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Oakland A’s podcast with Barbara Mason: A’s Miller going to All Star Game; Oakland opens 3 game series in Boston Tuesday

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Oakland A’s pitcher Mason Miller whose been lights out all season in relief has been selected by the American League to represent the A’s at the 2024 All Star Game in Arlington Texas (image from the Oakland A’s)

On the Oakland A’s podcast with Barbara:

#1 Oakland A’s reliever Mason Miller has done it all season shutting the door on opposing teams and tossing flame thrower pitches over 100 MPH. He leads all rookie pitchers with saves in MLB with 14, he has 66 strikeouts in 37.2 innings and manager Mark Kotsay says he’ll represent the A’s well at the All Star Game in Arlington.

#2 Tough way to finish the three game series for the A’s on Sunday against the Baltimore Orioles. The A’s facing the O’s with the series tied 1-1 just couldn’t get enough run production in a 6-3 three run loss Sunday.

#3 The Orioles after getting embarrassed on Saturday in a 19-8 loss to the A’s turned it around on Sunday and opened up the contest with four runs to establish the lead early in the contest.

#4 The Orioles Heston Kjerstad set the tone in the top of the first inning with a three run home run off A’s starting pitcher Mitch Spence. The A’s ended up making three errors in the game for the loss.

#5 The A’s will try to see if they can pick up a series win as they open up a three game series against the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday night at Fenway Park. The A’s will be sending out Joey Estes (3-3, ERA 4.39) against the Red Sox starter RHP Brayan Bello (8-5, ERA 5.19)

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

Six run forth gives Ballers 14-9 win over Wheelers at Raimondi Park

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There were plenty of Oakland Ballers at Raimondi Park in West Oakland who picked up a five run win over the Yolo High Wheelers on Sun Jul 7, 2024 (photo by the Oakland Ballers)

Yolo High Wheelers ((18-21) 040 050 000 9 9 2

Oakland Ballers (24-18) 004 611 20x 14 15 2

Time: 3:40

Attendance: 1,103

Sunday, July 7, 2024

By Lewis Rubman

WEST OAKLAND–Turnabout is fair play. What goes around comes around. History repeats itself, the first time as tragedy; the second as farce. Choose your cliché, this weekend’s battles royal between the Pioneer League’s two most recent entries had it.

Saturday afternoon, the Oakland Ballers fell behind their rivals from Davis 4-0 in the second inning. Yolo added two runs in each of the following three frames to amass a seemingly insurmountable 10-0 lead when the Ballers came to bat in the bottom of the fifth. They put a four spot on the board then and tacked on six more in the seventh to even the score only to run out of steam and fall 13-10.

That was a tough loss and a tough act to follow.

But the Ballers bounced back this Sunday afternoon, winning going away, 14-9, in ways that frequently harked back to Saturday’s debacle.

It started with another fearsome fourth run top of the second, which was particularly unsettling because the Wheelers also had posted a quartet of second inning tallies not just on Saturday, but on Friday as well. Sunday night’s featured a solo home run by Yolo’s DH, Justin Kirby, two singles—one of them on a bunt—, a double, and a misplay Myles Jefferson, usually a shortstop but playing second today.

It originally had been scored a hit but after much discussion was reclassified as an error. It was fitting that the game would end with Jefferson, who was moved back to his normal position in the top of the eighth, would pull off a beautiful play at short, for the game’s final out.

But the worm turned Sunday. Oakland answered Yolo’s attack with a counter offensive that evened the score in the third. A Payton Harden single, followed by an Austin Davis double off the left field wall and Trevor Halsema’s sac fly to left kick started the Oakland comeback. It continued with two way player JP Gates, in his designated hitter mode singled to left and trotted home on Dondrei Hubbard’s tying home run. That blast would be voted the play of the game.

It certainly changed the nature of the contest, but there was more to come. Instead of petering out, Oakland’s offense picked up in the fourth where it had left off in the third, sending ten men to the plate . The B’s began by clogging the base paths with one out, chasing Yolo starter JC Ariza from the mound, replaced by Jacob Stobart.

He walked Davis, putting the Ballers up by a run. With the count 2-1, Gates swung and connected for a two run single to right. Stobart plunked Hubbard. Noah Martínez smacked a two bagger to right, plating Gates and Hubbard. Now it was Oakland who had two digits in the R column.

