Sports

Giants Get Win Behind Big Third Inning

Published

9 years ago

September 17, 2016

San Francisco, CA – The Giants canceling batting practice might be something they should consider everyday. They scored six runs in the third and chased rookie pitcher Luke Weaver off the mound.

San Francisco’s 8-2 victory over the Cardinals keeps them ahead in a tight wild-card race.
The Giants have won back-to-back games at home for the first time since Aug 18th-19th against the New York Mets.

It started off as a pitcher’s duel for the first two innings. Matt Moore scattered two hits over three frames allowing no runs. Weaver struck out the first four batters before giving up single to Brandon Belt in the second.

Brandon Crawford followed by hitting into a double play to end the inning. But by the third, Weaver unraveled.

“Really, when you think about it, that’s the name of the game in the playoffs, too: see who can make the fewest mistakes and take advantage of them,” Belt said in regards to Molina’s error.

He loaded the bases with a walk to Denard Span. Moore reached first safely after a throwing error by Yadier Molina. And that’s when San Francisco’s offense took advantage of Molina’s mistake. Angel Pagan was issued a free pass to load the bases with one out. This was the first opportunity the Giants had with runners in scoring position. Joe Panik’s sacrifice fly scored in Span for the 1-0 lead.

“He makes that play 99 out of 100 times,” said St. Louis manager Mike Matheny said of Molina (who declined to speak to media after). “We’ve seen him do it. We want him aggressive trying to make the best play he can make. We had a great chance of getting out of there without the top of the order coming around.”

Buster Posey drove in both Moore and Pagan with a bloop single over second baseman Jedd Gyorko. Hunter Pence followed with a single and Belt’s two-run double extended San Francisco’s lead 5-0. Crawford continued the hits and knocked a single to right field. Stephen Piscotty threw home to tag Belt out at the plate.

Home plate umpire, Cory Blaser ruled him out but the Giants challenged the tag play. After further review the call was overturned and Belt was safe at home to make it a 6-0 game. The Cardinals ran back on the field after heading to the dugout after the initial call. Weaver was replaced by Miguel Socolovich.

San Francisco lost an earlier call they challenged in the second. Aledmys Diaz was ruled safe at first despite Crawford making a throw to first base for the out. Socolovich gave up back-to-back walks to both Eduardo Nunez and Span before striking out Moore to end the threat. The Giants continued to make it difficult for St. Louis bullpen by adding on two more runs.

“Sometimes you can’t put your finger on it,” Posey said. “There seems to be a really good energy in the dugout… And I sound like Hunter Pence right now. But hopefully it’s something we can carry with us for the remainder of the season and through the postseason.”

Jaime Garcia replaced Socolovich to start the fourth. Garcia walked Pagan to lead off the frame and Posey followed with a two-run homer to make it a 8-1 game. It was Posey’s first home run in two months snapping the longest homeless drought of his career. He is now 7-for-9 in this series with a double and a home run.

The Cardinals scored their first run in the fourth with a RBI single. Moore got himself into a jam in the fourth but managed to get out of it without too much damage. He walked the leadoff batter then gave up back-to-back singles to Gyorko and Molina. Moore then forced Johnny Peralta to fly out, struck out Randal Grichuk and Tommy Pham leaving three stranded.

But a rocky fifth inning sent Moore to the dugout for good. He lasted five frames allowing seven hits, two runs walked two and struck out four. Moore loaded the bases again by giving up two singles and walked another batter. A free pass to Molina, walked in St. Louis next and final run. That was the finale for Moore and the bullpen took over.

Giants manager Bruce Bochy canceled batting practice yesterday so the team can get a break from the field. The decision came down after the team lacked hits in the previous series against the San Diego Padres. Well, it worked! Last night Johnny Cueto tossed a complete game to help San Francisco beat the Cardinals 6-2. Not only did it put them four games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League West.

But it also keeps them ahead of the Cardinals who now trail behind two games in the wild-card spot. And the New York Mets who are now behind by one game. Call it superstition or just a good feeling. But Bochy canceled BP again today in hopes that his team can pull out another win and they did. He announced no BP for Saturday’s game either.

