Tag: Sports Radio Service

Oakland A’s Preview: A’s six-game road trip starting in Detroit on July 4th

Published on by rxsluggerLeave a comment

Oakland A’s rookie Brent Rooker is the lone selected A’s player representative at the 2023 All Star Game in Seattle. Rooker is seen here taking his hacks against the Kansas City Royals on Fri May 5, 2023 (AP News file photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Oakland A’s are heading to Detroit to start a six-game road trip and open a series on Tuesday night against the Detroit Tigers (37-49) at Comerica Park in Detroit. The A’s finished their last homestand against the New York Yankees and Chicago White Sox with three wins and three losses. The most intriguing game during the homestand was the Yankees’ Domingo German’s perfect game last Wednesday night.

The A’s will play three against the Tigers starting Tuesday night. They finish the road trip with three against the Boston Red Sox in historic Fenway Park. The A’s will then be off until July 14th due to the annual All-Star game that will be held in Seattle this year. Brent Rooker will be the sole Oakland Athletic named to the AL All-Star team.

Let’s take a look at this year’s Tiger team. The Tigers last had success several years ago. Their last World Series appearance was in 2012, and that team was swept four straight by the San Francisco Giants. The Tigers and A’s, two iconic franchises, have been playing against each other since 1901. Like the A’s, the Tigers are not stockpiled with well-known names.

Their best player, Miguel Cabrera, is in his final season. In his 20th season, Cabrera broke into baseball with the then-Florida Marlins in 2003. Cabrera was instrumental in the Marlins’ stunning upset of the New York Yankees in the World Series.

The Marlins traded Cabrera to the Tigers a few years later, and Cabrera has posted numbers that will take him to baseball’s Hall of Fame. Cabrera is a lifetime .307 hitter. He has recorded 3,127 hits, 508 home runs, and 1,859 RBIs. He owns a lifetime .904 OPS(on-base plus slugging percentage.) Cabrera has yet to play much this year. If he does play, he will be the DH.

The Tigers infielder will feature Spencer Torkelson at first base, Zach McKinstry at Second, the veteran Javier Baez at shortstop, and Andy Ibanez at third base. Baez starred with the Chicago Cubs for seven years and won a World Series ring with the Cubs in 2016 when the Cubs ended a 108-year drought.

The outfield will have Akil Baddoo in left, Jake Marisnick, a former Oakland Athletic, in center, and Matt Vierling in right. Backups are Tyler Nevin and Kerry Carpenter. Carpenter will also be seen as the Tigers’ DH.

The A’s will have JP Sears on the hill Tuesday night. Sears will be looking for his second win of the year. The Tigers will counter with lefty Tark Skubal. Skubal has no record, and it will be his first appearance this season.

The A’s have not announced their starters for the Wednesday and Thursday games. The Tigers will have another lefty, Eduardo Rodriguez (4-4, 2.13 ERA), handling the pitching chores. Michael Lorenzon will start for the Tigers on Thursday.

The Tigers’ are four games behind the AL Central leaders, the Minnesota Twins. The Twins are in first place with a record of 42-43. There is no team in the Central Division with a winning record. The A’s are now 23-63 for the year. The A’s do not want to set the record for most losses in a season. Oakland has some bright spots in their lineup.

Brent Rooker leads the team with 14 home runs. Rooker will represent Oakland a week from Tuesday at the All-Star game. Another bright spot has been the play of Esteury Ruiz. Ruiz is leading all of baseball with 41 steals. He had played well defensively in center field. He is hitting about. 260 has been able to hit in the clutch with men in scoring position. Ryan Noda has shown potential at first base. Noda has a great eye at the plate. He has walked 57 times and has an OPS of .374.

The Tigers’ pitching staff is better than the A’s on paper. The Tigers’ run differential is minus 76. That means the Tigers’ pitching has allowed 74 more runs than the runs provided by the Tigers’ offense. The A’s run differential is a staggering -237.

The A’s rotation has been a disaster for most of the season. The A’s Paul Blackburn returned to action after a stint on the IL. Blackburn, an All-Star in 2022, pitched well for his first three or four starts. The White Sox sent him to an early shower on Sunday as they beat the A’s 8-7.

Blackburn lost his first game this year. The A’s bullpen has also been an arson squad. The A’s have been shuttling pitchers back and forth from their minor league team in Las Vegas.

