Tag: Toronto Blue Jays

Red-Hot Blue Jays Sweep San Francisco Winning Game Three 8-6

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Toronto Blue Jays Addison Barger watches his two run home run sail in the fifth inning against the San Francisco Giants at Rogers Centre in Toronto on Sun Jul 20, 2025 (Canadian Press via AP photo)

By Barbara Mason

This was another tough loss for the San Francisco Giants (52-48) getting swept by the hottest team in baseball right now the Toronto Blue Jays (58-41). The final score was 8-6. San Francisco made it close in the sixth inning pulling to within one run in the top of inning.

The Giants did have 12 hits in the game outhitting the Blue Jays who had nine. Robbie Ray had a rough outing only going 4 1/3 innings so it is back to the drawing board for the team as they continue their road trip.

Game recap: The Giants got a good start in the first inning taking a 1-0 lead. Heliot Ramos singled Jung Hoo Lee home but as we have seen all week, the Blue Jays came surging back tying up the game 1-1 off a Vladimir Guerrero Jr. solo home run.

The Blue Jays continued their surge scoring two runs in the third inning extending their lead 3-1. Bo Bichette doubled driving both Vladimir Guerrero and Ernie Clement home. There was no holding the red-hot Blue Jays down. They are on a mission right now whether it be pitching, defense or offense It is pure magic in Toronto right now.

In the fifth inning the Giants did score a run when Andrew Knizner singled Matt Chapman home. Every time the Giants challenged Toronto came roaring back and the fifth inning was no exception scoring four runs in the bottom of the fifth inning taking a 7-2 lead.

George Springer had a solo home run, Alejandro Kirk singled Bo Bichette home and they finished off the inning with a two run home run courtesy of Addison Barger with Bichette on base.

San Francisco was behind the eight ball going into the sixth inning. The Giants had a very productive inning scoring four runs and they were right back in this ball game trailing by a single run 7-6.

Matt Chapman got the rally going with a two run home run. Brett Wisely came to the plate singling Dominic Smith home followed by a Jung Hoo Lee single driving Wisely home. Unfortunately Lee was thrown out trying to reach second base.

With this game being so very close, Toronto was looking for some insurance runs and they did get one in the bottom of the sixth inning. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. singled George Springer home and they had an 8-6 lead which they took into the top of the ninth inning.

The Giants were three outs away from being swept in this series. Casey Schmitt and Jung Hoo Lee both grounded out, and Heliot Ramos lined out and that was the ball game and the hottest team in the American League had won the game 8-6 and swept the San Francisco Giants in their tenth win in a row at home.

It was a most disappointing game for San Francisco pitcher Robbie Ray. He did not have his best appearance allowing five hits, five runs, five walks with three strikeouts. He only lasted four 1/3 innings and Toronto had beaten two of the Giants best pitchers in Ray and yesterday Logan Webb.

Game notes: The Giants were swept on Sunday in game three of this series. San Francisco lost game one despite having 11 hits and their offense really stalled out in game two with only four hits. They did lead in game two going into the bottom of the sixth inning but the Blue Jays took the lead in that inning and never looked back. The Jays on Sunday scored four runs in the fifth inning that helped in their two run 8-6 win over the Giants.

The Giants will continue their road trip tomorrow heading into Atlanta for a three-game series with the Braves. Hayden Birdsong will take the mound for the Giants while the Braves will start Bryce Elder. First pitch for that game is scheduled for 4:15 PM.

Insomniac Lunatic Fringe Post game 7-18-2025 Giants @ Blue Jays; Will Verlander get demoted to bullpen?

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San Francisco starter Justin Verlander who lost Fri Jul 18, 2025’s ball game dropping his record to 0-8 to the Toronto Blue Jays at the Rogers Centre in Toronto is part of the talk show discussion with Stephen Ruderman (Canadian Press via AP photo)

Stephen Ruderman at sportsradioservice.com is a talk show host with his post game show following the San Francisco Giants and Toronto Blues from Fri Jul 18, 2025. This show is pre recorded.