Nightmare visions of Saturday’s squandered comeback briefly appeared in the visitors’ fifth, when five High Wheelers crossed the plate. Brayland Skinner walked, stole second, and took third on a wild pitch by Oakland’s starting pitcher, Christian Cosby, arguably the ace of the staff, having started the day with a record of 4-1, 4.79, which in the Pioneer League are Cy Young numbers.

Brylin Marine, Yolo’s batting leader, ground out to short but drove in Skinner, for Yolo’s fifth run. Bobby Lada’s double and a free passes to Brandon Blackford and Kirby loaded the bases and set the scene for Yolo’s last hurrah, a grand slam by Kirkland Banks. It came on the last of Cosby’s 118 pitches. Cosby was charged with nine runs, six earned, on seven hits, three walks, and a wild pitch. He struck out 10.

The Ballers added a superfluous but reassuring run in each of the fifth and sixth innings, and two final tallies in the seventh.

After Cosby’s departure, one out short of earning (by the skin of his teeth the win), the Ballers used three relievers. None of them permitted any Yolo runs. The eventual winner, Zach St. Pierre, threw 26 pitches in two hitless innings to gain his first win against two losses. Conner Richardson gave up a hit in 1-1/3 frames, in which he threw 33 pitches. Carson Lambert’s 17 pitch one hit ninth closed the book on the High Wheelers.

The crew from Davis also sent four hurlers to the mound. Following Ariza (3-1/3 IP, seven runs, all earned; seven hits (one out of the park); three walks, and a hit batter, all on 70 pitches) were Stobart (1-1/3 innings, four runs, earned, three hits, two walks, and a strikeout on 26 pitches); Kris Anglin (a hit in two thirds of an inning, 17 pitches; and Noah Estrella, who allowed Oakland its last three runs, all earned, in 2-2/3 innings, in which he gave up four hits and walk on 41 pitches).

Three Ballers had multi-hit games. Two way Gates led the way, going five for five. Move over, Ohtani! Noah Martínez went three for four; Davis, two for five. Davis, Gates and Martínez doubled. Hubbard, Martínez, and Jaylen Smith hit four baggers for the home team.

Kirkland Banks and Kyle Guerra, with two apiece, had multi-hit games for the High Wheelers. Each of them also homered. Bobby Lada and Banks banged two baggers. Marine, who went one for five, extended his streak of consecutive games reaching base safely to 25.

After their usual Monday day off, the Ballers will open a new six game home series, beginning Tuesday the ninth at 6:35 against the last place Great Falls Voyagers

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: 2024: The Final Season of the A’s at the Coliseum (Part VII) -Jim Palmer Loves the Coliseum

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Baltimore Orioles broadcaster and former pitching great Jim Palmer who was at the Oakland Coliseum over last weekend with the Orioles (Fox TV photo)

2024: The Final Season of the A’s at the Coliseum (Part VII) –

Jim Palmer Loves the Coliseum

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-Gonzalez

OAKLAND–The Baltimore Orioles visited the Oakland A’s for the last time in their history. One of the great pitchers, the one and only Jim Palmer, was there as a commentator for Orioles television. Jim Palmer won three Cy Young Awards (1973-1975-1976) as the best pitcher in the American League.

Palmer ended his career with a record of 268-152, an ERA of 2.86, and 2,212 strikeouts. In his 19 seasons with the Orioles, he pitched 3,948 innings and never gave up a Grand Slam. Plus, he also won 4 Gold Gloves Awards.

Now, that is a career. Because the Orioles are an Eastern Division team, they only make one trip to Oakland. They won two of the three games against the A’s and remained in first place over the second-place New York Yankees in what promises to be like two horses going down the stretch until the last day of the season, while Alex’s Cora’s the Red Sox are lingering in third place and looking to join the party.

I always speak with Jim Palmer, but because this was the last trip, he always remembers that the O’s were my childhood team, mainly when they used to hold Spring Training in Miami. As a teenager, I worked for them as a bat boy and sometimes ball boy during those Spring Training games in the old Miami Stadium, which used to be the home of the Miami Marlins of the old Florida State League, many years before the current Miami Marlins were born in the National League.

As an Orioles fan, I have followed his career since the 1960’s. They were the first major league team I saw in the US, and it was like my first love with baseball, I could never forget. During this visit to Oakland, he told me he would not attend the official induction ceremony on Sunday, July 21, in Cooperstown because he has a significant personal affair to attend.