After the three games with the Tigers, the A’s face the Red Sox in Boston. A’s manager Mark Kotsay would love to win both series. Players and fans alike know that anything can happen in a short series. No one would have ever expected Domingo German to throw a perfect game. The A’s could win all six games. They could lose all six. Baseball is so unpredictable. That’s why people love the game.

Jerry Feitelberg is an Oakland A’s beat writer for http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Cuban Players in the All Star Game-No Embargo or Blockade here

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Tampa Bay Rays Yandy Diaz has been selected to the 2023 American League All Star Team in Seattle (Tampa Bay Times photo file)

Cuban Players in the All Star Game — No Embargo or Blockade here-

That’s Amaury News and Commenatary

By Amaury Pi-González

In 1960 de US government placed an embargo on Cuba’s communist regime after the government nationalized US-owned companies and offered zero compensation. Later Fidel Castro’s government also nationalized Cuban citizens-owned businesses.

Castro declared himself and his government a Marxist-Leninist. The great exodus of Cubans began around that time. Cuba is the leader in baseball in Latin America even before Castro (crazy about baseball) was even born.

Because he eradicated all professional sports in the island, including baseball, he did not make baseball more popular as the government sponsored all sports, as the Soviet Union was doing, but most of the Cuban players that were playing then in the Major Leagues and also in Cuba, like Luis Tiant, Octavio (Cookie) Rojas, Camilo Pascual, Pedro Ramos, and Tony Taylor.

Mike Fornieles and many others who love the game of baseball left in the next few years. Castro forgot that these Cuban players although they loved the game they also loved the freedom to play in the Major League. That freedom was denied by the Cuban dictatorship.

Esteban Bellán, born in La Habana, Cuba, was the first Latin American baseball player to play in a North American professional league when it was formed in 1871 with the Troy Haymakers. Today, 63 years after the US-Cuban embargo, which also affected Cuban players because the Cuban government prohibited them from traveling outside and playing in the US, a total of at least five Cuban players have been selected for this 2023 MLB All-Star Game on July 11 at Seattle’s T-Mobile Park.

These are those Cuban players, Yandy Díaz (Tampa Bay), Yordan Alvarez (Houston Astros) who should be back from the injured list, Randy Arozarena (Tampa Bay), Adolis García (Miami Marlins), Lourdes Gourriel (Arizona Diamondbacks, Luis Robert Jr. (Chicago White Sox). Others like, Yonnier Cano (Baltimore Orioles) could be in Seattle as well the possibility of Jorge Soler of the Miami Marlins.

In 1968 a total of six Cuban players went to the All Star Game at the Astrodome in Houston, Texas. In 2014 at Target Field, Minneapolis, Minnesota four Cubans were selected. Today there are over 20 Cuban-born players in the major leagues.

They have suffered along with the Cuban people the lack of freedom in their country of birth. The great majority had to escape the island in very dangerous circumstances. Some when playing outside of Cuba, defected and asked for political exile, like Oakland A’s Aledmys Díaz.

Many had no choice but to leave their families behind as they chose their dream, like the majority of baseball players all over the world, to play in the Major Leagues. All-Star Game: This July 11th at T-Mobile Park in Seattle. A’s outfielder-DH Brent Rooker was selected to represent the Oakland A’s.

Rooker had an excellent first half of the season, however anybody that follows the A’s, for this whole first half knows that rookie Esteury Ruíz has been the most productive and exciting player for Mark Kotsay’s team. Brent Rooker has played in72 games, average of .243 with a team leading 14 Home runs and 41 runs batted-in.

Esteury Ruíz is the A’s everyday center fielder and makes all the plays, and then some, he has played 83 games with 33 RBI, top in doubles for the team with 19 and has stolen 42 bases which is #1 in the major leagues.

Rooker has played for Minnesota and Kansas City prior to arriving with the A’s, he is not a rookie. Ruíz playing, in his very first season in the major, he is a rookie and could be a serious candidate for Rookie of The Year.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the lead play by play voice for Oakland A’s baseball on the A’s Spanish radio network 1010 KIQI San Francisco and 990 KATD Pittsburg and does News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Alonso two run homer puts Mets over the top defeat Giants 8-4

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

San Francisco Giants Thario Estrada takes a swing at a New York Mets pitch in the top of the seventh inning at Citi Park in New York on Sun Jul 2, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Jessica Kwong

NEW YORK. — The San Francisco Giants fell 8-4 to the struggling New York Mets and allowed them to win their first series in a month at Citi Field on Sunday night.

