Oakland A’s Max Schuemann is not calling his shot but he is celebrating his top of the seventh inning home run against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ballpark on Tue Aug 27, 2024

By Barbara Mason

It was a slow as molasses start for the Oakland A’s (57-75) as they took on the Cincinnati Reds (63-69) at Great American Ball Park. Once they got going they were unstoppable sending three home runs out of the park.

Those homers came off the bats of Max Schuemann, Lawrence Butler and Zach Gelof with two of them two run home runs as the A’s took game one 5-4. Oakland had led 5-1 going into the eighth inning when the Reds rallied and very nearly booked a walk-off. Mason Miller hung tight closing out this game but gave up the most hits the A’s have seen from him this season.

Game recap: The game remained scoreless through the first three innings. A pitchers dual got underway and it was not until the bottom of the fourth inning that the Reds got on the scoreboard taking a 1-0 lead. Ty France singled Tyler Stephenson home for the one-run advantage.

After six innings the score remained 1-0. The Reds had five hits so far in the game and the A’s a single hit through six innings. Oakland had a huge opportunity in the sixth inning. Max Schuemann doubled and both JJ Bleday and Brent Rooker walked, the Rooker walk was intentional.

With the bases loaded, Oakland needed at least a single to tie up this game or possibly take the lead. With two outs, Shea Langeliers struck out and the A’s had squandered a great chance to turn things around in this game. The Athletics needed to get some bat action.

Oakland’s Mitch Spence went 5 1/3 innings allowing five hits, one earned run, three walks and three strikeouts. Michel Otanez relieved Spence in the fifth inning. Red’s pitcher Jakob Junis went four innings before being relieved by Buck Farmer and after Farmer Cincinnati would go through three more pitchers going into the eighth inning.

The A’s bats did get going in the top of the seventh inning. With Seth Brown on base via a walk, Max Schuemann knocked the ball out of the park and Oakland had taken a 2-1 lead. The A’s added to their lead in the seventh when Lawrence Butler knocked a bomb, 444 feet out of the park, with Jacob Wilson on base and Oakland had a 4-1 lead. The crowd at Great American Ball Park grew very silent.

Oakland’s Grant Holman relieved Otanez in the bottom of the seventh inning. Going into the eighth inning, the A’s power outage had turned into a surge that could not be turned off. Zach Gelof hit a home run (424 feet) with two outs giving Oakland a 5-1 lead.

The A’s had not even had a single hit until the sixth inning and then it all turned around for Oakland. The Reds had 1 1/2 innings left in this game to make a move. Cincinnati had the bases loaded in the eighth inning with two outs and the tying run at the plate.

A’s pitcher Tyler Ferguson was really struggling walking in a run and the scored was 5-2. There would be pitching change with the bases still loaded. Ross Stripling would take the mound looking for the third out. Stripling got out of the inning for Oakland.

The Reds had one last chance in the bottom of the inning and they had to deal with the blazing pitches of Mason Miller. Cincinnati handled Miller pretty well with two hits in a row and scoring their third run of the game.

The Reds scored a fourth run and they had put together a great comeback effort 5-4. Oakland was one out away from the win but Cincinnati continued to hit off Miller. With the two outs, they had runners on second and third threatening to walk off this game.

Miller hung tough and had just enough to put this game away for the A’s. The look on Mason Millers face was all you had to see. He was frustrated with the two hits he allowed. It’s something we have not seen all season but it was hopefully a great learning experience for him.

It’s just not reality to expect to go three and out time after time which we have seen more often than not this season from him. The bottom line is that he got the job done and realized his 22 save of the season.

Game notes: The A’s opened up a three game series with the the Reds at Great American Ballpark on Tuesday night. Oakland is coming off a win over the Milwaukee Brewers in a hard fought battle winning 4-3 Sunday afternoon.

The Reds just lost a series to the Pittsburg Pirates this past weekend. The A’s Mitch Spence started for Oakland going 5.1 innings allowing five hits and one earned run. The Reds starter Jakob Junis threw four innings and struck out three hits without allowing hit.

Game two in this three game series is scheduled to start at 3:40 PM in Cincinnati with Oakland looking for a second win after hanging on for the win in game one. Osvaldo Bido (5-3, ERA 0.53) will be on the mound for the A’s. He has three wins in a row under his belt and will be looking for number four. The Reds have not announced a starting pitcher yet.