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Headline Sports with Charlie O: Dodgers might trade to make up for injuries; Jays Bichette on 10 day IL; plus more news

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Mookie Betts who is suffering from a hand injury is expected back by Aug 2. Betts and whole list of key Dodgers players are on the IL and the Dodgers are considering making trades to make up for the holes in their line up. (AP file photo)

On Headline Sports with Charlie O:

#1 The Los Angeles Dodgers who got swept by the Philadelphia Phillies and lost two out of three to the Detroit Tigers are looking at ways to back in this thing again. They might be consider making some trades and looking for some help as they have some key players on the IL, Mookie Bets, Clayton Kershaw, Jason Heyward, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Dustin May just to name a few.

#2 The Toronto Blue Jays Bo Bichette is on the ten day IL with a left calf injury. Bichette injured his calf running up the first base line after hitting a line out to right field. How does this effect the Jays missing a bat like Bichette’s.

#3 The Tampa Bay Rays first baseman Yandy Diaz was put on the restricted list because of personal family issues. The Rays ended up calling infielder Curtis Mead from the Rays triple A team in Durham.

#4 It’s a Major League debut to be remembered by the Oakland A’s Jacob Wilson but for all the wrong reasons. On Friday night Wilson rounding third base after advancing from second pulled up injured and in the dugout just couldn’t get back on track and had to leave the ball game.

#5 The Las Vegas Stadium Authority hosted a meeting on Thursday with Oakland A’s owner John Fisher’s business partner Sandy Dean at the Las Vegas Convention Center to discuss the plans for the new Las Vegas ballpark on the Vegas Strip. Dean told the Stadium Authority with Authority president Steven Hill on the dais that the A’s plan to spend $350 million of the $380 million of the public money. Neither Hill nor Dean disclosed where or how Fisher will come up with his share of the $500 million towards construction costs will come from. Last report was Fisher was looking for investors to help come up with the costs but still crickets on that as well.

Join Charlie O for Headline Sports each Sunday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Star-Studded Event At Footprint Center- Team WNBA Beats Team USA 117-109

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Team WNBA Arike Ogunbowale (left) drives on Team USA’s Kelsey Plum (5) at the 2024 WNBA All Star Game in Phoenix on Sat Jul 20, 2024 (AP News)

By Barbara Mason

In one of the best WNBA All-Star games of all-time a sell-out crowd of 16,407 witnessed Team WNBA beat Team USA 117-109 in a tight contest Saturday night. Most valuable player the Dallas Wings Arike Ogunbowale led Team WNBA to the win finishing with 34 points.

This was the most points scored in any all-star game earning Ogunbowale a second MVP nod. She was completely contained in the first half but turned it all around in the second half of play hitting eight of 13 three-pointers, giving Team WNBA as much as a 20 point lead in the final 20 minutes of this game.

This game was close in the first half of play with the opening quarter especially close with Team WNBA leading 24-23 after the first ten minutes. At the half, Team USA had a 54-52 lead winning the second quarter 31-28.

Team WNBA really turned this game around in the third quarter winning the quarter 36-25 and taking an 88-79 lead into the fourth quarter. Team USA fought back in the fourth quarter winning the quarter by the narrowest of margins 30-29. The domination in the third quarter by Team WNBA was the deciding factor in the 117-109 final score.

U.S. women’s national team Head Coach Cheryl Reeve had predicted that Team USA faced a huge challenge in this exhibition match taking on Team WNBA and she had it right although Team USA really did put up a fight.

Records were broken in this game with such incredible talent on the floor. Caitlin Clark set a rookie record with ten assists and Angel Reese became the first rookie with a double-double scoring 12 points with 11 rebounds. Allisha Gray who had won the 3-point shooting contest on Friday night chipped in 16 points for TEAM WNBA.

This All-Star game brought out numerous celebrities who enjoyed the evenings festivities from actor Jason Sudeikis (Ted Lasso star), Aubrey Plaza, Sue Bird, World Cup winner Megan Rapinoe, rapper Ty Dolla Sign, the Cardinals’ Marvin Harrison Jr., Kyler Murray, Shannon Sharpe and the list goes on and on. It was an evening to remember for the players and the fans alike.

From the very first shot made in this game when Diana Taurasi nailed a 3-pointer to the 3-pointer scored by Sabrina Ionescu with ten ticks left on the clock in the fourth quarter this game was amazing. Ogunbowale hit a couple of free throws to finish off this game.

This event had it all; it was so entertaining, full of high energy and fans expressed on many levels how much more fun this game was than the NBA All-Star game. This event seems to get better and better with every year. Saturday night at Footprint Center was the happening place to be.

The Las Vegas Aces were very well represented as expected in this game. A’Ja Wilson, Kelsey Plum, Jackie Young and Chelsea Gray all had some great moments in the game.