Giants Lose Game Two To Toronto 6-3; Jays Barger’s 4 hits helps extend home win streak to 9 games; SF’s Webb touched up for 11 hits 4 runs in loss

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The San Francisco Giants Luis Matos (29) slide in safely under Toronto Blue Jays catcher Tyler Heineman (55) in the top of the sixth inning at Rogers Centre in Toronto on Sat Jul 19, 2025 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

The San Francisco Giants (52-47) lost game two to the Toronto Blue Jays (57-41) now trailing in the series 2-0. The Blue Jays had four run innings in both games to win the second of this series 6-3.

Toronto was offensively on fire with every player in their lineup coming away with at least one hit and Addison Barger did a whole lot of damage with four hits.

It was a tough pill to swallow for San Francisco with only four hit in the game. The Giants had their ace Logan Webb on the mound but he all fell apart in the sixth inning when the Blue Jays scored the four runs.

Game recap: Both pitchers breezed through the first four innings. The Giants went three and out in the first four innings. The Blue Jays also struggled but they did manage three hits, a walk and Tyler Heineman was hit by a pitch. They did have a great opportunity in the second inning with a couple of singles and a walk but came up empty.

The Giants were first up on the scoreboard in the fifth inning. Willy Adames hit a home run to center, a solo shot for a 1-0 lead. San Francisco would score again in the sixth inning to extend their lead to 2-0. A Heliot Ramos sacrifice drove Luis Ruiz home and the Giants with only three hits in this game had taken full advantage of the few runners reaching base in the game.

The sixth inning was another good one for the Blue Jays. Yesterday they had a four-run second inning and today another four-run inning in the sixth. taking a 4-2 lead. A couple of singles and three doubles later Toronto had put away a great inning. Addison Barger, Will Wagner and Tyler Heineman all hit doubles and Bo Bichette and Ernie Clement had singles in a huge inning for the Blue Jays.

San Francisco pushed back scoring a run in the seventh inning making this game closer trailing 3-4. Willie Adames hit a solo home run, his second of the game. With only four hits in this game San Francisco needed runners on base and while home runs are great, solo home runs only bring in a single score home. With hits few and far between for San Francisco, coming from behind is not easy with the absence of multiple runs.

Toronto capped this game off with a Tyler Heineman home run with Myles Straw on base for a 6-3 lead and that would be the final.

The Giants now trail in this series losing the first two games. They had 11 hits Friday and couldn’t even score a single run and Saturday finished with only four hits and managed three runs but it was just not enough.

The Giants have had trouble this year hitting off lefties. San Francisco allowed four run innings in both games and could not respond with runs of their own. The good start in this game for the Giants paled as the game went on.

Game notes: It was a new day for the Giants and San Francisco was looking to make it a good day but once again couldn’t overcome. Friday they suffered a disappointing loss against the Jays in game one despite having 11 hits but they just could not manufacture any runs.

San Francisco pitcher Justin Verlander who has had an awful time this season was pulled after 2 2/3 innings and dropped is win loss record to 0-8 Friday night. The Giants struggled at the plate Saturday scoring only three runs on only four hits.

The Giants sure had enough hits (11) in Friday’s game to have won the game but didn’t. Webb on Saturday gave up 11 hits and four runs. The Giants offense could only produce three runs and San Francisco fell three run short of the Blue Jays.

Sunday the Giants will be looking to avoid a sweep. They will be counting on Robbie Ray to be a part of a win in the third game of this series. He has a 9-3 win/loss record and a 2.65 ERA, The Blue Jays will start Jose Berrios who has a 5-4 win/loss record and a 3.75 ERA. First pitch for this game is scheduled for 9:05 AM PT.

Verlander gets lit up in second inning still looking for first win; Blue Jays Bassitt was dealing shutout Giants 4-0

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With two out in the bottom of the third that was all for San Francisco Giant starter Justin Verlander (35) who exited the mound against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre in Toronto on Fri Jul 18, 2025 ( Canadian Press via AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

The San Francisco Giants (52-46) just could not get going despite 11 hits in game one of their series with the Toronto Blue Jays (56-41) losing 4-0 Friday night at Rogers Centre. The Giants consistently left runners stranded and Justin Verlander only lasted 2 2/3 innings giving up nine hits and four runs. It was not the way they wanted to get started after the All-Star Break. They will be back at it Saturday in game two looking to even the series.

