Second game: A’s bounce back behind Mike Minor’s gem blank Mariners 9-0

The Oakland A’s Marcus Semien belted a three run homer comes home and is greeted by Tony Kemp and Khris Davis both who scored ahead of Semien in the fourth inning of the first game of the doubleheader vs. the Seattle Mariners (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Oakland A’s, smarting from a rare bullpen meltdown in game one of the doubleheader with the Mariners on Monday, bounced back to trounce the M’s 9-0.

The A’s sent the veteran lefty, Mike Minor, out to the hill to subdue the M’s. Minor did his job as he pitched his best game of the year. Minor, an All-Star last season, went 0-5 with the Texas Rangers before being traded to the A’s.

Minor baffled the up-and-coming young Mariner team with a mix of fastballs, curves, and change-ups. He pitched a complete seven-inning game as he allowed just two hits and no runs. He struck out a season-high eight Mariners and walked only two.

The A’s grabbed an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first. Tommy LaStella, batting in the leadoff slot, was hit by a pitch. Marcus Semien walked to men on at first and second with no out. LaStella went to third when Robbie Grossman reached on a fielder’s choice. Semien was out at second. Grossman then stole second.

M’s starter Jimmy Yacobonis walked Matt Olson to load the bases. Mark Canha singled to drive in LaStella with the A’s first run. With the bases still loaded, Ramon Laureano blasted a shot to centerfield. The ball appeared to be high over the fence for a grand slam. Kyle Lewis, a contender for the AL Rookie of the Year, made a sensational leaping catch to Rob Laureano. The A’s lead 1-0

The A’s, in the top of the third, sent ten men to the plate as they put five runs on the board. Olson walked for the second time. Seth Frankoff was now pitching for Seattle. He retired Canha for the first out. After being released by the Colorado Rockies, Jake Lamb, signed as a free agent, doubled to send Olson to third.

It was Lamb’s first hit as an Athletic. Laureano doubled to drive in Olson and Lamb. Catcher Jonah Heim singled to drive in Laureano make it 4-0. Third baseman Vimael Machin followed with a bloop single to left field. LaStella walked to load the bases. Semien reached on a fielder’s choice. Heim scored. Grossman then singled to drive in Machin with the A’s fifth run of the inning. The A’s lead 6-0.

The A’s put the game out of reach when they put three more runs on the board. With one out, Robbie Grossman singled. Mark Canha homered over the centerfield wall to make it 8-0. Jake Lamb, playing in his hometown of Seattle, blasted his first home run of the year to deep right field to up the score. The A’s win 9-0.

Game Notes- With the win, the A’s are now 30-18. They have twelve games left on the schedule. They travel to Colorado for games on Tuesday and Wednesday. They have an off-day on Thursday.

They resume play at home against the hard-hitting San Francisco Giants. The Giants are contending for a playoff berth, and the three-game set should be very entertaining. The A’s then travel to Los Angeles to play the NL West-leading Dodgers for three games.

The Mariners then come to Oakland to play the last four games of the year. There will be another doubleheader between the teams on September 26th. The final game of the regular season will be on the 27th.

First game: Mariners come from behind to stun A’s 6-5 in the first of two in Seattle

The Seattle Mariners Kyle Lewis is congratulated by teammates after hitting a two run fifth inning home run in the first game of the doubleheader on Mon Sep 14th at T-Mobile Field in Seattle (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The A’s arrived in Seattle to play a doubleheader with the Mariners before moving on to Denver to play two games with the Colorado Rockies. Just as the Portland, San Francisco, and Oakland, Seattle was covered with smoke from the forest fires in the western states. The air quality number was over 200. Major League Baseball had to decide on whether or not to postpone the game. They elected to play the game.

The A’s scored one in the second and four in the fourth to lead 5-0. A’s starter lefty Jesus Luzardo was pitching well. He gave up a solo homer in the fourth and then three runs in the bottom of the fifth as the M’s crept to within one run of tying the game. A’s manager, Bob Melvin, pulled Luzardo with two outs in the fifth. Yusmeiro Petit recorded the final out.

