Seth Brown hit two home runs, including a go-ahead three-run shot in the eighth inning, leading the Oakland Athletics to a 9-6 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday night.
“To show the fight to answer back in that fashion, just shows the character of the group really,” A’s manager Mark Kotsay said. “That’s how you win baseball games.”
The A’s hit four home runs in the game and have now homered 166 times this season, which is the seventh-most in the major leagues. Oakland has scored 50.3% of its runs on home runs, the highest percentage in the majors.
Oakland has hit seven home runs in the first two games of the three-game series at the hitter-friendly Great American Ball Park.
“We were hoping to not let it get into our heads,” Brown said about the ballpark’s reputation. “Just continue to take our approaches. Just hitting the ball hard where it’s pitched.”
The Reds had only one hit and were behind 5-0 after six innings but scored six runs in the seventh to take the lead with Will Benson’s three-run home run.
“It was a tough swing when we took the lead,” Reds manager David Bell said. “The A’s did their job. Their offense was able to turn it around against us.”
Brown’s second home run — off Emilio Pagán (3-4) — put the A’s ahead 8-6 in the eighth inning.
“We lost the lead, we come back in and it’s ok, we have to punch back,” Brown said. “Baseball’s crazy. You’re going to have innings like that. You have to be able to punch back. That’s our mindset.”
