Worldwide Sports News

Toledo Mud Hens 9, Rochester Red Wings 6 (box)

Sawyer Gipson-Long gave the Hens a decent start, and the offense did the rest. Jace Jung has been running hot in June, and he led the way with a double and a home run.

Gipson-Long allowed three runs, but he went 5.2 innings, striking out seven.

Jung opened the scoring with a blast to center field for his 12th long ball of the season. Max Clark singled and scored on a Ben Malgeri single in the third. From there, Rochester chipped away at Gipson-Long to take a 3-2 lead until the Hens broke through in the seventh.

Jung started things off with an opposite field double and Tyler Gentry was hit by a pitch. Tomas Nido and Andrew Navigato walked, forcing in a run, and after the Red Wings went back to the bullpen, new reliever Zach Penrod walked Max Clark to force in a run. A Max Anderson ground out plated another, and a Gage Workman sacrifice fly brought in Navigato to make it 6-3. Two more walks made it 7-3 in a pretty ghastly display from Red Wings’ pitching.

In the eighth, Navigato and Clark hit singles with one out, and then they pulled off a double steal that produced a pair of errors that allowed them both to score. 9-3 Hens.

Ricky Vanasco collected four outs in relief of Gipson-Long. Nick Sandlin allowed a solo shot in the bottom of the eighth. Jung walked and scored on a Navigato sacrifice fly in the ninth. Sandlin allowed two more runs trying to put this one to bed, and Konnor Pilkington had to come on to get the final out, which he did.

Jung: 2-3, 3 R, 2 RBI, 2B, HR, 3 BB

Clark: 2-4, 3 R, RBI, BB, SB

Malgeri: 1-4, RBI, BB

Gipson-Long (W, 3-3): 5.2 IP, 3 ER, 5 H, 3 BB, 7 K

Coming Up Next: The Hens have a 2-1 lead heading into a 6:45 p.m. ET start on Friday.

Harrisburg Senators 3, Erie SeaWolves 1 (box)

Lefty Carlos Peña threw a pretty good game, but the Senators pitching kept the SeaWolves in check all evening.

Peña gave up single runs in the first, fourth, and fifth innings, but he only allowed five hits and no walks. The Senators managed to sequence their hits well, as they also struck out eight times.

Justice Bigbie cracked a solo shot in the seventh inning for the SeaWolves only run.

Bigbie: 1-3, R, RBI, HR, K

Peña (L, 3-3): 5.0 IP, 3 ER, 5 H, 0 BB, 8 K

Coming Up Next: It’s a 6:30 p.m. ET start on Friday.

West Michigan Whitecaps 16, Lansing Lugnuts 0 (box)

It’s been a rough first half for the Whitecaps, but on Thursday they were the hammer.

Ben Jacobs fired four scoreless innings with six strikeouts, though he did walk three and battled his command a little bit. He also spent a lot of time waiting between innings as his teammates piled up the runs. Lucas Elissalt was rained out this week, so he was about to get in four innings as well, and he looked great, showing off some good sliders and curveballs as well as a pretty dominant heater. He struck out six, allowing just two hits and a walk.

Of course, the story was the offense. Bryce Rainer and Garrett Pennington led the way as they each homered and collected three hits in this one. Everything Rainer hit seemed to be 112 mph or better, including a pair of screaming singles.

Ricardo Hurtado homered and had two hits. Woody Hadeen had two hits and two walks, while Jackson Strong had two hits and a walk of his own. The Whitecaps piled up 16 hits and four walks, scoring four in the first, two in the second, and then eight runs in an endless bottom of the third in which the Lugnuts also made a couple of errors.

Pennington: 3-6, 3 R, 5 RBI, 2B, HR, 2 K

Rainer: 3-5, 2 R, 3 RBI, HR, K

Hadeen: 2-3, 3 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB, SB

Hurtado: 2-4, 2 R, 2 RBI, HR, 2 K

Jacobs: 4.0 IP, 0 R, H, 3 BB, 6 K

Elissalt (W, 1-4): 4.0 IP, 0 R, 2 H, BB, 6 K

Coming Up Next: The Whitecaps are up 2-0 in the now five-game set, with first pitch set for 6:45 p.m. ET on Friday.