The Mariners put the game away in the sixth. Joakim Soria was on the hill for Oakland. With two out and a man on first, M’s designated hitter, Tim Lopes, doubled to drive in Phillip Irvin with the tying run. For Lopes, it was his third double of the game. Soria then walked the next three hitters to force in the M’s sixth run of the game.
The M’s brought in Yoshihisa Hirano to close out the game. He did his job and retired the side to preserve the win for the M’s.

Game Notes- The A’s line was five runs, six hits, no errors. The M’s line was six runs, nine hits, and two errors. Lefty Marco Gonzalez was the winning pitcher. Joakim Soria took the loss.
Luzardo pitched four and 2/3rds innings. He allowed four runs, seven hits, and three home runs. He struck out seven and did not walk a batter.
Marcus Semien led the A’s offense. He had two hits and drove in four with a single and a three-run homer.

The A’s dropped to 29-18 with the loss. The youthful Mariners now have won eight of the last eleven games and are 22-25. They trail the Houston Astros by one game in the race for the second spot in the AL West.

The A’s play game two of the doubleheader at 5:10 pm Monday

San Francisco Giants podcast with Morris Phillips: Padres give Giants the false positive in sweep

The San Diego Padres Wil Meyers (center) gets in on all the fun with a home run of his own and is greeted by teammates Abraham Almonte (left) and Manny Machado (right) Sunday at Petco Park in San Diego (AP News photo)

On the Giants podcast with Morris:

#1 After the Giants had two days off having Friday and Saturday off because a player had tested false positive on Thursday night they turned around and lost a Sunday doubleheader at Petco Park 6-0 and 3-1.

#2 Morris in the front game the Giants were shutout by the pitching of Mike Clevinger 6-0, Clevinger who went seven innings and gave up just two hits and the Giants looked like they couldn’t lay any lumber on him.

#3 The Giants held the Padres slugger Fernando Tatis Jr to 0-3, Manny Machado got a hit and run, Austin Nola and Jake Cronenworth both scored twice in the front game. The Padres seem like they get a different hero everyday.

#4 The Padres took the second game Padres starter Garret Richards pitched 4.1 innings gave up only one run and two hits and the Padres pitching staff of Tim Hill, Drew Pomeranz, and Trevor Rosenthal kept the Giants off balance shutting them out for the rest of the way. Padres win 3-1.

#5 The Giants have Monday off which means it’s the Morris Giants day off report and play the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Field for a two game series starting Tuesday night. Pitchers for Tuesday for the Giants a pitcher to be named later and for the Mariners Ljay Newsome (0-0 ERA 3.24).

Catch Morris every Monday for the Giants podcasts at http://www.sportsradioservie.com

MLB podcast with Larry Crino: Gunman caught before KC-Pittsburgh game; Lamb to take Chapman’s place in A’s line up ; plus more

The scene outside of Arrowhead Stadium as police answer the call of an active shooter before the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Kansas City Royals game over at Kaufman Stadium on Saturday (@KCStar photo)

On the MLB podcast with Larry Crino:

#1 Larry, Kansas City Police had the game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Kansas City Royals delayed on Saturday because of an active shooter in the vicinity of Arrowhead Stadium shots were fired the suspect was arrested he found with two guns and a knife. The area was on lockdown and the Pirates bus to Kaufman Stadium was delayed.

#2 The Oakland A’s Matt Chapman was such a key factor in the A’s line up but now he will miss the rest of the season due to hip surgery Chapman hit .232, 22 runs scored and 33 hits. The A’s are brining in third baseman Jake Lamb from the Arizona Diamondbacks who has five hits, no homers and is batting .116 will he be the answer for Chapman?

#3 Larry the LA Dodgers are in San Diego to open up a three game series the Padres just got done playing a doubleheader against the Giants who had a setback of a false positive test. The Padres are a force to reckon with with Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr both hitting over .300 and mighty pitcher Mike Clevinger.

#4 On Saturday Dodger fans greeted the Houston Astros arriving by bus at Dodgers Stadium beating garbage cans and calling them everything you could think of when they arrived in the parking lot. One thing the Astros can be glad about these fans were getting no where inside the stadium.

