Barracuda Lose Preseason Opener To Heat 4-2

 

By Kahlil Najar and Phillip Torres

SAN JOSE – In their debut performance the San Jose Barracuda (0-1-0-0) fell to the Stockton Heat (1-0-0-0) 4-2 in front of a packed house at Sharks Ice in San Jose. The affair was peppered with some great action on both sides of the puck including a total of four fights that totaled over an hour in penalty minutes.

The Heat got on the board first when Michael Kirkpatrick blasted a top shelf shot past Barracuda goalie Troy Grosenick at 4:34 on the second period. Then later in the period the Heat added to their lead when Louik Marcotte was able to score on a quick pass from behind the net and make it a 2-0 Stockton lead.

The Barracuda scored their first goal of the preseason with 37 seconds left in the second period when Petter Emanuelsson was able to score when he sent a shot through traffic and past Heat goalie Eric Hartzell to make it a 2-1 game at the end of two periods.

The Barracuda didn’t waste any time coming out of the break as with only 12 seconds gone in the third period Julius Bergman found the back of the net and tied the game at two a piece.

At 9:52 the Heat’s Aaron Dell was able to get a quick shot past Grosenick and give the Heat a 3-2 lead. Morgan Klimchuk sealed the game when he scored a power play goal with a little over three minutes left in the third and give Stockton the 4-2 victory.

The Barracuda travel to Bakersfield to face-off against the Condors at Rabobank Arena this Saturday to close out their two-game preseason exhibition and get ready for the regular season to start on Friday, October 9th.

 

Oakland Hit Parade Not Enough As Seattle Wins 11-8

Oakland Athletics pitcher Drew Pomeranz, left, waits for Seattle Mariners’ Kyle Seager, right, to run the bases after hitting a two-run home run in the ninth inning of a baseball game Friday, Sept. 4, 2015, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

By Kahlil Najar

OAKLAND – Billy Burns, Mark Canha, Brett Lawrie and Danny Valencia went a combined 8 for 18 and were responsible for six RBI tonight but that offensive barrage wasn’t enough to beat Seattle as the A’s fell to Mariners 11-8. Aaron Brooks suffered his second loss of the year as he only lasted for 2 1/3 innings after giving up six runs on six hits and walking two.

“(It was a) Bad night to have a bad night, with what the offense did,” said Brooks on his performance tonight. “I feel like I took the whole loss for us tonight.”

“You score that many runs, you expect to win the game, ”said head coach Bob Melvin.

One bright spot is that the legend of Danny Valencia continued tonight as he launched a grand slam into right center field in the first inning. It was his third grand slam of his career and his eighth homer of the year with Oakland ever since coming over from Toronto.

Valencia now has a nine-game hitting streak (15-for-36, .417) and recorded his 22nd multiple hit game of the year and his ninth since joining the A’s.

Even with this hot streak he’s not concentrating on how well he’s doing but on how the team and players are feeling.

“At this point in the season, there are some guys trying to open eyes for next year. Lots of jobs can open up. We’re playing for pride. Nobody wants to lose,” said Valencia.

Oakland started off strong with the four run first courtesy of the Valencia grand slam but then gave up 9 runs in the next three innings to make it an uphill battle. In the top of the third alone the Oakland pitching staff gave up four doubles and two singles to Seattle batters which led to six runs. It was a horrid night for the Oakland pitching staff.

The only highlights of the night were hitless innings courtesy of Sean Doolittle and Ryan Dull.

The A’s have now lost three straight and six of the last nine games and fell to 12-26 when the opponent starts a left-handed pitcher. For the season Oakland is 4-10 against the Mariners and have lost the season series with Seattle for the third consecutive year and for the fourth time in the last five years.

Oakland hopes to bounce back tomorrow when Jesse Chavez (7-13, 3.93) goes up against King Felix Hernandez (15-8, 3.66). Game time is 6:05pm PST.

 

Lack Of Offense Spoils Bassitt Performance, Oakland Loses 2-1

OAKLAND, CA – AUGUST 21: Chris Bassitt #40 of the Oakland Athletics reacts after the Athletics turned a double play to end the fifth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at O.co Coliseum on August 21, 2015 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

by Kahlil Najar

OAKLAND – Chris Bassitt had another great performance tonight but the A’s bats were held in check for most of the night and the A’s fell to the Rays 2-1.