Lakeland Flying Tigers 11, Dunedin Blue Jays 3 (box)

The Flying Tigers bounced back with an impressive showing behind Malachi Witherspoon on Thursday to get back into this series with the Blue Jays.

Witherspoon’s consistency remains an issue, because the stuff remains undeniable. He had everything under control in this one, including his changeup, and the Blue Jays had no answers. The right-hander fired five innings of one-run ball with seven strikeouts against three hits and a walk allowed. He racked up 13 whiffs, averaging 95 mph with his fourseamer. He allowed a single and a double in the first to produce the run he allowed, and then was dominant the rest of the way.

The Flying Tigers took control in the second when Carson Rucker led off with a walk and Anibal Salas blasted his sixth home run. Salas remains interesting with plus raw power, plate discipline, solid speed, and a strong throwing arm.

In the fourth, Nick Dumesnil, Rucker, and Salas singled in order to produce a run. Zach MacDonald smoked a line drive single to left to plate Rucker, and then Jack Goodman singled in Salas. Beau Ankeney and Edian Espinal got into the act with RBI singles as the inning continued and they batted around with an 8-1 lead.

In the seventh, Espinal led off with a single and Espinal walked. A wild pitch with two outs advanced the runners and MacDonald and Goodman walked to push across another run.

Joe Ruzicka allowed a two-run homer in the top of the eighth, but his teammates came right back for two more in the bottom half as Dumesnil launched a two-run homer.

Salas: 2-4, 2 R, 3 RBI, HR, K

Dumesnil: 2-4, 2 R, 2 RBI, HR, BB

Espinal: 2-5, R, 2 RBI, K

Witherspoon (W, 3-2): 5.0 IP, ER, 3 H, BB, 7 K

Coming Up Next: It’s a 6:30 p.m. ET start on Friday.

FCL Blue Jays 15, FCL Tigers 3 (b0x)

Jack Bushell was lit up in a shorter start this time out after punching out 10 last time out. Johnathan Rogers did even worse, and the Blue Jays just poured it on from there.

What was notable in this game was the return of the Tigers’ 2025 competitive balance round A pick, Michael Oliveto, returning from a broken toe to make his pro debut. He walked twice and struck out once in this one.

Cris Rodriguez: 1-3, RBI, K

Santiago Pinto: 1-1, R, rBI, 3B, BB

Oliveto: 0-1, 2 BB, K

Spencer Strider made an impression in 2022, his first full season in Major League Baseball: he was runner-up for National League Rookie of the Year. In 2023 he was ever better, leading the majors in wins and strikeouts and earning a spot on the All-MLB first-team.

But what set him apart from many of his peers wasn’t his athletic ability but his life away from baseball. In a sport that is often socially conservative, the Atlanta Braves pitcher was a vegan Bernie Sanders supporter who was just as likely to discuss indie music as his fastball.

Strider, who has been troubled by injuries in recent seasons and is set for another lengthy spell away from baseball in 2026, credits coach Tommy Pharr of the Christian Academy of Knoxville, his high school, as the original source for much of his mindset. He calls Pharr “probably the most influential person for me”.

“[The lessons he taught me] led me … to never be satisfied with the depth of knowledge that I have at any given moment,” he says. “That it’s important to pursue what you don’t know, because it may be of use to you.”

This openness permeates Strider’s attitudes toward many aspects of life – including his veganism.

“I started [eating vegan] in 2019 when I was rehabbing from Tommy John surgery,” he says. “I had blood pressure that I was medicated for, [which] I always thought was a little peculiar for a 20-year-old. I had issues sleeping … and then there were also a lot of ethical and environmental concerns that I was sympathetic towards. I decided one day to try it and, within two weeks, I was off the hypertension medicine.”