#5 Larry, What has happened to the New York Yankees they have lost five of their last 11  games, it’s the middle of September it’s getting late early their five games behind first place Tampa Bay they have won their last three games but their hoping to see post season.

Join Larry each Monday for the MLB podcast at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Earthquakes earn point in 0-0 draw with Galaxy

The San Jose Earthquakes Oswaldo Alanis (4)  and the Los Angles Galaxy’s Jonathan Dos Santos (8) meet before their match at Avaya Stadium in San Jose on Sun Sep 13th, 2020 (@SJEarthquakes photo)

by Marko Ukalovic

SAN JOSE, Calif- The difference between two extra points is a matter of inches.

For the San Jose Earthquakes that was the case as a potential game winning goal in the final minutes was waved off due to an offside call that resulted in a 0-0 draw with their SoCal rival the Los Angeles Galaxy on Sunday evening at Earthquakes Stadium.

In the 89th minute of the match, Marcos Lopez centered a ball into the middle of the box where Andy Rios was able to kick it past Galaxy goalkeeper for what would have been a 1-0 lead for San Jose. However Rios left a split second too early and was flagged for offsides, negating the goal.

San Jose, despite picking up a point, remains winless in five consecutive games (0-3-2) since coming back from the bubble in Orlando. LA’s three-game winning streak was snapped but their point streak continued at four games.

The second installment of the California Classico of the season featured quality scoring chances by both teams throughout the match, however both goalkeepers played spoilers as they kept the ball out of their nets.

San Jose controlled the possession battle in the first half with a 56.7%-43.3% edge. Their defensive play was a major upgrade after a humiliating 7-1 loss to Seattle just three nights earlier.

Galaxy goalkeeper David Bingham was the man of the first half stoning away two quality scoring chances by the Quakes.

First in the 18th minute off a free kick by Jackson Yueill, Bingham punched Yueill’s ball back into the middle where Guram Kashia’s first attempt was kicked away by Bingham. Kashia recovered the ball and his second attempt sailed wide left.

Then in the 34th minute, Yueill received the ball from 12 yards out and his shot was knocked aside to the right by Bingham resulting in a corner kick San Jose failed to cash in.

Los Angeles controlled play in the final five minutes of the first half. Efrain Álvarez came within inches of breaking the deadlock when his left footed shot from 20 yards out hit the right post in the 42nd minute.

In the second half, it was Quakes goalie Daniel Vega’s turn to play heroics as the Galaxy controlled play in a 23 minute stretch from the 57th minute to the 80th minute of play.

Sebastian Lletget’s header from the center of the box was saved by Daniel Vega in the 75th minute. It was one of LA’s best chances to score but were left frustrated.

San Jose ended up winning the possession battle 56.6%-43.4%.

Both Bingham and Vega finished the match with two saves a piece.

GAME NOTES: San Jose had six corner kicks. Los Angeles had eight.

The Galaxy were issued two yellow card during the match Daniel Steres received one in the 17th minute for a dangerous tackle on Shea Salinas and Julian Araujo received at the end of the match for persistent infringement . San Jose’s Nick Lima received a yellow card in the 3rd minute of the match for unsporting behavior.

San Jose is 0-1-1 against the Galaxy this season and are 4-2-2 in their last eight matches.

UP NEXT: San Jose hosts the Portland Timbers on Wednesday 9/16 at 6:30pm at Earthquakes Stadium.

Giants swept by Padres in twin bill 6-0 and 3-1

San Francisco Giants pitcher Logan Webb throws against the San Diego Padres in the first inning of the second game of the doubleheader on Sunday at Petco Park (AP News photo)

By Jeremy Kahn

Trying to make the playoffs for the first time since Bruce Bochys last season as manager of the San Diego Padres, they moved closer their goal.

The Padres won both games of the doubleheader against the San Francisco Giants, as Mike Clevinger threw a two-hitter for his second career shutout in the first game, as the Padres defeated the Giants 6-0 at Petco Park.

Greg Garcia and Wil Myers each hit two-run singles off of Johnny Cueto, who lost for the first time in the shortened season and is now 2-1.

Jurickson Profar came up with the big hit in the second game, as he hit a go-ahead single ni rhe bottom of the fifth inning to help the Padres sweep the doubleheader over the Giants.