San Francisco won game 1, but fell in the last two of the three-game series as they continue what has arguably been their toughest travel schedule this season.

The Giants got the first run, in the third inning when Thairo Estrada grounded into a forced out and Bryce Johnson scored.

New York had the bases loaded and Pete Alonso walked and Francisco Alvarez scored, tying the game at 1-1. Then Jeff McNeil singled on a ground ball to second base and Brandon Nimmo and Tommy Pham scored due to a fielding error by shortstop Brandon Crawford, boosting the Mets up 3-1.

In the fourth inning, Mark Canha hit a home run to left center field and put the Mets up 4-1. Pham hit a fly ball to second base and Minno scored, making it 5-1 Mets.

After game 2, Giants manager Gabe Kapler said that the team recently has not been able to score runs early on, while putting together “pretty good at-bats later in the game”. That continued to be the case on Sunday.

In the seventh inning, Blake Sabol hit a homer to center field and Joc Pederson scored, cutting the Mets’ lead to 5-3. It was Sabol’s third at-bat against right-handed pitcher Jeff Brigham this year, and he got his revenge after being struck out twice.

“Was able to hold up on the sweeper down and in and I think he was thinking the same thing like, I think I can get him again up and away and was able to get the barrell there,” said Sabol. “So definitely a confidence boost and at that point it was a big one for the team, kind of got things going you know, we’re right there, one more swing away from taking the lead.”

Then J.D. Davis hit a line drive to right field and Estrada scored, making it 5-4. But the Mets fought back. Starling Marte hit a fly ball to left field and Alonso scored, lifting New York up 6-4.

Alonso hit a homer in the eighth inning and Pham scored, expanding the Mets’ lead to 8-4.

Giants right-handed pitcher Ross Stripling allowed no runs in two innings pitched in his first start since May 17. Alex Wood followed him and allowed five runs, four of them earned, in 1 2/3 innings pitched.

“I just had a hard time getting the grip,” said Stripling, explaining that his hand felt “sticky with the humidity”. He said not being able to strike his speed “was the main culprit here”.

The Giants arrived in New York early morning Friday after a three-game series in Toronto and fly back home Sunday night and go straight into a three-game series against the Seattle Mariners.

Asked if the travel schedule may be a factor in the team’s performance, Kapler said, “I think it’s a good opportunity for us to show some toughness here, right?”

“Certainly the travel has not been easy and thinking this leg of travel is going to be equally challenging and just like, a really good opportunity for us to step up and be tough through it and then be together through it,” Kapler said.

“We gotta go get rest on the plane as much as we possibly can and these guys got to rest up and get back to the ballpark.”

The Giants (46-38) return home to host the Seattle Mariners (40-42) for a three-game series starting on Monday. First pitch is at 6:45 p.m. PT.

A’s can’t come back or sweep Chisox at Coliseum in 8-7 loss

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

The Chicago White Sox Zach Remillard slides into third base under the glove of Oakland A’s third baseman Jace Pederson in the top of the sixth inning at the Oakland Coliseum on Sun Jul 2, 2023 (AP News photo)

Chicago (37-49). 005 002 100. – 8. 12. 0

Oakland (23-63). 002 010 022. – 7. 10 2

Time: 2:56

Attendance: 12,107

Sunday, July 2, 2023

By Lewis Rubman

OAKLAND–The 2023 Oakland Athletics, in their never ending struggle to attain mediocrity, lost an 8-7 squeaker against the Chicago White Sox this afternoon before a gathering of 12,107 fans whose numbers were augmented by the youngsters whose parents took advantage of the kids get in free Sunday. That tipped the balance of cheering in favor of the for now home team.

The visitors didn’t announce who their starting pitcher would be until well after 11:00 o’clock, when they gave the nod to Touki Toussaint, Arizona’s first round draft pick in 2014. Chicago claimed him off waivers from Cleveland on June 20. He had been 0-1, 4.91 for the Guardians and 0-0, 2.84 for the Chisox for an overall record of 0-1, 3.60.

Touissant lasted 3-2/3 innings on the mound for the Chisox today. The A’s scored two runs, both earned, against him He allowed three hits, walked four batters, hit one with a pitch, of which he threw 8r5, 46 for strikes. He wasn’t involved in the decision and saw his season long ERA rise to 3.95.

