Cincinnati Reds’ Luke Maile runs the bases after hitting a solo home run against the Oakland Athletics during the third inning  at the Oakland Coliseum on Sat Apr 29, 2023 (AP News photo)

Cincinnati. 001 000 002 – 3. 9. 1

Oakland. 020 000 000 – 2 7. 1

Time: 2:54

Attendance: 7,052

Saturday, April 29, 2023

By Lewis Rubman

OAKLAND–Every so often, the A’s find a promising young pitcher and hype him as a second coming of Cy Young. Tod Van Poppel, Tyson Ross, and AJ Puk have come and gone. But, then, so have Tim Hudson, Sonny Gray, and Barry Zito. This year’s candidate for greatness is Kyle Muller.

After the 2022 season, both Baseball America and MLB.com ranked him as the Braves’ top prospect. After he came to the A’s as part of a nine player in December, Baseball America listed him as the A’s #2 prospect, and MLB.com had him at #5 on their equivalent list.

The 25 year old lefty more or less lived up to his billings today. He threw five innings and gave up as many hits. They yielded one run, which came on a homer, and issued two walks while striking out three.Of his 80 pitches, only 33 were balls. Domingo Acevedo replaced him at the start of the sixth. Richard Lovelady took over for the seventh.

Muller’s opposite number for the Reds was another fireballer, Hunter Greene, making his 30th big league start. In the 29 that preceded it, he threw 34 or more pitches at more than 100 mph.

His average fast ball last year, his rookie season, was 98.9 mph. Like Muller, Greene lasted five innings this afternoon and surrendered an equal number of hits. None of them left the park, but they yielded two runs, both earned. Greene walked three Athletics and was guilty of one wild pitch. He struck out 10. His pitch count reach 112, 68 of them strikes.

Alex Young started the sixth to replace him and pitched an inning and a third, allowing only a down the line to left single to Peterson, the first batter he faced. Young handed the ball to Ian Gibaut with no one on and one down in the home half of the seventh,

Muller got into some trouble in the top of the second, thanks to some bad luck. Tyler Stephenson led off with a drive into left that went just under the glove of a diving Aledmys Díaz at short. Then Jace Peterson, who made two costly errors last night, made a beautiful stop of a hard shot to third by Henry Ramos, who beat out Peterson’s one bounce throw to first for a single that put runners on first and second with none down.

Then Ramón Laureano, restored from the injured list today, showed just how good an arm he has. He caught Newman’s foul fly near the home plate area of the visitors’ bullpen and fired a laser to third, nabbing Stephenson, who was trying to advance. That broke the back of a nascent Redleg rally.

The A’s, riding the momentum of Laureano’s throw, played heads up baseball to forge a 2-0 lead ion their half of the second. Carlos Pérez reached first on a throwing error by third baseman Senzel, a play that could just have as justifiably scored as a hit.

After Conner Capel struct out swinging, Laureano double to right, sending Pérez to third, where Kevin Smith replaced him as pinch runner. With Peterson, who eventual fanned, at bat, the A’s speedy right fielder stole third. Jordan Díaz sent a single into right that plated Laureano before Ruíz went down swinging for the third out.

Cincy got one of those two runs back in the top of the third on Luke Maille’s lead off 408 foot blast to right off a 93.9 mph slider. Maille’s homer, his first of the year, raised his batting average from .211 to .250.

The A’s still were leading, 2-1, after seven when Zach Jackson took over mound duties and held the visitors to an innocuous single.

Casey Legumina went to the hill for Cincinnati in the bottom of the eighth. He walked Peterson, but a strike out and a pitcher’s best friend kept Oakland at bay.

Jeurys Familia entered the fray in the top of the ninth looking for his third save in four opportunities. He fanned Stephenson for the first out. He went to a full count on Ramos before walking him, putting the potential tying run on base. Kevin Newman hit a grounder up the middle.

Smith went to his left to make a nice play, but Newman beat out his throw. Senzel drew a walk to load the bases. Barrero went down swinging. Jake Fraley, who had pinch hit for Maile in the eigth, doubled to right, drivving in Ramo and Newman, and, just like that, theA’s were looking up at the Reds, who led 3-2.

It now was Alexis Díaz who came in to pitch, looking for the save. Ruíz attempted a two strike but. It went foul for a strike out. Noda took a full swing for his K. And so did Rooker. A pleasant surprise for A’s fans had turned into a disappointing loss.

Legumina got the win, He’s now 1-0, 1.69. The save went to Díaz, his fourth. The loser was Familia, 0-1. It was his second blown save.

The A’s will try to salvage a little bit of this atroious home stand tomorrow, Sunday, afternoon, at 1:07. Two southpaws, Ken Waldichuk (0-2, 7.82) will toe the rubber for the green and gold. Nick Lodolo (2-1, 6.31) will do the honors for Cincinnati.