Now that this game is in the books, players and fans leave Phoenix with memories that will last a lifetime with the promise of more memories to be made in the coming years. It was certainly something special. Team USA now prepares for the 2024 Olympic Games that gets underway from July 26th to August 11.

What a memorable summer for all of these ladies. Once the Olympic Games are in the books, team USA will head back to finish off the regular season with all eyes focused on the WNBA playoffs to finish off an incredible 2024 season.

In one of the best

WNBA

San Diego hands Bay FC second straight loss 3-1 at Snapdragon

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Hard as they tried Bay FC couldn’t overcome the San Diego Wave at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego on Sat Jul 20, 2024 (Bay FC image)

By William Espy

Bay FC visited the San Diego Wave on Saturday night to start the Summer Cup. With a few of their players off to play in the Olympics, and a few others out of the lineup for other reasons, Bay was running with a much different starting eleven than we’ve seen previously.

San Diego had a highly motivated Alex Morgan in the lineup, as she was left off the United States Olympic Team. Emmie Allen was making the first start of her professional career between the pipes for Bay. Bay FC couldn’t hold on losing in a two goal match 3-1 at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego.

Bay FC Starting XI: Allen, Brewster, Beattie, Moreau, Dydasco, Bailey, Shepherd, Castellanos, Doms, Conti, Hill

Wave Starting XI: Beall, McNabb, Westphal, Dahlkemper, Wesley, McCaskill, Colaprico, Doniak, Bennett, Sanchez, Morgan

Allen got forced into action early, making a great save in the 6th minute while she was assisted by defender Jordan Brewster who was also making her first start with Bay FC. Bay spent a majority of the opening minutes with the ball around their box, but they were defending very well despite a few young defenders and midfielders.

15 minutes into the game, Allen went down with an apparent injury but she got back on her feet and remained in the game. Katelyn Rowland was on the bench if necessary, but the 21-year-old Allen certainly needed to make the most of her opportunity.

She certainly was doing so, making another save, this time on Alex Morgan in the 26th minute. A nice passing play nearly gave Bay the lead in the 28th minute, and Deyna Castellanos put it away with a nice finish but the play was called offside. Albertin Montoya was trying something new, playing with Castellanos as a false nine which was seemingly working early in the match.

Around the halfway point in the first half, things seemed to switch a bit. The Wave were carrying momentum and bringing heavy pressure early on, but Bay was starting to swing things in their favor. Dydasco made a phenomenal block in the 31st minute, preventing a quality scoring chance by San Diego.

Kristen McNabb picked up a yellow card in the 36th minute for San Diego when she tripped up Dydasco in midfield. A jumping Jordan Brewster and Makenzy Doniak collided in midfield moments later, leaving Doniak down in some pain and Brewster no worse for wear.

Doniak got back to her feet and remained in the match for the time being. San Diego got a dangerous chance in the 40th minute when Jen Beattie went down leaving it a 2-on-1 with Brewster as the long defender back. Brewster handled it very well though and prevented San Diego from getting on the board.

Rachel Hill created a great chance with hard work in the 42nd, as the Wave tried to hold out for a goal kick as the ball drifted out of play but Hill hustled, got a foot on the ball, and centered it to Castellanos who was unable to finish it off.

Moments later, Bay got their strongest opportunity of the night as Maddie Moreau and Hill got past the defense, but Moreau’s pass was just out of Hill’s reach and went out of play. San Diego took the lead in stoppage time off of a corner, Maria Sanchez whipped it into the head of Kennedy Wesley and Allen had no chance to make a save. It marked the Wave’s first goal since June 19th and Wesley’s first professional goal.

Joelle Anderson entered the game early in the second half for Bay FC, taking over for Maya Doms. Bay got a chance around the 50th minute when a cross from Moreau found Castellanos in front of the goal but it went wide of the goal following a weak shot.

Sanchez scored her first goal with the Wave in the 53rd minute on a long shot that went well over Allen’s head, giving her no chance to make the save once again. Allen was playing at a high level in her first career start, but unfortunately, there was nothing she could do on either of the goals Bay had conceded.

Anderson continued trying to make an impact after entering the game, getting a solid shot just a few minutes later. Moreau got Bay FC on the board in the 63rd minute following a bad clearing attempt by the Wave’s goalkeeper Beall.

It was a great moment for Moreau, who was undrafted in the 2024 NWSL Draft but still scored in her rookie season. Chaos inside Bay FC’s box in the 80th minute gave San Diego a 3-1 lead. Allen originally made the save, but with nobody in between the ball and Amirah Ali, Ali was able to retrieve the ball and put it away.

All things considered, Bay played well with a young lineup against an experienced Wave team. Bay was awarded a penalty at the start of stoppage time when Dydasco went down hard inside of the box.

Castellanos stepped up to take it, and Beall read the shot perfectly, denying the attempt. San Diego walked away with their first win in 10 games, as they defeated Bay FC 3-1 and now leads their group in the Summer Cup.

