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Cardinals and heat too much for Hicks, Giants drop fourth-straight in 9-4 loss in St. Louis

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San Francisco Giants starter Jordan Hicks delivers against the St Louis Cardinals in the bottom of the first inning at Busch Stadium in St Louis on Sat Jun 22, 2024 (AP News photo)

Saturday, June 22, 2024

Busch Stadium

St. Louis, Missouri

San Francisco Giants 4 (36-41)

St. Louis Cardinals Cubs 9 (38-37)

Win: Mike Mikolas (6-6)

Loss: Jordan Hicks (4-4)

Time: 2:28

Attendance: 41,815

By Stephen Ruderman

The Giants scored three runs in the top of the first inning, but the heat got to Jordan Hicks and the Giants, as the Cardinals clubbed four home runs en route to a 9-4 win on a hot and muggy Saturday afternoon at Busch Stadium to hand the Giants their fourth-straight loss..

The Giants had a big comeback win Monday night against the Cubs at Wrigley Field, but they have since lost three in a row, including a hard-fought 6-5 loss to the Cardinals Thursday night at Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama. Saturday, the teams came over to St. Louis to continue this three-game series on a hot and muggy afternoon at Busch Stadium.

Despite the losing streak, the Giants’ offense has come to life over the last three games, and with the heat in St. Louis, they looked to keep that going against Cardinals’ starter Miles Mikolas. Brett Wisely led off the ballgame, and singled the other way to left field to get things started.

Heliot Ramos bounced out on a chopper to short, which moved Wisely to second base, and Patrick Bailey struck out looking on a sinker right on the inside corner. That left things up to Jorge Soler, who is finally swinging the bat with runners in scoring position after brutally struggling in these situations until a week and a half ago.

Soler worked a six-pitch at-bat, and shot a base-hit out to left-center to knock in Wisely and put the Giants on the board. Matt Chapman followed that up with a base-hit to right-center to move Soler over to third.

The batter was now Michael Conforto, and after Chapman stole second, Conforto flipped a base-hit out to right-center to knock in a pair and make it 3-0.

The Giants were in a good position. Their offense manufactured three runs in the top of the first inning, and they had the reliable Jordan Hicks going for them on the mound. Hicks, a crafty Farhan Zaidi signing over the off-season, came into Saturday’s game 3-2 with a 2.82 ERA in his first year as a starter.

However, there would be the question of how Hicks would deal with the head and humidity of St. Louis. Hicks got off to a good start, and he got Masyn Winn to fly out to center to start the bottom of the first, but Alec Burleson reached on an infield hit, and longtime Giants killer Paul Goldschmidt golfed out a sinker at the knees and hit a two-run home run that carried out to straightaway center to make it 3-2.

Nolan Gorman then walked, stole second and got to third on a wild pitch, but Hicks was able to settle down and get out of the inning with the Giants still ahead.

Both teams went down scoreless in the second inning, and after a two-out walk to Chapman in the top of the third, Conforto, who had already knocked in a pair with a base-hit in the first, hit a double that hit off the bottom of the wall in right-center to score Chapman and make it 4-2. For Conforto, he had knocked in three runs in the first three innings of this one.

Wynn grounded out to third to start the bottom of the third, but Burelson walked and stole second, and Hicks would be in trouble again.

Hicks was also sweating buckets in his jersey in what was our first real look at how the cheap jerseys that Nike and Major League Baseball introduced this season would hold off in the heat. Players were sweating buckets in these jerseys with temperatures in the 60s, and with the temperature at Busch Stadium at 93 degrees, it had an obvious impact on Hicks.

Goldschmidt flew out to left, but Hicks’ control was going on him, and he hit Gorman with a pitch with two outs. Nolan Arenado walked to load the bases, but Hicks got Brennan Donovan to fly out to center to end the inning with the Giants’ lead still at 4-2.