The second game of the doubleheader was part of a makeup after what turned out to be a false positive test of Covid-19 for San Diego native Alex Dickerson, who played on Sunday.

Dickerson received news of the positive test just moments before Fridays game. He was pulled from the field and eventually placed in isolation at Petco Park, as both Friday and Saturdays games were postponed.

Major League Baseball and the players union said Sunday morning that the test was originally positive was actually a false positive.

Profar executed what is called a Butcher Boy, where he showed bunt and then hit away off of Sam Selman and the single bounced off of Evan Longorias glove into left field that scored Jake Cronenworth to score the eventual game-winning run and then Manny Machado hit a two-out run-scoring single to give the Padres their sixth straight win, as the Padres swept the doubleheader with a 3-1 victory.

Mike Yastrzemski put the Giants on the board, as he hit a double with two outs in the top of the second inning to give them a 1-0 lead. Unfortunately, that lead did not last long, as Myers hit his 12th home run of the season in the bottom of the second inning to tie up the game.

Tim Hill won for the third time without a loss, as he was able to get the Giants out in order in the top of the fifth inning before Profar and Machados run-scoring singles.

Clevinger went seven innings in the first game for the Padres, as he struck out seven and walked just one.

Cueto gave up six runs, four earned and allowed six hits in 5.1 innings of work and lost for the first time this season.

NOTES: These two teams play each other the final three games of the season at Oracle Park from September 25-27; however, Major League has yet to decide when the other game will be made up that was postponed this weekend.

Giants reliever Trevor Gott was placed on the 10-day injured list with inflammation in his pitching elbow, and is retroactive to Thursday.

Kevin Gausman was scratched from his start, as he developed an elbow issue while playing catch and will undergo an MRI.

UP NEXT: After an off-day on Monday, the Giants will open a two-game series against the Seattle Mariners on T-Mobile Park on Tuesday night.

SAFEWAY OPEN: Cink roars back to win

Stewart Cink takes a swing on the second tee in the final round at the Silverado North Course. Cink was the winner of Sunday’s Safeway Open PGA Golf Tournament in Napa. (AP News photo)

By Jeremy Harness

A lot has happened since Stewart Cink’s last win on the PGA Tour, which came at the Open Championship in 2009, when he upended the legendary Tom Watson.

His wife, Lisa, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2016, and then Stewart himself was diagnosed with skin cancer. Both, however, have since been given clean bills of health, but it took a lot of courage to get to this point.

Fast forward to this weekend, as Cink shot rounds of 65 on Saturday as well as Sunday, and he came away with the win at the Safeway Open, with his birdie at the par-5 18th being the decisive blow.

He got off to a nice start and never really turned off the momentum. He recorded back-to-back birdies at the fourth and fifth holes and the followed that up with birdies at the eighth as well as the ninth.

He added a chip-in for birdie at the par-3 11th before going birdie back-to-back at the 15th and 16th holes.

However, he did suffer a hiccup at the par-4 17th, as he could not get up and down and dropped a shot. He got that shot right back at the final hole, as he hit two good shots and wound up just past the back fringe.

He pulled out a putter and got it to about four feet and then drained the birdie putt to give himself a two-shot lead with two groups left on the course.

“Well, it has been emotional,” Cink said. “You can’t go wire to wire in the FedExCup year without winning the first one, I would like to point that out right now. In a way that was kind of a goal this week. No, it’s been an awesome time. My son Reagan caddying for me, Lisa was here. This is a really special place, I love being in Napa and I just had a really phenomenal time this week. And on top of that my golf ball was pretty agreeable most of the way, so it was a really great experience top to bottom all week.”

At that point, there were only two guys with a chance to tie Cink, Brian Stuard and Harry Higgs. Higgs was two back and needed an eagle, and his chance evaporated when his third shot landed way right of the hole.

“I would have loved to have hit a tee ball in the fairway on 18. I felt like I needed 3, especially seeing Stewart in the fairway when we got back to that tee,” Higgs said. “I can’t believe the putt on 17 didn’t go in. I was back and forth between does it straighten at the hole, does it keep breaking. I hit it exactly how I wanted to.

