Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/809214
ByJohnHickey BayAreaNewsGroup ARLINGTON, TEXAS RaulAlcan- tara's early stumble in the A's 10-5 loss to the Rangers Friday may develop into Jesse Hahn's big break. Alcantara, rocked for eight runs while getting just six outs, turned the game over to Hahn to begin the third inning. Hahn, a rotation candidate who pitched his way into the minor leagues in the spring, snapped at the op- portunity. The veteran right-hander threw six strong innings, allow- ing two runs in his role as long re- liever, perhaps reestablishing his street cred with the A's and man- ager Bob Melvin. Were it not for a bloop double that center fielder Rajai Davis just missed, Hahn might not have allowed any runs. As it was, he soaked up the middle of the game, keeping Melvin from burning through his bullpen on the first night of a three-game series. Texas right fielder Nomar Mazara did most of the damage against Alcantara with a first- inning RBI hit that brought the game's first run home, then com- ing back in his at-bat an inning later to deliver his first career grand slam. Before he was done Mazara would have a career-best six RBI and the Rangers would have their first win of the season. AMERICAN LEAGUE ALCANTARA'SSTUMBLE MAY BE HAHN'S BIG BREAK PHOTOSBYJIMCOWSERT—THEASSOCIATEDPRESS A's shortstop Marcus Semien prepares to field a grounder by Texas' Mike Napoli during the sixth inning on Friday. By Anthony Slater Bay Area News Group OAKLAND In the midst of a dominant 13-game win streak to clinch the NBA's best record, the Warriors are injecting a 7-foot shot-blocking, four-time scoring champ back into their lineup on Saturday night, just before the playoffs begin. Kevin Durant is returning af- ter missing 19 games over the past 39 days following a sprained left MCL and tibial bone bruise he suffered on Feb. 28 in Wash- ington,D.C.Hisconditioningwill bemonitored.ButSteveKerrsaid there won't be a firm minutes re- striction on Durant in the final three games of the regular sea- son. "It's not about the injury," Kerr said. "He's healed. His ligament is healed. So it's really just about monitoring how he feels. If he gets fatigued, I'll take him out. I don't really have a number of minutes played I'm looking at." For the first time since he slowly crutched into a press con- ference about a month back with amonsterbracehuggingthat left knee, Durant met with local re- portersaftertheWarriors'Friday practice. The team scrimmaged 5-on-5 and Durant participated in everything, even sticking around after practice to work on his individual moves with for- mer MVP and occasional War- riors helper Steve Nash. For the past couple of weeks, Durant has looked near or at game-ready, powering through increasingly explosive pregame and post-practice workouts with a minor brace securing his left knee. After Friday's practice, Durant wasn't wearing the little brace, but did have tape around his left knee. He said he will de- cide on Saturday whether he will play with any type of knee sup- portandcouldn'tpredictwhether NBA Durant discusses his return from le knee injury Staff report REDDING Red Bluff's Nathen Fregoso shot a tournament-low 35 on the back nine Thursday at Riverview Golf Club to take third place overall with a 76, in a tour- nament hosted by the Enterprise Hornets. In a light rain, Fregoso shot a 41 going out and then turned it up coming back in for the strong finish. Other low shooters for the Spartans included Kaden Cantrell with a 90 and Cal Grossman with a 93. Bryce Stephenson shot a 100 and Luke Downey shot 109. As a team, the Spartans fin- ished last, with a score of 468 be- hind Foothill at 459. In the league standings, the Spartans are tied for fourth place with Enterprise. The low round of the day came from Noah Norton of Pleasant Valley, who shot a 69. Jeremy Hart-Bode shot a second place 73 and Matt Helton was fourth with a 77. Both play for the Pleas- ant Valley Vikings. With three of the top for indi- vidual golfers, it's no surprise the Vikings took the team win with a score of 380. Second went to Shasta at 409, third was Chico at 432, fourth went to Enterprise at 437 and fifth was Foothill. The Spartans are off for a few weeks, with the next tournament scheduled for a 1:30 p.m. shotgun start Thursday, April 27 at Butte Creek Country Club in Chico. GOLF Fregoso takes third at Riverview tourney DENIS POROY — GETTY IMAGES The Giants' Brandon Belt hits a grand slam during the sixth inning against the San Diego Padres. By Andrew Baggarly Bay Area News Group SAN DIEGO The Giants spent two months last summer blowing a huge lead in the National League West. Five games into this season, they're already way too familiar with the concept of coming from ahead to lose. They took two more leads against the San Diego Padres Fri- day afternoon, including one on Brandon Belt's first career grand slam, and couldn't hold either of them in a 7-6 loss at Petco Park. Belt added a solo home run to wrest the team lead away from a strapping young left-hander named Madison Bumgarner. But even Belt's multi-homer perfor- mance couldn't keep the Giants from losing for the fourth time in five games. They have blown eight leads in their four losses. And if that weren't disquieting enough, the circumstances of these defeats are hitting a rage trigger for their most outspoken fans. The Lunatic Fringe wanted GM Bobby Evans to acquire an every- day left fielder. He did not. The left fielders are 0-for-20 with 10 strike- outs thus far. They wanted Ty Blach, or Tyler Beede, or almost anyone besides Matt Cain in the last rotation spot. The Giants put their trust in Cain despite a shaky spring, and that didn't work so well, either. He got tagged for four runs on six hits and three walks, and handed over the baseball with the bases loaded in the fifth inning. They questioned whether sign- ingcloserMarkMelanconwouldbe enough to refurbish a bullpen that graduatedatonofbig-gameexperi- ence.Andtherelievers couldn't get NATIONAL LEAGUE Belt'sbigdayisn'tenough By Curtis Pashelka and Paul Gackle Bay Area News Group SAN JOSE Center Logan Couture participated in the Sharks' op- tional practice Friday and said it felt good to be skating for a third straight day but still does not know when he'll be able to play again. The Sharks' 4-2 loss to Edmon- ton on Thursday was a powerful exhibit on how much Couture's ab- sence would be felt if he were un- able to dress for the start of a play- off series — particularly against the Oilers. Couture's workonspecialteams was dearly missed as the Sharks were 0-for-4 with the man advan- tage. They gave up two power play goals, both to Milan Lucic, who had a natural hat trick in the third period. Oilers superstar center Connor McDavid, the type of player Cou- ture would normally be lined up against, got behind the Sharks' defense in the second period and was right beside the net to take a fortunate bounce and score his 30th goal of the season. "We were OK, special teams wasn't good," Couturesaid."Power play was struggling. (Penalty kill) gave up two, some tap-in goals in front of our net." Couture, who was going to visit NHL Sharks missing injured Couture GiantsfalltoPadresdespitegrandslaminsixth GIANTS PAGE 2 WARRIORS PAGE 2 Texas Rangers' Elvis Andrus celebrates his double against the Oakland At's during the sixth inning, Friday. Long reliever throws six strong innings, not enough to reel in Texas' bullpen A'S PAGE 2 SHARKS PAGE 2 SPORTS » redbluffdailynews.com Saturday, April 8, 2017 MORE AT FACEBOOK.COM/RBDAILYNEWS AND TWITTER.COM/REDBLUFFNEWS B1