Mikolas pitched the first 1-2-3 inning for either team in the top of the fourth, and Hicks, who came back out to the mound with a new jersey in the bottom of the fourth, set down the first two men he faced. However, just as it seemed that Hicks was finally going to have an easy inning, things went south.

Dylan Carlson, who was in the game for the injured center-fielder, Michael Siani, singled with two outs, and Winn doubled Siani over to third. That brought up Burelson, who hit a three-run home run out to the Cardinals’ bullpen in right-center to give St. Louis their first lead of the afternoon.

Hicks was done after four, and he really did the best he could considering the climate and the cheap jerseys he had to wear out there. The Cardinals led 5-4 going to the fifth, and Mikolas, who appeared on the ropes earlier, settled down in the middle innings, and threw a 1-2-3 shutdown inning in the top of the fifth.

Sean Hjelle came in for San Francisco in the bottom of the fifth and pitched through some trouble, and Mikolas finished his afternoon with a 1-2-3 top of the sixth, as he set down the final 10 Giants he faced.

Winn singled with one out in the bottom of the sixth, and then Burelson made it 7-4 with his second home run of the game, another ball that was golfed out and carried to straightaway center.

For the Giants, this was not the end of the world. With their offense somewhat awake again and showing their propensity to come back like they did when they won 10 of 12 in mid-to-late May, there was no reason why they couldn’t pull off a comeback Saturday.

However, left-hander Jojo Romero and right-hander Ryan Fernandez combined to throw a scoreless top of the seventh. Brennan Donovan then got in on the home run action with a solo shot to right off Luke Jackson in the bottom of the seventh, which was the fourth of the day for St. Louis.

The Cardinals now led it 8-4, and they were still looking to add on further in the bottom of the seventh. Catcher Pedro Pages—pronounced (pah-HEZZ)—and Dylan Carlson both singled to put runners at first and second with two outs for the top of the order.

Winn then lined a base-hit to right, and Pages chugged around third to score and make it 9-4, but the one piece of good news was that Winn was tagged out in a rundown trying to stretch it into a double.

Soler and Chapman both singled off Fernandez with one out in the top of the eighth to spark some comeback hopes for the Giants, but that was quickly snuffed out when Fernandez retired the next two he faced.

Spencer Bivens came in for his third-career big league outing in the bottom of the eighth. After struggling against the Cubs at Wrigley on Wednesday, he returned to the form he had in his debut, and pitched a 1-2-3 inning.

Kyle Leahy came in for St. Louis and pitched a scoreless top of the ninth to end it, as the Cardinals won it 9-4.

Miles Mikolas got the win; Jordan Hicks got the tough loss; and for the first time in his major league career, Spencer Bivens did not get a decision.

The Giants have now lost four in a row and fall to 36-41. Saturday, they will try to avoid tying a season-high six-games under .500, as they will try to snap their losing streak and salvage a game in this series.

Sunday’s thriller: Logan Webb (6-5, 2.99 ERA) will be on the mound, and he will be opposed by veteran Sonny Gray (8-4, 2.95 ERA). First pitch will be at 1:15 p.m. in St. Louis, and 11:15 a.m. back home in San Francisco.

Stanley Cup Finals podcast with Mary Lisa: Oilers close the gap, stave off elimination, forcing a game 7 Monday against Panthers

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Florida Panther goalie Sergei Bobrovsky (72) has an eye on the puck as the Panthers Brandon Montour (62) puts a check on the Oilers Mattias Janmark (13) in game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals at Rogers Place in Edmonton (Canadian Press via AP photo)

On the Stanley Cup Finals podcast with Mary Lisa:

#1 There is very little doubt that the Edmonton Oilers not only didn’t want to be eliminated in four straight games but they wanted to get back into these finals with a vengeance and managed to do it coming back from 0-3 to tying the series 3-3.

#2 The Oilers down 3-2 in game six needed the win to stay alive and avoid elimination and tie the series up they pulled it off by scoring three unanswered goals to jump ahead of the Florida Panthers 3-0 at 18:20 of the third period.

