Tag: Sports Radio Service

San Francisco Giants podcast Stephen Ruderman: Bader with the hot bat looking for more RBIs; Schmitt also providing some offense

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San Francisco Giant Harrison Bader while on with NBC Sports gets something to drink from the Powerade can after their win against the Chicago White Sox on Sun May 24, 2026 (AP News photo)

San Francisco Giants podcast podcast Stepehen Ruderman:

#1 Harrison Bader getting his second grand slam in six days is one for the books and he was key in the San Francisco Giants laugher Saturday against the Chicago White Sox.

#2 Casey Schmitt also hit a home run and knocked in three runs. The Giants Willy Adames clouted a home run to help San Francisco end a four game losing streak.

#3 The Giants also got some offense from Matt Chapman, Daniel Susac, and Luis Arraez who got two hits each. Arraez has been producing at the plate for the Giants with a triple on Saturday and a hefty .323 average.

#4 The Giants who have scored 12 runs in their last four games put together two rallies on Saturday with three runs in the fourth and six runs in the fifth inning.

#5 Stephen, talk about Sunday’s starting pitchers for the Chicago White Sox LHP and looking for his third win this season Noah Schultz (2-3 ERA 4.93) and for the San Francisco Giants Robbie Ray (3-6 ERA 4.28)

Stephen Ruderman is a San Francisco Giants beat writer for http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Sacramento A’s game wrap: The A’s Played Well, but Failed to Follow Through; Pads Giolito blanks Sac 2-0

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San Diego Padres starter Luis Giolito was dealing against the Sacramento A’s at Petco Park in San Diego on Sat May 23, 2026 (AP News photo)

By Mauricio Segura

The Sacramento Athletics had enough baserunners to have made Saturday night a clear win, but the absolute lack of finishing touches failed to get any of them across the plate. A 2-0 loss to the Padres became a lesson in missed chances, survival pitching, and how a game with only two runs can still feel like it had a dozen turning points hiding in the San Diego the dirt.

Sacramento opened with immediate pressure against Lucas Giolito. Carlos Cortes started the game with a hard line-drive single to right, and Nick Kurtz followed with a base hit to move Cortes to third. Two powerful statements right off the bat (pun intended), especially with the heart of the order due. But Shea Langeliers then lifted a ball to right, Brent Rooker struck out, and Tyler Soderstrom’s easy fly was shut down as the inning slipped away without a run. The A’s had Giolito wobbling, but they never made him pay.

J.T. Ginn, making his first start since taking a no-hit bid into the ninth inning against the Angels, had to work through speeding traffic right away. Fernando Tatis Jr. drew a walk to begin the Padres’ first, and Manny Machado later reached as well, but Ginn struck out Gavin Sheets and Nick Castellanos to keep San Diego off the board. Considering Ginn had been riding one of the more dramatic recent starts by an A’s pitcher, his early command issues made this outing feel like a very different test. This one was not about chasing history. It was about escaping a pileup.

The escape act finally cracked in the second. Jackson Merrill reached, stole second, and the Padres loaded the bases after Freddy Fermin and Sung-Mun Song reached. Tatis was hit by a pitch, forcing in Merrill for the game’s first run. Ginn still avoided major damage when Miguel Andujar grounded into a force at the plate and Sheets flew out, but San Diego had taken the lead without needing a big swing.

The Padres added their second run in the third after Castellanos reached and Merrill doubled to right. Ty France grounded out to short, scoring Castellanos, and that was enough breathing room for San Diego’s staff. José Suarez replaced Ginn in the inning and limited the damage, while the A’s bullpen later gave the lineup a real chance. Joel Kuhnel delivered two perfect innings with three strikeouts, and Scott Barlow worked around a France walk in the eighth to keep it at 2-0.

The issue was the offense kept stepping into traps. In the third, Cortes drew a walk before Kurtz hit into an unassisted double play. In the fourth, the A’s had their best chance after Rooker and Soderstrom reached, Giolito uncorked a wild pitch, and Henry Bolte reached to load the bases. Jeff McNeil then hit into a double play, ending the threat and turning a possible turning point into another stranded opportunity.

Kurtz still gave the A’s one of their better storylines by reaching again with his second hit of the game, extending a streak that had already placed him among the longest in Athletics history. Big Amish’s ability to keep reaching base has become less of a hot streak and more of a nightly expectation, which is absurd in the best baseball way. Langeliers also nearly sparked something in the eighth with a double to left, but Jason Adam struck out Rooker and Soderstrom to end that threat.

