OBAMA HONORS GIANTS; GIVES TEAM PEP TALK AFTER WOEFUL HOMESTAND
The San Francisco Giants were honored today by President Barack Obama for their 2012 World Series Championship. Obama praised the Giants organization's work in the community and their commitment to healthy eating choices at the ballpark. The President also told the Giants not to be discouraged by their 46-58 record saying, "you guys are a second half team." The Giants currently sit 10 games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League West and just finished a 3-7 home-stand where they were swept by the Cubs. The Giants are in Philadelphia on Tuesday where they will take on the Phillies looking to turn their season around.
ATHLETICS LEAD WEST BY 6 GAMES AFTER SERIES WIN AGAINST ANGELS
(AP) — Yoenis Cespedes (yoh-EHN'-ehs SEHS'-peh-dehs) drove in four runs on his most productive day since winning the Home Run Derby, and the Oakland Athletics rallied from five runs down to beat the Los Angeles Angels 10-6 on Sunday.
Cespedes snapped an 0-for-13 funk with a two-run double in the third inning, added an RBI single in the fifth and then doubled in Josh Donaldson as part of a five-run sixth.
Eric Sogard added three hits and two RBIs, and Brandon Moss also drove in a pair of runs for Oakland. The A's (62-43) moved a season-high 19 games over .500 and extended their lead to six games over Texas in the AL West.
Erick Aybar doubled and tripled for the Angels.
GIANTS GET SWEPT BY CUBS
(AP) — Travis Wood homered and pitched four-hit ball over seven innings in helping the Chicago Cubs complete a three-game sweep in San Francisco for the first time in 20 years, beating the Giants 2-1 Sunday.
Welington Castillo also homered for the Cubs, who won their third straight and five of seven.
Pablo Sandoval drove in a run for the Giants, who have lost four straight and seven of eight.
Tim Lincecum (LIHN'-seh-cum) (5-11) had two hits in addition to pitching seven innings. He gave up two runs and four hits. He walked two and struck out 10.
Wood (7-7) allowed an unearned run while walking four and striking out seven. Wood was 1-4 over his previous nine games.
RAIDERS LOOK TO McFADDEN FOR A BOOST
(AP) — Darren McFadden hopes that going downhill will be just the tonic to revive his career with the Oakland Raiders.
Back in a familiar offense that suits his running style perfectly, McFadden is looking to bounce back from a disastrous 2012 campaign and return to the big-play back he was for the two years Hue Jackson ran the Raiders' offense.
Oakland switched schemes after Jackson was fired as coach following the 2011 season, returning to the same zone blocking system under coordinator Greg Knapp that McFadden struggled with early in his career. Those struggles returned and McFadden had one of the worst years ever for a Raiders back.
With new coordinator Greg Olsen bringing back a power running system, the Raiders are hoping to see the old McFadden.
