Cincinnati Reds @ Athletics
Reds fall 2 1/2 games back of last NL wild card as A's complete 3-game sweep with 7-4 win
WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- — Rookie Nick Kurtz hit one of the Athletics' four home runs, a go-ahead, two-run drive in the fifth inning that led the Athletics over Cincinnati 7-4 on Sunday for a three-game sweep that dropped the Reds 2 1/2 games back for the last NL wild card.
Jacob Wilson, Colby Thomas and Brent Rooker also homered for the Athletics (70-80), who overcame a 3-0, fourth-inning deficit and surpassed their 2024 wins total with 12 games remaining.
Noelvi Marte homered in the first off rookie Luis Morales and Will Benson added a two-run drive in the second.
Wilson and Thomas homered in the fourth and Kurtz put the A's ahead 4-3 with two outs in the fifth with an opposite-field drive to left, his 32nd home run this season. Kurtz and the Yankees' Aaron Judge are tied for the big league lead of 16 opposite-field homers.
Brett Harris' RBI double, his third hit, chased Nick Lodolo (8-8) in the sixth and boosted the lead to 5-3 . Rooker hit a two-run homer off Zach Maxwell in the seventh.
Morales (4-1) allowed three runs and four hits in five innings. Justin Sterner allowed Sal Stewart's leadoff homer in the eighth and Michael Kelly pitched a perfect ninth for his first big league save.
Lodolo allowed five runs and eight hits in 5 1/3 innings.
Lux led off the fourth with a triple, but Wilson charged Ke'Bryan Hayes' one-out grounder to shortstop and threw Lux out at home to keep the deficit at 3-0.
Cincinnati fell below .500 at 74-75.
Reds RHP Zack Littell (9-8, 3.78) starts Monday in St. Louis opposite Cardinals LHP Matthew Liberatore (7-12, 4.35).
Athletics: LHP Jeffrey Springs (10-11, 4.28) starts Tuesday at Boston.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
ATH wins 3-0
Game Information
- Umpires:
- Home Plate Umpire - John Bacon
- First Base Umpire - Shane Livensparger
- Second Base Umpire - Nate Tomlinson
- Third Base Umpire - Mark Wegner
2026 National League Central Standings
| Team | W | L | PCT | GB | STRK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee | 33 | 20 | .623 | - | W3 |
| St. Louis | 29 | 25 | .537 | 4.5 | L4 |
| Chicago | 30 | 26 | .536 | 4.5 | W1 |
| Cincinnati | 29 | 26 | .527 | 5 | L1 |
| Pittsburgh | 29 | 27 | .518 | 5.5 | L1 |
2026 American League West Standings
| Team | W | L | PCT | GB | STRK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle | 28 | 29 | .491 | - | W3 |
| Athletics | 27 | 29 | .482 | 0.5 | L3 |
| Texas | 25 | 30 | .455 | 2 | L1 |
| Houston | 25 | 32 | .439 | 3 | W1 |
| Los Angeles | 21 | 35 | .375 | 6.5 | L1 |