By the ninth, Mason Miller finished it with force. Zack Gelof and Bolte struck out before McNeil grounded out, leaving the A’s with five hits, several chances, and no runs. The Padres did not win the game with any heroics. They simply cashed in once with a hit batter, once with a groundout, and let their pitching do the rest.

For the Athletics, the loss was frustrating because it was so reachable. Their pitching staff allowed only two runs, the bullpen settled the game beautifully, and the lineup had the right names at the plate in the right spots. But baseball being baseball, unpredictable, sometimes the whole night is not decided by who creates the most noise. Sometimes it is decided by who does the smallest thing at the exact right moment.

Game 3 starters for Sunday’s series closer will be Luis Medina (1-1 / 2.41 ERA / 18 k) for the A’s, and Michael King (4-2 / 2.31 ERA / 59 K) for the Padres at 4:10pm

Costa Rican-born Mauricio Segura has been covering sports in the Bay Area since 2001 for a variety of magazines and newspapers, as well as his own publication, Golden Bay Times.

Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.

⚡Craft cocktails? Check.
🔥Game-day bites? Oh yeah.
🏟️Steps from Golden 1 Center? You bet.

Open daily, Cyprus Grille is serving up local flavor with a front-row seat to the action. Stop by before or after the game—or make it your new downtown hangout.

Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.

📍Located inside the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena @ 300 J Street

Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm

Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in. 

Quakes match recap: Judd’s two goals pushes Quakes 3-1 win over Portland

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San Jose Earthquakes Preston Judd scored twice to lead the Quakes to a two goal win over the Portland Timbers at Providence Park on Sat May 23, 2026 (San Jose Earthquakes X image)

By William Espy

The San Jose Earthquakes were back on the road on Saturday night, as they visited the Portland Timbers at Providence Park. The Quakes got plenty of help from Preston Judd who scored two goals in the Quakes 3-1 win over the Timbers.

The Quakes opened the scoring quickly, as Judd scored his 10th goal of the season in the second minute and hit double digits in scoring for the first time in his career. Jack Skahan placed the ball at Judd’s feet right at the edge of the 18-yard box and he fired the ball into the back of the net to give the Earthquakes a 1-0 lead very early on.

Ten minutes later, Nick Fernandez forced a turnover with a strong tackle on the ball. He then found Judd in quite a bit of space, and Judd scored his second of the night, putting him on hat-trick watch just 12 minutes into the match. The Timbers would answer back pretty quickly, as after a free kick, the Timbers went on the offensive. Eventually the ball found its way to Antony in quite a bit of space, and he put it into the goal and cut the Earthquakes’ lead to a single goal.

Just six minutes later, Daniel Munie would restore San Jose’s two goal lead and set a new career high with his third goal of the campaign. Off of a corner, a quick passing play found its way to Munie’s foot right in front of the goal and he put it away, making it a 3-1 game.

Reid Roberts and Benji Kikanovic both picked up yellow cards late in the first half, but the Quakes carried their lead into the halftime break.

Ian Harkes and Jack Jasinski entered the game for the Earthquakes to start the second half, taking the place of Kikanovic and Fernandez. In the 51st minute, Kamal Miller got Portland’s first yellow card of the night. Then, new signing Darius Johnson entered the game for the Quakes in the 63rd minute, making his debut for San Jose.

Ronaldo Vieira was shown a yellow card in the 73rd minute for a foul on Kristoffer Velde.Then San Jose’s goalkeeper Daniel would earn the final yellow card of the night in the 85th minute. Ultimately, they would maintain their lead through the entirety of the second half, as the Earthquakes walked away with a 3-1 victory over Portland.

Kelsey Plum and the Sparks Hand Aces Second Loss of the Season 101-95

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Las Vegas Aces guard Chelsea Gray (12) drives on the Los Angeles Sparks forward Park Ji-hyun (6) at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas on Sat May 23, 2026 (Las Vegas Aces X photo)

By Rich Perez

The last game that the Las Vegas Aces (4-2) was a wild affair winning that game by a single point and Saturday night’s game was more of the same. The Los Angeles Sparks (3-3) gave Las Vegas all they could handle winning the game 101-95. Former Ace Kelsey Plum was outstanding scoring 38 points with ninth rebounds. The Aces A’Ja Wilson had a double double finishing with 24 points and 15 rebounds.