“All in all, super positive week obviously. Had a chance to win, great start to a new season. I felt like this was a really, really good chance, and it was nice to be in it at the end versus the last time I finished second.”

As for Stuard, who was four back when Cink sank his final putt, he needed even more. His chance fell through when his birdie attempt at the 17th burned the edge.

Cardinals,Kyler Murray and DeAndre Hopkins spoil 49ers’ home opener with 24-20 victory

By Joe Hawkes

SANTA CLARA, Calif — The San Francisco 49ers’ “Revenge Tour” for 2020 didn’t get off to the best start, as the Arizona Cardinals slipped by San Francisco, 24-20, in Week 1 of the NFL season on Sunday afternoon.

Wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, whom the Cardinals acquired in the offseason via a trade with the Houston Texans, dominated a usually formidable 49ers defense for much of the game. Hopkins finished with a career-high 14 catches for 151 yards in his debut, set up running back Kenyan Drake’s 1-yard go-ahead TD with 5:03 left in the fourth quarter.

Quarterback Kyler Murray, last season’s Associated Press Offensive Rookie of the Year, picked up where he left off, threw for 230 yards and a touchdown and ran for 90 yards and another score to help the Cardinals (1-0) overcome a pair of fourth quarter deficits to the reigning NFC champion 49ers (0-1) in an empty Levi’s Stadium in smoky temperatures.

There were growing concerns all week that the game could be postponed because of poor air quality from fires from across Northern California. The Air Quality Index remained below the 200 threshold and the game kicked off on time.

Murray completed 26-of-40 passes and was sacked twice on the day. Murray actually rushed for 100 yards before two kneeldowns at the end for minus-10 yards.

49ers running back Jerick McKinnon caught a 5-yard TD pass from quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo in his first game since Dec. 31, 2017, to give San Francisco a 20-17 lead with 8:38 left in the fourth quarter before Murray engineered Arizona’s comeback.

Murray’s 33-yard connection to Hopkins to the 49ers’ 1-yard line would setup Drake’s score on the very next play, putting the Cardinals up for good.

San Francisco’s defense registered just one sack by defensive end Kerry Hyder and one interception by safety Jaquiski Tartt. It was San Francisco’s first recorded interception by a safety since Oct. 28, 2018, coincidentally, by Tartt against the Cardinals when he picked off from first-round pick Josh Rosen.

Tartt recorded the interception in the second quarter off a tip pass from second-year starting linebacker Dre Greenlaw.

The defense looked extremely gassed in the fourth quarter after Arizona went on a 14-play, 94-yard drive that covered 6:48 minutes that resulted in a 22-yard TD run by Murray that gave the Cardinals their first lead of the game at 17-13 with 10:26 remaining.

Garoppolo, who finished 19-of-33 passing for 259 yards and two TD’s, moved San Francisco to the Cardinals’ 16-yard line before throwing an incomplete pass to wide receiver Trent Taylor on fourth-and-5 that sealed the 49ers’ fate.

San Francisco jumped out to a 10-0 first quarter lead, highlighted by a 76-yard TD catch from running back Raheem Mostert from Garoppolo. Mostert’s score reached a maximum speed of 22.73 MPH, per NFL Next Gen Stats.

It was the fastest TD since Tyreek Hill in 2016.

As a whole, San Francisco struggled on offense against a very improved Cardinals defense for much of the game. The 49ers couldn’t convert on third down, going 2-for-11 on the day and got nothing from its wide receiver group.

Taylor (5), Kendrick Bourne (5) and Dante Pettis garnered just 11 targets while mustering just 41 yards among them.

By that same token, fullback Kyle Juszczyk had one catch but that went for 41 yards in the fourth quarter.

Tight end George Kittle, the 49ers unquestioned best offensive player, caught four passes for 44 yards in the first half before leaving late in the second quarter for the locker room with a scary looking leg injury. Kittle jumped high for a pass from Garoppolo on the left side of the field. The All-Pro tight end was tackled around his waist by Cardinals safety Budda Baker just as he landed to the turf.