Strider is far from the only professional athlete to cite a vegan diet’s health benefits. His commitment to discussing veganism’s broader ethical arguments, however, is less common.

“I understand that people have differences of opinion but, nonetheless … I think factory farming is certainly problematic and not exactly what we’re supposed to be doing to the planet,” Strider says, before clarifying that veganism is just one of many ways to address such issues. “I’m very conscious to the idea that any improvement, while it may seem insignificant, is still worthwhile. For me, it’s easier to be fully plant-based, but I think everybody can have a marginal improvement [around the ethics of the meat industry] that would, collectively, be great for the environment and the planet.”

Championing of a vegan diet is often associated with left-leaning politics and Strider has expressed admiration for Sanders. Given that, by some measures, baseball players are the most politically conservative athletes among the “Big Four” North American sports leagues, this too makes Strider an unusual fit for his profession. (In typically thoughtful fashion, he refuses to make such broad observations about this peers’ politics, nothing that “there’s a diverse group of personalities around here.”)

“I don’t know that I would single anyone out,” Strider says when asked if there are any other politicians he admires.

He was speaking before a series of baseball players refused to join in Pride celebrations. But it is clear which side of the argument Strider, who spoke at the Braves’ Pride Night this month, is on.

“Plenty of things are antiquated. I think about homophobia, racism, sexism, those types of structures and behavioral systems that have existed for a long time – they’re eventually going to subside entirely,” he says. “My position is that: to be ignorant to the reality that [homophobia and racism] are wrong is a misguided and unnecessary approach … There’s no reason to pretend that they’re not wrong or not harmful.”

While Strider’s observations on politics and culture are refreshing, such interests do not occupy all his time off the field. Instead, talking with Strider feels a bit like catching up with an old friend – the conservation jumps from the serious to the lighthearted with ease.

“I’m a big music fan. I like playing music, listening to vinyl, listening to music,” says Strider, who has played guitar since he was a teenager. With a laugh, he refuses to share the name of his high school band.

In his own words, his tastes are “middle of the road”. Strider mentions his fondness for millennial indie darlings such as Vampire Weekend, the Strokes and Mac DeMarco before namechecking the slightly more obscure acts that reveal his preference for riffy basslines and quasi-psychedelic sounds. He cites Patrick Taylor of Trash Panda as both a favorite musician and someone who his connections through the Braves have allowed him to get to know personally.

“He’s just an unbelievable musician and awesome creative mind. He’s somebody I’ve really enjoyed getting to be around [and] a really cool relationship for me,” Strider says. “There’s a lot of acceptance and freedom that the [the music] industry could share with the rest of the country and the world.”

Despite his interests outside baseball, Strider isn’t one of those athletes who views his profession as just a paycheck. In addition to music and climate change, he discusses the nuances of his craft with enthusiasm. He thinks recent changes to MLB (pitch clocks and the automated ball-strike system, etc.) haven’t gone far enough in improving the game.

“I think teams should be able to construct rosters however a team deems necessary for their own strategy,” Strider says. “Right now, it’s limited to 13 pitchers and 13 position players [active on each MLB roster]. If the Atlanta Braves want to have 15 pitchers on their roster, they should be able to … Even if it’s [just] for a series or a week. I think that could lead to more diverse strategies and would be good for the game.”

This perceived shortcoming has yet to hurt the Braves’ season – they are top of the NL East and have one of the best records in the majors. Team success, however, has not always translated into individual success for Strider. He hasn’t pitched a full season since 2023 and it seems this will be another campaign ruined by injury. Perhaps predictably, Strider – who was speaking before his most recent injury setback – approaches these challenges mindfully.

“Injuries are always going to be a part of playing, and I try to do as much as I can to minimize them and minimize the length of them,” the 27-year-old says. “I try to keep the mentality that you know, ‘Wherever you’re at, good or bad right now in this very moment, is not the ultimate definition of you.’ I don’t define myself by any singular moment, so I try to keep him to keep that long-term perspective and know that my career, and what I want out of it, will be defined by the collective [experience].”