Game recap: The Blue Jays got to work early taking a 4-0 lead in the second inning. San Francisco had opportunity to do some damage with six hits in the game but Toronto with nine hits was the team cashing in.

Joey Loperfido doubled to get the game going in the second and Addison Barger scored for a 1-0 lead. Will Wagner came to the plate and he also doubled driving in base runners Alejandro Kirk and Loperfido home for a 3-0 lead.

Nathan Lukes finished off the inning with a single and Wagner scored for a 4-0 lead. It was a brief showing for San Francisco starting pitcher Verlander who did not go very far into the game. He was relieved after 2 2/3 innings allowing nine hits, four runs, two walks with zero strikeouts. He was relieved by Tristan Beck.

San Francisco got a single out of Patrick Bailey in the fifth inning but that would be all they could manage. Dominic Smith flied out and both Mike Yastrzemski and Heliot Ramos struck out to end the top of the inning.

The game went into the sixth inning with the Blue Jays still holding onto the 4-0 lead. This was an important inning for the Giants to get something going. First at bat for the Giants was Rafael Devers who doubled deep into center field.

Matt Chapman grounded out and Devers advanced to third. With Jung Hoo Lee at the plate and two outs, San Francisco needed to bring Devers home. Lee grounded out and despite eight hits in the game the Giants still had not gotten up on the scoreboard.

San Francisco got a rally going in the sevent inning with Smith and Bailey both singling with one out and that was it for Toronto pitcher Chris Bassitt. He was relieved by lefty Brendon Little. Neither team was able to score in the seventh or eighth inning and the Blue Jays took the 4-0 lead into the ninth inning. San Francisco was down to their last three outs in the ninth.

Casey Schmitt struck out, Dominic Smith struck out and Bailey made it a threesome also striking out and that was the ball game 4-0 in favor of Toronto.

Game notes: The Giants have had a a four-day stretch during the All-Star break to rest and reset going into their series with the Jays. They now look forward to the remainder of the 2025 season as they battle to climb up in the standings of the National League West.

They are currently in third place one and a half games behind the second place San Diego Padres. The Blue Jays continue to hang onto first place in the American League East three games ahead of the New York Yankees in a loaded division.

Verlander got shelled early in the game and dropped his season record to a 0-8 win/loss record looking at another loss and still searching for that first win of the season. Bassett had an outing for the Jays in the starting role pitching 6.1 innings allowing ten hits but no runs and striking out five hitters.

San Francisco had numerous scoring opportunities but came up empty despite 11 hits in the game. Verlander got the game going in the wrong direction and it was all downhill from there.

Saturday at Roger Centre the Giants will be looking to even up the series in game two. First pitch is scheduled for 12:07 PM PT. The Giants will start RHP Logan Webb (9-6, 2.94 ERA). The Blue Jays probable pitcher will be Eric Lauer with a 4-2 win/loss record and a 2.78 ERA. The break that the Giants got over this week did not seem to help and they will hopefully have an improved effort in Saturday’s game.

Sacramento A’s podcast Barbara Mason: A’s end first half with a series win over Toronto

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Sacramento A’s Jacob Wilson is the first A’s shortstop to start in an All Star Game since Bert Campaneris started for the American League in 1975. (AP News photo)

Sacramento A’s podcast Barbara Mason:

1. The Athletics wrapped their three-game series with the Toronto Blue Jays winning the series against a very tough team that right now is holding down first place in the American League East.

2. The A’s had a great offensive game to finish off the series with Austin Wynns, Tyler Soderstrom and Nick Kurtz belting pitches out of the park.

3.Pitching had so much to do with this win, Jeffrey Springs going 6 2/3 innings and putting this game away it was “Miller TIme” he did what he does just about every time he takes the mound – he sends opposing teams packing.

4.For while it has been Jacob Wilson as a leading contender for rookie of the year but now there’s a new kid on the block in Nick Kurtz who is now also a contender both of them hitting light standards and a threat every time they take the plate.

5.Following the All-Star game, the A’s head out to Cleveland for a three-game series with the Guardians next Friday night. With the game this far out, who will start for the A’s is still undecided although probable for the Guardians is Slade Ceccioni.

Barbara Mason does the A’s podcasts Mondays 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. 

