Nick Kurtz #16 of the Athletics hits a grand slam during the bottom of the eighth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Sutter Health Park on September 13, 2025 in Sacramento, California. (Mandatory Photo Credit: Scott Marshall/Getty Images)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

WEST SACRAMENTO–The Sacramento A’s and some of the Cincinnati Reds celebrated a special day at Sutter Health Park on Saturday night as the A’s inducted their Athletics Hall of Fame 2025 Class. The players inducted were Mark Mulder, Barry Zito, and Tim Hudson, alongside longtime broadcaster Monte Moore.

It was a special group honored during the sunset hour in West Sacramento, albeit after a 10-minute delay caused by fireworks tripping the stadium’s fire alarm systems. The stadium and all PA capabilities were temporarily disabled, presumably a protocol set up by the fire systems. However, once the teams took the field, it was business as usual as the A’s defeated the Reds 11-5.

Luis Severino didn’t pitch well in his Sutter Health Park return since coming back from injury and making two starts on the road. Severino went five innings for the A’s, giving up five runs on six hits while walking two Reds hitters. As has been the case much of the 2025 season, he was hit around at Sutter Health Park and has only been able to earn six wins so far this season with the Athletics.

Mark Kotsay spoke about the start after the game.

“…The attack into the zone is what we’re looking for and obviously the result wasn’t great, but he gave us five innings and kept us in the game.”

The bullpen

The bullpen, which has turned into a strength for Kotsay and his staff this season, came in and pitched lights out once again. Michael Kelly relieved Severino and tossed a scoreless sixth inning, giving up just a hit and a walk while striking out one.

Brady Basso pitched the seventh for the A’s and tossed a perfect frame, retiring the three hitters he faced without incident. Following Basso, Kotsay gave the ball to Elvis Alvarado to pitch the eighth inning. Alvarado pitched well in a scoreless inning, allowing just one hit.

The ninth inning belonged to Hogan Harris, who pitched a clean frame with the exception of a walk he stranded on the bases.

“I love talking about the success of the bullpen right now,” Kotsay said after the game. “It’s funny, Rollie Fingers was standing next to me before the ceremony started and he said, ‘Hey, I’ve got a story for you. I went into the clubhouse today and was kind of asking around, “Who’s the closer?” And they all went, “We all are!”’ That was great. That’s the mindset down there. There’s a group of guys down there that are thriving on their opportunity, prepared for it, and when they get the ball, they’re going in and having success.”

The bats

The A’s bats chased the Reds starter early after putting up five runs on four hits against flamethrower Hunter Greene.

The A’s got on the board with a Brent Rooker solo homer to left-center in the second inning, cutting the deficit to 2-1. Only three batters later, Friday night’s hero Carlos Cortes stepped up and homered of his own. On the 12th pitch of the at-bat, Cortes sent a ball 398 feet to right field to give the A’s a 3-2 lead.

The offense added on in the third inning when Jacob Wilson hit a two-RBI ground-rule double off the leg of Greene, putting the A’s up 5-2.

The bats weren’t done, continuing to pile on against the Reds bullpen. In the seventh, Wilson hit his second RBI double of the game, scoring Shea Langeliers. One inning later, Lawrence Butler drove in Darell Hernaiz with an RBI single.

Nick Kurtz capped the scoring with a booming eighth-inning grand slam that traveled an eye-popping 493 feet to dead center. Kurtz cleared the batter’s eye with his mammoth shot, sending Sacramento into a frenzy.

“I really can’t speak any more about Nick. I don’t know if there’s words that can describe that at-bat… he continues to just impress,” Kotsay said. “The impact on that baseball was one, like I’ve seen with a couple guys that showed up today and were part of that Hall of Fame ceremony, and I think you guys know who I’m talking about. Canseco and McGwire used to hit walls like that—in a different era. Nick’s not in that era.”

Severino and many of the Athletics joked about the state of their vehicles following the power display from Kurtz.

“Hopefully my car is alright. I mean, my car was parked right behind that, but hopefully it’s good,” Severino said. “It’s unbelievable. I can’t imagine anybody else going deep center field 500 feet. That’s crazy.”

“I think we’re going to have to make up a new word for what he did to that ball,” Lawrence Butler said. “That was insane. He’s done insane stuff all year. I don’t know what else he has to do to top everything he’s done this year. I mean, this is one of the greatest rookie years I’ve ever seen.”

Overall, the A’s offense put up 11 runs on 12 hits while walking seven times against the Reds pitching staff.

Fact of the Game

Lawrence Butler became the first Athletics player to have a 20-homer/20-stolen base season since fellow No. 4, Coco Crisp, did it in 2013.

Theo Derosa asked Butler after the game how it feels to be the first player since Crisp to achieve the milestone. 

“Yeah, that feels really good. That’s amazing. He wore number four. I wear number four too, so that’s pretty cool to hear that.”

Up next

The A’s will take on the Reds in the series finale Sunday at 1:05 p.m. PST at Sutter Health Park. Luis Morales (3-1, 2.73 ERA) is slated to start for the A’s against Nick Lodolo (8-7, 3.10 ERA) for the Reds.

⚡Craft cocktails? Check.
🔥Game-day bites? Oh yeah.
🏟️Steps from Golden 1 Center? You bet.

Open daily, Cyprus Grille is serving up local flavor with a front-row seat to the action. Stop by before or after the game—or make it your new downtown hangout.

Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.

📍Located inside the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena @ 300 J Street

Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm

Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in.