Max Schuemann and Lawrence Butler each hit a two-run homer in the seventh inning to lead the Oakland Athletics to a 5-4 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday night.
Zack Gelof added a solo homer in the eighth inning, and All-Star closer Mason Miller secured the win despite a rough ninth inning where he gave up two runs and four hits. With runners on second and third, he struck out pinch-hitter Amed Rosario to earn his 22nd save.
The A’s had only one hit and were trailing 1-0 through six innings before their late rally gave Cincinnati its ninth consecutive loss against interleague teams.
“It’s nice that we got a come-from-behind win tonight and finished it off,” A’s manager Mark Kotsay said.
Oakland’s starter Mitch Spence gave up one run and five hits over 5 1/3 innings, walking three and striking out three. Michel Otañez (1-0) earned his first major league win by recording two outs in the sixth inning.
The Reds, missing five starting pitchers due to injuries, used their bullpen extensively on Tuesday. Jakob Junis made his fourth start of the season and his first since joining the Reds, retiring all 12 batters he faced with three strikeouts.
“Jakob just threw a ton of strikes,” Reds manager David Bell said. “We didn’t know how far he could go. To be able to get those four innings set us up to give us a chance to win.”
Oakland didn’t get a baserunner until Buck Farmer walked Seth Brown with one out in the fifth inning. Schuemann’s first hit came when he doubled off Farmer in the sixth inning, then homered off Tony Santillan (1-2) in his next at-bat to give the A’s a 2-1 lead in the seventh.