A’s Boom Before the Break With 6-3 win over Jays Sends Sacramento into All-Star Smiles

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Sacramento A’s Tyler Soderstrom celebrates in the A’s dugout after hitting a two run home run against the Toronto Blue Jays at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento on Sun July 13, 2025 (AP News photo)

Boom Before the Break Sends Sacramento into All-Star Smiles

By Mauricio Segura

Just before baseball paused for its midsummer break, the Athletics gave their fans something worth cheering. Under a blazing triple-digit Sacramento sun at Sutter Health Park, the Green and Gold uncorked a thunderous offensive performance and rode dominant pitching to a 6-3 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays Sunday, closing out the first half of the season with a statement win. With long balls from Austin Wynns, Tyler Soderstrom, and rookie phenom Nick Kurtz, Sacramento took flight early and never looked back.

Jeffrey Springs continued his recent run of excellence, slicing through Toronto’s potent lineup like a buzzsaw. The left-hander turned in six strong innings, scattering five hits and allowing just three earned runs, two of which came after he had already left the game.

It was Springs’ seventh win of the season and further proof that he’s found his rhythm after a rocky start in the early days of the season Over his last four starts, Springs has posted a 1.90 ERA, giving the A’s rotation a steady hand it desperately needed.

The offense wasted no time getting to work. In the second inning, veteran infielder Gio Urshela reached on a single, and catcher Austin Wynns turned on a Jose Berríos fastball and launched it over the left-field wall. It was Wynns’ sixth homer of the year, and it gave Sacramento a 2-0 lead that felt even larger given the way Springs was commanding the mound.

The third inning brought more fireworks. Rookie Nick Kurtz opened the frame with a double and came around to score when Soderstrom crushed a center-cut fastball for his 18th homer of the year. The 22-year-old catcher has been on a tear, with his power production putting him among the league leaders at his position. His blast gave the A’s a 4-0 cushion and chased Berríos from the game early.

Toronto’s offense, meanwhile, sputtered. They didn’t record a base runner until the fourth inning and didn’t scratch a run across until the fifth, when Davis Schneider hit a solo home run off Springs. Schneider’s shot briefly gave Toronto life, but Sacramento answered right back in the bottom half.

A throwing error by reliever Tommy Nance allowed Jacob Wilson to reach second, and Kurtz promptly made the Jays pay. The rookie crushed a two-run homer, his 17th of the season, into the left-center bleachers, pushing the A’s lead to 6-1. Kurtz now leads all MLB rookies in homers and continues to add to what is becoming a very compelling Rookie of the Year resume.

Kurtz’s home-field dominance is hard to ignore. 12 of his 17 homers have come at Sutter Health Park, and his slugging percentage at home has soared north of .700. With the All-Star break now here, he can take a well-deserved breather after propelling this young Athletics team with his bat and his glove.

Toronto did mount a bit of a rally late. Addison Barger hit a two-run homer in the seventh off reliever Justin Sterner to pull the Blue Jays within three, but Sean Newcomb and fireballing closer Mason Miller locked things down from there.

Miller struck out Ernie Clement and coaxed a game-ending double play from Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to notch his 19th save of the season. It was a fitting milestone, as it marked the 100th appearance of Miller’s young but electric MLB career.

Sacramento’s bullpen has been much-maligned throughout the year, but the numbers heading into the break tell a different story. Over the last 20 games, the group has posted a 2.89 ERA and gone 3-0 with six saves. Miller, in particular, has stabilized the ninth inning with his blistering fastball and a strikeout rate that ranks among the best in the league.

With the win, the Athletics finish the first half at 41-57. It’s a modest record, yes, but one that reflects real progress given the context. After a brutal 1-20 stretch in late spring, the A’s have gone 18-17 over their last 35 games.

Now, the Athletics hit the All-Star break with momentum, with All-Star selections Brent Rooker and Jacob Wilson set to represent the team in Atlanta. Rooker, will also swing for the fences in the Home Run Derby, becoming the first A’s participant since Matt Olson in 2021.

There’s still plenty of work ahead in the second half, but if this young squad can keep flexing its muscle and get continued consistency from Springs and the bullpen, Sacramento just might play spoiler in the AL West down the stretch.