Webb braves through six innings and gives up four, and Giants’ offense unable to take advantage of Coors Field in 4-3 loss

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San Francisco Giants starter Logan Webb is frustrated after giving up a bottom of the fifth inning home run to the Colorado Rockies Ezequiel Tovar at Coors Field in Denver on Sat Jul 20, 2024 (AP News photo)

Saturday, July 20, 2024

Coors Field

Denver, Colorado

San Francisco Giants 3 (47-52)

Colorado Rockies 4 (36-63)

Win: Kyle Freeland (2-3)

Loss: Logan Webb (7-8)

Save: Victor Vodnik (3)

Time: 2:14

Attendance: 44,178

By Stephen Ruderman

The Giants have now dropped the first two games of this three-game series in Coors Field to start the second half, as Logan Webb braved through six innings but gave up four runs, and the Rockies held on for a 4-3 win on Saturday night.

The Giants were looking for a fresh start after a tough loss last night, and there were many reasons to feel better about Saturday night. First of all, their ace, Logan Webb, was on the mound. Second, they were facing Kyle Freeland, who came into tonight with an ERA of 6.00. Plain and simply, Freeland’s having a bad season.

Unlike last night, the sun was out as the game got underway, as Freeland pitched a 1-2-3 top of the first inning. Webb, who gave up three runs in the bottom of the third inning at the All-Star Game Tuesday in Arlington, Texas, had a rough go of things in the bottom of the first.

The Rockies loaded the bases right away with nobody out, and Elias Diaz grounded into a double play to score Charlie Blackmon for the game’s first run—of course, Diaz was not credited with an RBI, because you can not be credited with an RBI under any circumstances if you ground into a double play.

The Rockies got their next run when first-baseman Wilmer Flores made a bone-headed play. On a ground ball off the bat of Brenton Doyle that was headed right for second-baseman Thairo Estrada, Flores, who was playing halfway between first and second dove to his right to field it, and the ball spat out of his glove. The play was ruled an infield hit, and Ezequiel Tovar scored to make it 2-0 Colorado.

Both pitchers threw scoreless innings in the second, and Tyler Fitzgerald put the Giants on the board with a solo home run out to left-center field with one out in the top of the third. Webb narrowly escaped a jam in the bottom of the third, and Heliot Ramos was doubled off at first to end the top of the fourth.

Webb finally pitched his first 1-2-3 inning of the night in the bottom of the fourth, and the Giants were able to put Freeland in a hole in the top of the fifth after Mike Yastrzemski hit a one-out triple. Curt Casali struck out looking for the second out, and up came Fitzgerald.

The first pitch from Freeland to Fitzgerald was a slider at the knees called a ball by Home Plate Umpire Chris Conroy. The pitch was a nut cutter and could have gone either way, but Freeland did not like the call, and he made his frustration with Conroy quite clear when he lightly threw his arms in the air.

After Conroy took his mask off for a light stare at Freeland, the next pitch was a sinker off the outside corner for ball 2. As Freelend continued to stew, Rockies Pitching Coach Darryl Scott came out to calm down the left-hander.

It was expected that Scott would wait for Conroy to come to the mound to toss him, but Conroy stayed behind the plate and kept his mask on, and Scott went back to the dugout without incident. Fitzgerald then hit a double to left to score Yastrzemski and tie the game. Surprisingly, nobody ended up getting tossed at all.

It was a new game heading to the bottom of the fifth. However, the Rockies got right back ahead when Ezequiel Tovar hit a two-run home run to left to make it 4-2.

Freeland retired the first two men he faced in the top of the sixth. Matt Chapman then reached on an error, and Wilmer Flores lined a double out to center to make it 4-3. Webb, meanwhile, pitched a scoreless bottom of the sixth, and both pitchers were done.

For Webb, he braved through six innings, as he gave up four runs and eight hits. Webb also only threw one 1-2-3 inning. Hey, it was Coors Field, and Webb gave it his best.

Freeland’s outing was quite surprising, as he gave up just three runs, two of them earned over six innings. Though Freeland’s success had more to do with the Giants’ offense falling back on their old bad habits than anything else.

Anyway, as the clouds gathered above Coors Field, Nick Mears threw a 1-2-3 top of the seventh for Colorado, and Erik Webb did the same for the Giants in the bottom of the seventh. Mears threw another 1-2-3 inning in the top of the eighth as the rain started to fall, and Sean Hjelle threw a 1-2-3 bottom of the eighth for San Francisco.

Victor Vodnik then came in for the top of the ninth and closed this thing out with a 1-2-3 top of the ninth.

Kyle Freeland got just his second win of the season; Logan Webb took the loss; and Victor Vodnik picked up his third save.