At the very least, it’s clear that Strider won’t be bored off the field as he heals.

MLB.com | Bryan Hoch: In case you missed last night’s game, Yankees’ second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. was forced to exit it due to a, um, likely quite painful injury. Chisholm fouled a ball off the ground that came right back up and hit him right in the groin. He remained on the ground in pain for quite a while before exiting the game. You would hope that’s not the type of injury that will cause any lingering effects, but we shall see.

MLB.com | Bryan Hoch: On the positive injury news front, Austin Wells gave us a good sign down in a rehab outing. In a game with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Thursday, Wells homered twice in Columbus as he continues to recover from cervical headaches that sent him to the IL.

New York Post | Jon Heyman: Not that it’s particularly surprising, but it seems unlikely that the Yankees could swing a deal for two-time reigning Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal at the Trade Deadline this year. While every team could always use pitching, the rotation is a strong point on this year’s roster, and the Yankees will likely try to use their assets on deals to shore up more pressing holes on their roster.

CBS Sports | Mike Axisa: We’re not that far away from the 2026 All-Star Game, and at least one Yankee is looking at participating in more than just the game. Yankees’ breakout star first baseman Ben Rice has said that he would participate in the Home Run Derby if asked. He is one of just five American League players at the 20-homer mark at this point.

PHILADELPHIA — Francisco Lindor’s countdown to rejoining the Mets is underway.

The shortstop will begin a minor league rehab assignment Friday for Double-A Binghamton, according to manager Carlos Mendoza, and could return to the Mets lineup by early next week.

Mendoza indicated the plan is for Lindor to play two games in the minors (Triple-A Syracuse could be a stop if weather affects Binghamton) and then decide if he is ready or needs additional time. Lindor would play Friday, rest Saturday and then play Sunday before a determination is reached.

Lindor, who has been on the injured list since April 23 with a left calf strain, has spent the last week playing simulated games.

“This is a guy who knows himself better than anybody, and he’s going to let us know whether he needs more at-bats or basically how he’s feeling, and we’ll go from there,” Mendoza said before the Mets beat the Phillies 6-4.

Among the possibilities is that Lindor will receive occasional starts at DH upon his return.

“I am pretty sure that is going to be a discussion, knowing him, a guy that wants to be in the lineup every day,” Mendoza said. “He will take that as an off day as opposed to being completely out of the lineup, but I am pretty sure there’s also going to be days where we are going to have to be firm and keep his name out of the starting lineup.”

Lindor’s return will shift Bo Bichette back to third base and Brett Baty into the utility role in which he began the season.

Tyrone Taylor will also begin a rehab assignment for Binghamton, but Mendoza said the outfielder’s stay will be longer because he hasn’t built up volume in his at-bats compared to Lindor, who has been playing simulated games.

Taylor is rehabbing a right hip flexor strain that has kept him sidelined since May 26.

This series won’t resume until Saturday night because of Friday’s World Cup match between Brazil and Haiti scheduled for Lincoln Financial Field — which is across the street from Citizens Bank Park.

“It’s weird,” Mendoza said of the off day within a series. “But then you understand: You have got the World Cup right next door and you will have 80,000 people there.”

Mendoza said he’s hoping to attend the match.

“I am trying,” he said. “It’s not an easy ticket.”

PHILADELPHIA — Bo Bichette braced for a rude reception Thursday from a fanbase that almost became his this season.

“If you know anything about Philly, nothing will surprise me,” Bichette said before the Mets beat the Phillies 6-4 at Citizens Bank Park.

Bichette was booed each time he walked to the plate in his 0-for-5 performance, which snapped his streak of multihit games at six.

Last January the Mets, after learning that free agent Kyle Tucker had chosen the Dodgers, pivoted toward Bichette — who was deep into negotiations with the Phillies.