This year’s inductees, Adrian Beltré, Joe Mauer, and Todd Helton, received enough votes from the Baseball Writers Association of America to enter the most famous Hall of Fame in sports. For the record, Jim Palmer was inducted into Cooperstown in 1990.

When I asked Palmer what his magic was in not allowing one Grand Slam in over 3,000 innings he pitched, he quickly responded, ‘I walk the guy.” At 78 years old, Jim Palmer is as sharp as ever. As far as coming for the last time to Oakland, “I love the Coliseum,” he said, referring to Oakland as a pitcher’s park with all the foul territory, where a pitcher gets more outs, something the A’s pitcher Dave Stewart told me years ago.

No pitcher in baseball won more games during the 1970s decade than the right-hander born in New York. Although it was not in Oakland, he pitched a no-hitter against the Athletics on August 13, 1969, at the old Memorial Stadium in Baltimore.

During the late 1970s and 1980s, Palmer was a spokesman and was shown in television commercials for Jockey brand men’s brief. I told him he probably had more fans of the opposite gender because of those television commercials, and he smiled. But in fact, the commercials did make him more famous than he was in the baseball world.

The same effect happened to another Hall of Fame member, Joe DiMaggio, known as “The Yankee Clipper,” but later generations knew about him as a “Mister Coffee” coffeemaker on television. In a time where a starter that goes six innings and allows few runs, is called a “quality” start, nobody seems able to go the distance, and 20 game winners are like the Dodo bird (no pun intended) an extinct species.

Note: The 1971 Orioles are the last team and only second club in history(1920 Chicago White Sox) to have four 20-game winners in a season the 1920 White Sox were Red Faber, Lefty Williams, Eddie Cicotte, and Dickie Kerr. The 1971 Orioles were Jim Palmer, Dave McNally, Mike Cuellar, and Pat Dobson in 1971. The only one alive today is Jim Palmer.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the lead play by play voice on the Oakland A’s Spanish radio network and does News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Panthers lose in heartbreaking fashion against Wranglers 47-46

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Photo taken on 7/7/24 by Titus Wilkinson. Daquan Neal attempts pass.

By Titus Wilkinson (@TitusWisme)

SAN JOSE- After clinching a playoff berth on June 29th when they beat the Vegas Night Hawks the Panthers looked to keep the good times rolling against the Northern Arizona Wranglers.

The first matchup of the season between these two teams went in favor of the Panthers as they squeaked out a 39-36 win over the Wranglers.

The Panthers got off to a quick start as less than a minute in Daquan Neal found Joshua Tomas for 28 yards to get them on the board.

Northern Arizona responded with a field goal on their next possession but once again Neal was able to find Tomas for another touchdown making it a 14-3 score. The touchdown was not an easy one as Neal made the pass while being hit but was still able to drop it right into Tomas’s hands.

Defensively the Panthers looked stout holding the Wranglers to four third downs in just the first half. The Wranglers were only able to convert on two out of those four third downs.

The domination only continued in the second as the Panthers scored on a fourth down conversion with Neal this time hitting JT Stokes with a dime.

Sputtering on offense the Wranglers once again had to settle for a field goal putting the score at 21-7.

Neal then completed his fourth touchdown pass of the first half to Pieer Williams continuing his dominant play.

Northern Arizona was finally able to get their first touchdown of the game as quarterback Joshua Jones rushed for a yard and fought his way across the goal line making it a 28-13 game. The Wranglers also successfully attempted a dropkick afterwards getting them the extra two points.

Right before the half was out the Panthers got a rushing touchdown of their own Shane Simpson charged his way into the end zone for five yards. The Panthers would miss the extra point afterwards keeping the score at 34-15 at the end of the first half.

The third quarter saw both offenses struggle as points wouldn’t be put up until the 5:12 mark when Neal completed his fifth touchdown pass of the game to Stokes.

The Wranglers then proceeded to respond with a touchdown of their own right before time expired as Jones completed a pass to Tosin Oyekanmi for 11 yards. Northern Arizona also convereted on the drop kick making it a 40-23 game.

With a 17 point lead heading into the fourth things seemed to be under control for the Panthers but that would change.

