A’s 5 Reds 4
The Reds led 1-0 into the 7th inning, but Max Schuemman’s two-out, two-run homer off Tony Santillan put the A’s ahead for good.
The Reds drop to 63-69, six games under .500 for the first time in over a month (47-53/July 21). They are now 10-24 in 1-run games.
Trailing 5-2 in the 9th, they reached All-Star closer Mason Miller for two runs. TJ Friedl's RBI groundout made it 5-3. Spencer Steer blooped an RBI single to make it 5-4. Ty France doubled to to left center with two outs. JR House held Steer at 3rd. I would have sent him. Odds of getting another hit off Miller, at that point? Amed Rosario struck out to end it.
30 games left: Buckle up. It is going to get much worse before it gets better. This isn’t a MLB team. It’s a couple of MLB players and a AAAA mishmash of rejects and retreads cobbled together out of desperation, poor roster building and lack of a want-to from above.
Opener Jakob Junis tossed four perfect innings to open the game for the Reds. 4.0. Retired all 12 batters. 3 K. 43 pitches/30 strikes. 2nd Reds SP (Greene) to begin a game with four perfect innings since 2022 (Bally's). 43 pitches meant he wasn't going to be available for at least a couple of days, so why not just send him back out for the 5th? His season high was 47 less than a week ago.
Offense: 10 H, 6 BB, 4 K.
France: 1B, RBI
Tyler Stephenson: 3 H. 11-game hit streak. Heck of a hustle back-up of 1st on a bloop single to right field.
TJ Friedl: 1st 3B of year.
Farmer: 1.1. 1-out BB in 5th was A’s first baserunner. 1st hit leadoff 1B in 6th.
Moll: 0.1. 2 BB (one IBB), exited bases loaded 2 outs/6th. Don’t recall a pitcher walking off the mound and handing the ball to Bell, like he did.
Santillan: Nasty 86 mph slider K after 96 mph fastball to escape loaded jam in 6th. BB leadoff 7th, later 2-out HR.
Wilson: HR Lawrence Butler.
Legumina: HR. He has not business being in MLB. But here we are. With his 10.50 ERA.
Friedl led off the 2nd with a triple. Held on a Steer groundout to SS. Out on contact play/France groundout to SS.
Noelvi Marte: H. 10th error in 46th game.
How they scored:
4th: France 2-out, RBI bloop 1B, 1-0
8th: Espinal RBI BB w/ bases loaded, 5-2 A's
9th: Friedl RBI groundout, 5-3 A's
9th: Steer RBI 1B, 5-4 A's