Paul Blackburn, the A’s best hurler in 2022 (which is damning him with faint praise, although he really is a good pitcher), was back on the mound, making his seventh start since returning from the IL on May. 29. He picked up his first win in his last start before today, allowing the only run (it was earned) in the A’s 2-1 triumph against the Yankees.

He went 5-1/3 innings then. Today, he threw five innings and gave up an equal number of runs, all of them earned, on six hits, four walks, and a hit batter. He struck out five. His pitch count was 97, 40 of them balls. Blackburn took the loss, and his record now is 1-1, 4.50.

Chicago batted around in the top of the first on a lead off walk to Seby Zavala, who eventually scored Tim Anderson’s sacrifice fly, and a single by Eloy Jiménez, who drove in Andrew Benintendi, who’d singled and gone to second on a passed ball. (Shea Langliers already had made a throwing error).

They picked up another tally when Blackburn hit Gavin Sheets with a pitch with the bases loaded. Zach Remillard followed that with a two RBI single to left before Blackburn finally fanned Zabala to end the onslaught.. He had thrown 69 pitches in three innings, and the A’s were behind, 5-1,

The Athletics got back a couple of runs in their half of the frame, but they ran themselves out scoring more. When Tony Kemp hit a one out single to left, he drove in Conner Capel, who had opened the inning with a walk.

Tyler Wade, who had reached on a bunt single, got thrown out by a mile trying for third. A walk to Noda, Bledays’s getting hit by a pitch, and another walk to Brown brought Kemp across the plate and left the sacks still filled with A’s. But Jace. Peterson grounded out to short, and Oakland still trailed, 5-1.

Capel’s walk and a single by Wade sandwiched between a couple of outs in the A’s fourth to Aaron Bummer being brought in to face, and retire, Kemp to maintain Chicago’s three run margin.

The green and gold resumed their attack in the fifth frame, Noda touched him for a leadoff broken bat single to left and scored on Bleday’s authoritative double to center.

Richard Lovelady, reinstated from the 15 day injured list this morning, relieved Blackburn to start the top of the sixth. He gave up a run on a leadoff double to left by Remillard, who advanced to third on Bleday’s fielding error, and scored on Benintendi’s sac fly to center.

Tim Anderson’s single to center made that run count as earned and heralded Lovelady’s replacement by Rico García. He walked Luis Robert, Jr. before giving up an RBI single to Jímenez that made it, 7-3, Chicago. Both runs were charged to Lovelady.

Jake Burger’s 18th home run of 2023 led off the top of the seventh. That run was charged to García’s account. But he retired the next three White Sox he faced. It now was 8-3 in favor of the pale hose.

Tony Kemp led off the home seventh against Kenyan Middleton. He and the two A’s that followed him returned to the dugout without reaching base. Bryan Shaw retired Brown and Peterson in the home eighth before surrendering a double to Langlliers and a 441 foot round tripper to center field by the A’s courtesy all star, Brent Rooker, his 14th of the year, that closed the gap to 8-5.

That set the scene for Sam Long to try to keep the A’s within striking distance of the Chisox in the ninth, which he did, ending the inning with a pick off-caught stealing of Clint Frazier, who had entered the game as a defensive replacement in the seventh.

Gregory Santos let the A’s get close in the bottom of the ninth. A one out single by Kemp. A two out double by Bleday to make it 8-6. A single to right by Brown. 8-7. And then Peterson flew out to right, and that was it.

Aaron Bummer was the winning pitcher and now has a record of 3-1, 3.65. Santos was credited with hi first save.

The Athletics, at 23-63, .267 still have a better won-post percentage than the 1899 Cleveland Spiders, who finished that year at 20-134, .130 and were 12-49, .197 on July 2. The 1962 New York Mets, who hold the modern record for worst season, wound up at 40-120, .333 and were 21-54, 280 at the end of play on July 2.

The Royals defeated the Dodgers this afternoon, 9-1. KC now is 25-59, 298. At least for the time being, the team that’s been rooted in Oakland since 1968 still owns the worst record in the history of major league baseball.

The Athletics will be on the road from now until the end of the all star break. They’ll play Detroit in the motor city on July 4. JP Sears (1-6, 4.43) will face a pitcher to be decided. The contest is scheduled for 3:40 PDT.