Game recap: The Sparks came out in the first quarter with a lot of energy. Las Vegas would be facing former team-mate Kelsey Plum and she sure did show up with four three’s made in the opening quarter.

She finished the quarter scoring 14 points. As in the Aces last game Chennedy Carter coming off the bench was on fire hitting 10 points in 8 minutes. The two teams traded leads with the Sparks leading much of the time and when the quarter came to an end the Sparks had a 32-30 lead. This game had all the makings of a real barn-burner.

Much like the opening quarter the second quarter was equally competitive, both teams jockeying for the lead. The game remained tight with four points being the largest lead for both the Aces and the Sparks.

The three’s were flying, the Sparks hitting seven and the Aces hitting six. Despite the 11 turnovers, the Sparks were giving the Aces the fight of their lives. When the first half came to an end, the Aces had outscored the Sparks 22-14 in the second quarter and took a 52-46 lead into the half.

At 7:42 in the third quarter the Aces took their largest lead of the game 57-48. Just when Las Vegas started to put a little distance between themselves and the Sparks Los Angeles rallied back taking a 58-57 lead going on a 10-0 run prompting an Aces timeout.

With seconds left on the clock in the third, the Aces were hanging onto a 71-70. After three quarters this game could not be any tighter with the Sparks outscoring the Aces in the quarter 26-21.

The Aces took a slim 73-72 lead into the fourth quarter. It would all comes down to the final quarter in this aggressive, fierce and impassioned game. Which team would have the determination and discipline to pull this game out?

The Sparks took an early fourth quarter lead 80-73 a minute into the quarter and the Aces had some work to do. Las Vegas was missing far too many shots trailing by six points 82-76 with just under six minutes left in the game.

With 5:30 left in the game Las Vegas rallied trailing by a single point 81-82 sending the arena into a wild frenzy. This game was reminiscent of the Aces last game against Atlanta. It was nothing short of amazing with A’Ja Wilson and Chelsea Grey’s will to win obvious in the final minutes.

This game was tied at 90 with three minutes left in the game. The Aces came up just short in this game. With 29.7 left in the game Los Angeles had a 99-94 lead. The many missed shots by Las Vegas down the stretch in the fourth quarter were looming large as Las Vegas faced their second loss of the season. The Sparks had pulled this game out 101-95 for the victory.

Las Vegas had some nice numbers from A’Ja Wilson who finished with a double double, 24 points and 15 rebounds. Nalyssa Smith finished with 22 points and 9 rebounds and bench player Chennedy Carter shot for 23 points. The Aces came up just short in this game. They missed a few too many shots down the stretch in the fourth quarter.

Los Angeles’ Kelsey Plum had the game high with 38 points and 9 assists.

Game notes: It has been a minute since the Aces took the court, their last game played in Atlanta five days ago in a real nail-biter that saw Las Vegas win in the final seconds 85-84. Chelsea Gray made the go-ahead jumper with 3.6 seconds left on the clock for the win. Saturday night the Aces lost at Michelob ULTRA Arena to the Sparks. The Sparks last played Thursday night against the Phoenix Mercury winning that match-up 97-88.

Next up for the Aces will be a matchup with the Dallas Wings next Thursday night. Los Vegas will be on the road for this game. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:00 PM and can be viewed on Prime Video.

Giants show serious resilience, and snap four-game slide with six-run fifth in 10-3 win over White Sox

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San Francisco Giants Harrison Bader (right) gets around on the baseball for a bottom of the fifth inning grand slam home run in front of Chicago White Sox catcher Drew Romo (left) at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Sat May 23, 2026 (AP News photo)

Saturday, May 23, 2026

Oracle Park

San Francisco, California

Chicago White Sox 3 (26-25)

San Francisco Giants 10 (21-31)

Win: Matt Gage (4-1)

Loss: Erick Fedde (0-5)

Time: 2:47

Attendance: 40,172

By Stephen Ruderman

SAN FRANCISCO–The Giants showed serious resilience Saturday, after losing a 3-0 lead, by responding with a six-run bottom of the fifth inning to blow the game open, and they snapped their four-game snide with a much-needed 10-3 win over the White Sox.

In seasons like this, it’s hard to mark one particular moment as the low point. Katel Marte’s walk-off home run off Matt Gage on Tuesday was brutal. The White Sox’ nine-run top of the fourth inning last night was ugly. Plain and simply, it has been a bad season for the Giants thus far. They came into Saturday’s game 11 games under .500 at 20-31, and in desperate need of a win.