#3 The Oilers getting scoring help with their first three goals from Warren Foegele (3), Adam Henrique (4), and Zach Hyman (16).

#4 The Panthers would have been shutout if it had not been for Aleksander Barkov’s third period goal at 1:28 but it wasn’t enough as the Oilers picked a four goal win over the Panthers 5-1 at Rogers Place in Edmonton.

#5 The Oilers force a game 7 as the Finals moves back to Florida. The Panthers will have to use every inch of the Amerant Bank Arena as their home ice advantage. The Oilers could be the first team since the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs to come back down 0-3 and to win four straight games. Can they do it? We’ll find out Monday night Jun 24 in game 7 at Sunrise FL.

Mary Lisa is an NHL analyst for http://www.sportsradioservice.com

A’s comeback with Langelier’s 2 run homer in 8th to defeat Twins 6-5 at Coliseum

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Oakland A’s Shea Langeliers (23) rounds the bases after belting a two run homer in the bottom of the eighth inning against the Minnesota Twins at the Oakland Coliseum on Fri June 21, 2024 (AP News photo)

Minnesota (41-35). 100 001 300. 5 10. 0

Athletics (29-48). 100 030 02x. 6 6. 0

Time: 2:20

Attendance: 9,158

Friday, June 21, 2024

By Lewis Rubman

OAKLAND–After failing by a hare’s breath to sweep the Kansas City Royals on Thursday night, the nomadic Athletics got back on track for the long journey that just might get them close to the .500 mark before the season’s end, coming from behind to defeat the Minnesota Twins in a roller coaster of a 6-5 win.

The victory was not, however, without its cost. Abraham Toro, who has been a mainstay for this struggling team, had to leave the game after suffering a hamstring injury running out a grounder to third in the seventh inning.

Before the game, the A’s DFA’d Vinny Nitoli and recalled Osvaldo Bido from Las Vegas.

Joey Estes, another recalled Aviator, who had rejoined the parent club on May 11, made his eighth start of the year, bringing a record of 2-2,5.97 with him. His only previous 2024 appearance against the Twins came five days ago, when he exited after 2-2/3 inning in which he yielded six earned runs but escaped with a no decision.

In this mid-summer night’s contest he held his opponents to two runs, both earned, on five hits, one of them a home run, and a walk in six full innings. He managed only one strikeout, but it’s his 18 outs that count. He threw only 76 pitches, 58 for strikes, to earn his third win and lower his earned run average to 5.53.

Estes’s opponent for the Twins had unimpressive numbers, for both the season and his career. Chris Paddack came to work at 5-3, 5.25 for the year and 22-21, lifetime. Those figures are pretty drab, but Paddack’s a pretty colorful guy.

The native of Austin, TX, tickled the fancy of San Diego fans when, as a Padre, he began wearing a cowboy hat and boots on his start days, earning himself the nickname of “The Sheriff” and a following of similarly attired fans calling themselves Paddack’s Posse.

The number 236, his number in the 2015 draft, is tattooed on his rib cage The 6’5″, 232 pound righty ‘s eccentricities extended to the record book. As he was making his way from the bullpen to the pitcher’s mound in Anaheim last September 24, play was halted because of rain.

Play was resumed after a 50 minute delay. Paddack never threw a pitch, but was credited with an appearance. This Friday, he threw 82 pitches in 4-2/3 innings and was charged with three runs, all earned, but two of them posthumous, on five hits and three walks. He wound up with a no decision, and his ERA inched up to 5.29. Kody Fundurburk, Jorge Acalá, and Jhoan Durán, who took the loss, also pitched for the Twins.

The Twinkies got off to an early lead on a game opening double by Will Castro, who defied The Curse by scoring on a pair of ground outs by Carlos Correa and Trevor Larnach, respectively.

The A’s erased that transient advantage in the bottom of the first on singles by Abraham Toro, JJ Bleday, and Tyler Soderstrom. They drove the sheriff out of the town in the bottom of the fifth with a two out rally that began with Miguel Andújar’s single to right single and Rooker’s ditto to left center that brought, Fundurburk to the mound. Tyler Sonderstrom greeted him with a bases clearing triple that put the homeless hosts ahead , 4-1.