Oakland A’s podcast with Jeremiah Salmonson: Medina gets win and run support against White Sox at Coliseum

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Aledmys Diaz (12) the Oakland A’s shortstop throws to first base after forcing the Chicago White Sox Zach Remillard (left) at second base at the Oakland Coliseum on Fri Jun 30, 2023 (AP News photo)

On the A’s podcast with Jeremiah:

#1 Even though the Sox got a run on A’s starter Luis Medina in the first inning, the rest of his outing was a shutout where even when Chicago would load the bases, Medina would escape the inning and still have the calmness and confidence to keep going.

#2 On the other side of the coin for the A’s, five innings resulted in five runs. In the second inning Oakland put up four of those five runs.

#3 Jace Peterson hit a sac fly to left field and Aledmys Diaz scored off that to take the lead, 2-1. A Tony Kemp triple would then score Langeliers, 3-1 and then finally Esteury Ruiz hit a sac fly that scored Kemp, 4-1.

#4 It was a bullpen game for the A’s from the sixth inning to the end and they held the White Sox off, but Chicago tried to make it interesting with three runs, including a solo home run by Luis Robert Jr.

#5 Saturday afternoon the White Sox will start Dylan Cease (3-3 ERA 4.04) the A’s have yet to determine a starter. A 1:07pm PT first pitch at the Oakland Coliseum.

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

https://soundcloud.com/sports-radio-service/oakland-as-podcast-with-jeremiah-salmonson-fri-jun-30-2023

NY’s Verlander in return shuts down SF in 4-1 win; Series even at 1-1

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

The San Francisco Giants Luis Matos makes the catch against the centerfield padding in the bottom of the second inning against the New York Mets at Citi Field in New York on Sat Jul 1, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Jessica Kwong

NEW YORK. — San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Anthony DeSclafani was retired after throwing a season-low three innings and allowing the New York Mets to score three homers in an inning, and the visiting team lost 4-1 at Citi Field on Saturday afternoon.

Good things came in threes for the Mets in the third.

Francisco Alvarez hit a home run to center field to put the Mets up 1-0. Immediately after, Brandon Nimmo homered to right field to boost New York up 2-0. Then Francisco Lindor hit a homer to center field to expand the lead to 3-0.

“I made mistakes and I just couldn’t put them away. Got the two strikes with them and yeah just couldn’t put them away, unfortunately,” said DeSclafani of the three-homer inning. “I made bad pitches and they torched them.”

Giants manager Gabe Kapler said that DeSclafani “wasn’t effective” on Saturday.

“We would’ve liked him to have seen him get through five innings for us and (Sean) Manea was prepared to give up some length and the lineup was set up for him to give us that length.”

In the fourth inning, Tommy Pham hit a ground ball to left field and Pete Alonso scored, putting the Mets up 4-0.

It took the Giants until the seventh inning to score a run. Thairo Estrada grounded into a double play and J.D. Davis scored, making it 4-1 Mets.

Kapler said that Mets starting pitcher Justin Verlander “pitched a phenomenal game” giving up five hits, striking out six and not allowing an earned run in seven innings.

“We weren’t able to score runs early on and one thing that I’m noticing is we’re putting together pretty good at-bats later in the game. Historically we do a really nice job in the first couple of innings in the game and right now we’re just a little short in that regard,” Kapler said. “The early parts of games are seemingly not as competitive as they can be and need to be for us to be a great team.”

The series is tied at 1-1 and first pitch for the third and final game is 4:10 p.m. PT.

A’s get edge on Sox in ten innings 7-6 at Coliseum

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Oakland A’s Tyler Wade (left) slides ahead of the tag from Chicago White Sox catcher Carlos Perez (36) at the Oakland Coliseum on Sat Jul 1, 2023 (AP News Photo)

Chicago (36-49). 012 000 030. 0. – 6 10 2

Oakland (23-62). 100 011 200 1. – 7. 11.0.

10 innings

Time: 3:20

Attendance: 9,235

Saturday, July 1, 2023

By Lewis Rubman

OAKLAND–On Friday, James Kaprielian was the A’s announced starting pitcher for this Saturday’s game against the Chicago White Sox. Yesterday, James Kaprielian also was placed on the 15 day injured list.