The Giants’ offense has gone dark again. The fact that Kyle Freeland of all people was able to shut them down tonight was bad. Jorge Soler, Luis Matos, Matt Chapman, Thairo Estrada and Curt Casali went a combined 0-for-16. Soler struck out twice, and is once again struggling with runners in scoring position.

The Giants have fallen back to five games under .500 at 47-52, and now they are staring down the barrel of getting swept by the lowly Rockies. Hayden Birdsong (1-0, 3.72 ERA) will make his fifth big league start tomorrow, and he will be opposed by left-hander Austin Gomber (2-6, 4.61 ERA).

Giants News and Notes:

Robbie Ray struck out seven and gave up just one hit over five and a third shutout innings in what was likely his final rehab start for the Sacramento River Cats. He is expected to make his Giants’ debut in the team’s four-game series in Los Angeles next week.

Minnesota shuts out Earthquakes 2-0 in St Paul; Loss is third in a row for SJ

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Scoreboard says it all as the San Jose Earthquakes are shutout by the Minnesota United FC at Allianz Field in St Paul MN on Sat Jul 20, 2024 (San Jose Earthquakes X image)

By William Espy

The San Jose Earthquakes were on the road visiting Minnesota United FC at Allianz Field in Saint Paul, MN on Saturday night. Minnesota entered the night battling for a playoff spot in the Western Conference despite a 3-game losing streak at home while San Jose was trying to claw their way out of the league’s basement. The Quakes picked up their third straight loss of their own making getting shutout 2-0 by the United.

Earthquakes Starting XI: Yarbrough, Verhoeven, Rodrigues, Beason, Kikanovic, Gruezo, Yueill, Pellegrino, Lopez, Espinoza, Ebobisse

Minnesota Starting XI: St. Clair, Jeong Sang, Harvey, Tapias, Padelford, Rosales, Lod, Dotson, Bran, Hlongwane, Oluwaseyi

It took until the ninth minute for either team to get an opportunity when Jeremy Ebobisse fired a shot that sailed wide to the left, giving the Earthquakes the first shot of the night. Minnesota was playing a physical game early on, leading to quite a few fouls by the home side in the opening 15 minutes. The Quakes were getting some dangerous free kicks as a result but weren’t capitalizing on them.

The first card of the night came in the 25th minute when Alejandro Bran blatantly fouled Hernan Lopez. Pellegrino had the best opportunity of the night so far in the 31st minute when he received a pass from the corner and shot it first-time but a defender was able to get a foot on the shot and deflect it over the goal.

Ebobisse got another opportunity moments later, but his header went wide of the goal. Bran got substituted out in the 33rd minute for Franco Fragapane. Minnesota got their first corner of the night in the 35th minute but were unable to do anything with it.

Despite San Jose leading in possession, shots and almost every important statistic in the first half, Minnesota got a 1-0 lead in the 38th minute when Tanner Beason deflected the ball past William Yarbrough and into his own net.

Carlos Gruezo picked up a yellow moments before the end of the half. Minnesota would maintain that lead into the break, it was 1-0 in favor of the home team at the half.

The Earthquakes started the second half with a hill to climb. Despite being the better team in the first 45 minutes, they trailed 1-0 due to a single mistake. Given their typical performance this season, it was very unlikely that they completed the comeback and walked away with three points, but every game has the potential to be a different story.

Lopez tried to tie it up early in the second, but a low percentage shot went over to the left. Joseph Rosales picked up Minnesota’s second booking of the night in the 59th. Just a couple of minutes later Yarbrough made his biggest save of the night on a shot from the center of the box by Bongokuhle Hlongwane.

Hlongwane was determined to extend his team’s lead, following up with two more quality shots but wasn’t able to score. The Quakes made a couple of substitutions in the 62nd minute with Lopez and Verhoeven coming out for Thompson and Jack Skahan.

Late in the 68th minute Minnesota got another yellow card, this time for Lod. Hlongwane’s effort was finally rewarded in the 75th minute when he extended Minnesota’s lead to two.

Despite a strong start to the game, the Earthquakes did themselves a hole they were unable to come out of. It seemed clear that Minnesota wanted it more once the second half started, and they’ll be glad their winless streak at home has come to an end. Meanwhile, the Earthquakes still need quite a bit of work if they’re going to climb up the standings at any point in the season.

A’s get run production from Rooker and Butler with 3 RBIs each to defeat Angels 8-2

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Oakland A’s Brent Rooker (25) slugs a bottom of the first inning three run home run in front of the Los Angeles Angels catcher Logan O’Hoppe at the Oakland Coliseum on Sat Jul 20, 2024 (AP News photo)

Los Angeles (41-57). 001 001 000. 2. 6. 0

Athletics (39-61). 300 400 10x. 8 11 1

Time: 2:29

Attendance: 14,574

Saturday, July 20, 2024

By Lewis Rubman

OAKLAND–The A’s made it two in a row and clinched the series win against the Angels this lovely Saturday afternoon at the decrepit but, as ever, beautifully manicured Oakland Coliseum. They handily defeated their visitors from the south, 8-2, in a game whose outcome never was in doubt.