That didn’t last long. Royce Lewis’s 10th homer of the season, a solo shot to right with one down in the sixth, narrowed the gap to 4-2. Estes hung around to finish the inning; Austin Adams replaced him to start the seventh.

He retired one batter before Christian Velásquez singled to right and Austin Martin drew a walk, setting the stage for Castro’s 363 foot wallop over the right field fence that put the Twins ahead, 5-4. A walk to Correa, and Lucas Erceg came on to put out the fire.

He did that and started off the eighth in fine fettle, retiring the first two Twins he faced. Successive singles to Velásquez and Martin put runners on the corners and Sean Newcomb on the mound. He picked Velásquez off first to keep the A’s within a run of Minnesota.

Still and all, things were looking pretty grim when they faced Jhoan Durán in the eighth in But Minnesota’s right handed reliever hit lead off hitter Sodersrom with a pitch, and Shea Langeliers smacked a 397 foot home run over the left field fence to put the green and gold back on top, 6-5. Durán surrendered a two out double to Max Schuemann, but the A’s lead was still just one run after eight.

It was Miller time. Castro ground out to second. Correa broke his bat grounding out to short. Larnach went down swinging. Miller had thrown seven pitches and earned his 14th save.

Saturday, JP Sear (4-6, 4.25) will face Minnesota’s Bailey Obere (6-4, 4.81) at 1:07 in the second of this three game series.

Aces Beat First Place Connecticut 85-74

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Las Vegas Aces center A’ja Wilson (22) shoots against Connecticut Sun forward Alyssa Thomas (25) during the first half of a WNBA basketball game Friday, June 21, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Steve Marcus/Las Vegas Sun via AP)

By Barbara Mason

The Las Vegas Aces (8-6) have some great momentum to build upon after beating the Connecticut (13-2) 85-74 in a terrific win. They’re rebounding was 42 to the Suns 29. While their three’s were not falling, their work in the paint and defensively was spotless. A’ja Wilson had the high with a double double, 26 points and 16 rebounds. Kelsey Plum had 18 points as the Ace’s stubbornly hung onto the lead through all four quarters of the game.

Game recap: A close game was expected but the slow start for both teams was not expected. After the first 3 1/2 minutes of play Brionna Jones had scored all six of the Sun’s points giving her team the early lead 6-2.

The Aces took a time out when this game teetered a bit and Head coach Becky Hammon did not want this game to get out hand. Kelsey Plum hit a three to get within one point but the Sun pushed their lead back out 10-7.

The Aces shots were just not falling so far in the quarter. At 1:49 left in the first 12 minutes the Aces had tied the game at 14 as they had warmed up and their shots began to fall. The crowd erupted when with under a minute, Las Vegas took a four-point lead, their first of the game, 20-16. They had won the first quarter 20-16.

The Ace’s Alysha Clark had the hot hand going into the second quarter going 2 for 2 from downtown. She had scored eight points in the game and had given her team a 25-18 lead in the early minutes of the quarter.

Clark was not the only one with a hot hand, Kelsey Plum hit her third three of the game mid-way through the quarter giving Las Vegas a 33-23 lead. The Aces had to keep their foot on the pedal; a ten-point lead against a team with the talent of the Sun was not enough to relax in any shape or form.

They had to continue playing hard although they had their largest lead of the game 37-25 at the four minute mark. Continuing to extend their lead was now their game plan. It was now the Sun’s shots that were not falling as Las Vegas had taken a 45-25 lead with two minutes left on the clock.

The Aces went on a 17-5 run in the final minute as Connecticut struggled in the paint as well as from long. At the half, the Aces led 45-28 having won the second quarter by a bunch 25-12. The Las Vegas Aces’ defense had stymied the Sun’s offense rendering them ineffective. They were all over them in the first half.

