Sports

Duggar shines in Bay Bridge series opener

Published

6 years ago

July 14, 2018

San Francisco, CA – The Giants were fully charged for the Bay Bridge series opener. Scoring five runs in the seventh was just one of the highlights of tonight’s game. Rookie Steven Duggar was also another factor in the first matchup against the Oakland A’s.

“He was in the middle of everything today,” Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. “All of the rallies, got the big hit to break it open, and the first at-bat was a good at-bat. He looks like he’s comfortable already from the get-go; he’s throwing out some good at-bats, playing good defense. Just a really nice ballgame by him.”

San Francisco kicked off the series with a 7-1 victory over the A’s. Duggar drove in three runs off two big hits. After going three scoreless frames, the Giants got on the board first. Duggar led off the fourth with a double, he advanced to third on Brandon Belt’s ground out.

Edwin Jackson looked like he did an almost perfect Pirouette turn but tripped off his own feet on the mound resulting in a balk. Duggar scored making it a 1-0 game. This was one of a few “bloops and blunders” by Oakland.

“My front spike just caught the dirt,” said Jackson. “It’s a first. I guess when you play this long there’s a first for a lot of different things, but that’s the first time that I’ve had that happen where someone is on base and a run gets brought in.”

Chad Pinder chased down a fly ball passed the foul ball line, and both Jed Lowrie and Steven Piscotty collided in the outfield with Lowrie leaving the game with a left leg contusion and bone bruise. Pinder who robbed Madison Bumgarner of a home run in the third, homered on a fly ball to center field tying the game 1-1.

By the sixth San Francisco got their next run when Duggar led of the inning with a walk, McCuthen hit a single putting two on with one out. Buster Posey’s RBI single scored in Duggar making it a 2-1 game. But Bumgarner knocked himself out of the game after he loaded the bases with two walks and a single with no outs.

Piscotty led off the seventh with a single and both Matt Olson and Matt Chapman walked. Reyes Moronta came in to strike out the next batter. Then he forced Jonathan Lucroy to line out to third baseman Pablo Sandoval who almost had a double play had he beaten Piscotty back to the base.

“Unbelievable job right there,” Bumgarner said on Moronta’s night. “It was a tough spot to put somebody in and he did as good of a job as you can do, especially in a one-run game. I think that was the big momentum shifter. I think that particular inning won the game for us.”

Amazing defense by the Giants who left three stranded. Pinch-hitter Nick Martini grounded out to shortstop Brandon Crawford to end the frame. What seemed like an opportunity for the A’s ended with a defensive victory for San Francisco. Bumgarner lasted six innings allowing three hits, one home run and striking out five.

“You always look at a point in the game that could be the turning point and that certainly was,” said Bochy. “Bum threw a great ballgame but a base hit, walk, and then he walks the next guy. At that point he’s coming out and we’ve done that a few times to Moronta, put him in a tough situation. But he handles it so well, that’s going beyond, not to give up a run. He has that kind of stuff and poise, and that’s the turning point in the game, really.”

While the A’s bullpen fell apart the Giants took over in the bottom of the seventh. Amen Hanson led off with a single, followed by a single from Gorkys Hernandez. Pinch-hitter Chase d’Arnaud walked putting three on with no outs. Duggar drove in two with a double extending their lead 4-1.

d’Arnaud advanced to third moving Duggar to second. Belt got hit by pitch loading the bases again with no outs. McCutchen’s sacrifice fly scored in d’Arnaud making it a 5-1 game. A wild pitch drove in Duggar and Posey followed with a RBI double to make it a 7-1 game. Duggar got his Major League call-up Sunday and didn’t disappoint in his first Bay Bridge series.

“I was locked in, ready to go,” said Duggar. “I had a feeling they were going to go to that lefty in the ‘pen when I was in the hole if the bases were loaded. I just tried to mentally prepare for that and just tried to make the most of that situation.”

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Bay Area

Love Life Organization Shows Love

As part of Love Life Week, the Love Life Foundation was honored to produce the 1974-75 World Champion Golden State Warrior Day. It’s a shame that our first Bay Area World Championship team’s unique accolades had been lost in the pre social media era and the cultural revolution of the 1970s.

Published

5 days ago

October 28, 2024

Oakland Post

Members of the 1975 NBA championship team, Charles Dudley (left) and Clifford Ray (right) embrace Love Life Foundation leader Donald Lacy for his antiviolence mission. Courtesy photo.

City of Oakland Celebrates 1975 NBA World Championship Team

By Donald Lacy

Special to The Post

As part of Love Life Week, the Love Life Foundation was honored to produce the 1974-75 World Champion Golden State Warrior Day.

It’s a shame that our first Bay Area World Championship team’s unique accolades had been lost in the pre social media era and the cultural revolution of the 1970s.

The 1975 NBA World Championship team were invited back to the City of Oakland last Friday, to be properly celebrated for their ground-breaking performance in 1975.

The heartwarming ceremony highlighted the recent passing of the legendary coach of that team, Al Attlles, and his former players Clifford Ray and Charles Dudley were on hand to represent the “Cardiac Kids” as they were called back then for their ability to make great comeback victories during their run for the title.

Warriors great Chris Mullin and former spiritual advisor Gary Reeves gave heartfelt testimonies of their experiences under Attles’ leadership and their relationship with the inspiration they received from the NBA 1975 World Champion Golden State Warriors.

The City of Oakland provided proclamations to all parties with speeches made by city leadership including Mayor Sheng Thao and Deputy Mayor Dr. Kimberly Mayfield and activity host Love Life non-profit founder and Executive Director Donald E. Lacy Jr..

There will be a celebration of life event Nov. 9 honoring Attles’ legacy at Alameda College.