Mitch Spence, who started for the Athletics, began the season well, but his performance declined steadily since his first appearance of the season, on March 29. He had been 3-1, 2.84 through April 30. He pitched exclusively in relief through May 13, compiling a record of 4-2, 4.26, after which he joined the rotation. He was 4-4, 4.35 on June 30 and 5-6, 4.75 at game time. The 26 year old righty began to reverse that decline this afternoon.

Spence lasted 5-1/3 innings and allowed two runs, both earned, on five hits, three walks, and a wild pitch to get the win that lowered his ERA to 4.67. Scott Alexander (untouched in two thirds of an inning), Austin Adams (a walk and a strikeout in an inning), and Tyler Ferguson (one hit and a pair of strikeouts in two innings) followed him to the mound. He threw 85 pitches; 35 were balls.

Rookie Jack Kochanowicz, who began last year in High-A Tri-City, made his first big league appearance nine days ago in relief against Seattle. This afternoon marked his first start in the show.

It was not an impressive performance. The 23 year old right hander surrendered seven runs, all earned, on seven hits, one of them a home run, in four innings. He issued three free passes and struck out four Athletics. His pitch count reached 74 in his abbreviated mound tenure and took the loss, leaving him at 0-2, 14.14 Kenny Rosenberg replaced him in the fifth and held the A’s to one run on four hits and a walk.

The A’s picked up where they had left off in yesterday’s 13-3 thrashing of the visiting Angels. Brent Rooker took a 96 mph sinker 445 feet deep, into the left field seats above the American League scoreboard, with Miguel Andújar and JJ Bleday on base, to put the green and gold up 3-0 after an inning of play. It was his 22nd roundtripper and drove in his 63rd, 64th, and 65th runs batted in of 2024.

A combination of sloppy play by the Athletics and heads up baserunning by the Halos’ Jo Adell allowed Los Angeles to get back a run in the third. Adell led off with a walk, stole second, and advanced to third when catcher Kyle McCann couldn’t handle Spence’s third strike to Luis Guillome, forcing the throw to first that put Adell in position to score on Anthony Redon’s sacrifice line drive to left.

It was the bottom of the fourth that proved to be the Angels’ undoing. Brett Rooker and Kyle McCann singled, Harris and Max Schuemann walked, Lawrence Butler doubled to add four runs to the Athletics’ advantage.

The visitors drove Spence from the mound in the sixth. Zach Neto’s double down the left field line that went just under Harris’s glove at third plated Tyler Ward, who had led off with a walk and moved on to second on Logan O’Hoppe’s single to center. Scott Alexander, retiring with nine pitches. the two batters he faced to put out the fire.

The homeless wonders tacked on an insurance run in the seventh, courtesy of Schuemann’s leadoff double and Miguel Andújar’s RBI single off Rosenberg.

Both Butler and Andújar, the numbers one and two in the batting order, went three for four. The former drove in three runs; the latter, one. Rooker went two for three and had three RBI. Schuemann drove in the remaining tally.

Lower calf soreness forced Los Angeles first sacker Nolan Schanuel to leave the game after the top of the third.

Joey Estes (4-4, 5.29), who’s been on a tear recently, will pitch for the Athletics in their attempt to sweep the series when he goes against the Angels Carlos Fulmer (0-2, 3.45). The first pitch is scheduled for 1:07.

Oakland A’s podcast with Morris Phillips: Swinging A’s showing some consistent hitting

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left to right the Oakland A’s Seth Brown (15), Brett Harris (77) congratulate Max Scheumann (12) on his three run home run in the bottom of the fourth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at the Oakland Coliseum on Fri Jul 19, 2024 (AP News photo)

On the A’s podcast with Morris Phillips:

#1 Morris, the A’s have been a hitting bunch of late. They took two out of three from the Philadelphia Phillies when the finished the first half of the season and they come back last night and won in lopsided contest beating the Los Angeles Angels 13-3.

#2 The A’s Max Scheumann contributed with a three run home run and had four RBIs in the ten run win against the Angels.

#3 The A’s JJ Bleday and Shea Langeliers both hit two run home runs. They’ve getting their share of extra bases but over the last week it’s been a huge improvement.

#4 Earlier this season the A’s were having issues with getting run production but in their last road trip against Boston and Philadelphia would you say that’s helped build their confidence?

#5 Angels and A’s match up again today at the Coliseum. The Angels will be starting RHP Jack Kochanowicz (0-1, 12.00 ERA) he’s matching up against the A’s RHP Mitch Spence (5-6, ERA 4.75).