The Connecticut Sun did not take kindly to the Aces running roughshod all over them in the first half and erased the Las Vegas 17 point lead pulling to within seven points in the later minutes of the quarter 47-54.

The Aces pushed back taking a 63-50 lead after three quarters. Jackie Young had been strangely quiet with only six points in the game. Her team would need all hands on deck to finish off the Sun.

With seven minutes left in the game, the Aces had taken a 70-54 lead and there was not much that was not working for Las Vegas. The Aces were fighting to protect their 72-54 lead continuing to excel both offensively and defensively with a lot of time on the clock before this one was over.

This team was really looking like they were turning things around and with the Sun running out of time trailing 81-63 the Aces were on the brink of hanging onto the fifth spot in the overall standings.

With two seconds left in the game, the starters for Las Vegas were sitting out the final minutes as their bench brought this game home 85-74. The Aces were back and looking like the championship team we are used to seeing.

The Aces will have some time off going forward giving Chelsea Gray even more time to work back into the system. They will then be looking to extend their winning streak to three.

Game notes: Friday night a sell-out crowd filled the Michelob ULTRA Arena saw the Aces win against the highly touted Suns. With only a single loss this season they presented the Suns with a mighty challenge and ended up handing them their second loss. With the return of Chelsea Gray the Aces has been energized by her court presence and she did look good in their last game against the Storm despite playing limited minutes and finishing with 4 rebounds and 7 assists so a great effort for Gray. Gray on Friday night had four points and two rebounds.

Next up for Las Vegas will not be for a lengthy five day break taking on the 5-9 Chicago Sky Thursday night with tipoff scheduled for 4:00 PM.

Oakland A’s Relocation podcast with Daniel Dullum: Source-Oakland Mayor will have to resign over FBI raid and investigation

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Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao’s home was raided by the FBI on Thu Jun 20, 2024. Agents were seen walking out with ice chest size cases. It’s speculated that they were searching for documents related to propriety of campaign contributions. Thao or her office had no comment regarding the raid. (San Francisco Chronicle photo)

Oakland A’s Relocation podcast with Daniel:

#1Daniel Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao’s home was raided by FBI agents Thursday morning. Reporters on the scene asked agents present what was the reason for the raid they didn’t reply. Miles away in Oakland a dozen agents raided the homes of president and CEO David Duong of Cal Waste Solutions and his son Andy Duong. The City of Oakland in the past had investigated Cal Water Solutions over ownership of campaign contributions that went to Thao and other elected officials.

#2 Teresa Hoang who spoke to the press and is a staff member at Cal Waste Solutions said that they are confident that they’ll be cleared from any wrong doing at the conclusion of the investigation. Mayor Thao’s last and latest involvement with the Oakland A’s was attempt at an interim deal to keep the A’s at the Oakland Coliseum that fell apart after the A’s declined to pay $97million for three years rent between 2025-27. The Coliseum Joint Authority and the City dropped the price to $60 million and the A’s declined again and made a deal with Sacramento and Sacramento Rivercats owner Vivek Ranadive.

#3 Daniel, talk about the economic damage moving the Oakland A’s will do to not only the City of Oakland and the East Bay but it also impacts the market share of the Bay Area being the sixth largest market?

#4 Even at this point right now there is still an uncertainty that this move to Las Vegas will even go through in the first place. Will A’s owner John Fisher be able to find those minority investors that the Los Angeles investment firm he hired be able to come through so far just like in Las Vegas no one has stepped up.

#5 The A’s will be playing rent free at Sutter Health Field but for how long? The A’s situation needs to be resolved by closing in of April 2025 which is the target date for putting shovels in the ground in Las Vegas if they want to meet the April 2028 opening of the new park deadline.