“It’s all about bouncing back,” said Bochy. “You have no choice in this game and that’s what good teams do. You get frustrated come home and get swept. You can’t let that linger on…”

Notes – Gregor Blanco was reinstated from the 15-day disabled list today. He missed 22 games with right shoulder impingement. Blanco made 56 starts this season (18 in the left field, 13 in center and 25 in right). He’s 7-for-32 with a home run and three walks as a pinch-hitter this year.

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WNBA’s Golden State Valkyries Kick Off Season with Community Programs in Oakland

“The Golden State Valkyries are more than a team—they’re a movement,” said Oakland Interim-Mayor Kevin Jenkins. “Their touchdown in Oakland marks a new era of opportunity, inspiration, and equity in sports. This partnership reflects our city’s deep commitment to uplifting women, investing in youth, and building a community where every dream has a place to grow. We’re proud to welcome the Valkyries to The Town.”

Published

2 weeks ago

May 18, 2025

Oakland Post

The Valkyries came to Oakland City Hall with a “Hoopbus.” Present were (from left to right): City Councilmembers Noel Gallo, Rebecca Kaplan, Zac Unger and Rowena Brown; Oakland Mayor-elect Barbara Lee, Valkyries President Jess Smith, a Valkyries team representative and Deputy Mayor LaNiece Jones. Photo courtesy Rebecca Kaplan’s office.

Team installs new nets at playgrounds, holds flag-raisings at City Halls in Oakland and S.F.

Special to The Post

The Golden State Valkyries brought the excitement of their inaugural season to every corner of the Bay Area with a full slate of community celebrations leading up to their historic home-opener against the Los Angeles Sparks at the Chase Center in San Francisco on Friday.

The week featured flag-raising ceremonies at city halls in Oakland and San Francisco, three “Violet Net” installation days at Oakland parks to encourage basketball play, fun “Hoopbus” takeovers at multiple schools presented by Kaiser Permanente, and player appearances.

In total, 90 violet nets were installed on 45 basketball courts across 34 public parks throughout Oakland this week. A list of the parks receiving violet nets can be found at Valkyries.com.

About the Golden State Valkyries

The Golden State Valkyries, the WNBA affiliate of the seven-time NBA Champion Golden State Warriors, were announced as the 13th WNBA franchise on Oct. 5, 2023. According to Norse mythology, Valkyries are a host of warrior women who are fearless and unwavering – flying through air and sea alike.

This brand is Golden State’s modern interpretation of Valkyries: strong, bold, and fierce. Tipping off during the 2025 WNBA season, the team is headquartered in Oakland and will play home games at Chase Center in San Francisco. For Golden State Valkyries’ assets, including team logos, visit valkyries.com.

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McClymonds High Names School Gym for Star Graduate, Basketball Legend Bill Russell

William “Bill” Felton Russell was born on Feb. 12, 1934, and died on July 31, 2022. He achieved fame as a U.S. professional basketball player who played center for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1956 to 1969. He was the centerpiece of the Celtics dynasty that won 11 NBA championships during his 13-year career.

Published

4 months ago

February 18, 2025

Oakland Post

Bill Russell and Brian McGhee in McClymonds High School Gym, 2011. Photo courtesy of Brian McGhee.

By Ken Epstein

West Oakland’s McClymonds High School, “the School of Champions,” this week named the school’s gymnasium in honor of one of its most famous graduates, basketball legend Bill Russell (class of ’52).

Russell is widely known as one of the greatest basketball players of all time. In 2011, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the country’s highest civil honor, from President Barack Obama for Russell’s contributions to basketball and the Civil Rights Movement.

The McClymonds’ naming ceremony was held on Wednesday, the same day as Russell’s birthday. Oakland leader Bill Patterson, a longtime friend of Russell’s, was scheduled to cut the ribbon at the reopening of the gym, which had been closed for several months for renovation. Russell’s daughter Karen was scheduled to attend the ribbon cutting.

Russell’s name and signature are now printed on the gymnasium floor.