Adrian Houser, who really came through when the Giants needed him to with a strong six-inning start in Sacramento on Sunday, took the ball Saturday. Houser was coming off three solid starts, to be exact.

Saturday, Houser retired the first seven men he faced to get through the first three innings pretty quickly. He then escaped a jam in the top of the fourth. The fact that the Giants got through the top of the fourth Saturday without a massive crooked number was a good omen.

Will Venable, whose old man and former Giant, Max, was here Saturday, decided to have a bullpen game for the White Sox. Left-hander Bryan Hudson was the first to go, and he threw a 1-2-3 bottom of the first inning. Hudson and Erick Fedde then combined for a 1-2-3 bottom of the second.

Bryce Eldridge was in the lineup for the fourth game in a row, which shows that pressure sometimes just may work. Eldridge led off the bottom of the third with a feisty 11-pitch at-bat that culminated with a line-drive base-hit to right field. Unfortunately, Harrison Bader immediately followed up Eldridge’s great at-bat by grounding into a double play.

One of the reasons I want the Giants to get back into it is that I don’t want them to trade Luis Arraez. He’s just too fun to watch. After Houser survived his jam in the top of the fourth Arraez led off the bottom of the fourth with a triple to triple’s alley in right-center. Casey Schmitt then hit a sacrifice fly to right to put the Giants on the board.

A sacrifice fly is a good way for an offense that can’t score runs to get on the board, but it still felt cheap. Good thing Rafael Devers followed that up with a base-hit to right. Matt Chapman also singled to right, and when Jarred Kelenic tried to get Rafi at third, Chapman aggressively took second. Up came Daniel Susac, and he lined a base-hit to left to knock in a pair and make it 3-0. The Giants had a chance to blow it open after Eldridge got his second hit of the game, but Bader and Drew Gilbert were unable to come through.

Houser escaped a jam in the fourth, but go figure: after the Giants finally had a big inning to put a crooked number on the board, the White Sox came right back with three runs to tie the game in the top of the fifth. That knocked Houser out of the game, and Matt Gage was the man who had to get out of it with the game still tied.

As bad as this season has been for the Giants, the fans have packed into Oracle Park all year, and have shown tremendous passion for this team, from the boos for their failures, to the massive euphoric cheers of their big hits and wins. The Giants themselves have shown tremendous resilience despite their poor season thus far. We saw it when they came back from three separate two-run deficits to beat the Pirates on Mother’s Day. Even during Tuesday night’s game in Arizona, the players on the bench showed tremendous enthusiasm after the double plays that got them out of the seventh and eighth innings.

The Giants showed that same resilience Saturday in the bottom of the fifth. Okay, Willy Adames flew out to start the inning, but Adames got a base-hit, and Casey Schmitt hit a big home run to left to put the Giants back ahead. It was Schmitt’s tenth home run of what is starting to turn into a breakout season for him.

Saturday was a gorgeous day at Oracle Park, but as can happen with gorgeous days, the sun can be a real problem. Chapman came up with two outs, and hit a popup along the line in very-shallow left that neither third-baseman Miguel Vargas nor shortstop Colson Montgomery could come with.

The ball fell in, and Chapman legged out a double. Susac and Eldridge walked to load the bases, and Venable brought in Jordan Leasure to face Bader. Bader hit a high popup along the third base line, but that was also lost in the sun, and it fell foul. Bader then hit a grand slam just to the right of straightaway center to send this sold-out crowd of 40,172 into oblivion, and blow the game open 9-3.

It was Bader’s second grand slam just this week. Of course, he hit the grand slam on Sunday in Sacramento. Still, that hardly pales in comparison to Casey Schmitt’s grand slams on back-to-back nights at Dodger Stadium last June.

Willy Adames hit a home run in the bottom of the eighth to make it 10-3. The Giants’ bullpen handled the fort the rest of the way. Gage went an inning and a third, and Sam Hentges threw a scoreless top of the eighth. Joel Peguero gave up back-to-back base-hits to start the top of the ninth, but he induced a double play, and ended up throwing a scoreless inning.

Let’s be honest, Saturday was an exorcism for the Giants. They played the kind of baseball that we have all known they are very much capable of playing. The fact that the Giants are so capable is what has made this start so frustrating. Too many players on this team have tried to be the hero, and have refused to shorten their swings in crucial RBI situations.