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

#4

Oakland A’s podcast with Jeremiah Salmonson: A’s face one of their toughest nemesis in the Twins tonight

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Freddy Fermin is in a groove for the Kansas City Royals taking the Oakland A’s pitching deep for his second home run in the top of the fourth inning at the Oakland Coliseum on Thu Jun 20, 2024 (AP News photo)

Oakland A’s podcast with Jeremiah Salmonson:

#1 The Oakland A’s are coming off a very close effort to a sweep after losing nine straight games as they just lost to the Kanas City Royals on Thursday afternoon 3-2 at the Oakland Coliseum.

#2 The Royals struck first with two home runs one in the second and another in the fourth by Freddy Fermin to give KC a 2-0 lead. For a moment there any thoughts of a sweep of the Royals might be in doubt.

#3 The A’s Zach Gelof struck back with a two run bottom of the seventh home run to tie it up 2-2 and the possibility of a sweep was back on again.

#4 Then came the Royals Bobby Witt Jr in the top of the eighth who cleared the fence with a solo home run that turned out to be the gamer for a Royals 3-2 win. The did win the series taking two out of three from the Royals.

#5 The A’s open a three game series tonight against the Minnesota Twins. Starting pitcher for the Twins RHP Chris Paddock (5-3, ERA 5.25) the A’s will start Joey Estes (2-2, ERA 5.97) The last time these two clubs met June 13-16 in a four game series the Twins swept the A’s in two single games, rained out on the 15th and the A’s were swept in a doubleheader on Sun 16th. No doubt the Twins are a tough customer.

Jeremiah Salmonson does the A’s podcasts each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

#3

The Stars hold on for a 6-5 win over the Sea Lions at Rickwood Field on Thursday

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St Louis Cardinals Brendan Donovan rounds the bases after his two-run homer off the San Francisco Giants’ Keaton Winn in the first inning at Rickwood Field in Birmingham during the Negro League Tribute game on Thursday, June 20, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Morris Phillips

BIRMINGHAM—Flashy, throwback television tricks and a whole bunch of baseball history highlighted the St. Louis Cardinals 6-5 win over the San Francisco Giants on Thursday night at Rickwood Field.

Yeah, that part. The Stars beat the Sea Lions. Amongst the extremely-crowded group of nine NL contenders who have losing records, St. Louis got the leg up. The Giants dropped their third straight, and second consecutive game by an identical 6-5 score. The Giants have a rare Friday evening off before finishing their disjointed three-game set with the Cardinals in St. Louis.

“You look around and kind of can feel what transpired here a long time ago and the players that played on the field,” manager Bob Melvin said. “It’d be nice to win the game, but it was a pretty cool experience.”

The Stars built a 3-0 lead with Nolan Gorman’s run scoring sacrifice fly in the first inning and Brendan Donovan’s two-run home run in the second. Both surges were off starter Keaton Winn, who was lifted in the third inning, the conclusion of an outing in which he allowed five runs on five hits with only two strikeouts.

Randy Rodriguez relieved Winn and his wild pitch while facing Matt Carpenter gave the Cardinals an early 5-3 lead.

The Giants were able to get even briefly when Heliot Ramos connected for a three-run shot off Andre Pallante in the third. Pallante steadied and picked up the win. He allowed three runs on seven hits while striking out five.

Matt Chapman was 1 for 5, and Michael Conforto 0 for 4 in the middle of the Sea Lions lineup constructed by Melvin. Along with Winn’s poor outing, Rodriguez’ wild pitch and the inability to grab a lead at any point, the Giants weren’t all-around good enough to break their losing ways at 114-year old Rickwood. The TV lights, the tiny crowd, and even the fear that there could be a security breach didn’t change the visitor’s poor habits. Wearing snazzy home throwback uniforms didn’t help either.

LaMonte Wade and Cardinal legend Willie McGee weren’t honorary captains, but the pair did escort 99-year old Negro League legend Bill Greason on to the field before the game. Wade’s attempt to play in the game was aborted. His rehab from a hamstring injury continues. Melvin wanted Wade to at least have an opportunity to pinch hit in the game but that fell short when the recovery process didn’t progress quickly enough.

