The Athletics kicked off a three-game series tonight against the Cincinnati Reds at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento. J.T. Ginn got the start against Brady Singer for the Reds. J.T. got off to a rough start walking the first two batters he faced in the top of the first but buckled down and escaped the inning unscathed. The same can’t be said for Singer and the Reds. Lawrence Butler hit the third pitch he saw for a solo homer. That gave the A’s a 1-0 lead.
JJ Bleday misplayed a pop fly by Will Benson up against the wall in right for a leadoff triple. But Ginn struck out the next three batters and stranded Benson at third.
Ginn worked himself into and out of trouble again in the third, He hit TJ Friedl with a pitch to open the inning. With one out, Elly De La Cruz singled to center moving Friedl to third. De La Cruz stole second, but Ginn got the next two batters out without allowing a run. In the bottom of the inning, Carlos Cortes homered to open the inning, giving the A’s a 2-0 lead.
Ginn had a much-needed easy inning in the top of the fourth. He only needed eight pitches to finish off the Reds. But he’s still flirting with trouble as he has already thrown seventy-two pitches through four.
Ginn walked Friedl and Lux once again with one out and then left with leg discomfort. Tyler Ferguson replaced Ginn. Ferguson got the next two outs, stranding Ginn’s runners and officially ending his day on the books.
Hogan Harris replaced Tyler Ferguson in the top of the seventh. TJ Friedl was on base again, this time with a base hit. That brought up former A’s utilityman Miguel Andujar, who grounded into a 4-6-3 double play.
Carlos Cortes, not even originally in the starting lineup, but a last-minute addition, blasted his second homer of the game in the bottom of the eighth inning to give the A’s a 3-0 lead.
Butler and Langeliers followed with back-to-back singles with one out. Kurtz nearly ignited the stadium with a drive to the wall just short of home run distance. That moved Butler to third but now with two outs for Brent Rooker. Butler lined sharply to center to end the inning.
Sean Newcomb entered the game in the ninth in a save situation. He struck out all three batters in the ninth for his second save of the season, securing the A’s 3-0 victory over the Reds. The two teams will be back at it tomorrow night here at Sutter Health Park.