That is the biggest reason things have gone the way they have this season. Call me crazy, but if the Giants can start playing consistent station-to-station baseball like this going forward, I honestly believe they will get back into contention this season. I mean, they clearly still want to do something special this season. That is obvious by the way they play. The only question is whether they can keep it up, going forward.

Now, for the formalities. Matt Gage got the win in what was his first appearance since giving up the walk-off on Tuesday. He needed this. Erick Fedde took the loss.

The Giants improve to 21-31.

As for Sunday, the Giants have a chance to take the series. Robbie Ray (3-6 ERA 4.28) will get a chance to move on from his disastrous start in Arizona on Monday, and will take the ball. Noah Schultz (2-3 ERA 4.93) will go for the South-Siders.

First pitch will be at 1:05 p.m.

San Francisco Giants podcast Stephen Ruderman: Jung Hoo Lee out on 10 day IL back injury; Giants suffer 4th inning nine set back against Sox

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San Francisco Giants outfielder Jung Hoo Lee (51) is on the 10 day IL out with a back injury as of Fri May 22, 2026 (AP News photo)

San Francisco Giants podcast Stephen Ruderman:

#1 The Giants have now lost four straight games and are 2-7 in their last nine games. The loss on Friday night to the Chicago White Sox was not much of encouragement allowing nine runs in the top of the fourth inning at Oracle Park.

#2 Talk about pitcher Trevor McDonald he had a great break in with the Giants when he was called up and looked in command on Friday night until that fourth inning when the White Sox saw the baseball as big as beach balls.

#3 Also in the fourth inning McDonald and reliever Ryan Boruki hit outfielder Sam Antonacci it was the first time Giants pitchers hit the same batter whether it was the same pitcher or different pitchers.

#4 The Giants third baseman Matt Chapman has four extra base hits in his last six games. Chapman is hitting .304 with a .863 over the last six games.

#5 Talk about today’s starting pitchers for the White Sox RHP Erick Fedde (0-4 ERA 4.30) for the Giants RHP Andrian Houser (2-4 ERA 5.25) first pitch 1:05pm PDT

Stephen Ruderman is a San Francisco Giants beat writer for http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Sacramento A’s podcast Mauricio Segura: Pads come out with the big flies to bury A’s 7-3 in series opener Friday

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Former Oakland A and current San Diego Padre Ramon Laureano watches his home run in the bottom of the seventh inning against the Sacramento A’s at Petco Park in San Diego on Fri May 22, 2026 (AP News photo)

Sacramento A’s podcast Mauricio Segura:

#1 Mauricio, Talk about A’s pitchers Jeffrey Springs and Jack Perkins who both got touched up by the San Diego Padres early in the game.

#2 The Padres got home run help from Ramon Laureano, Manny Machado, and Nick Castellanos the long ball put the A’s out of business early.

#3 Which Athletics hitters were expected to be key offensive contributors entering the series against San Diego?

#4 In spite of the loss the A’s still maintain a 1.5 game lead on the second place Seattle Mariners in the AL West

#5 How important will this Memorial Day weekend series for the Athletics’ be in the standings in the AL West race?

Mauricio Segura filled in for Tony Harvey who does A’s podcasts each Saturday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.

⚡Craft cocktails? Check.
🔥Game-day bites? Oh yeah.
🏟️Steps from Golden 1 Center? You bet.

Open daily, Cyprus Grille is serving up local flavor with a front-row seat to the action. Stop by before or after the game—or make it your new downtown hangout.

Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.

📍Located inside the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena @ 300 J Street

Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm

Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in. 

NHL Stanley Cup Playoff podcast Mary Lisa: Knights take 2-0 series lead over Aves as series shifts to Vegas

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Vegas Golden Knights center Nic Dowd (left) puts a shot on Colorado Avalanche goaltender Scott Wedgewood in the first period during game 2 of the third round of the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Ball Arena in Denver on Fri May 22, 2026 (AP News photo)

NHL Stanley Cup Playoff podcast Mary Lisa:

#1 How did the Golden Knights manage to rally in the third period after trailing 1-0 for most of the game?

#2 What impact did the absences of Cale Makar and Mark Stone have on Game 2?

#3 Which player had the biggest influence on Vegas’ 3-1 victory at Ball Arena?

#4 Why has Colorado struggled to convert its scoring chances despite outshooting Vegas in the series?