Morris is a podcast contributor at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Scheumann leads A’s with homer and four RBIs to beat Halos 13-3 at Coliseum

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Oakland A’s Max Scheumann circles the bases after slugging a three run home run in the bottom of the fourth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at the Oakland Coliseum on Fri Jul 19, 2024 (AP News photo)

Los Angeles (41-56). 010 101 000. 3. 9 1

Athletics (38-61). 002 407 00x. 13 14 1

Time: 2:39

Attendance: 11,596

Friday, July 19, 2024

By Lewis Rubman

OAKLAND–The A’s returned Friday night from the all-star break to demolish the Los Angeles Angels, whom they’re chasing for the third spot in the four team western division of the American League, in the first of a three game series. The 13-3 triumph would have been a laugher if it hadn’t included the loss of one of the Athletics’ brightest hopes.

Jacob Wilson, the A’s top draft choice and sixth overall last year, was promoted from Las Vegas earlier in the day and started at short, batting in the eighth slot. The Angels’ Anthony Rendon hit the first pitch of the game to him.

The debutant handled it cleanly and threw Rendon out at first. He also made a nifty play to initiate a 6-3 double play in the top of the third, shortly before leading off the bottom of the frame with a single to center in his first major league at bat.

This outstanding performance was cut short when Wilson was removed from the game between innings because of a strained left hamstring. An injury to his right leg had put the prospect on the IL from May 18 to June 24.

The Athletics sent southpaw JP Sears (6-7, 4.56 at game time) to the mound. Had been excellent, if not durable, in his two previous starts, giving up just one earned run in 10-2/3 innings of work on July 4th and 10th.

The holiday win was against the Angels at the Coliseum, where he shut them out over five frames while allowing two hits. He wasn’t as sharp Friday night but still managed to even his won-lost record at 7-7 by allowing three runs, two earned, in 5-2/3 of nine hit ball.

Two of those hits were for the distance. Such is life on a warm evening at the Coliseum, as the Angels’ pitching staff had a chance to learn. 69 of Sears’ 81 offerings qualified as strikes. He struck out four and didn’t issue any walks.

The outing lowered Sears’ ERA slightly, to 4.49. Austin Adams was the first man to replace Sears. He was wild in the beginning but didn’t allow any runs, inherited or otherwise, in his third of an inning on the mound.

Tyler Feruson, Osvaldo Bido, and Michel Otáñez each pitched a hitless and scoreless inning. Adams and Ferguson, at one apiece, were the only A’s relievers to issue a walk.

Opposing Sears and the A’s was Griffin Canning, the Angels’ second round draft choice in 2017. The 28 year old 6′, 180 lb right hander made his major league debut on April 30, 2019 and brought a lifetime record of 22-30, 4.64, accompanied by a season’s record of 3-9, 4.84, to the game.

Canning won the 2020 Gold Glove for American League pitchers. He missed all of the 2022 season with what was described as “a low back stress reaction.” Canning lasted a mere 3-1/3 frames, in which he threw 62 pitches, 38 for strikes. The six runs scored against him were earned and came on six hits, one a four bagger, and a couple of bases on balls. He took the loss and now has a record of 3-10 5.20.

Angels manager Ron Washington’s crew also called on Roansy Contreras, whom they list as a starter. He lasted two innings and gave up two runs, earned, on two hits before being replaced by Matt Moore in the sixth. It was not a felicitous move for the Angelinos.

The A’s scored seven runs in that frame, two of them charged to Contreras and the remainder to Moore. Hans Crouse (a perfect seventh that included a strike out), and infielder Luis Guillorme got the fallen Angels to the finish line without allowing another run.

The Halos took an early lead in the top of the second. Zach Neto hit a soft grounder in front of the plate. Sears made a nice play to grab it but threw off balance into left field for a two base error that put Neto on third. He scored easily on Jo Adell’s bloop single to right.

The A’s went ahead in the bottom of the third. Wilson went to second on a disengagement violation after his leadoff single. Max Schuemann beat out a grounder to third, and both runners scored on Lawrence Butler’s triple. Neto’s 13th homer of the year, a 397 foot fly clearly fair, but not by much, to left, evened the score in the top of the fourth.

The Athletics took the lead back and drove Canning from the mound in the bottom of that inning. Brett Harris, who had taken over Wilson’s spot in the batting order, drove in Zack Gelof, who reached first on a bunt single and advanced to second on a walk to Seth Brown, on. a single to left. Max Schueman then homered to left, his sixth round tripper of the year, driving in his 21st, 22nd, and 23rd runs of the season.

When Sears made his exit in the visitors’ sixth, the Angels had narrowed the score to 6-3 on Nolan Schanuel leadoff homer to right. He got two outs after that but allowed a pair of singles before being lifted in favor of Austin Adams, who threw two wild pitches and issued a walk but got Matt Thaiss to ground out to second to end the inning.