It appeared that Kittle’s left knee just hyperextend. Kittle did return in the second-half, but was a virtual non-factor in the offense.

San Francisco looks to get into the win column next week as they travel to New York for their first of two games in the Big Apple, when they take on the Jets in Week 2.

The Jets (0-1) fell to their AFC East rivals, the Buffalo Bills (1-0), 27-17 earlier in the day.

Nothing went well for the Jets, who opened the game with three three-and-outs, combined for 23 yards of offense and one first down on their five possessions, and trailed 21-0 before anyone blinked.

Jets quarterback Sam Darnold completed 21-of-35 passes for 215 yards, one touchdown, one interception and was sacked three times.

Wide receiver Jamison Crowder had himself a game, hauling seven catches for 115 yards which included a 69-yard TD catch from Darnold that briefly cut the Bills’ lead to 21-10 with 5:10 left in the third quarter.

 

 

 

Las Vegas era begins with huge win for Raiders 34-30

Las Vegas Raiders running back Josh Jacobs (28) celebrates after scoring during the second half of an NFL football game against the Carolina Panthers Sunday, Sept. 13, 2020, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Brian Blanco)

Photo credit: AP Photo/Brian Blanco

By Shawn McCullough

Everyone expected the Raiders offense to be more explosive this season, but it was the defense that saved the game for Las Vegas.

The defense stopped the Panthers on 4th and 1 late in the game to preserve a 34-30 win over the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.

With the Panthers driving and down 34-30 with under two minutes left in the game, Carolina faced a 4th and 1 at the Las Vegas 46 yard line and rushed Alex Armah up the middle, only to be stuffed for no gain by the Raiders defense.

“They got the stop when we needed it,” said head coach Jon Gruden on his defense.  “Fourth quarter defense is going to be a big part of winning in this league.”

The Raiders were led by second year running back Josh Jacobs who rushed 25 times for 93 yards and three touchdowns.

“It’s big to get a win in the first year in Las Vegas and not only that, for Oakland too to let them know that we are still here and we still want to win games,” said Jacobs.

The Raiders left Oakland this season to play in Las Vegas.

“That was a championship effort by a lot of guys,” said Gruden.  “I am just really happy to get a win for the Las Vegas Raiders, first win of the history of the Raider franchise in Vegas and hopefully our fans saw something that they liked.”

Quarterback Derek Carr was instrumental in moving the ball for the Raiders all game, throwing for 239 yards and one touchdown to wide receiver Nelson Agholor.

“Derek Carr was great today, that’s what we asked of him,” said Gruden about Carr.  “In a game like this, we didn’t know much about our opponent, but he made a lot of plays.”

“I’m so happy for our fans and I am proud of our guys to pull through,” said Carr.

The Raiders fell down 30-27 with 8:29 remaining in the game, but remained composed and drove 75 yards in nine plays for the game winning six yard touchdown run by Josh Jacobs.

With the win, the Raiders improved to 1-0 on the season and will make their debut at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas next Monday night against the New Orleans Saints.

Game Notes:

  • The Raiders were out-gained in total yards, 388-372.
  • Las Vegas committed only three penalties for 40 yards.
  • Tight end Darren Waller led the Raiders with six catches.
  • Rookie WR Henry Ruggs caught three balls for 55 yards, while rushing two times for 11 yards.

 

Headline Sports podcast with Daniel Dullum: Chapman out for season; Covid-19 haunts Ohio State and Virginia; plus more

Oakland A’s third baseman Matt Chapman will have hip surgery that will take him out for the rest of the season (AP News photo)

On Headline Sports podcast with Daniel:

1 A’s Matt Chapman out for the season — hip surgery

2 Ohio State study: 4 of 26 athletes who tested positive for Covid-19 ‘had CMR findings suggestive of myocarditis’; Covid-19 knocks out Virginia-Virginia Tech football opener

3 NHL announces sixth straight week of zero positive Covid-19 tests

4 Protestors block NBA media buses at Disney World

5 MLB finally gives Mets permission to honor 9/11 first responders

6 Phils’ Zach Wheeler to miss one start after injuring a finger while putting on his pants

Headline Sports podcasts with Daniel are heard every Sunday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com