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. 

Athletics post game wrap: Rooker Delivers a Firecracker as the Green and Gold Clutch One Before the Break; Rooker’s 20th delivers 4-3 win over Blue Jays

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Sacramento A’s Brent Rooker (25) is congratulated by teammates Nick Kurtz (16) and Tyler Soderstrom (21) after Rooker’s two run home run in the bottom of the fifth inning at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento on Sat July 12, 2025 (AP News photo)

Rooker Delivers a Firecracker as the Green and Gold Clutch One Before the Break; Rooker’s 20th delivers 4-3 win over Blue Jays

By Mauricio Segura

Sacramento fans got a late-inning show Saturday night as the Athletics rallied past the Blue Jays, 4-3, in a tightrope thriller. It was a win defined by grit, timely slugging, and the kind of bullpen poise the A’s have been yearning for all season. Brent Rooker’s 20th homer of the year, an absolute missile to left-center, turned a tense fifth inning into a party, and the bullpen slammed the door behind him.

This was more than just a win. It was a momentum-builder heading into the All-Star break, and it came with a dash of redemption, especially against a Blue Jays team that had beaten the A’s in all five prior matchups this season. Sacramento fans, soaking up their team’s debut summer in the capital, had reason to cheer beyond just the home run blasts.

Rooker’s blast came just after rookie first baseman Nick Kurtz singled, giving the A’s their first lead of the night at 4-2 With that shot, Rooker became the first Athletic since Khris Davis and Matt Olson to hit 20 home runs in three consecutive seasons. His power, already enough to earn him a spot in next week’s Home Run Derby, was once again the difference-maker. But this game had more heroes than just the slugging designated hitter.

Center fielder Denzel Clarke quietly put together one of his more mature outings. His third-inning single may have traveled only a few feet off the bat, but it set off a chain reaction. He then capitalized on a wild throw to take second, and Lawrence Butler cashed him in with a single to cut Toronto’s early lead in half. Clarke also made a crucial play on defense in the sixth, snagging a liner off the bat of Bo Bichette that had rally written all over it.

That sixth inning was the beginning of a five-arm relay by the A’s bullpen that held a dangerous Blue Jays lineup to just one run over four innings. After Jacob Lopez grinded through five frames, allowing two runs and scattering five hits, the bullpen stepped in.

Elvis Alvarado, Michael Kelly, Sean Newcomb and Mason Miller combined for four innings of one-run ball. Miller, as he’s done time and again this season, closed it out in the ninth with his signature upper-90s heat and a pair of strikeouts, earning his 18th save and preserving the win.

It wasn’t all smooth sailing. The A’s were outhit 7-6 and missed a couple of early scoring chances. Kevin Gausman had Sacramento’s young lineup looking overmatched through four innings. But the Green and Gold hung tough, aided by a pair of costly catcher interference calls, both against Toronto’s Tyler Heineman, that gave the Athletics extra outs and kept innings alive. Those moments don’t show up in the highlight reels, but they mattered.

And then there was the quiet steadiness of Miguel Andujar. Coming off the injured list earlier in the week, Andujar broke out of an 0-for-14 slump with two hits and a stolen base, injecting life into the middle of the order. Pinch-runner Max Schuemann came in for him in the eighth and swiped second with ease, setting the table for an insurance run that never came but wasn’t needed.

Toronto made things interesting in the eighth when Alejandro Kirk hit a sacrifice fly to bring the Jays within one, but Newcomb’s strikeout of Addison Barger ended the threat. The Blue Jays got the tying run aboard in the ninth, but Mason Miller made sure it didn’t matter, striking out Ernie Clement and George Springer in succession to send the crowd home buzzing.

With the win, the Athletics improve to 40 and 57, snapping a two-game skid and avoiding a season sweep at the hands of the Jays. They’re still anchored to the bottom of the AL West, but this is not the same team that lost 20 of 21 earlier in the year. There’s energy now. Swagger. And a rookie class that looks like it belongs.

Kurtz continues to pace MLB rookies in home runs, Butler is heating up again after a midweek lull, and Clarke, despite his strikeouts, is showing flashes of becoming a dynamic two-way threat. The young core is working together, and if Rooker keeps swinging like this, it’s only going to get more fun in Sacramento.

