A’s Power Past Reds with Late Homers in 5-4 Victory

Max Schuemann and Lawrence Butler each belted two-run homers in the seventh inning, leading the Oakland A’s to a 5-4 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday night in the first game of their three-game series. Zack Gelof added a solo shot in the eighth to secure Oakland’s second consecutive victory.

A’s rookie right-hander Mitch Spence turned in a solid performance, allowing just one run on five hits over 5 1/3 innings. He struck out three and walked three. Michel Otanez (1-0) recorded the final two outs of the sixth to earn his first major league win.

Reds right-hander Jacob Junis, making his first start of the season after coming out of the bullpen, was flawless, retiring all 12 batters he faced and striking out three. However, Cincinnati reliever Tony Santillan (1-2) struggled in the seventh inning after retiring Shea Langeliers with the bases loaded in the sixth.

Tyler Stephenson had a standout game for the Reds with three hits and three runs scored, but the team has now lost four of its last five games.

In the seventh inning, Santillan gave up a leadoff walk to Seth Brown. He then retired the next two batters before Schuemann launched a first-pitch fastball into right field for a 2-1 lead. After allowing a single to Jacob Wilson, Santillan was replaced by Justin Wilson, who immediately gave up a 444-foot homer to right-center by Butler, extending the A’s lead to 4-1.

Casey Legumina struck out the first two Oakland batters in the eighth, but Gelof then hit a deep drive to left-center, pushing the lead to 5-1.

The Reds responded with a run in the eighth when Tyler Ferguson walked a runner, making it 5-2. In the ninth, TJ Friedl drove in a run with a groundout off A’s closer Mason Miller to cut the lead to 5-3. Spencer Steer followed with an RBI single, bringing the score to 5-4.

With runners on second and third, Miller secured the final out for his 22nd save of the season, preserving the A’s narrow victory.

In the fourth inning, Spence walked Stephenson with one out and later issued a two-out walk to Steer. Ty France followed with an RBI single, scoring Stephenson to give the Reds a 1-0 lead.

Oakland’s first hit came in the sixth inning when Schuemann led off with a double. The A’s loaded the bases with two outs on back-to-back walks, but Santillan came in to strike out Langeliers and prevent further damage.