Patterson was working at DeFremery Park when he met Russell. “I befriended him as a boy and during his years at University of San Francisco” said Patterson. “We stayed friends for the rest of his life.”

Said McClymonds Principal Darielle Davis, herself a McClymonds graduate, “We are excited to honor Bill Russell for his sports accolades and because he broke color barriers. He is part of our legacy, and legacy is really important at McClymonds.”

Brian McGhee, community schools manager at McClymonds and former football player at UC Berkeley, said that Russell meant a lot to him and others at the school. “He was a beacon of light and hope for West Oakland,” he said. “He did a lot for sports and for civil rights.”

Starting in 2018, Ben “Coach” Tapscott worked with Patterson and other McClymonds grads, community members, and former coaches to encourage the Oakland Board of Education to endorse the naming of the school gym, which finally happened recently.

“We worked hard to make this happen,” said Tapscott. “He’s an important part of McClymond’s history, along with a lot of other famous graduates,” he said.

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OPINION: Politics, Football and Identity in Trump’s America

If you haven’t noticed, all Americans are engaged in an even bigger game that means so much more than the Super Bowl. Our democracy is falling apart.

Published

4 months ago

February 17, 2025

Oakland Post

iStock.

By Emil Guillermo

Two Filipino American stories made headlines recently.

First, Nikko Remigio, the Filipino and African American kick returner for the Kansas City Chiefs, did not win Super Bowl LIX.

The other, Alameda’s Rob Bonta said no to running for governor. I don’t blame him. It’s not like a mass of people wanted him to run.

But I did.

Whenever there is a Filipino American in a place you don’t expect, I’m rooting for that person.

As California’s Attorney General, Bonta is probably the most active defender among Blue States pushing back against Trump’s Extreme-Right agenda.

I’d like to Bonta run for California’s top job, but he’s better off waiting in line. The Democrats need a spot for Kamala Harris, and Bonta not running obliges the hierarchy.

History can wait. Bonta’s just 52.

Harris has held off speculation of her next move, saying she just moved back to the state. But it seems governor is the path for her.

For now, Bonta needs to continue taking the fight to Trump in the courts.

Football and Identity Politics

My dad, whose birthday would have been Super Bowl weekend, came to the US in 1928 as a colonized Filipino, an “American National,” where he couldn’t be a citizen, vote, own property or even marry the person he wanted.

Not if they were White.

Still, he believed in America. He never gave up.

Sort of like Nikko Remigio.

My dad would have loved Nikko.

If you haven’t noticed, all Americans are engaged in an even bigger game that means so much more than the Super Bowl. Our democracy is falling apart.

You want to get passionate about Eagles and Chiefs?

Let’s be passionate about our Founding Fathers, too.

Nikko didn’t change the game. He touched it three times and provided more yards than all of KC’s running backs.

That’s all I needed to see.

He’s our Filipino guy.

Detractors may call it “identity politics.”

People don’t seem to understand the fight for visibility. To be recognized. To be seen. It’s all wrapped up in the big idea of Civil Rights.

I was nowhere near as good as Nikko when I played. But when you are blessed to play football, you play your hardest.

For me, that was when I was 12 and 13 playing Pop Warner football in San Francisco. I was MVP for my team as a running back.

But I was ashamed of my dad. He wasn’t like the other dads. And I remember going to the team banquet to retrieve my trophy alone.

I didn’t realize it probably meant more to him than I thought.

I wish I had shared my MVP moment with him like Nikko shared his joy with his dad, Mark, born in Seattle to two Filipino immigrants, and his mom, whose mixture of Black and White made Nikko the picture of diversity.

Filipino American and Black and White at the Super Bowl.

But don’t forget, there is one game bigger.

The Super Bowl for Democracy. We’re battling for it every day Trump pushes a cockamamie idea that shakes the foundation of our Democracy.

About the Author

Emil Guillermo is an award-winning journalist and commentator. Watch his micro-talk show “Emil Amok’s Takeout/What Does an Asian American Think?” on www.YouTube.com/emilamok1 Or join him on http://www.patreon.com/emilamok