“We got our share of hits, we couldn’t get a big one when we needed one,” said Oakland head coach Bob Melvin.

Billy Burns, Danny Valencia and Billy Butler were all held hitless tonight and went 0 for 11. Brett Lawrie did his best as he was able to grab a pair of hits and score the A’s only run of night in the bottom of the ninth.

The Rays got on the board in the top if the second when Bassitt hit Logan Forsythe then after a wild pitch moves Forsythe to second. Desmond Jennings then smacked a line drive single to left field to bring in Forsythe and make it 1-0 lead for Tampa Bay.

In the top of the ninth the Rays added to their lead when Jennings hit his first homer of the year over the field fences and made it a 2-0 lead with the A’s down to their final three outs.

After a Reddick line out to start the bottom of the ninth Lawrie and Vogt hit back to back singles off of Rays reliever Brad Boxberger. With Crisp at bat Boxberger threw a wild pitch that move Lawrie over to third and Sam Fuld, who was in for Vogt, to second. A few pitches later Crisp hit a soft fly ball single to score Lawrie and move Fuld to the 3rd.

Oakland had their first run of the night with two outs left in the game.

Crisp stole second base with Marcus Semien up to bat and put the pressure on the Rays to get the last two outs. Boxberger was able to strike out Semien and then get Burns to fly out to Jennings to end the game and give the Rays the 2-1 victory.

The A’s and Ray’s head back at it tomorrow when the Rays send RHP Erasmo Ramirez (10-4) against the A’s RHP Sonny Gray (12-5).

Oakland Falls To Baltimore In Extras 8-6

BALTIMORE, MD – AUGUST 14: Umpire Vic Carapazza and catcher Caleb Joseph #36 of the Baltimore Orioles look on as Josh Reddick #22 of the Oakland Athletics tosses his bat after striking out looking for the third out of the first inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on August 14, 2015 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)

 

By Kahlil Najar

BALTIMORE – Manny Machado hit his 25th homer of the year to beat the A’s 8-6. At one point the A’s had a 4-0 lead but then gave up six unanswered runs.

“Anytime you have a 4-0 lead, you feel you’re in a pretty good position to win the game,” said manager Bob Melvin. “Just a three-run homer..and that’s what they do is hit home runs… got them right back in it.”

Melvin is referring to a three-run homer by Adam Jones in the bottom of the fifth off of starting pitcher Brad Mills.

“I would have loved to get through another inning or two, especially if you’d told me it would go extras like that, but I gave it my best,” said Mills on his performance tonight.

The A’s got on the board in the top of the second when Coco Crisp hit a line drive single to center field and scored Brett Lawrie who had singled earlier in the inning. Billy Burns grabbed his 26th RBI of the year in the fourth inning when he drove in Billy Butler to make it a 2-0 Oakland lead.

The A’s added two more runs in the top of the fifth when Stephen Vogt hit his sixteenth homer of the year with Josh Reddick on board to make it 4-0.

In the bottom of the fifth is when Jones hit his three-run homer and in the bottom of the seventh the Orioles grabbed three more runs on the back of a Chris Davis home run to make it a 6-4 game.

Oakland showed signs of life in the ninth when they earned two run to tie the game on Phegley ground out and a Danny Valencia single to make it a 6-6 game and have the game go into extras.

In the bottom of the 13th Aaron Brooks came in to replace Drew Pomeranz who appeared to be injured and promptly gave up the two run shot to end the game.

The A’s are now 51-66 and Drew Pomeranz was charged with the loss to take him to a 4-5 record.

Both teams head back at it tomorrow when Chris Bassitt (1-4, 2.48) takes on Miguel Gonzalez (9-8, 4.45).

 

 

 

Gray Earns Twelfth Win In Complete Game Win Over Astro’s 3-1

OAKLAND, CA – AUGUST 07: Sonny Gray #54 of the Oakland Athletics pitches against the Houston Astros during the first inning at O.co Coliseum on August 7, 2015 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Jason O. Watson/Getty Images)

By Kahlil Najar

OAKLAND – Two of the best pitchers in baseball faced off tonight. The A’s Sonny Gray came in with a 11-3 record while the Astros had Dallas Keuchel throwing with a 13-5 record. Everyone knew this would be a pitchers duel and they weren’t wrong.