#5 With the series shifting to Las Vegas and the Golden Knights leading 2-0, what adjustments must the Avalanche make to stay alive in the Western Conference Final?

Mary Lisa does the NHL Stanley Cup Playoff podcasts each Saturday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

San Francisco Giants game wrap: Sox’ nine-run inning leads to victory over Giants, 9-4

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Chicago White Sox’s Munetaka Murakami (5) and Colson Montgomery (12) celebrate after both scored on Andrew Benintendi’s two-run double during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the San Francisco Giants Friday, May 22, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

By Ryan Hannagan

San Francisco — The Giants and White Sox faced off for game one of a three game series Friday night at Oracle Park. After a heartbreaking loss that resulted in a sweep Wednesday afternoon in Arizona, the Giants looked to bounce out of the loss column with a series opening win, only to lose following a nine-run fourth inning rally. Final score, 9-4.

Giants manager Tony Vitello turned to right-handed pitcher Trevor McDonald for the start on the mound. McDonald had spent time bouncing between the AAA River Cats and the Giants this season, but entered Friday’s game with strong numbers for the orange and black. Through three starts, he owned a 2-0 record, 2.37 ERA and 1.00 WHIP. On the other side, the White Sox handed the ball to Davis Martin. Martin entered the game leading the American League with six wins while posting a 1.61 ERA, 0.982 WHIP and 3.0 WAR.

The first three innings were scoreless as both pitchers settled into an early rhythm. Giants starter Trevor McDonald was perfect through three innings before the White Sox offense erupted in the fourth. Chicago opened the inning with back-to-back hit batters before Colson Montgomery’s infield single loaded the bases. With one out, Chase Meidroth drew a walk to force in the game’s first run. Andrew Benintendi followed with a two-run double, and Edgar Quero added an RBI hit to make it 4-0.

The White Sox were far from finished. Derek Hill’s RBI single pushed the lead to 5-0 and prompted manager Tony Vitello to turn to the bullpen. Ryan Borucki entered and immediately hit Nick Antonacci, marking the second time Antonacci had been hit by a pitch in the inning, making him just the seventh player since 2000 to be hit twice in the same frame. With the bases loaded, Munetaka Murakami cleared them with a three-run double to extend the lead to 8-0. Miguel Vargas then reached on an infield single that got away from Rafael Devers, allowing Murakami to score and cap the nine-run inning before Montgomery struck out to end the frame.

The damage had been done. 13 at bats, five hits, nine runs. Boos rained down from the fans at Oracle Park. The nine allowed to the White Sox in one inning is the most runs allowed in a single inning by the Giants since August 16th, 2020 vs the Athletics (also nine). They have seen a lot of struggles lately, and that 4th inning symbolically captured how this season has come to be for the Giants so far.

The Giants half of the 4th inning was a polar opposite to the White Sox’. They went down in order, one-two-three.

The remainder of the game the White Sox were kept off the board. The Giants attempted to mount a comeback with a three run 5th inning and another added run in the 6th. The four runs were too little too late for the Giants, as the score ended 9-4.

Despite the unfavorable score, the 37,524 in attendance were still lively. Starting in the 7th, the MLB-wide “tarps off” trend came alive at Oracle Park. Beginning in the centerfield bleachers, a group of an estimated 50-75 fans began waving their shirts over their heads like rally towels. Soon the rest of Oracle Park caught on, and fans in every section were waving their shirts with pride. It was the loudest the ball park got all night, and a witty way to go about the situation on the field. No luck from the rally tarps in igniting a Giants comeback, but fun at the ballpark on a cold San Francisco night.

With Friday’s loss the Giants move to 20-31, a season-low 11 games under .500 after four straight losses. Two wins in their last nine. Davis Martin got the win, his 7th on the season leading the American League. His ERA now sits at 2.04, good enough for eighth-lowest in the MLB.

Game two is Saturday, first pitch at 1:05 p.m. PST. RHP Erick Fedde scheduled to be on the mound for the White Sox. RHP Adrian Houser gets the nod for the Giants.

