7 days ago
Athletics rookie infielder Joshua Kuroda-Grauer is seemingly in good spirits after taking a brutal hit to the private area after a foul ball.
Kuroda-Grauer suffered a ruptured ******* in the Athletics' 5-2 win against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field in Phoenix on Monday, July 20. He underwent emergency surgery and was placed on the A's 10-day injured list.
The club said the 23-year-old is resting comfortably.
Athletics manager Mark Kotsay visited Kuroda-Grauer in the hospital and told MLB.com's Martín Gallegos, who covers the A's, that the rookie is in "great spirits."
"He was joking. His personality is amazing," Kotsay said. "I think he might be the only player in history to (rupture) a ******* , stay in the game, get a hit and play another half inning of defense."
#kuroda #rookie
Kuroda-Grauer suffered a ruptured ******* in the Athletics' 5-2 win against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field in Phoenix on Monday, July 20. He underwent emergency surgery and was placed on the A's 10-day injured list.
The club said the 23-year-old is resting comfortably.
Athletics manager Mark Kotsay visited Kuroda-Grauer in the hospital and told MLB.com's Martín Gallegos, who covers the A's, that the rookie is in "great spirits."
"He was joking. His personality is amazing," Kotsay said. "I think he might be the only player in history to (rupture) a ******* , stay in the game, get a hit and play another half inning of defense."
#kuroda #rookie
20 days ago
The Athletics squared off with the Detroit Tigers in the middle game of this three-game series between these two historic American League franchises. The Tigers scored early and never looked back, winning 6-1 to take the series and leave the A's sitting ten games under .500.
Tigers' starter Troy Melton needed only eight pitches to retire the side in the first inning. Meanwhile, A's starter Jeffrey Springs got off to a rocky start. Tigers catcher Dillon Dingler reached second base on an infield single coupled with A's third baseman Zack Gelof's throwing error. Springs then walked two straight hitters to load the bases with only one out.
Left fielder Riley Greene's RBI single brought home the Tigers first run of the game. Springs retired the next two batters to limit the damage, although he needed 34 pitches to get through that high-stress first inning.
In the second inning, A's right fielder Lawrence Butler hit a two-out double. He advanced to third on second baseman Joshua Kuroda-Grauer's infield single. Alas, the visitors wasted their first scoring opportunity as Melton struck out Carlos Cortes to end the inning.
In the bottom of the second inning, Jeff McNeil took over at first base for Nick Kurtz, who left the game due to illness. That marks two straight days the team has had a player exit the game early, suggesting an illness may be spreading through the A's clubhouse.
Tigers' starter Troy Melton needed only eight pitches to retire the side in the first inning. Meanwhile, A's starter Jeffrey Springs got off to a rocky start. Tigers catcher Dillon Dingler reached second base on an infield single coupled with A's third baseman Zack Gelof's throwing error. Springs then walked two straight hitters to load the bases with only one out.
Left fielder Riley Greene's RBI single brought home the Tigers first run of the game. Springs retired the next two batters to limit the damage, although he needed 34 pitches to get through that high-stress first inning.
In the second inning, A's right fielder Lawrence Butler hit a two-out double. He advanced to third on second baseman Joshua Kuroda-Grauer's infield single. Alas, the visitors wasted their first scoring opportunity as Melton struck out Carlos Cortes to end the inning.
In the bottom of the second inning, Jeff McNeil took over at first base for Nick Kurtz, who left the game due to illness. That marks two straight days the team has had a player exit the game early, suggesting an illness may be spreading through the A's clubhouse.
20 days ago
Perhaps they should rename Comerica Park to Rogers Center after Jake Rogers' pinch performance helped the Tigers beat the A's 6-1.
The Tigers have been pretty good lately, 7-3 for their last 10 games, and as we know, performing well against teams with much better records than theirs. So naturally, against another fourth-place team, they're going to potentially struggle. However, they did take the first game of the series against the A's, so how this series will play out is anyone's guess. The Tigers had Troy Melton on the mound up against Jeffrey Springs for the A's.
The A's went 1-2-3 in the top of the first. The home half took considerably longer to work through. With one out, Dillon Dingler singled and was able to advance to second on a throwing error by the A's third baseman. Kevin McGonigle walked, then Spencer Torkelson walked. Springs was having a heck of a time finding the zone, and that didn't change when Riley Greene came up to bat, and both Greene and the catcher challenged pitches, both of them ****** , before Greene singled to score Dingler and put the Tigers on the board first. Two outs followed, but they had certainly worn Springs down early.
After the first out of the second inning, there was a pause in play. A foul tip hit Dingler in his exposed hand, and while he stayed in through the top of the inning, he did ultimately leave the game. No current status updates. With two outs in the second, Lawrence Butler doubled. Then Joshua Kuroda-Grauer (a challenger for the Isiah Kiner-Falefa crown of making me struggle to spell their names right) singled. A final out ended the inning and the threat. In the bottom of the inning, Nick Kurtz was out of the game for the A's after two, citing illness, so a rough game all around. Zach McKinstry got a one-out single. Then, with two outs and pinch-hitting for Dingler, Jake Rogers came in and hit a home run. Now that's how you step in with style.