In the game that lasted a little over two hours Gray (12-4) tossed a complete game and only gave up five hits, one earned run and struck out five.

Catcher Josh Phegley said, “It’s the same every time. He’s pretty consistent. He uses his fastball to challenge every hitter and keeps them off balance with his slider. He’s out to prove he’s one of the best pitchers in the American League and he does it time and time again.”

“I’m not really pitching against the other pitcher,” said Gray. “It’s the other team, their lineup. I just challenged them a lot with my fastball. Just trying to make them put the ball in play as quick as possible.”

New guy Danny Valencia, in only his second game with the A’s had a great game tonight. He walked in the first, hit a solo homer in the third and singled in the fifth.

Oakland earned a run in the second after three straight singles and a sac fly by Billy Burns to drive home Phegley. In the fifth inning Gray made his only real mistake of the game as he gave up a homer to Luis Valbuena but the A’s got the run back in the bottom of the inning with a Phegley ground-rule double to right to drive in Brett Lawrie.

The A’s send Jesse Chavez to the mound tomorrow against another Houston 13-game winner in Collin McHugh.

Oakland Falls To Cleveland 2-1, Oakland’s 25th One Run Loss Of The Year

OAKLAND, CA – JULY 31: Marcus Semien #10 of the Oakland Athletics slides into Francisco Lindor #12 of the Cleveland Indians preventing Lindor from making a throw to first base to complete the double play in the bottom of the third inning at O.co Coliseum on July 31, 2015 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

By Kahlil Najar

OAKLAND – Michael Bourn hit a ground rule double over the left center field wall in the top of the ninth to score Lonnie Chisenhall and give the Indians a 2-1 victory over the Oakland Athletics.

The Athletics are now 45-59 for the season and 13 games behind the first place Astros. Oakland has lost seven of the last eight games and are 4-9 since the All-Star Break and are 21-31 at home.

Oakland’s starting pitchers are 2-7 over the same span of games.

Kendall Graveman looked to turn that around tonight as he had a solid outing. He threw for six and two-thirds innings and only game up one run and struck out six.

“It was good to see him get through the first. He pitched as effectively as we could ask. We just didn’t give him any run support,” said Bob Melvin on Graveman’s performance tonight.

“I let the ball move. I was trying to be to fine early in counts and falling behind and letting hitters get hitters counts,” said Graveman.

Oakland’s offense has been sputtering lately. The A’s have only mustered two hits in the last 17 innings and are 10-14 in July. With today’s loss they set a new Oakland record of only scoring 76 runs in the month.

“It’s frustrating. You go through periods of the season when you’re a little bit up and down but you like to time it right where you get a well pitched game you get just enough to give him a decision or a win or a no decision and we weren’t able to do that,” said Melvin.

Stephen Vogt who is 0-6 this home stand so far echoed his frustration with offense.

“Anytime you waste a good start you get frustrated. When you can’t give your boy two runs and and he goes out there and gives up one unearned it’s pretty frustrating,” said Vogt. “I’m struggling. Flat out. Jumpy, not being patient enough. It’s been a really bad for me. Swing feels good.. just got to  bounce out of it.”

Defensively Marcus Semien committed his 29th error this season (the most among shortstops) which allowed the Indians to score their first run of the game.

It’s not all doom and gloom for the A’s. Ike Davis had a quick move to catch an Indians runner out at first and of course Graveman had an excellent start.

Newly acquired Aaron Brooks (0-0, 6.23) starts against RHP Cody Anderson (2-2, 3.26) tomorrow at 6:05 pm.

Oakland Gives Up 17 Hits, Lose To San Francisco 9-3

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – JULY 24: Billy Burns #1 of the Oakland Athletics is slow to his feet after being hit by the ball while at bat in the third inning against the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park on July 24, 2015 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)

By Kahlil Najar

SAN FRANCISCO – Tonight just wasn’t the A’s night. Oakland pitchers gave up 17 hits over 8 innings and lost to the San Francisco Giants 9-3.

Jesse Chavez (5-10) went a season-low three innings as he gave up four runs on eight hits, walked a pair and struck out one. Prior to tonight’s game Chavez was 1-0 with a 2.79 ERA against San Francisco on five career appearances.

