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
2025 National League Central Standings
| Team | W | L | PCT | GB | STRK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee | 97 | 65 | .599 | - | W1 |
| Chicago | 92 | 70 | .568 | 5 | W3 |
| Cincinnati | 83 | 79 | .512 | 14 | L1 |
| St. Louis | 78 | 84 | .481 | 19 | L4 |
| Pittsburgh | 71 | 91 | .438 | 26 | L1 |
2025 American League West Standings
| Team | W | L | PCT | GB | STRK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle | 90 | 72 | .556 | - | L3 |
| Houston | 87 | 75 | .537 | 3 | W2 |
| Texas | 81 | 81 | .500 | 9 | L2 |
| Athletics | 76 | 86 | .469 | 14 | L2 |
| Los Angeles | 72 | 90 | .444 | 18 | L2 |

