Carlos Cortes #26 of the Athletics is congratulated by third base coach Eric Martins #3 after he hit his second solo home run of the game against the Cincinnati Reds in the bottom of the eighth inning at Sutter Health Park on September 12, 2025 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

WEST SACRAMENTO — Fresh off an off day on Thursday, the Athletics welcomed the Cincinnati Reds to Sacramento on Friday night. The A’s controlled the game from the start and took game one of the three-game series 3-0.

J.T. Ginn, who has had a very up-and-down season recently for the A’s, was playing with his food all night in Sacramento. However, Ginn managed to escape without allowing any damage and tossed four and a third innings before being removed with an injury. The word from the A’s clubhouse was Ginn left with a “right calf cramp.” Ginn, who walked four and didn’t appear to have his best command, only surrendered two hits in his scoreless outing.

Kotsay was impressed with Ginn’s ability to work out of trouble, but eight three-ball counts and four walks remain an issue for him.

“I think there’s still a lot of room for growth for J.T.,” Kotsay said postgame. “We talk about it a lot, getting ’em out there, getting these starts to get more experience on what it takes.”

Ginn spoke after the game about how he thought he was pitching before the injury and shared a similar assessment to Kotsay’s.

“I thought I could’ve done better filling up the zone early, but I think I pitched out of some big situations and made pitches when I had to, so I thought it was good.”

Ginn continued on the severity of the injury that caused him to leave the game and whether he felt it would be an issue moving forward.

“The first pitch of that last at-bat there I felt it and it kind of just stuck around… I think it was just a cramp, so I think I’ll be ready to go.”

The A’s bullpen did what it has been doing for much of the last month. The bullpen came in and slammed the door on the Reds.

Tyler Ferguson relieved J.T. Ginn after the injury and recorded the last two outs of the fifth inning without incident. Ferguson then went on to toss a scoreless sixth inning for the A’s, allowing one hit and one walk across his inning and a third of relief.

Hogan Harris came on to pitch the seventh inning and allowed no runs and only one hit.

Justin Sterner wasn’t as sharp as he might normally be as he gave up two hits to the Reds but ultimately escaped unscathed in a scoreless eighth inning.

Finally, Mark Kotsay went to Sean Newcomb in the ninth inning. Newcomb, who has become accustomed to high-leverage roles after having success this season with the A’s, struck out the side in a scoreless top of the ninth inning.

On the offensive side of the ball, the A’s kept steady pressure on the Reds all night thanks to a trio of long balls.

Lawrence Butler led off the game with a laser solo shot to center field to immediately get the A’s on the board. It was Butler’s fourth leadoff homer this season and the seventh of his career.

However, the real hero of the night was Carlos Cortes. Cortes, who has had a spot-start and inconsistent role so far this year for the A’s, came up big with two solo home runs. The first came in the third inning when he launched a ball 408 feet into the Sacramento night. His second was an equally majestic 413-foot shot that put the A’s up 3-0 and sealed the victory.

Mark Kotsay spoke highly of Cortes and the preparation he brings no matter the situation.

“Yeah, great night for Carlos,” Kotsay said after the game. “It’s one of those times where it seems like baseball always rewards a guy that gets into the lineup late, and tonight was that night for Carlos with some great at-bats. He comes prepared every day. He doesn’t get a ton of opportunities. You give him some pinch-hit at-bats, he’s had a few starts, but his at-bats have always been consistent with them being good professional ab’s.”

Up Next

The A’s will take on the Reds in game two of the three-game series on Saturday at 7:05 p.m. PST at Sutter Health Park. Luis Severino (6-11, 4.67 ERA) is set to go for the A’s, while Hunter Greene (6-4, 2.59 ERA) will start for the Reds.