The Giants conclude their road trip over the weekend before a quick turnaround at Oracle Park for games against the Cubs on Monday through Wednesday.

Rickwood Field is on the air….

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The San Francisco Sea Lions’ Heliot Ramos watches the flight of his three-run homer against the St. Louis Stars in the third inning at Rickwood Field in Birmingham the Negro Leagues and Willie Mays Tribute on Thursday June 20, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Morris Phillips

BIRMINGHAM–Nobody got a day off. And nobody got to see all the different bounces in the outfield area either. Well, third base coach Matt Williams did try to show his outfielders what to expect by peppering batting practice balls in off the showy, TV friendly fences. He did that.

Rickwood Field is television. And television is Rickwood Field.

And baseball, for one day, is only slightly more important than spectacle. Forget for a minute that the Giants as well as the Cardinals are fighting for their lives in a crowded, flailing group of National League underachievers.

“Today it feels like it’s a little bit more than baseball,” said Masyn Winn of the Cardinals.

The Giants needed a win, but the Giants organization needed to grieve. Willie Mays has died. It makes for a tough balance, even with a dream-like setting, a national audience, and more in-house historians than you can shake a stick at. Juneteenth, summer solstice and locals beaming with pride round out a very dense mix.

The baseball history in Birmingham begins with Rickwood Field in 1910. The players came soon after. They were black ballplayers with skill and showmanship. Black Birmingham adored those players. Blacks had to envelop those players because white Birmingham wanted to harm them and get them to disappear.

Reggie Jackson came the year after Bull Connor left. He hated the attitudes in the Magic City. He admitted with brutal honesty on FOX’s pre-game show that his temper could have gotten him strung up.

“The nigger can’t stay here. The nigger can’t eat here,” an angry Jackson said of the typical reception he would receive. At the end of his rant about the blatant racism in 1964, Jackson had hto be consoled by Alex Rodriguez on air.

An hour later, Jackson was good again, talking to FOX’s John Smoltz and Joe Davis, and remembering Mays.

“I was honored that he wanted to know who I was.”

Yes, Birmingham is uplifting. It’s also frustrating. And at night, Birmingham is dangerous. Young people here don’t necessarily fall into savory occupations and lifestyles. This keeps things on the edge in 2024.

“Our people are apathetic,” Jeff Drew said.

No Fortune 500 businesses, the prevalence of drugs, a below average school district, and the percentage of single parent homes are all problems for Birmingham.

Businessman Jeff Drew is trying to maintain hope for the future of his town. His family maintained a storefront office in the downtown district beginning in 1950. They had as many as six employees there. But Drew went years without interviewing any black men for a job. And when a particularly callous couple used colorful language around Drew he was disturbed. Soon after, he closed his office and began working from home.

Drew already had issues. Martin Luther King picked Birmingham to give his movement its biggest showdown. Essentially, Martin against Bull Connor and his boys. There were water hoses, embarrassment and pain. Black people suffered and they learned. Drew learned. Martin learned too when he was thrown in jail for “parading without a permit.”

What Drew learned was Martin’s non-peaceful, peaceful ways. When Martin told the Kennedy brothers, “We think you support Bull Connor and segregation,” a line was drawn across the South. Martin would then hang up the phone on the Kennedys. President Kennedy changed his tune after Martin hung up, and provided his full support to the movement.

“He couldn’t beat us,” Drew said of JFK. “He had to join us.”

Great baseball teams did the same in Birmingham. They joined, and people, fans, joined too to support these teams and players. Willie Mays joined the Barons as a teenager. He wasn’t the only name on the marquee. Mays was just getting started, but he already knew who he was.

Tuesday’s minor league game and Thursday’s big league game between the St. Louis Stars and the San Francisco Sea Lions were reminders. They also brought hope that MLB will return soon. Maybe next year.

“I think there should be a three-game series with an off-day,” said Sea Lion Mike Yastrzemski, a visionary for future events at Rickwood Field.

