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Gray Shines Despite Loss in A’s Opener

Published

11 years ago

April 1, 2014

Oakland, CA – It looked like the rain would never stop. The sun broke through around six o”clock. Opening Day was almost written off due to bad weather that had covered the entire Bay Area. The sold out crowd made their way to wet seats to witness one of the best starts in Oakland A’s history.

Sonny Gray wiggled his way out of enough jams to earn a place in the A’s history books but he wasn’t able to break the pattern of losing the home opener. Oakland was shutout 2-0 by the Cleveland Indians last night. The opening jitters took a toll but the A’s defense backed their ace to keep the Indians bats quiet through eight innings.

“A little out of kilter early,” said Oakland’s manager Bob Melvin. “But he was able to fight through it and still put up zero’s.”

By the fourth it became a pattern unbroken. Gray walked Carlos Santana to start the frame, followed by Michael Brantley’s doubled. With two outs and two on, Gray got out of the inning unscathed. He struck out Ryan Raburn and Asdrubal Cabrera reached first on a fielder’s choice. Santana was out at home and Brantley went to third. David Murphy grounded out to end the frame.

“I was able to settle down and get out of some big jams,” Gray said. “Which was the story of the night, really!” As a pitcher you always want to put yourself in tough situations and figure a way to get out of them.”

Despite Oakland’s bats being quiet tonight, Gray tossed six, walked three and struck out four. He joins Tim Hudson (2003) as the only pitchers in Oakland history to not allow a run in a Opening Day start. Gray set the bar high, until Jim Johnson lost his command on the mound.

“It’s unfortunate,” said Johnson. “You look at how guys battled, Sonny especially. That was one of the most impressive performances I’ve ever seen. That guy wiggled better than anybody today.”

Top of the sixth, Cabrera hit a line drive to Gray that bounced off his leg. He threw to catcher John Jaso at home plate in time to tag Brantley out. A crew chief asked for the instant replay to make sure Jaso did not block the plate. The ruling was in favor of the A’s and Gray struck out Murphy to end the threat.

The bullpen took over in the seventh. In his pitching debut, Luke Gregerson retired the side and Sean Doolittle keep Cleveland scoreless in the eighth. It was Johnson’s debut that left the sell out crowd fuming. The Indians scored two runs in the ninth to seal their victory.

I would’ve booed me too,” explained Johnson. “I sucked today, I’ll admit it. That’s fine I deserved it. I expect that. The next time they’re probably going to be cheering.”

He issued a free pass to Cabrera, Murphy hit a single and Yan Gomes was hit by a pitch. With the bases loaded, both Nyjer Morgan and Nick Swisher knocked in runs for the 2-0 lead. At that point the A’s had no luck with two of their key players striking out. Oakland had their chance in the eighth when they had two on with Donaldson at the plate.

“That ball was killed,” Cleveland manager Terry Francona said. “So we caught a break there.”

Donaldson’s fly ball went 300 feet in the air and landed on top of the wall to fall into play. Had that ball gone behind, he would’ve cleared the bases for the lead. The bases were loaded with one out. Brandon Moss grounded out to third leaving three stranded.

“I thought it was off the suites,” said Donaldson. “I’m not frustrated with [Daric] Barton (who made it third in hesitation on the play). I was more frustrated it didn’t get out.

Tomorrow, Oakland will try and turn things around in game two of the series. Scott Kazmir will make his debut against his former team. He signed a two-year $22 million contract as a free agent with Oakland after going 10-9 with a 4.04 ERA in 29 starts with the Indians

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Remembering George Floyd

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Minnesota State Attorney General Keith Ellison acknowledges that the Floyd case five years ago involved a situation in which due process was denied, and five years later, the president is currently dismissing “due process. “The Minnesota Atty General also says, “Trump is trying to attack constitutional rule, attacking congressional authority and judicial decision-making.” George Floyd was an African American man killed by police who knocked on his neck and on his back, preventing him from breathing.