Bichette took the Mets offer of $126 million over three years — with opt-outs after 2026 and ’27 — preventing the Phillies from adding another key bat. Earlier in the offseason, the defending NL East champions had re-signed Kyle Schwarber to a five-year contract worth $150 million.

“We were definitely talking, but there were a few things that were unfinished, so I wouldn’t say necessarily that we were at the finish line,” Bichette said.

The Phillies’ reported offer for Bichette was $200 million over seven years. Dave Dombrowski, the team’s president of baseball operations, described losing Bichette as a “gut punch.”

Bichette, who helped the Blue Jays reach the World Series last season, isn’t looking back.

“[The Phillies] are a great team that I was interested in being part of, but I wouldn’t say I think too much of what could have been,” Bichette said.

Bichette reiterated factors that attracted him when he selected the Mets.

“Ownership is doing their best to get a team of talent on the field to win and the team has a ton of talent,” Bichette said. “Playing in New York, the market here, all that was important to me — we have the opportunity to win, with talent, in a place that fans care about the team.”

The Phillies fired manager Rob Thomson following a slow start — replacing him with bench coach Don Mattingly — and have surged into wild-card contention. They began play 40-34, ahead by 1 ½ games for the second wild card.

It has been a different story for the Mets, who haven’t recovered from their 12-game losing streak in April, despite improved play in recent weeks.

They are 34-41, last in the NL East.

“We have played better for a decent stretch of time,” Bichette said, referring to the team’s 25-20 record since May 1. “Probably not to our capabilities, but we just have to continue to keep on grinding, putting up wins however we can. Most teams have that little hot stretch that kind of evens out the cold stretch and hopefully we have that soon.”

The San Diego Padres left on their current road trip three games over .500 and in contention for a Wild Card spot come playoff time. After the first six games of the nine-game road trip, playing against the Baltimore Orioles and St. Louis Cardinals, the Friars are three games over .500 and in contention for a Wild Card spot. In that sense, nothing has changed.

There was good and bad to be seen over the past week. There have been incremental improvements with the offense, especially with specific players. Some players who were hitting well have stopped. The current roster has a large contingent of El Paso Chihuahua players trying to support the organization through an especially trying time with injuries and roster upheaval.

Highlighting some of the good

Let’s take Fernando Tatis Jr. as an example. We all watched as his futility at the plate had piled up over the start of the season. Finally getting two home runs over the past two weeks has taken a bit of the pressure off, but the real accomplishment is in his overall performance. 

Tatis was definitely stuck in a rut. 

Swinging at bad pitches, chasing out of the strike zone, and especially vulnerable to the up and in, then down and away pattern that pitchers routinely used against him.

Manager Craig Stammen had already mentioned to him during spring camp that Tatis might be needed in the infield. He had been taking grounders there since February. 

On May 5, second baseman Jake Cronenworth went on the injured list with concussion symptoms. On May 12, Tatis made his debut as the Padres second baseman. Since that day, Tatis has hit .366/.420/.485 with two home runs and 11 RBI. He has acknowledged in the past that he loves playing in the infield (originally as a shortstop). Tatis has improved his defense at second base, and his offensive numbers have skyrocketed.

Over the past week, he has hit .320 with five RBI and a .757 OPS.

Third baseman Manny Machado had a horrible May, the worst month of his career. He hit .127 with a .526 OPS, which was only that good because he still hit home runs (6 HR, 14 RBI). 

June has been better, and the past week has shown some hope for Padres fans that the normal Machado will show up going forward. His .227/.333/.429 batting line isn’t great, but he has three doubles and a home run to go with three walks and two RBI.

Samad Taylor, called up to replace Nick Castellanos, has been a revelation as the everyday left fielder. Since joining the team on June 3, he has hit .343/.410/.457 with a double, a home run, eight RBI, four stolen bases and eight runs scored. He has also played excellent defense. Over the past week, Taylor has hit .350/.381/.500 with a home run, three RBI, and two stolen bases. 

The Padres’ bullpen has moved back up the rankings in MLB. After having a rough patch, the relievers’ ERA is 3.01, second in MLB and close to the Atlanta Braves’ 2.91 ERA. 