The homeless hosts blew the game open in the sixth, when they sent ten batters to the plate. The mixture of athletic prowess and angelic ineptitude featured

  • Schuemann’s double that scored Seth Brown, who had led off the inning with a walk; • a passed ball; • a throwing error by Angels right fielder Jo Adell that let Schuemann score on Lawrence Butler’s single; • JJ Bleday’s homer (his 12th) into the stairway in right; and • Shea Langeliers’ home run (his 18th) with Rooker (who had singled) on base.

In addition to Wilson’s sparkling defense, Seth Brown made a notable over the shoulder catch of Brandon Drury’s foul that he chased deep into foul territory close to the visitors’ bullpen in the top of the sixth, and Geloff set off sparks with his play on Adell’s lead off grounder in the top of the ninth.

They’ll be giving away José Canseco bobbleheads Saturday, before the 1:07 start. Mitch Spence (5-6, 4.75) is scheduled to start for the A’s. Fellow righty Jack Kochanowicz (0-1, 12.00) will face him for the Disneyland Dandies.

Giants blow solid start from Harrison in wild 7-3 loss at Coors Field

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San Francisco Giants reliever Tyler Rogers reaction after he gave up a three run bottom of the eighth inning home run to the Colorado Rockies Jake Cave at Coors Field in Denver on Fri Jul 19, 2024 (AP News photo)

Friday, July 18, 2024

Coors Field

Denver, Colorado

San Francisco Giants 3 (47-51)

Colorado Rockies 2 (35-63)

Win: Jalen Beeks (6-4)

Loss: Tyler Rogers (1-3)

Time: 2:45

Attendance: 40,115

By Stephen Ruderman

Coors Field struck again to start the second half, as the Giants blew a 3-0 lead and a five-inning shutout performance from Kyle Harrison, and the Rockies came back to win a flatout weird game by a final of 7-3 on Friday night.

Following a thrilling win on a walk-off little league home run by Mike Yastrzemski on Sunday to cap off the first half, Logan Webb and Heliot Ramos went to Arlington, Texas for the All-Star Game, and the rest of the team had four much-needed days off. Friday night, they reconvened in Denver to open the second half and pennant race.

With the Giants playing at Coors Field, you just knew that it was going to be a weird and wild night. In fitting Coors Field fashion, it was overcast and rainy at the start of the game, as the Giants went down 1-2-3 against Rockies’ starter Cal Quantrill in the top of the first inning.

Kyle Harrison made the start for San Francisco Friday night in his third start back off the Injured List. In his first start back on July 6 in Cleveland, the Guardians got to him for four runs over three and a third innings. However, he fared much better last Friday, when he allowed just a run to the Twins over five and a third at Oracle Park. Harrison got off to a solid start Friday night with a scoreless bottom of the first.

Quantrill retired the first two men he faced in the top of the second, but Matt Chapman lined a double to left field with two outs, and Yastrzemski drew a walk. That brought up Thairo Estrada, who lined a base-hit to left that went under the glove of the diving Sean Bouchard in left and went to the wall. Two runs scored, and Estrada went into third with a triple.

Harrison pitched a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the second, and the Giants had Quantrill back on the ropes in the top of the third. Jorge Soler lined a base-hit to right, and LaMonte Wade doubled Soler over to third. Heliot Ramos was unable to knock in Soler on a ground out to first base, but Bailey was able to on a ground out to second.

Harrison threw a scoreless bottom of the third, and Quantrill was in trouble once again in the top of the fourth. Chapman walked to start the inning, and Estrada was hit by a pitch with one out. The Giants then suffered a really bad break.

Brett Wisely hit a bullet off the bag at first that ricocheted and hit First Base Umpire Chris Conroy. The ball caromed over to first-baseman Michael Toglia, who slid to the bag to get Wisely. The ball was ticketed for extra bases, and the Giants were likely to get two more runs and a 5-0 lead, but it wouldn’t happen, and Soler struck out to end the inning.

Harrison survived a bit of a jam in the bottom of the fourth, and Quantrill threw a 1-2-3 top of the fifth. Harrison escaped another jam in the bottom of the fifth, and after 93 pitches over five shutout innings, he was done.

Harrison was solid, but his wildness, which has been his weakness, once again got to him Friday night. While he gave up just one hit, he walked four, which got him into trouble and extended his pitch count. Still, he has had two-straight solid outings, and he is having an all-around solid season.

Despite the tough break in the top of the fourth, the Giants seemed to be in control Friday night, but this was Coors Field, and as we all know, things can change very quickly. Quantill pitched a scoreless top of the sixth to end his night, and Randy Rodriguez took the ball for the Giants in the bottom of the sixth.

Elias Diaz was grazed by a pitch with one out, but after Home Plate Umpire Brian O’Nora sent him down to first, Diaz claimed he wasn’t hit. Bob Melvin challenged the call, and it was upheld. It was close, but one of three things happened: O’Nora blew the call; Diaz didn’t feel it; or Diaz was trying to pull an Albert Belle and wanted to keep hitting.