That’s at least partially why Kyle Muller took the mound for the at least current home team on this hot and hazy afternoon, during which the Athletics squeaked past the visitors, 7-6, in 10 innings. The haze burned off, but the heat remained. If the double play is a pitcher’s best friend, heat in the Coliseum is a pitcher’s nightmare.

Muller, the Atlanta Braves’ second round draft choice in 2016, was the A’s opening day pitcher this season and after three starts could boast a record of 0-0, 2.53 over 15-2/3 innings with a WHIP of 1.18. It was all downhill after that, and on May 23rd the A’s optioned Muller to Las Vegas in the batter friendly PCL, where he went 1-2, 6.59 before the A’s called up the 25 year old southpaw to start for them this afternoon.

Two double plays in five innings showed that Muller’s best friend didn’t desert him, but his stint on the mound, if not a nightmare, wasn’t a pleasant dream. He wasn’t sharp and allowed three runs, all earned, on six hits, one a homer, and four walks. He threw 86 pitches, 54 for strikes, and left trailing, 3-2. He escaped with a no decision and lowered his ERA to 7.79.

For their part, the Chisox went with 27 year old righty Dylan Crease, who came into today with a 3-3, 4.04 mark. In his last nine starts, however, he had gone 1-1, 2.82, with an opponents’ BA of .203. This, with a team that had a season record of 36-48. He toed the rubber hoping to notch his 40th career victory.

He failed in that attempt, leaving with the score tied and a runner on second in the bottom of the sixth. In 5-1/3 innings, he allowed three run, all earned, on six hits and three bases on balls. He struck out five batters. His pitch count reached 87, 54 of which were considered strikes. Like Muller, he got a no decision. His record now stands at 3-3, 4.10.

The green and gold got off to an early lead. Tony Kemp sent a lead off liner that bounced once before hitting the right center field wall between the Coca Cola ad and the line under the State Farm sign that separates balls in play from home runs. JJ Bleday’s sac fly to deep center brought him home.

The South Siders lost no time in erasing that deficit. Eloy Jiménez led off by lifting a 3-1, 88.9mph slider way back into left field, landing 433 feet from home. It was his 11th home run and 35th RBI of the year. Chicago sent seven men to the plate before that frame ended with the score tied at one.

They didn’t stop there. Tim Andersson’s lead off single to left center in the top of the third set the stage for two additional tallies when he and Luis Robert, Jr., who had followed. him with a single to right, were driven in by a single by Jiménez and Andrew Vaughn’s force out, respectively. The Pale Hose now were ahead, 3-1.

The A’s didn’t get another hit after Kemp’s lead off triple until Jordan Díaz and Tyler Wade opened the home half of the fifth with a pair of infield singles. Esteury Ruíz tried to sacrifice them up a base each, but Crease’s throw beat Díaz to third for a force out. Kemp flew out to center, advancing Wade to third.

JJ Bleday hit a hard liner that Zach Remillard made a great dive for but couldn’t hold on to, and Ward scored from third. We went into the sixth with the Chisox ahead, 3-2 and Austin Pruitt on the mound for the Athletics. He set the Chicagoans down in order, as did Lucas Erceg in the seventh.

With one out in the bottom of the sixth, Jace Peterson doubled to right center and scored on Noda’s two bagger to left center, tying the score at three and sending Crease to the showers, replaced by Gregory Santos. The reliever walked Díaz and surrendered a single to Wade that loaded the bases. Ruíz took. a called third strike for the second out. Then Kemp grounded out to second, ending the threat

Keynan Middleton retired the first two batters he faced in the home half of the seventh, but Seth Brown deposited a slider over the 367 foot sign in right, a shot that travelled 383 feet and Brown’s seventh homer and 20th RBI. Oh, yes, it also put the A’s up, 4-3.

But nothing’s easy in this vale of tears called the Oakland Coliseum. In the top of the eighth with Erceg back on the mound Robert smacked leadoff double to right center, and Jiménez walked. Vaughn was hit by a pitch while swinging at it for strike three and was ruled out after a lengthy rules check. Jake Burger went down swinging the normal way. Carlos Pérez pinch hit for Seby Zavala and line a double down the left field line that scored Frazier and sent Grandal to third.

That brought Sam Long to the mound for Oakland. He granted an intentional walk to Remillard to load the bases and an unintentional one to Benintendi that plated Grandal. Anderson hit a drive into the left field seats that had him circling the bases, but the play was reviewed, and the shot was called foul. Anderson then flew out to right, and the inning ended with the score 6-4, Chicago..