The Padres used both Wandy Peralta and Bradgley Rodriguez as openers this week; both pitched a scoreless first inning in their respective games (Peralta for Giolito and Rodriguez for Canning against the Orioles).

Some of the bad

Padres starting pitchers are not getting the job done. Inconsistency has been the issue for all of the starters. Overall,  command of their pitches leaves a lot of room for improvement. 

In his start against the Orioles, Griffin Canning allowed seven runs on six hits and five walks over five innings. Even with a good offense, that would be a hard game to win. He was better against the Cardinals but only went 4.1 innings with four hits and one run allowed after Bradgley Rodriguez pitched as the opener.

Lucas Giolito started the first game versus St. Louis, going five innings, allowing seven hits and three runs with three walks.

None of the starters turned in a quality start because none could make it into the sixth inning.

The offense was stifled for two against St. Louis with Cardinals pitcher Dustin May pitching a complete game, one-hit shutout and the next day the Padres didn’t get a hit until the fifth inning. They went 5-for-57 over those two games.

Overall, the Padres have had 35 quality starts thrown against them, including eight shutouts.

First baseman Ty France, who has given a great defensive performance so far, has gone cold at the plate. Over the past week, France hit .071 with a .204 OPS. He has one hit, one RBI and seven strikeouts. For June, his average is .132 and he has dropped his overall line to .245/.294/.434. 

Outfielder Jase Bowen, who was leading the Triple-A Chihuahuas in many offensive categories, has had a difficult time adjusting to major league pitching. In 25 at-bats, he is hitting .120/.154/.274 with 11 strikeouts.

Roster moves and injury updates

Outfielder Bryce Johnson was designated for assignment when Xander Bogaerts returned from paternity leave and Will Wagner remained with the team. Johnson cleared waivers and was outrighted to El Paso.

DH Miguel Andujar went on the injured list with a left hamstring strain and utility player Nick Solak was promoted from Triple-A.

Catcher Blake Hunt was promoted from Triple-A and catcher Freddy Fermin was place on the injured list with a concussion.

RHP Ty Adcock was designated for assignment. Adcock cleared waivers and was outrighted to El Paso.

RHP Mason Miller was placed on family/bereavement leave and LHP Kyle Hart was called up from Triple-A.

RHP Ron Marinaccio began serving a two-game suspension (June 17-June 19) for intentionally hitting the Orioles’ Gunner Henderson.

Manager Craig Stammen also served a one-game suspension for the same offense.

Pitchers Joe Musgrove and Nick Pivetta have both advanced to long-toss in their throwing programs on rehab from arm injuries. Per a report from The Athletic’s Dennis Lin on 97.3 The Fan, Musgrove also has a bone spur in his right elbow. There is reportedly no issue with the bone spur at this time.

RHP Germán Márquez is progressing in his rehab with Triple-A El Paso. In four starts and 15.1 innings pitched, Márquez has a 1.76 ERA and just allowed his first runs in his fourth start. Per a report from MadFriars.com, he reached 95 mph on his four-seam fastball and reached 73 pitches on June 17.

Catcher Luis Campusano was seen with the team last week but is back in Arizona and ramping up his baseball activities. There is no rehab assignment yet (per manager Craig Stammen).

Second baseman Jake Cronenworth is also slowly ramping up baseball activities but is still experiencing some symptoms resulting from a concussion and there is no timeline for his return (per Stammen).

RHP Jhony Brito has completed his rehab and was optioned to El Paso. He has made two starts with a 2.00 ERA in nine innings pitched. He has reached the mid-90’s on his fastball and threw 71 pitches in his last start, per MadFriars.com reporting.

LHP Marco Gonzales, signed to a minor league contract before Spring Training began, was released by the Padres this past week. He had a 7.99 ERA in 47.1 innings pitched at Triple-A.

RHP Matt Waldron began his rehab from his right brachialis muscle injury with El Paso.

