The Cincinnati Reds had the chance to take the ground in the Wild Card Race while entering their match in Sacramento. They did not come up with the opportunity when the pitching fell apart into what eventually became an eruption loss when Cincinnati until the .500 marked on the season in an 11-5 loss for athletics.
Both teams would get a baserunner in the 1st inning, but got empty. In the next inning it went a little better. Tyler Stephenson would pick up a 2-out single and then he scored a Homer of 423 feet to the middle when Will Benson scored to put Cincinnati at the top.
The Reds shout did not last long. In the bottom of the inning, Brent Rooker led away with a solo -home run. Hunter Greene then issued a 2-out walk and paid the prize for it, as Carlos Cortes housed a 3-2 lead for the third time in the last two nights to give the athletics a 3-2 lead.
In the next inning, Greene fell into trouble again when he gave up a lead -off single and succeeded with a walk. A wild pitch followed a double handle and brought in a point. There would be another walk and then Jacob Wilson would double the most confusing foundation that you will ever see while hit a lining back in the middle that came in the foot, then flew past Sal Stewart and to the wall in error territory near the Dugout where it was recorded in the filling. That turned out to be helpful because two points would have scored during the piece, but the stopping because the ball is stuck, brought a runner back to the third. Yet that made it 5-2.
That would end the night for Greene. It was unclear if it was because he took the comebacker from his leg/foot or if it was because of his performance. Connor Phillips came into play and he left the inning without any more damage. That was a big situation and the Reds immediately came back to the game when Tyler Stephenson followed a walk and a single with a 3-run Homer who tied the game.
After he stepped out of a jam in the 3rd, Connor Phillips needed help to get one in the 4th. He would hit a batter and another in the 4th before he made way for Nick Martinez with two out. The experienced pitcher came through when he let Nick Kurtz pop up to Stephenson to end the threat and hold the game.
Cincinnati received two men with two out in the 5th inning, but could not get through. In the 6th inning they would get a lead-off single and a 1-out walk, but a doubles ended that threat when the game remained bound.
Nick Martinez is cruising, but as the old saying reads – you cruist until you are not. And that is what happened in the 7th inning. Shea Langeliers doubled to start the inning and then a 1-out walk set up two men for athletics. The Reds then went to the Bullpen to get Graham Ashcraft to face Jacob Wilson and Wilson doubled the gap in the right-hand center. Will Benson Field the ball and threw to Elly de la Cruz who turned around and threw a bullet home to get Brent Rooker, but a point at that time had already been crossed to put the athletics on top 6-5.
The moment it felt like a big outside to keep it a shortage of just one. The next inning made it forgetful. Ashcraft returned to the hill and gave up back-to-back singles before a sacrificial battle both took second place. An RBI single followed to make the score at 7-5. The Reds brought a pitching change and brought in Scott Barlow. He ran the first batter he saw on four throws to load the bases and then saw Nick Kurtz the furthest home run in MLB in 2025, a 493 feet Grand Slam over the eye of the batters to turn it into an 11-5 ball game.
Cincinnati would take a walk from Ke’bryan Hayes in the 9th and he would be the second in defensive indifference, but he would be stranded there because the Reds dropped another match in Sacramento and now need a win on Sunday to prevent him from being swept.
Important moment of the game
The Nick Kurtz Grand Slam that landed in Oakland. The athletics were already in charge, but that cost all hope for a comeback away.
Notes worth mentioning
The Reds -throwers gave up 12 hits, three home runs, ran seven batters and hit another.
Athletics Relievers combined to give up two hits and no runs in the last four innings of the game. Reds -Relievers, who had more innings to cover, stood up six points on eight hits and three walks in 5.2 innings.
Sal Stewart went 3-4 at night. Tyler Stephenson was the only other red that had several hits, with 2-4.
Cincinnati, New York and San Francisco all lost. Arizona won. The Mets remain half a game in the 3rd Wildcard spot with the Giants, the Reds a game and a half back, and Arizona back in two games.
Next for the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds vs Athletics
Sunday, September 14, 4.05 pm et
Nick Lodolo (8-7, 3.10 ERA) vs Luis Morales (3-1, 2.73 ERA)
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