“They put great at-bats together,” Chavez said. “They didn’t give in, they didn’t chase down, they didn’t expand the zone. You have to tip your hat to them on that point.”

The Giants worked through a total of six Oakland pitchers tonight including tagging Fernando Rodriguez, Eric O’Flaherty and Edward Mujica for 5 runs combined. San Francisco’s bats were so on fire tonight that through 8 innings A’s pitchers threw 174 pitches total.

The Giants Hunter Pence had a spectacular game as he went 4 for 5 including a pair of doubles, two RBI and six total bags.

Offensively for the A’s Billy Butler went 3 for 4 with each hit counting for a single. Excluding the pitchers each Oakland player tonight had a hit except for Stephen Vogt and Billy Burns.

Burns left after the third inning with a testicular contusion which happened because of an errant foul ball that hit the ground and smacked him in the groin. It took him several minutes to recover and finish the at-bat however after the at-bat he was pulled form the game and is probably for tomorrows rubber match against San Francisco.

“That pain was pretty terrible,” said Burns. He complained of discomfort in his stomach and feeling a bit nauseous.

The A’s send RHP Chris Bassitt (0-2, 2.93) to the mound on Saturday to face the dangerous LHP Madison Bumgarner (10-5, 3.27).

Notes:

A’s Recall RHP Angel Castro from Nashville; Option RHP Arnold Leon

OAKLAND, Calif. – The Oakland A’s recalled right-handed pitcher Angel Castro from Triple-A Nashville and optioned right-handed pitcher Arnold Leon to Nashville, the club announced today.

Castro joins the A’s for the second time this year as he was 0-1 with a 3.00 ERA and .462 opponents batting average in four games during his first stint from May 8 to 25 when he made his Major League debut. He went 2-1 with a save and a 3.40 ERA and .242 opponents batting average in 21 games, including two starts, with Nashville. The 32-yearold right-hander logged a 3.09 ERA in 15 games following his May 26 option and allowed just one home run in 23.1 innings over that stretch.

Leon was recalled yesterday for his fourth stint with Oakland this year and tossed 3.1 innings against Toronto, allowing a run on three hits. He is 0-0 with a 3.72 ERA and .300 opponents batting average in seven relief appearances overall with the A’s. The 26-year-old right-hander is also 1-4 with a save and a 3.42 ERA in 15 games, including six starts, with Nashville.

Two Bad Pitches Dooms Gray’s Return After All-Star Break, Oakland Shutout By Twins

OAKLAND, CA – JULY 17: Stephen Vogt #21 of the Oakland Athletics throws to first base in the ninth inning against the Minnesota Twins at O.co Coliseum on July 17, 2015 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)

by Kahlil Najar

OAKLAND – Trevor Plouffe and Brian Dozier spoiled the first home game for the A’s after the All Star break as the Minnesota Twins beat the Oakland Athletics 5-0.

Sonny Gray (10-4) started off rocky when he gave up a lead off homer to Dozier but then he went on and retired 15 of the next 17 batters, including a streak of 13 in a row.

Then came the dreaded sixth inning.

Gray started off the inning by walking Dozier on five pitches and then gave up a hard ground ball single to veteran Torii Hunter to put runners at first and second. After a quick strike out of Joe Mauer, Gray walked Miguel Sano to load the bases. Then on an 0-2 slider up in the zone Trevor Plouffe hit a grand slam to left field to give the Twins a 5-0 lead.

“It is a surprise when he gives up a home run. It really came down to two pitches where they scored all their runs,” said manager Bob Melvin. “He threw a lot of pitches in the sixth, something he normally doesn’t do.”

The A’s were able to spread out five hits during the game but the 4-5-6 hitters were held hitless tonight and went 0-12.

Ervin Santana earned his first win of the year in only his third start of the season after he served his 80-game suspension for the use of performance-enhancing drugs.

Tomorrow the Twins will send Right-hander Phil Hughes to start the game on Saturday against the A’s Left-hander Scott Kazmir, who is 3-1 with a 1.41 ERA in his last six starts.