The A’s took the first game of their four-game series against the Angels on Thursday night, beating the Halos 5-0 on a warm evening in West Sacramento at Sutter Health Park. The win moves the A’s back to just one game under .500 and the team remains a game and a half back of the Seattle Mariners for first place. Things are getting interesting.

A’s “Jump” out to huge lead

It didn’t take long for the scoring to get started. The Angels sent right-hander Ryan Johnson to the mound this evening, recalling him from Double-A to start the first game of the series against the A’s. A tough spot to put him in. The rookie right-hander entered tonight with just one career start plus 17 relief appearances at the big league level, so expectations couldn’t have been too high on the Angels’ part.

Leading things off for the A’s was Zack Gelof. He didn’t wait around to extend his hitting streak, swatting a single off the third pitch from Johnson to extend his career-high hitting streak to 22 games and counting:

And to think, he was almost an afterthought for most A’s fans entering the season. He’s completely turned his fortunes around and now he seems as important a player as anyone on the team.

Nick Kurtz came right behind him with a double to put two runners in scoring position with no outs. Up to the plate stepped Shea Langeliers, and did he what he’s been doing all year: hitting home runs, this one a three-run shot to give the A’s an early lead:

Then it was Tyler Soderstrom’s turn and he got in on the action with his own long ball, going back-to-back with Langeliers and making this a 4-0 lead before the A’s had even had an out:

That opposite-field shot was Sodey’s 13th of the year and he now has five homers over his last 10 games. We’re finally seeing the power that was missing from our left fielder all year and it’s going to make the A’s much more dangerous with Soderstrom hitting like we know he can.

The A’s kept things going after that with two more hits, with six straight hits to open up this contest. A pair of sacrifice flies brought home the Athletics’ fifth run of the frame. Another hit and the A’s had officially batted around, bringing Gelof to the plate for the second time this inning. He worked a walk to load the bases but Kurtz grounded out to finally end the rally. Plenty of runs to work with for the team’s starting pitcher though.

Jump dominates (again)

While the Athletics’ offense was having its way with the Angels’ pitchers in the early going, the arm on the mound for the A’s was quietly going to work. Rookie Gage Jump, making just his fifth career start, absolutely dominated the Angels’ lineup tonight. The 23-year-old only allowed a single and a trio of walks during seven scoreless frames, racking up seven strikeouts on top of a dominant performance.

• Gage Jump: 7 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 7 K, 107 pitches

Somewhat surprising to see Kotsay let one of the prime pitchers in the organization pitch deep into a blowout but everything worked out fine in the end. Jump lowers his ERA to 2.37 through his first five starts. He’s next lined up to go against the Giants next week, though we’ll wait and see which game he’s slated for. Do we finally have our ace in hand? Him and Ginn seem to be a formidable duo atop the rotation.

Once Jump was done it was Mason Barnett, who handled a scoreless eighth. Lefty Hogan Harris finished things off for the home team for the ninth. Uneventful, like like we like it.

A fantastic win against one of the worst teams in the sport. The A’s did what they needed to do tonight and have momentum for the next three contests to wrap up the homestand. Big homers from Langeliers and Soderstrom in the first was all that was needed. Paired with a fantastic outing from rookie lefty Gage Jump and the club is a mere game and a half back of the Mariners for the division lead.

The series continues tomorrow night, same time same place. The Halo’s will have their best pitcher going for them in the second game of the series in right-hander Jose Soriano. The 27-year-old is having a career season as his 2.79 ERA ranks fifth in the entire American League. He faced the A’s almost exactly one month ago down in Anaheim, pitching into the seventh inning while allowing just a pair of runs. The A’s meanwhile will counter Soriano with veteran Jeffrey Springs. The left-hander has gotten hit hard in recent outings, allowing 15 runs in three June starts. The A’s need better results from him going forward and the hope is that tomorrow’s the day he can iron things out and look more like the arm that led the team through the first weeks of the season. We’ll have to wait and see which Springs shows up tomorrow.