Joe Kelly was the pale hose pitcher in the home eighth. He walked Noda before fanning Díaz and Wade. Ruíz then dropped a double into just fair territory in right; Noda stopped his advance at third. He scored on a balk with Kemp aa the plate. Kemp’s single to first drove in Ruíz, who also had moved up on the balk. Bleday then hit a grounder that Remillard couldn’t handle at second. Pinch hitting Conner Capel flew out to end the inning in what now was a 6-6 tie.

Trevor May was called on to halt the White Sox in the top of the ninth. Robert singled to left. Jiménez popped out. Vaughn was hit by a pitch. Robert was caught trying to steal second, May to Kemp to Peterson. Chicago challenged the call, but it was confirmed. May struck Burger out to preserve the tie.

Reynaldo López was assigned the task of preservation for Chicago in the Oakland ninth. Although he allowed a walk and a single he succeeded.

Shitaro Fujinami faced Grandal with Burger the zombie runner at second as we went into extra innings. He retired Grandal and the Sox’ Carlos Pérez before plunking Remillard. Then Benintendi whiffed, and the A’s gained the enormous advantage of starting their half of the 10th with Wade at second and needing only one run to. win.

Kendall Graveman was on the mound. He struck out Ruíz on a foul bunt with two strikes. Kemp flew out to left; Wade held second. Remillard bobbled Bleday’s grounder to second and threw errantly to first. Díaz flew around to home. Both calls were confirmed on review. The crowd went wild … on chants of “Sell the team!”

Fujinami got the win. He’s now 4-7, 9.57. Graveman, now 4-1, 300, was the losing pitcher.

Sunday, the two rivals will face each other in the final game of this three set series. Paul Blackman (1-0, 3,77) will be Oakland’s starting pitcher. Michael Kopech (3-7, 4.08) will play that role for Chicago. Game time is set for 1:07.

Aces Punish Suns in Final Regular Season Game Between The Two Teams 102-84

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Las Vegas guard Chelsea Gray (12) is defended by the New York Liberty forward Betnijah Laney (44) and forward Breanna Stewart (30) at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas on Sat Jul 1, 2023 (AP News photo)

Aces Punish Suns in Final Regular Season Game Between the Two Teams 102-84

By Barbara Mason

Saturday afternoon the Las Vegas Aces (15-1) took on the Connecticut Sun (12-5) at ULTA Michelob Arena looking for a little payback. The Sun are the only team that has managed to beat Las Vegas this season. Las Vegas extended their outstanding season record with a win 102-84. This was third and final game between these two teams in the regular season.

Despite not making a single three in the first ten minutes of play, the Aces held a ten point lead 30-20 at the end of the first quarter.

At the half the Aces held onto a 59-48 lead. The Sun got hot from beyond the arc hitting five in the first half while the Aces hit their first of the game in the final minute of play. As expected the Sun’s Dewanna Bonner finished the first half with 17 points. A’Ja Wilson had the high for the Aces with 14 points and seven rebounds.

Las Vegas continued to extend their lead going on a 11-0 run at 7:28 in the third quarter overwhelming the Sun 70-48. The Suns had four turnovers in the first half of the quarter. With under six left in the third the Aces had a 16-0 run and the Sun were helpless to do much about it.

Connecticut had more struggles in the game when Tiffany Hayes was ejected. She flashed the money sign insinuating cheating and that didn’t fly with the referees and she was out. The Suns cut the Aces lead to 84-65 with a mini 6-0 run to end the third quarter. It would turn out to be way too little way too late.

The Aces put this game away in the fourth quarter finishing off Connecticut 102-84. The run that Las Vegas is on right now is amazing and with the starters on the bench in the final minutes, everyone had a hand in this win. On top of it all, the bench is getting some precious minutes of play and some invaluable experience.

Las Vegas kept the Suns Dewanna Bonner under wraps allowing her only two points in the second half. She finished with 19 points. Every Las Vegas starter had double digits in this game with Kelsey Plum the high with 25 points. A’Ja Wilson had another outstanding game with 23 points and 13 rebounds. It’s just what she does and she does it week after week.

The Aces will not take the court until next Wednesday. They will meet the Dallas Wings with tipoff scheduled for 7:00 PM.