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California Black Media

Several Black Californians Are Playing Key Roles in LA 28 Olympics Planning

From politicians and businesspeople to athletes and community leaders, a number of Black Californians are contributing to the thought leadership that is shaping the planning of LA28, the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. At the forefront is Los Angeles’ first Black woman mayor, Karen Bass, who has, in many ways, become the face of the Games in the City of Angels.

Published

2 weeks ago

October 22, 2024

Oakland Post

From left to right: IOC Member Hong Zhang, IOC Vice President Nicole Hoevertsz, Rex Richardson, Mayor of Long Beach, LA28 President Casey Wasserman, James T. Butts, Mayor of Inglewood, IOC President Thomas Bach, Marqueece Harris-Dawson, the President of the Los Angeles City Council (IOC/Greg Martin)

By Lila Brown, California Black Media

At the forefront is Los Angeles’ first Black woman mayor, Karen Bass, who has, in many ways, become the face of the Games in the City of Angels.

“The 2028 Games present an incredible opportunity to unite our city and lift up every corner of Los Angeles,” said Bass during a historic event at Los Angeles City Hall on Sept. 13, when the Olympic and Paralympic flags were unveiled and installed.

The event marked the return of the Olympic flag to L.A. since 1984, when the city hosted the Olympics for the second time. It was the first time the Paralympic flag was raised in California’s largest city.

“From creating jobs to supporting small businesses, we are committed to ensuring that these Games benefit all Angelenos — not just for the summer of 2028, but for decades to come,” Bass added.

Nearly two months after the Olympic flag handover from Paris to Los Angeles, International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach visited Los Angeles.

Bach toured several of the city’s newest world-class sporting venues, including the SoFi Stadium and the recently opened Intuit Dome, both located in Inglewood. At the stadiums, he was joined by two other Los Angeles County Black mayors, whose cities will be key to hosting LA28 events: Inglewood Mayor James T. Butts and Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson.

SoFi Stadium, known as the home of NFL teams the LA Rams and LA Chargers, will host swimming competitions during the LA28 Games, with a temporary pool set to make it the largest swimming venue in Olympic history, boasting 38,000 seats. Intuit Dome, Inglewood’s newest state-of-the-art venue and home to the LA Clippers, will host the Olympic basketball tournament in the 18,000-seat arena.

In an interview with California Black Media ( CBM), Butts highlighted Inglewood’s central role in the upcoming Games, stating, “Inglewood will host the Opening and Closing ceremonies, basketball, and swimming competitions of the 2028 Olympic Games. This will be our second hosting of Olympic Basketball, the first in 1984.”

Marqueece Harris-Dawson, President of the Los Angeles City Council, also attended the tour.

Harris-Dawson is one of the leading backers of PlayLA, a parks development program that promises to provide sports programming to “young Angelenos of all abilities.” The initiative is funded by a $160 million investment from the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games and the International Olympic Committee.

Black Californians serving on the LA28 Board include Businesswoman Mellody Hobson; decorated Paralympian Lex Gillette; former Netflix Executive Dana Smith; President of the LA County Federation of Labor AFL-CIO Yvonne Wheeler; and television host, retired sprinter and four-time Olympic champion Michael Johnson.

Rosalyn Brant Clark, a 1976 Olympic silver medalist and mother of three-time Paralympian Breanna Clark, said while the “Games for All” theme is promising, she is looking for more concrete action that impacts the lives of ordinary people, including Black Californians.

“They are going to need to show me more on that one before it gets my stamp of approval,” she added, challenging organizers to ensure genuine inclusivity.

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Bay Area

Ohemaa Nyanin Named GM of Valkyries WNBA Team

The Bay Area is filled with excitement, and much of the conversation is about the Bay Area’s newest WNBA team — the VALKYRIES! The Golden State Warriors were awarded the 13th team in the WNBA last October, and just four months ago, the team’s General Manager was announced — Ohemaa Nyanin.

Published

2 weeks ago

October 22, 2024

Oakland Post

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By Y’Anad Burrell

Nyanin’s parents are from Ghana, and she was born in Maryland. Nyanin’s experience in this industry precedes her both as a former college player and on the business side. Nyanin is an American University alumna who played on the Eagles’ women’s basketball team. In 2019, Nyanain joined the WNBA team, The New York Liberty, initially serving as the director of basketball operations before she became assistant general manager.

“No excuses,” Nyanin said. “We are here, first and foremost, as humans, and secondly to win basketball games. So how do we do that, and how do we do that in the most inclusive way?”

From viewing interviews that Nyanin has done since her arrival in the Bay Area, a constant theme in her conversations is talking about taking a “people first” approach. Nyanin talks about how she will be focused on the players, staff, and fans as she navigates and executes her role as general manager. Health, both mentally and physically, is important to Nyanin, as I’ve seen in her many interviews.

Just days ago, The Golden State Warriors announced the head coach for the Valkyries — Natalie Nakase.

Nakase has been the assistant coach for the Las Vegas Aces for the past three seasons, where she was a part of the Aces’ back-to-back championship run in 2022 and 2023. Before joining the Aces’ coaching staff, Nakase spent ten seasons with her hometown team, the Los Angeles Clippers, and their G League.

The Valkyries will practice at downtown Oakland’s Golden State Warrior space and play games at Chase Center in San Francisco. This is an excellent opportunity to experience both sides of the water.

The Valkyries WNBA season opens May 2025 at Chase Center in San Francisco, and the Valkyries website shows over 18,000 season-ticket deposits. For clarity, if someone is ‘interested’ in purchasing season tickets, a $25 deposit is required. The Chase Center’s capacity is a little over 18,000, so you can imagine how electrifying the stadium will be during all home games.

Ohemaa, welcome to the Bay and The Town!