That feeling was only affirmed when Neal found Stokes again for 13 yards for another touchdown though they would miss the extra point.

After the touchdown things quickly began to fall apart.

It started with Jones completing a touchdown pass to Oyekanmi for 14 yards plus another convert on a dropkick which made the score 46-31.

The Wranglers then recovered the ball on an onside kick and after a lengthy drive were able to score as Jones rushed into the end zone for 6 yards.

With only 1:06 left the Wranglers would need another miracle and they got one as they again recovered an onside kick.

Now down to 57 seconds the time was not on Northern Arizona’s side but they marched down the field and scored as Jones found Gen Coleman II for the touchdown. After converting on the dropkick the score was now just a one point difference at 46-45.

Now with only one option the Wranglers had to attempt another drop kick though this one would be the length of the field. For Axel Perez that did not seem to matter as he drilled it through the uprights giving the Wranglers their first lead of the game with four seconds left on the clock.

The Panthers would attempt a lengthy field goal of their own late but failed to convert as they lost 47-46.

Neal finished the game going 13-18 with six touchdown passes, and a total of 171 yards thrown. Jones on the other hand went 28-52 with three touchdown passes, and a total of 290 yards thrown.

The loss today was only Bay Area’s third of the season and drops their record to 11-3. For the Wranglers the win brings them up 9-5 and keeps their playoffs hope alive.

The Panthers will look to rebound on Saturday in their final home game of the regular season against the Duke City Gladiators at 6:05 p.m.

Oakland A’s Lose 6-3 To The Baltimore Orioles To End Series; A’s Mason Miller selected for All Star Game

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Oakland A’s pitcher Mason Miller was selected as the lone representative for the A’s at the 2024 All Star Game in Arlington (Athletics Nation file photo)

Sunday, July 7th, 2024

By Troy Ewers

Oakland, CA – In the Oakland Coliseum, it’s the final game of this series between the Oakland A’s and the Baltimore Orioles. The Orioles fell to the A’s, 19-8 in the second game of the series. Baltimore has won seven of their last 10 games after dropping their previous five, the team’s longest since May 13-18 2022 (6 games). On the other hand, the A’s have won four of the last five games, but are 8-18 (.308) over the last 26 games… are 17-40 (.298) dating back to May 5, which is the lowest winning percentage in the majors. 

On the mound for both teams, Mitch Spence (5-4, 4.15) for the A’s and Grayson Rodriguez (10-3, 3.45) for the Orioles. 

Sunday the MLB will announce the rest of the American League and National League All-Star teams at 5:30pm EST. The A’s have announced that pitcher Mason Miller will be their representative at the All Star Game in Arlington. Miller has had an amazing season saving games the leading rookie with 14. Miller also has 66 strikeouts in 37.2 innings.

Two Orioles are already named starters, Adley Rutschman and Gunnar Henderson. First time the O’s have multiple starters in the Midsummer Classic since Adam Jones and Nelson Cruz in 2014. The A’s couldn’t get some of those 19 runs they scored on Saturday and lost by three runs to the Orioles at the Oakland Coliseum on Sunday 6-3. Losing two out of three in the series.

Game started with an immediate bomb being dropped on the A’s. With two outs Anthony Santander hit a solo home run off Spence, 1-0 Baltimore. Right after two straight singles, Heston Kjerstad hits a three run homer and the Orioles take 4-0 lead in the first inning. 

In the third inning, an inning where Santander got on base after Brett Harris lost the ball in the sun, Kjerstad got his second hit and brought Santander home with an RBI triple, because both JJ Bleday and Lawrence Butler lost the ball in the sun, 5-0 Orioles. 

A’s show signs of life in the sixth inning with 2 big runs. Tyler Soderstrom hits a double that scored Bleday to make it 5-1, but Shea Langeliers follows up Soderstrom with a sac fly to left that scored Brent Rooker, 5-2 Orioles as we headed into the seventh inning. 

In the seventh, Oakland kept fighting for their life as Bleday hit into a fielder’s choice that scored Butler, 5-3 Orioles still up, but the A’s showed they’re not out. 

The gap being closed to a 2 run game showed life for Oakland, but at the top of the ninth Gunnar Henderson hit a single that scored Jorge Mateo, who pinch ran for Ryan Mountcastle, 6-3 Orioles.