Starting pitchers for Sunday for the Blue Jays RHP Jose Berrios (5-3 ERA 3.53) for the A’s LHP Jeffrey Springs (7-6 ERA 3.92) a 1:05pm PDT.

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. 

Fireworks After the Firestorm as Athletics Nearly Burn the Jays; Sacramento loses in nailbiter 7-6

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Sacramento A’s starter Luis Severino pitches against the Toronto Blue Jays in the top of the second inning at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento on Fri Jul 11, 2025 (AP News photo)

Fireworks After the Firestorm as Athletics Nearly Burn the Jays; Sacramento loses in nailbiter 7-6

By Mauricio Segura

There was no shortage of heat at Sutter Health Park on Friday night, and we’re not just talking about the triple-digit temperature that greeted the first pitch. Under a fiery Sacramento sky, the Athletics fell just short of a miracle comeback, dropping a 7-6 heartbreaker to the Toronto Blue Jays in front of 7950 fans at Sutter Health Park. While the box score won’t show a win, this one will stick in the memory bank, if only for the sheer chaos and late-game fireworks.

Luis Severino, who’s been carrying the weight of the season’s struggles, started for the Green and Gold and immediately found himself navigating minefields. The right-hander entered the game with a league-worst home ERA, and his woes continued. Though he managed to escape the early innings without damage, Toronto’s bats came alive in the fifth inning and didn’t show mercy.

The fifth began with a throwing error from second baseman Zack Gelof and quickly spiraled into disaster. A rare double steal saw Vladimir Guerrero Jr. swipe second and George Springer sprint home, putting the Jays up 2-0. That was just the spark.

After a pair of RBI singles and a bases-loaded single from Myles Straw, the floodgates burst open. When Nathan Lukes laced a two-run double, his seventh of the season, the scoreboard screamed 7-0 in favor of the visitors. Severino was done for the night, his ERA inflating to 5.30 as the Sacramento crowd sighed and sweat in unison.

To Severino’s credit, the struggles aren’t new. He’s been a tale of two pitchers in 2025, solid on the road but cursed at home. With this loss, he now owns an 0-8 record at home with a sky-high 7.04 ERA. The veteran just hasn’t been able to find rhythm in Sacramento, and Friday was no exception.

But if there’s one thing this team doesn’t lack, it’s grit.

Down 7-0, the Athletics found their swing in the sixth inning, sparked by rookie sensation Nick Kurtz. The 22-year-old, already leading MLB rookies with 15 home runs, added to his resume with a two-run bomb to center, his 16th on the season. Just three batters later, Tyler Soderstrom sent another shot to dead center, cutting the deficit to 7-3 and electrifying the home crowd.

Despite that jolt, the momentum hit a wall until the ninth. Down to their final three outs and trailing by four, the A’s dug deep again. Max Muncy, who’d been mired in a mini-slump, jolted one over the center field fence for his ninth home run, trimming the lead to three.

Zack Gelof worked a walk and Denzel Clarke slapped a single to left, putting runners at the corners with one out. A wild pitch from Toronto’s Jeff Hoffman brought home Gelof. Two pitches later, Brent Rooker laced an RBI single to left, scoring Clarke and making it a one-run game. The stadium, now fully alive, was bouncing.

Then came the turning point.

With the tying run at first and two outs, Kurtz, the hero of the sixth, stepped up. But Hoffman, digging deep, got the strikeout he needed. The Sacramento rally ended at the edge of glory.

Still, what had looked like a sleepwalk to the All-Star Break turned into a legitimate thriller. And even in a loss, there were bright spots.

Kurtz continues to play like a future star. His home run was his 11th at Sutter Health Park, and he now leads all rookies not just in homers but also in clutch moments, with seven of his long balls coming in the eighth inning or later.

Soderstrom, too, is heating up. His 17th home run was his fourth in the last eight games, and his improved approach at the plate shows.

The bullpen, a sore spot for much of the year, held its own after Severino’s early exit. Osvaldo Bido, just recalled from Triple-A Las Vegas, threw two solid innings, and the back-end arms kept the game close enough for the offense to make noise.