Four Two-Run Homers Sink Athletics, lose 9-5 to Mariners

OAKLAND, CA – JULY 03: Evan Scribner #58 of the Oakland Athletics walks around the mound after giving up a two-run homer to Brad Miller #5 of the Seattle Mariners in the top of the eighth inning at O.co Coliseum on July 3, 2015 in Oakland, California. The home run to Miller was the second two-run homer Scribner gave up in the inning. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

By Kahlil Najar

OAKLAND – Jesse Chavez and Evan Scribner gave up four runs a piece and the Oakland Athletics were defeated by the Seattle Mariners 9 – 5. Chavez gave up a pair of 2-run homers to Logan Morrison and Seth Smith while Scribner tossed up two two-run shots to Nelson Cruz and Brad Miller. Scribner has now allowed 9 home runs this season, the most among AL relievers.

With the loss tonight the A’s have clinched their first losing record before the All-Star break since 2009.

It didn’t start bad for Oakland. The A’s were able to string together back-to-back-to-back singles from Brett Lawrie, Josh Reddick and Mark Canha. Canha’s single was able to bring in Lawrie who had moved to third on Josh Reddick’s single and give the A’s a 1-0 lead. Next up was Marcus Semien who hit a high grounder to short which ultimately got him out at first but was high enough to get Reddick to cross home and make it 2-0. Mr. Reliable and ROY candidate Billy Burns was ip next and hit his 10th double of the year and get Canha home to give the A’s a 3-0 lead going into the fourth.

Jesse Chavez gave up a lead off single to Mike Zunino to start the fourth. The next batter, Logan Morrison who was 3 for 12 against Chavez lifetime, blasted the first pitch he saw to deep right center to give Seattle their first two runs of the game and make it a 3-2 game with Oakland sill in the lead.

The teams battled back and forth for a few innings until the top of the sixth when former Athletic Seth Smith hit his seventh home run of the year with another Mariner on board to give Seattle a 4-3 lead.

Then the Eighth inning came and the A’s imploded.

With Chavez still in the game he gave up a double to Robinson Cano to start the inning. After the double, Melvin believed Chavez had enough and brought in Evan Scribner to get the last six outs of the game. Unfortunately for Melvin and the A’s he tossed up a meaty cutter on his third pitch of the inning to Nelson Cruz who crushed it out of the park and gave the Mariners a 6-3 lead.

Scribner then gave up a double to Kyle Seager who then moved to third on a ground out by Seth Smith. The next batter Dustin Ackley hit a sharp grounder to first base that careened off his glove and allowed Seager to score and make it a 7-3 game.

Two pitches later Scribner tossed a 72-mph curveball to Brad Miller who also launched it out of the park and gave the Mariners a commanding 8-3 lead.

The A’s were able to muster up a pair of runs in the bottom of the ninth after some great pinch hitting by Eric Sogard, a single from Reddick and double by Canha but Mariners were able to get Semien and Burns to ground out to end the game with a final score of 9-5.

The A’s are now 2-6 against the Mariners are in sole possession of last place in the AL West.

The Mariners and Athletics head back at it tomorrow afternoon when the A’s send Kendall Graveman (5-4, 3.47) against Felix Hernandez (10-4, 3.05), game time 1:05pm.

A’s Acquire RHP Cody Martin from Atlanta for International Bonus Slot 53

OAKLAND, Calif. – The Oakland A’s acquired right-handed pitcher Cody Martin from the Atlanta Braves for international bonus slot 53 and assigned him to Triple-A Nashville, the club announced today.  To clear a spot on the 40-man roster, the A’s designated infielder Nate Freiman for assignment.

Martin was on the Braves’ Opening Day roster and went 2-3 with a 5.40 ERA in 21 relief appearances over two stints with Atlanta in his Major League debut.  He allowed a .296 opponents batting average, including .182 against left-handed hitters.  The 25-year-old right-handed pitcher also went 1-3 with one save, a 2.10 ERA and .198 opponents batting average in seven games, including six starts, with Triple-A Gwinnett.  Martin was selected by the Braves in the seventh round of the 2011 First-Year Player Draft and is 27-25 with a 3.00 ERA in 107 games, including 73 starts, in five professional seasons.

Freiman was batting .171 with two doubles and eight RBI in 35 games with Nashville.  He began the season on the Oakland disabled list with a strained lumbar muscle and was reinstated from the DL and optioned to Nashville May 9.