With just 14 games remaining in the regular season, the Cincinnati Reds head into Sunday afternoon’s series finale with the Athletics just 1 1/2 games behind the slumping New York Mets in the chase for the final National League wild-card spot.
But Terry Francona’s squad missed another golden opportunity to close the gap when it dropped its second straight game to the rebuilding A’s, 11-5, on Saturday night in West Sacramento, Calif.
Two wins over the Athletics (69-80), who are battling with the Los Angeles Angels to not finish in the AL West cellar, and Cincinnati (74-74) would be just a half-game behind the Mets, who have lost eight straight games.
The Reds couldn’t take advantage of New York’s latest slip-up even with ace Hunter Greene on the mound Saturday. Greene allowed five runs on four hits and four walks in just 2 1/3 innings.
Afterward, Francona was asked by a reporter if he thought his team might be pressing.
“I think they’re smart enough to know that we need to take advantage of what’s going on,” Francona said. “Nah, I think sometimes the game is harder than you want it to be, and sometimes winning is harder than you want it to be. I don’t point to they’re nervous. This is baseball. Sometimes the other team plays better than you.”
Left-hander Nick Lodolo (8-7, 3.10 ERA), who is 0-0 with a 5.40 ERA in one career start against the Athletics, will try to help the Reds salvage the series finale. He’ll oppose rookie right-hander Luis Morales (3-1, 2.73), who will make his seventh big league start and will face Cincinnati for the first time.
The Athletics used a five-run eighth inning to break open Saturday’s win with rookie first baseman Nick Kurtz providing the big blow, a 493-foot grand slam to dead center, the longest home run in the majors this season and the longest grand slam of the Statcast Era (2015).
“Yeah, I got that one pretty good,” Kurtz said of his 31st home run, off reliever Scott Barlow.
The home run brought back some memories of the Bash Brothers — Mark McGwire and Jose Canseco — who were in attendance as the club inducted pitchers Tim Hudson, Mark Mulder and Barry Zito and broadcaster Monte Moore into the Athletics Hall of Fame during a pregame ceremony.
“We wanted this one a little bit more,” Kurtz said. “You get guys like Mark McGwire, Jose Canseco, Tim Hudson and Barry Zito, you want to put on a show. You want to show that we’re carrying on their legacy as an A.”
It was the third straight win for the Athletics, who enter Sunday’s contest tied with the Angels for fourth place in the AL West.
Lawrence Butler also had a big game for the A’s with two hits and three stolen bases to become the first Athletic since Coco Crisp in 2013 to have 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases in a season.
Carlos Cortes continued his hot hitting with his third homer in two games, and Brent Rooker clubbed his 28th homer off Greene in the second inning, a 421-foot drive to left-center.
“Give their guys credit,” Francona said. “They swing the bat pretty good. You make a mistake and they hit it a long way.”
–Field Level Media