The A’s came into the bottom of the ninth down three runs and one final chance to get the W. Despite one single, the Orioles shut down the A’s and won the game 6-3. 

Grayson Rdriguez gets the win, Mitch Spence gets the loss, and Craig Kimbrel gets the save. 

Both teams have a day off on Monday, but the A’s next series will be Tuesday, July 9th in Boston against the Red Sox with Joey Estes (3-3, 4.39) and Bryan Bello (8-5, 5.19) on the mound for the first game.

Giants Drop Series to Cleveland in a 5-4 loss; Naylor nails 3 run homer to pace Cleveland in win

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Cleveland Guardians Bo Naylor watches the flight of his three run homer in the bottom of the sixth inning as San Francisco Giants catcher Patrick Bailey looks on at Progressive Field in Cleveland on Sun Jul 7, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

The San Francisco Giants were looking for a series win as they took on the Cleveland Guardians (56-32) Sunday afternoon but had to settle for a 5-4 loss only winning game two in the series. The Giants have dropped to 44-47, three games below five hundred. San Francisco rallied in the ninth inning pulling to within one run but fell short in this game.

Game recap: The Giants got a great start in the game taking a 2-0 lead in the second inning. It was a quick strike, a Michael Conforto home run, with Patrick Bailey aboard taking the 2-0 lead into the third inning. San Francisco scored another run in the third inning extending their lead. Heliot Ramos singled and Nick Ahmed scored from third after leading off the inning with a double for a Giants 3-0 lead.

The Guardians began to make some noise scoring 2 runs in the fourth inning. Cleveland pulled to within one run with a couple of Guardian hits that brought two runners home. Bo Naylor hit a single that drove Angel Martinez home for their first run of the game. Daniel Schneeman came to the plate and doubled allowing another Cleveland runner Jose Ramirez to score ending the inning with the Giants still leading 3-2.

It was a quiet fifth inning for both teams. In the sixth inning Cleveland took their first lead of the game scoring three runs. Bo Naylor had his second hit of the game, a home run, driving in two runners, Andres Gimenez who was on second and Tyler Freeman on third for a 5-3 Cleveland lead.

This game went into the ninth inning with the Guardians hanging onto the 5-3 lead. San Francisco had one inning left to try and turn this game around. Patrick Bailey flied out but Matt Chapman doubled to keep this game alive for the Giants. Michael Conforto grounded out bringing Chapman home and San Francisco had pulled too within one run with two outs on the board. Luis Matos who hit for Slater and was called safe on a Cleveland throwing error and the Giants were still alive. It all came to an end when Brett Wisely grounded out and the Guardians had won the game 5-4 as well as the series.

Cleveland had 10 hits in this game and San Francisco finished with 7 hits. Giants starting pitcher Hayden Birdsong went 4.2 innings allowing 5 hits, 2 runs, 2 walks with 5 strikeouts. The Guardians starter Carlos Cerrasco threw for 5 innings with 6 hits, 3 runs, 1 walk and 4 strikeouts. It all came down to the Bo Naylor 3-run home run in the sixth inning to push Cleveland over the top.

Game notes: Sunday afternoon in Cleveland, the San Francisco Giants (44-47) played the Guardians (56-32) in the rubber match of their three-game series. Cleveland evened up the series in Saturday’s game with a 5-4 win keeping them atop the American League Central. Sunday the Giants sent Hayden Birdsong to the mound. Birdsong pitched for 4.2 innings, allowed five hits and two earned runs.

Carlos Carrasco started for the Guardians went five innings, six hits and three earned runs with four strikeouts. San Francisco wrapped up the series with a win on Friday night but losing two out of three to the Guardians. The Giants are heading home to San Francisco for a series with the Blue Jays which will get underway Tuesday night at 6:45pm PT.

Blake Snell (0-3, ERA 9.51) will take the mound for the Giants in this game returning from IL. This will be his first start since June and his second IL this season. It was not be an easy return for the pitcher in his first return from IL but he was solid on Wednesday in Sacramento looking sharp with five no-hit , shutout innings striking out nine batters. The Blue Jays will start Yusei Kikuchi who come in with a 4-8 win/loss record and a 4.12 ERA.

