. The Giants have longer roots in the Bay Area, they arrived from New York (1958) 10 years prior to the A’s arriving from Kansas City (1968).

Oracle Park is one the most attractive major league parks. I broadcast their inaugural game in the year 2000, doing their Spanish play by play, today, the park that has shared four names: Pac Bell, ATT, SBC Park and now Oracle Park, is 22 years old, hard to believe.

It is always fun to see the A’s and Giants playing on the same field.

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

Joc Pederson Slugs His Way To SF Win 12-3; Giants sweep Nats in three games

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

San Francisco Giants hitter Joc Pederson slugs a first inning home run a solo shot against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park in DC on Sun Apr 24, 2022 (AP News photo)

Joc Pederson Slugs His Way To SF Win 12-3

By Barbara Mason

In the past the Giants have had problems with the Washington Nationals. That was then and this is now and the San Francisco Giants (11-5) were playing today for a sweep of the Nationals (6-12). They beat Washington in the first two games of the series the first game a 7-1 beatdown Friday night.

The Giants have had a lot of success in the early innings of games this season and they went right to work in the first two innings of this game leading after two 4-1. Joc Pederson hit a home run to lead off in the first inning and he did not look back.

As this game progressed it became obvious that he was just getting warmed up. Wilmer Flores singled in the first innings driving Brandon Crawford home to lead 2-0.

The Giants continued to extend their lead in the second inning when Joc Pederson hit a sacrifice and Thairo Estrada scored from 3rd base. Brandon Belt came to bat and tripled in the second driving Joey Bart home to extend the lead 4-1

Yadiel Hernandez had a single for the Nationals in the 1st inning and hit a homer in the third inning pulling to within a single run of San Francisco 4-3. The Nationals would fail to score for the rest of the game.

San Francisco had a single in the fifth inning from Wilmer Flores driving Joc Pederson home. Joc Pederson had his second home run of the game in the seventh inning for a 6-3 lead.

The ninth inning of the game was a monster inning for the Giants scoring 6 runs. Brandon Belt scored on a single from Flores who had an incredible game. Luis Gonzalez would single and drive in Crawford and Mauricio Dubon.

Estrada hit a sacrifice and Flores would score. Next up at bat was Austin Slater who hit a single and Gonzalez and Jason Vosler scored for a final score of 12-3. This was one of the most productive innings from the Giants all season.

San Francisco had a great start in this game and an equally strong finish in the ninth inning. The Giants had swept the Nationals not an easy feat in today’s game. Joc Pederson was the heavy hitter in this game and kudos to Wilmer Flores who also contributed so much to this win.

Monday the Giants will take on the Milwaukee Brewers. Carlos Rodon will be on the mound to start tomorrows game for San Francisco and Corbin Burnes will start for the Brewers. First pitch is scheduled for 3:10 PM PT.