And third base coach Williams just wanted his Sea Lions outfielders prepared. Hitting baseballs pre-game off the colorful, outfield panels displayed the bounces, the nuances.

“I was prepared,” Yastrzemski said.

Headline Sports with Jessica Kwong: Pistons Williams fired worst record in NBA; Giants to show Rickwood game and tribute to Willie Mays; plus more news

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Former Detroit Pistons head coach Monty Williams who was fired by the Pistons will collect the remaining $68 million of his $78 million contract. (AP News file photo)

On Headline Sports with Jessica Kwong:

#1 The Detroit Pistons ownership made the decision to fire first year coach Monty Williams. After signing Williams to a seven year $78 million deal. The Pistons and Williams last season lost 28 games in a row an NBA record and finished with the worst record in the NBA at 14-68. The firing was ordered by ownership Tom Gores and Pistons vice chairman Trajan Langdon.

#2 Gates at Oracle Park in San Francisco opened at 12 noon PT on Thursday where the game between the St Louis Cardinals and San Francisco Giants was shown on the scoreboard at Rickwood Field in Birmingham that started at 4:05pm PT honoring the Negro Leagues and pay tribute to Willie Mays who passed away on Tuesday night.

#3 Jessica, X-Rays show negative as the New York Yankees Aaron Judge was hit by a 94.1 MPH fast ball on his left hand by Baltimore Orioles starter Albert Suarez on Tuesday night where the Yankees won it 4-2. Judge left the next inning X-Rays and a CT scan showed Judge was negative for fractures and returned to action on Thursday night.

#4 NHL Finals could have a change of pace. First the Florida Panthers took a 3-0 series lead then the Edmonton Oilers won game 4 defeating the Panthers 8-1 and in game 5 the Oilers won it 5-3 as the Panthers now ahead by one game 3-2. The Oilers can tie up the series Friday in Edmonton in game six.

#5 The Los Angeles Sparks forward Cameron Brink tore her ACL and will miss the rest of the WNBA season. Brink got the injury in the left knee against the Connecticut Sun. The Sparks announced the injury on Wednesday to the press. Brink was the No.2 selection in the 2024 draft. Brink had to stop because of the pain and was carried to the locker room.

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Donovon leads Cards with home run edge Giants 6-5 in tribute game for Willie Mays, Negro Leagues at Rickwood Field

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By Morris Phillips

BIRMINGHAM–St Louis Cardinals Brandon Donovon’s two run home run and double made a huge difference in a one run game defeating the San Francisco Giants 6-5 at Rickwood Field in Birmingham in a game that honored the late Giants great outfielder Willie Mays and the Negro Leagues.

Mays formerly played at Rickwood Field with the Birmingham Black Barons and did not feel good enough to fly to Birmingham for the game died at 93 years old on Tuesday just two days before the tribute game at the oldest professional baseball park. Rickwood is 115 years old this year.

Former Black Barons player Bill Greason was on hand to throw out the first ball and the game had it’s first all black umpire crew combined from the American and National Leagues . San Francisco pitcher Keaton Winn was going for San Francisco and Donovon hit his seventh homer of the season off Winn.

Donovon was swinging a hot bat who was 3-3 which included a third inning double and a sixth inning RBI. “What a special night,” Donovan said. “I mean, this is something that we should celebrate. This right here is pretty amazing. And to do it in Alabama, I’ve got some friends and family in the stands, it’s like playing summer ball again.”

Earlier in the game the Giants Heliot Ramos hit a three run home run off Cards pitcher Andre Pallante to tie it up in the top of the third inning for his tenth home run. The Cardinals got the lead back in the bottom of the third when Nolan Gorman hit a sacrifice fly to bring in a run.

Same clubs on Saturday as both the Giants and Cardinals have Friday off and will meet again at Busch Stadium in St Louis for a Saturday and Sunday series. The Giants will start RHP Jordan Hicks (4-3, ERA 2.82) for the Cards Miles Mikolas (5-6, ERA 4.59) first pitch 11:15pm PT.