Headline Sports podcast with Charlie O: Yankees struggling with MLB worst slump; Judge on pace hit 60 HRs; plus more news

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New York Yankees’ Aaron Judge runs the bases after hitting a two-run home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Saturday, June 22, 2024, in New York. Judge who has 32 home runs is on a pace to hit 50 this season. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Headline Sports podcast with Charlie O:

#1 Charlie, who would expect the New York Yankees who had a season best 49-21 through June 12 now at a MLB worst at 6-15. The Yankees blew a three lead when the Boston Red Sox Masataka Yoshida hit a two run homer and Ceddanne Rafaela homered in the 10th inning to give the Sox a 5-3 win on Friday night.

#2 Charlie, you might recall when former Negro Leagues star Buck O’Neil said there were three times he heard that certain thwack off the bat and you knew from that sound that hitter was something special. The list Babe Ruth, Josh Gibson, and Bo Jackson. He might have added the Yankees Aaron Judge to list if he was here today.

#3 The New York Mets activated closer Edwin Diaz. Diaz was suspended after serving a ten day suspension for foreign substance abuse on his hands. Diaz at the time said it was sweat and rosin the umpires ruled it was a foreign substance and he thrown out of the game and later suspended.

#4 The Pittsburgh Pirates tied a franchise record hitting seven home runs defeating the New York Mets 14-2 on Friday night. The Pirates Bryan Reynolds and Rowdy Tellez became the first teammates to hit multiple home runs including a grand slam,. All of the Bucs runs came from the home run.

#5 Last week Nevada District Court Judge Kristin Luis ruled that the Oakland A’s are a private business and cannot get involved any lawsuit to stop Schools over Stadiums from their petition drive to stop Nevada State public money to pay for the Tropicana Park on the Las Vegas Strip. This would give Schools over Stadiums the green light to pursue getting the needed signatures from four districts in Nevada including Las Vegas for a ballot initiative to stop the use of public funds for the ballpark.

Charlie O does Headline Spots podcasts each Sunday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Oakland A’s podcast with Titus Wilkinson: All Runs scored by A’s were at the assist of home runs Saturday

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Oakland A’s Brent Rooker (center) is congratulated by teammates Miguel Andujar (22) and Daz Cameron (right) in the top of the first inning against the Baltimore Orioles at the Oakland Coliseum on Sat Jul 6, 2024 (AP News photo)

On the Oakland A’s podcast with Titus:

#1 Titus, Saturday the Oakland A’s got a lot of runs particularly in the second inning when they scored seven runs against one of the best teams in the Majors the Baltimore Orioles.

#2 All 19 of the A’s runs were scored by the home run which when you think of it was an tremendous effort by the long ball.

#3 Brent Rooker and Max Schuemann both hit three run homers, the A’s had five home runs total in the 19-8 landslide. The A’s had been struggling for some run production in previous games and this might be a start of their ability to get around the ball.

#4 The A’s previous to this series with the Orioles shut out the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday and Thursday by identical scores 5-0. Do you believe that this was some carry over from that series to this series against the Orioles a close 3-2 loss on Friday to the 19-8 laugher on Saturday?

#5 The A’s give it a go and try and win game three of the series at the Coliseum against the Orioles. The Orioles after that loss Saturday might be out for revenge after getting beat in that landslide.

Titus Wilkinson is podcast contributor at http://www.sporrtsradioservice.com

First overall pick Macklin Celebrini officially signs with San Jose Sharks

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Photo courtesy of San Jose Sharks.

By Titus Wilkinson (@TitusWisme)

The Sharks made some big news today by announcing that they have officially signed first overall pick Macklin Celebrini to an entry-level contract.

With the signing the Sharks have made the decision for Celebrini to join the Sharks right away rather than having him spend another year playing at Boston University.

Before the signing there was some thought that he may return to college but after impressing Mike Grier and others he has decided to go pro.

“Macklin is not only a special player on the ice, but he is a poised, confident and intelligent young man off it,” said Grier (From San Jose Sharks).

Celebrini’s season at Boston University before he was drafted was extremely impressive as he put up 64 points in 38 games played. For his impressive play he was awarded the Hobey Baker Trophy as the best NCAA men’s hockey player.

The day before the Sharks officially announced Celebrini signing his ELC the Sharks held their annual prospect scrimmage. The event was held at Tech CU Arena and was the first time Sharks fans had the opportunity in person to watch Celebrini in action.

Not only is Celebrini making his debut next season, but so is Will Smith who went fourth overall in last year’s draft.