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Mural showing the portrait of George Floyd in Mauerpark in Berlin. To the left of the portrait the lettering "I can't Breathe" was added, on the right side the three hashtags #GeorgeFloyd, #Icantbreathe and #Sayhisname. The mural was completed by Eme Street Art (facebook name) / Eme Free Thinker (signature) on 29 May 2020. (Wikimedia Commons)

By April Ryan
BlackPressUSA Newswire

“The president’s been very clear he has no intentions of pardoning Derek Chauvin, and it’s not a request that we’re looking at,” confirms a senior staffer at the Trump White House. That White House response results from public hope, including from a close Trump ally, Georgia Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene. The timing of Greene’s hopes coincides with the Justice Department’s recent decision to end oversight of local police accused of abuse. It also falls on the fifth anniversary of the police-involved death of George Floyd on May 25th. The death sparked national and worldwide outrage and became a transitional moment politically and culturally, although the outcry for laws on police accountability failed.

The death forced then-Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden to focus on deadly police force and accountability. His efforts while president to pass the George Floyd Justice in policing act failed. The death of George Floyd also put a spotlight on the Black community, forcing then-candidate Biden to choose a Black woman running mate. Kamala Harris ultimately became vice president of the United States alongside Joe Biden. Minnesota State Attorney General Keith Ellison prosecuted the cases against the officers involved in the death of Floyd. He remembers,” Trump was in office when George Floyd was killed, and I would blame Trump for creating a negative environment for police-community relations. Remember, it was him who said when the looting starts, the shooting starts, it was him who got rid of all the consent decrees that were in place by the Obama administration.”

In 2025, Police-involved civilian deaths are up by “about 100 to about 11 hundred,” according to Ellison. Ellison acknowledges that the Floyd case five years ago involved a situation in which due process was denied, and five years later, the president is currently dismissing “due process. “The Minnesota Atty General also says, “Trump is trying to attack constitutional rule, attacking congressional authority and judicial decision-making.” George Floyd was an African-American man killed by police who knocked on his neck and on his back, preventing him from breathing. During those minutes on the ground, Floyd cried out for his late mother several times. Police subdued Floyd for an alleged counterfeit $20 bill.

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Oakland Post: Week of May 28 – June 30, 2025

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of May 28 – June 3, 2025

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Black Feminist Movement Mobilizes in Response to National Threats

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — More than 500 Black feminists will convene in New Orleans from June 5 through 7 for what organizers are calling the largest Black feminist gathering in the United States.

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1 week ago

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Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown
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More than 500 Black feminists will convene in New Orleans from June 5 through 7 for what organizers are calling the largest Black feminist gathering in the United States. The event, led by the organization Black Feminist Future, is headlined by activist and scholar Angela Y. Davis. Paris Hatcher, executive director of Black Feminist Future, joined Black Press USA’s Let It Be Known to outline the mission and urgency behind the gathering, titled “Get Free.” “This is not just a conference to dress up and have a good time,” Hatcher said. “We’re building power to address the conditions that are putting our lives at risk—whether that’s policing, reproductive injustice, or economic inequality.” Hatcher pointed to issues such as rising evictions among Black families, the rollback of bodily autonomy laws, and the high cost of living as key drivers of the event’s agenda. “Our communities are facing premature death,” she said.

Workshops and plenaries will focus on direct action, policy advocacy, and practical organizing skills. Attendees will participate in training sessions that include how to resist evictions, organize around immigration enforcement, and disrupt systemic policies contributing to poverty and incarceration. “This is about fighting back,” Hatcher said. “We’re not conceding anything.” Hatcher addressed the persistent misconceptions about Black feminism, including the idea that it is a movement against men or families. “Black feminism is not a rejection of men,” she said. “It’s a rejection of patriarchy. Black men must be part of this struggle because patriarchy harms them too.” She also responded to claims that organizing around Black women’s issues weakens broader coalitions. “We don’t live single-issue lives,” Hatcher said. “Our blueprint is one that lifts all Black people.”

The conference will not be streamed virtually, but recaps and updates will be posted daily on Black Feminist Future’s YouTube channel and Instagram account. The event includes performances by Tank and the Bangas and honors longtime activists including Billy Avery, Erica Huggins, and Alexis Pauline Gumbs. When asked how Black feminism helps families, Hatcher said the real threat to family stability is systemic oppression. “If we want to talk about strong Black families, we have to talk about mass incarceration, the income gap, and the systems that tear our families apart,” Hatcher said. “Black feminism gives us the tools to build and sustain healthy families—not just survive but thrive.”