The A's went 1-2-3 in the top of the third. The Tigers, likewise, went down in order in the bottom of the inning.
The Tigers have been pretty good lately, 7-3 for their last 10 games, and as we know, performing well against teams with much better records than theirs. So naturally, against another fourth-place team, they're going to potentially struggle. However, they did take the first game of the series against the A's, so how this series will play out is anyone's guess. The Tigers had Troy Melton on the mound up against Jeffrey Springs for the A's.
The A's went 1-2-3 in the top of the first. The home half took considerably longer to work through. With one out, Dillon Dingler singled and was able to advance to second on a throwing error by the A's third baseman. Kevin McGonigle walked, then Spencer Torkelson walked. Springs was having a heck of a time finding the zone, and that didn't change when Riley Greene came up to bat, and both Greene and the catcher challenged pitches, both of them ****** , before Greene singled to score Dingler and put the Tigers on the board first. Two outs followed, but they had certainly worn Springs down early.
After the first out of the second inning, there was a pause in play. A foul tip hit Dingler in his exposed hand, and while he stayed in through the top of the inning, he did ultimately leave the game. No current status updates. With two outs in the second, Lawrence Butler doubled. Then Joshua Kuroda-Grauer (a challenger for the Isiah Kiner-Falefa crown of making me struggle to spell their names right) singled. A final out ended the inning and the threat. In the bottom of the inning, Nick Kurtz was out of the game for the A's after two, citing illness, so a rough game all around. Zach McKinstry got a one-out single. Then, with two outs and pinch-hitting for Dingler, Jake Rogers came in and hit a home run. Now that's how you step in with style.
The A's went 1-2-3 in the top of the third. The Tigers, likewise, went down in order in the bottom of the inning.
21 days ago
Detroit – It doesn’t have to be a big swing that changes a game. The Tigers, when they are playing at their best, prove this time after time.
And they did so again Tuesday night in a spirited, 6-2 win over the Athletics in the first of three at Comerica Park. Sometimes a simple walk can turn the tide.
It was a tight, 2-1 game when lefty-swinging Zach McKinstry stepped in with two outs and ***** ody on against lefty reliever Jacob Lopez in the sixth inning.
McKinstry battled his way to a walk, which set up a run of three straight right-handed hitters who broke the game open.
Spencer Torkelson singled. Rookie Ben Malgeri, pinch-hitting for James Outman, dropped a run-scoring double into shallow right field. Athletics’ second baseman Joshua Kuroda-Grauer and right fielder Lawrence Butler both converged on the ball and both backed off at the last minute.
And they did so again Tuesday night in a spirited, 6-2 win over the Athletics in the first of three at Comerica Park. Sometimes a simple walk can turn the tide.
It was a tight, 2-1 game when lefty-swinging Zach McKinstry stepped in with two outs and ***** ody on against lefty reliever Jacob Lopez in the sixth inning.
McKinstry battled his way to a walk, which set up a run of three straight right-handed hitters who broke the game open.
Spencer Torkelson singled. Rookie Ben Malgeri, pinch-hitting for James Outman, dropped a run-scoring double into shallow right field. Athletics’ second baseman Joshua Kuroda-Grauer and right fielder Lawrence Butler both converged on the ball and both backed off at the last minute.
23 days ago
The Miami Marlins almost blew it completely on Sunday afternoon in West Sacramento.
Considering how the game started, it would have been a truly stunning collapse.
Eury Pérez threw seven perfect innings on Sunday to help power the Marlins to a 9-8 win over the Athletics. But when he was pulled ahead of the eighth inning, the Marlins were up by eight runs and seemingly on their way to a blowout win.
Marlins reliever Lake Bachar came in to replace Pérez to start the eighth inning. The perfect game that Pérez had started — he got all 21 hitters he faced out and tossed eight strikeouts in 92 pitches — was still intact even as fans at the ballpark were livid.
But immediately, Bachar walked the first batter he faced. The second batter, Josh Kuroda-Grauer, then hit a shallow single to right for the first hit. Just like that, it was all over.
Considering how the game started, it would have been a truly stunning collapse.
Eury Pérez threw seven perfect innings on Sunday to help power the Marlins to a 9-8 win over the Athletics. But when he was pulled ahead of the eighth inning, the Marlins were up by eight runs and seemingly on their way to a blowout win.
Marlins reliever Lake Bachar came in to replace Pérez to start the eighth inning. The perfect game that Pérez had started — he got all 21 hitters he faced out and tossed eight strikeouts in 92 pitches — was still intact even as fans at the ballpark were livid.
But immediately, Bachar walked the first batter he faced. The second batter, Josh Kuroda-Grauer, then hit a shallow single to right for the first hit. Just like that, it was all over.