This offseason has certainly brought plenty of hope back to San Jose who now arguably has one of the best prospect pools in the NHL.

Sharks fans will have to wait till October 10th to see Celebrini play regular season hockey when the Sharks open their season against the St. Louis Blues.

That’s the Spirit Bay FC shutout by Washington 3-0 at Pay Pal Park

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As hard as they tried Bay FC couldn’t get on the scoreboard and were shutout by the visiting Washington Spirit at Pay Pal Park in San Jose on Sat Jul 6, 2023 (photo by Bay FC)

By William Espy

SAN JOSE–Bay FC hosted the Washington Spirit in their final game before the Olympic break. Bay was looking to extend their winning streak to three games, while the Spirit looked to pull closer to the Orlando Pride and Kansas City Current in the standings.

Bay has a couple of ties with the Spirit, as head coach Albertin Montoya was previously their interim coach, while midfielder Dorian Bailey previously played for them. After winning two games in a row and winning three of their last five games Bay FC were shutout at Pay Pal Park 3-0 by the Spirit in Saturday night’s match.

Bay FC Starting XI: Rowland, King, Menges, Sharples, Malonson, Castellanos, Pickett, Bailey, Kundananji, Oshoala, Hill

Spirit Starting XI: Kingsbury, Krueger, Butel, McKeown, Carle, Hershfelt, Sullivan, Rodman, Bethune, Morris, Sarr

In the third minute, Katelyn Rowland got very lucky to only get a yellow card when she came out to play the ball and took out the attacker’s legs. It could’ve easily been more than that, which would’ve certainly put Bay FC in a difficult spot very early on.

They weren’t overly lucky though, as just moments later Washington would make it 1-0 off of a shot from Makenna Morris. Before the match even started, it was clear that Bay would be fighting an uphill battle as they looked to knock off the third-placed team in the NWSL but now it was going to be even more difficult.

Morris was tripped inside the box by Alyssa Malonson in the 17th minute and was awarded a penalty. Upon review, it appeared that Morris tripped over her own leg, but the penalty stood Trinity Rodman stepped up to take it and scored, making it 2-0 for Washington just 20 minutes into the match.

In the 24th minute, Deyna Castellanos appeared to take an elbow to the head after a battle with Hal Hershfelt in midfield. Due to the nature of the impact, she had to get taken a look at by the medical staff but she remained in the game.

Not only did Castellanos remain in the game, but she got Bay FC’s best opportunity of the night so far in the 29th minute. Bailey had a long shot that nearly found the back of the net in the 32nd minute but went wide. Malonson was playing a very physical game, and although the penalty was a low point for her, she was doing very well winning battles and regaining possession for Bay.

Unfortunately, most people will forget her solid play and focus on the mistake. Once the 45 minutes elapsed, the officials added ten minutes of stoppage time leaving plenty of opportunities for Bay to score a goal and get back in the game, or for the Spirit to essentially put the game out of reach early on. Late in stoppage time, Rodman slipped with the ball and continued on but had a significant limp.

Rachael Kundananji nearly got Bay on the board just after the start of the second half, but her shot sailed wide. Malonson picked up an apparent ankle injury in the 51st minute and Caprice Dydasco was ready to enter the match if necessary but remained on the bench for the time being.

Washington extended their lead in the 57th minute in the midst of a counter attack when Ouleymata Sarr got past Kayla Sharples and gave Rowland no chance to make the save. The crucial third goal of the match went to the Spirit, and with a half hour remaining the game seemed out of reach for Bay.

After adding to their lead, Washington made some adjustments taking off Sarr, Sullivan and Morris for Hatch, Metayer, and Brown. In the 66th, Bay made some changes of their own with Malonson coming out for Dydasco and Tess Boade coming in for Castellanos.

In the 72nd, they made another change taking off Asisat Oshoala for Princess. Five minutes later, Washington took off Bethune for Stainbrook. Bay continued playing aggressively though, and Sharples picked up a yellow card in the 81st minute before getting a scoring chance just a few minutes later.

Once again, ten minutes of stoppage time were awarded at the end of the half. Once all was said and done, Bay FC would walk away with their second defeat of the season against the Spirit, this time with a final score of 3-0. It certainly wasn’t how Montoya wanted his squad to head into the break, but they’ll have plenty of time to prepare for their road trip in the second half of August.