TJ Friedl finished Cincinnati’s three-run ninth inning with a two-run single, leading the Reds to a 10-9 win over Lawrence Butler and the Oakland Athletics on Thursday.
Tyler Stephenson and Will Benson both hit home runs for Cincinnati, which had been struggling with five losses in six games. Stephenson had three hits and two RBIs, extending his hitting streak to 13 games.
Butler hit three home runs for Oakland and drove in four runs. This was his second three-homer game of the season, having also hit three homers in a game against Philadelphia on July 14.
In the ninth inning, Butler hit his 19th homer to tie the game at 7. Brent Rooker walked, and JJ Bleday doubled before Seth Brown’s two-run single gave the A’s a brief lead.
“You score nine runs, you expect to win those ballgames, and I think just the true lesson is that we have the ability to come back,” said Athletics manager Mark Kotsay.
Struggling pitcher Alexis Díaz was replaced by Emilio Pagán (4-4), who retired the three batters he faced.
Oakland’s closer Mason Miller had saved the first two games of the series, so Kotsay used Grant Holman (0-1) for the ninth inning. The Reds took advantage and rallied.
“It was a back-and-forth series. Every time we answered, they answered back,” Friedl said. “We’re going to keep fighting. That’s all we know. Tonight it paid off.”
Rece Hinds walked to start the inning, followed by a single from Jonathan India. Elly De La Cruz also walked before Stephenson’s RBI single. Friedl then hit the game-winning single into right field.
Butler hit a two-run homer in the second inning and a solo shot in the fourth, helping Oakland build a 6-1 lead. He had also homered in the first two games of the series.