Defensively, it wasn’t the A’s sharpest outing, with an error contributing to the fifth-inning meltdown. But there were flashes. Denzel Clarke’s work in center was once again stellar, and he continues to justify his spot in the lineup with both glove and bat.

Despite the loss, the Athletics are showing something that’s easy to overlook in a sub-.500 season: resilience. Even after being outscored 7-0 midway through the fifth, they battled back with heart and hustle. And while the comeback fell just short, the buzz around the club, especially its young core, is very real.

As they head into the weekend with two more games against Toronto before the All-Star Break, one thing is clear. The Sacramento A’s aren’t mailing it in. They’re taking their swings, throwing punches, and making every inning count. The standings may not show it, but this team is building something.

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. 

A’s and Braves Battle in The Heat; Sac’s Soderstrom gets 11th inning walk off single to beat Atlanta 5-4

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Sacramento A’s Tyler Soderstrom circles the bases after belting a first inning three run home run off the Atlanta Braves at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento on Thu Jul 10, 2025 (AP News photo)

By Tony Renteria

WEST SACRAMENTO- The Altanta Braves and the Sacramento Athletics who play at Sutter Health Park faced off in the rubber match of this three game series on Thursday night. The temperature at the 6:05 PM first pitch time was 99 degrees.

The Braves were coming off a huge win on Wednesday after a bitter loss to the A’s Tuesday night and came looking to to play some tough baseball and that is exactly what happened on this hot Thursday evening. An 11 inning battle that saw the A’s get a 5-4 victory.

The A’s Started strong in the first inning with a left field double by Brent Rooker, Nick Kurtz followed with a walk, and then a towering three run blast to deep left by Tyler Soderstrom off a curve ball by starting pitcher Spencer Strider that 454 feet in deep right center.

In the top of the fourth Austin Riley lead off with a double, and Sean Murphy traded places with him with a double of his own in the left field pocket along the foul line. Then Jurickson Profar took a JP Sears fastball over the left center field fence to tie it up three to three.

In the top of the seventh the Braves Ozzie Albies hit a home run to to deep right center for a 4-3 lead. In the bottom of the eighth the A’s Nick Kurtz matched that feet with a home run of his own but this time to deep left center.

The game headed to into extra innings, in the bottom on the 11th with Brent Rooker on second, Tyler Soderstrom the hero from the first inning came through again with a single to deep center that brought Rooker in for the winning run.

The Braves head to St. Louis and Busch Stadium to take on the third place St Louis Cardinals, while the A’s host the fist place Toronto Blue Jays who are leading the American League East. Starting pitcher for the Blue Jays RHP Max Scherzer (0-0 ERA 4.76) for the A’s RHP Luis Severino (2-10 ERA 5.30) first pitch at Sutter Health Park 7:05pm PT.

Sacramento A’s podcast Tony Renteria: A’s Spence gets lit up by Braves 9-2 Wednesday night

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Sacramento A’s pitcher Mitch Spence (21) was rocked in six innings of pitching. The Atlanta Braves hit a season high of five home runs and routed the A’s at Sutter Health Field in West Sacramento on Wed Jul 10, 2025 (AP News photo)

Sacramento A’s podcast Tony Renteria:

#1 Ronald Acuna Jr took Sacramento A’s pitching yard twice with a lead off blast off on Wednesday night as the Atlanta Braves crushed Sacramento 9-2 at Sutter Health Field in the second game of the three game set.

#2 Acuna’s two home runs plus three more Braves home runs gives the Braves the most home runs in a game at five.

#3 The Braves 13 game drought in winning in California comes to an end with their win in Sacramento on Wednesday.

#4 A’s starter Mitch Spence got touched up for four runs in the first inning and two in the second his final line after six innings pitched allowed eight hits, nine earned runs, one walk and three strike outs for the loss.

#5 Series is tied at 1-1 as the rubber game will commence at 6:05pm PT Thursday night. It’s a get away game for the Braves who head to St Louis on Friday. The A’s will host the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday night. For Thursday night’s starters the Braves will go with RHP Spencer Strider (3-7 ERA 3.93) for the A’s LHP JP Sears (7-7 ERA 4.76).

Tony Renteria is filling in for Jeremiah Salmonson the A’s podcasts are heard each Thursday 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.