Sacramento A’s game wrap: A’s Early Edge Vanishes in San Diego Power Show 7-3

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San Diego Padres base runner Fernando Tatis (left) is tagged out by Sacramento A’s first baseman Nick Kurtz (16) in the bottom of the fifth inning at Petco Park in San Diego on Fri May 22, 2026 (AP News photo)

Sacramento A’s game wrap:

By Mauricio Segura

The Sacramento A’s just couldn’t hold the lead and later faltered to the San Diego Padres 7-3 at Petco Park in San Diego on Friday night. In the first inning was one that usually gives the dugout a false sense of ease. Carlos Cortes started it with a single to center, and Nick Kurtz followed by driving a double to center that brought Cortes home and extended his already impressive run of reaching base.

Kurtz entered this matchup carrying a 44-game on-base streak, the fourth longest in Athletics history, and he wasted no time adding another note to that growing file. Shea Langeliers moved him to third with a grounder, and Brent Rooker’s groundout scored him for a quick 2-0 lead.

The Padres answered with less traffic but more force. Fernando Tatis Jr. drew a free pass in the bottom half, and after Jeffrey Springs retired Miguel Andujar and Gavin Sheets, Manny Machado turned the game with one swing, sending a two-run homer to left center. Just like that, the Athletics’ early cushion was gone, and the game settled into a tug-of-war between Springs trying to keep the Padres quiet and the A’s trying to rebuild pressure against Walker Buehler.

The Green and Gold had chances, but the small details kept getting expensive. Henry Bolte drew a free pass and Jeff McNeil singled in the second, only for Darell Hernaiz and Cortes to leave both stranded. Kurtz reached again in the third, but the middle of the order could not cash him in. In the fourth, Zack Gelof opened with a double to left, and Bolte followed with a single to center that scored Gelof, giving the A’s a 3-2 lead. Bolte’s speed created the run, but his attempt to take second was cut down by Rodolfo Durán and Xander Bogaerts, trimming a possible larger inning into something much smaller.

Springs did his best to make that lead hold. He got a double play in the third, worked a steady fourth, and handled the sixth with three groundouts. That mattered because Springs had been trying to shake a rough stretch that included four straight losses entering the game, and for much of the night he looked ready to bend the trend back in the right direction.

The problem was that San Diego did not need many openings. Nick Castellanos tied the game in the fifth with a homer to left, and Ramón Laureano gave the Padres the lead in the seventh with another solo shot. Springs allowed only three hits, but all three left the yard, a cruel little baseball math problem with no friendly answer.

The sixth inning may haunt the Athletics more than any other. Bolte and McNeil singled with two outs, Hernaiz loaded the bases with a free pass, and the Padres had to bring in Adrian Morejon to face pinch-hitter Colby Thomas. With the game still tied and one swing able to change everything, Thomas struck out, leaving a bitter taste that continued to squirm on the palate throughout the rest of the game.

San Diego finally broke it open in the eighth. Durán, Tatis, Andujar, and Sheets opened the inning with four straight singles off Jack Perkins, with Sheets bringing home two runs. Machado struck out, but Bogaerts added a sacrifice fly to score Andujar, pushing the Padres ahead 7-3. José Suarez stopped the inning from stretching further by getting Sung-Mun Song to pop out, but the damage had already turned a tense game into a virtual unreachable summit.

The Athletics went quietly in the ninth against Jeremiah Estrada, with McNeil striking out, Lawrence Butler grounding out as a pinch-hitter, and Thomas flying out to center. The final score told one story, but the innings told a fuller one: the A’s started fast, Springs competed, Kurtz kept reaching, Bolte supplied a run, and San Diego’s power plus one late rally made the difference.

For a team that had just won back-to-back extra-inning games and remained in first place in the American League West, this was not a collapse so much as a reminder. In the majors, being close for seven innings only matters if the eighth does not bite you.

Game two Saturday will feature J.T. Ginn (2-2, 2.98 ERA, 44 K) back on the mound after his devastating near no-hitter loss in Anaheim a few nights ago. He’ll face Lucas Giolito (1-0, 5.40 ERA, 3 K), who will be making just his second appearance for San Diego. First pitch is scheduled for 6:40 p.m.

Costa Rican-born Mauricio Segura has been covering sports in the Bay Area since 2001 for a variety of magazines and newspapers, as well as his own publication, Golden Bay Times.

Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.

⚡Craft cocktails? Check.
🔥Game-day bites? Oh yeah.
🏟️Steps from Golden 1 Center? You bet.

Open daily, Cyprus Grille is serving up local flavor with a front-row seat to the action. Stop by before or after the game—or make it your new downtown hangout.

Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.

📍Located inside the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena @ 300 J Street

Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm

Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in.