A’s Score Seven Runs Beat White Sox 7-4 at Coliseum Friday; Oakland wins third game in last seven

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

The Oakland A’s Esteuery Ruiz (1) steals second base while Chicago White Sox Elivis Andrus (1) waits for the late throw at the Oakland Coliseum on Fri Jun 30, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Troy Ewers

OAKLAND–On a Friday in front of 14,181 fans. The Oakland A’s (22-62) played the Chicago White Sox (36-48) and Luis Medina of the A’s faced off against Tanner Banks of the White Sox and Medina put on a stellar performance in his five innings.

Even though the Sox got a run on Medina in the first inning, the rest of his outing was a shutout where even when Chicago would load the bases, Medina would escape the inning and still have the calmness and confidence to keep going.

On the other side of the coin for the A’s, five innings resulted in five runs. In the second inning Oakland put up four of those five runs. It started with Shea Langeliers hitting an RBI single that scored JJ Bleday to tie the game, 1-1.

Jace Peterson hit a sac fly to left field and Aledmys Diaz scored off that to take the lead, 2-1. A Tony Kemp triple would then score Langeliers, 3-1 and then finally Esteury Ruiz hit a sac fly that scored Kemp, 4-1. Also Ruiz got his 41st stolen base in the first inning making him a MLB leader in stolen bases.

The fifth run was a Carlos Perez solo home run and this was his fifth home run of the season, 5-1 A’s. It was a bullpen game for the A’s from the sixth inning to the end and they held the White Sox off, but Chicago tried to make it interesting with three runs, including a solo home run by Luis Robert Jr.

The threat of a comeback for Chicago never phased the A’s, because they got two insurance runs in the eighth inning and the game ended with a score of 7-3, Oakland A’s win!!!

Saturday’s game is the second of the series and on the hill is Dylan Cease of the White Sox (3-3, 4.04) and it’s unknown at the time who’s pitching for Oakland. First pitch 1:07pm PT.

Bailey goes deep for 3 run shot puts Giants over Mets 5-4 in nail biter

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

The San Francisco Giants Patrick Bailey connects for an eighth inning home run to take the lead over the New York Mets at Citi Park in New York on Fri Jun 30, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Jessica Kwong

NEW YORK. — In his first game in the Big Apple, Patrick Bailey hit a three-run homer in the eighth inning to boost the San Francisco Giants to a 5-4 victory over the New York Mets at Citi Field on Friday night.

“Today was flat-out excellent,” Giants manager Gabe Kapler said of the first in the three-game series. “So definitely fair to get excited about tonight.”

In the first inning, Jeff McNeil doubled on a line drive to left fielder Blake Sabol and Francisco Lindor scored, putting the Mets up 1-0.

Brandon Crawford singled on a line drive to center field and Sabol scored, tying the game at 1-1 in the second. In the bottom of the inning, Omar Narvaez hit a sacrifice fly to center field and Tommy Pham scored, allowing the Mets to regain a 2-1 lead.

But the Giants tied it again in the fifth inning when Wilmer Flores hit a home run to center field. San Francisco challenged a stadium boundary call but the call on the field was upheld. McNeil doubled to left field on fan interference and Brandon Nimmo scored, putting the Mets up 3-2.

It was a Giants fan responsible for the interference, and Blake Sabol went over to console him and gave him a fist pump.

“I felt bad for the kid there you know, he had a whole stadium booing him,” said Sabol. “I think he was just a kid excited at a baseball game.”

Giants starting pitcher Alex Cobb said Sabol is “a puppy, he’s got a big heart”.

In the sixth inning, Pham hit a homer to left field and expanded the Mets’ lead to 4-2.

Then Bailey hit his big homer to give San Francisco the lead. That wasn’t all he contributed, though. In the ninth in the catcher position, Bailey threw to shortstop Casey Schmitt as Starling Marte was caught stealing.

“Probably one of his quicker moves and fortunate the fast ball off, I was able to get a good throw,” Bailey said of the play.

The Giants (46-36) got their eighth win of the season when trailing at the end of the seventh inning. Meanwhile, the Mets (36-46) suffered their 13th blown lead loss this month which is the most in the majors in June.

Game two takes place on Saturday with first pitch at 1:10 p.m. PT. Giants right-handed pitcher Anthony DeSclafani (4-7, 4.28 ERA) is set to face right-handed pitcher Justin Verlander (2-4, 4.11 ERA).