Anyway, Brenton Doyle immediately hit a home run out to left-center to put the Rockies on the board and make it a 3-2 game. The Giants wasted a golden opportunity against Tyler Kinley in the top of the seventh, and Ryan Walker came in and ran into trouble in the bottom of the seventh.

Jake Cave doubled to lead off the inning. Sam Hilliard got Cave over to third with a fly out to left, and Charlie Blackmon struck out swinging. Walker now had a chance to get out of the inning unscathed, and with the Giants’ lead still intact.

Ezequiel Tover was now the hitter, and he hit a ground ball half way between second and third that third-baseman Matt Chapman fielded to his left, 360’d and threw the ball away, which allowed Cave to score to tie the game.

It was a tough break, and Chapman, one of the most sure-handed third-basemen in all of Baseball, would probably tell you that he should have had Tovar at first. It was ruled a base-hit, and since Tovar moved to second, Chapman got a rare error. Rare, because errors have gone mostly extinct this season.

Off to the eighth! Jalen Beeks, who finished the top of the seventh for Kinley, was back out for the top of the eighth, and threw a 1-2-3 shutdown inning.

The very-reliable Tyler Rogers came in for the bottom of the eighth, but at Coors Field, he ran into trouble too. Brendan Rogers reached on an infield hit to short; Toglia doubled Brendan Rogers over to third; and Cave hit a three-run home run to right to give the Rockies their first lead of the night.

Sam Hilliard popped out to third for the first out, and Melvin brought in Luke Jackson, who struck out Blackmon for the second out. Tovar then lined a home run down the left field line to make it 7-3.

There’s no getting around it. That was a brutal bottom of the eighth inning. Rogers and Jackson combined for 44 pitches, and the Rockies scored four runs.

Victor Vodnik then finished off the game with an eight-pitch 1-2-3 top of the ninth.

Jalen Beeks got the win, and Tyler Rogers took the loss. The Giants fall to 47-51, and in order to bounce back tomorrow, they just have to acknowledge that this is Coors Field, where weird things happen.

Giants’ ace Logan Webb (7-7, 3.47 ERA), who gave up three runs in the bottom of the third in the All-Star Game on Tuesday will take the ball for San Francisco Saturday night in the second game of the series. He’ll be opposed by veteran left-hander Kyle Freeland (1-3, 6.00 ERA). First pitch will be at 6:10 p.m. in Denver, 5:10 p.m. back home in San Francisco.

Oakland A’s Relocation podcast with Daniel Dullum: A’s say they’re in good shape on ballpark construction costs won’t need to use all $380 million of state money

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Sandy Dean a family business partner of Oakland A’s owner John Fisher addresses the Las Vegas Stadium Authority at the Las Vegas Convention Center on Thu Jul 18, 2024 regarding the financing of the Tropicana ballpark on the Las Vegas Strip. (photo by the Nevada Independent)

On the Oakland A’s Relocation podcast with Daniel:

#1 The Las Vegas Stadium Authority was notified by the Oakland A’s that they are in good financial standing and will not need to use all of the $380 million in public funds to pay for the construction towards the Tropicana ballpark on the Las Vegas Strip.

#2 The Stadium Authority met with Sandy Dean on Thursday. Dean a business partner with Oakland A’s owner John Fisher said the team is in “good shape” asked how the A’s are in good shape and where the finances were coming from to cover the $1.2 billion in construction costs Dean didn’t comment.

#3 Dean stated at the meeting that the A’s intend to use $350 million of the $380 million in public funds. Dean said the A’s never planned to use the full amount and that the remaining funding will be off set by debt financing.

#4 Public financing of the ballpark comes from transferable credits $180 million coming from the State of Nevada, another $120 million coming from Clark County bonds, and county infrastructure costs will run $25 million. So it looks like Nevada is ready to pitch in for their share of the costs.

#5 Still after the meeting the question of where Fisher was going to come up with his share of the construction costs at $1.2 million was an issue. In a March 2024 interview with the San Francisco Chronicle Fisher told the paper that payments for the construction costs at $200 million from debt, $500 million from the Fisher family, and another $500 million from investors. It’s mid July and there has been no word on where the money is coming from from Fisher’s share of the construction costs other than Dean saying the A’s are in “good shape” to cover the costs on the public money.

#6 News out of Sacramento Vivek Ranadive said that he’s prepared to spend millions for improvements to upgrade the park to MLB specs over the off season as the A’s will open the 2025 season at Sutter Health Park. The discussion of playing on turf has the Players Union concerned and MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said all they have to do is put some water on the turf and that should cool things off and solve the problem.

Daniel Dullum does the Oakland A’s Relocation podcasts each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com