Dateline: Cincinnati
Dodging the trade deadline, Brady Singer, turned in a quality start as the Reds took advantage of two walks and three wild pitches to turn a deficit into a one-run win, 5-4 against the hapless, homeless Athletics.
It was the A's sixth straight loss and it was gift wrapped for the Reds.
Left hander, Hogan Harris walked Elly De La Cruz to open the eighth holding a one-run lead and walked Elly De La Cruz and Sal Stewart. He struck out JJ Bleday but when Tyler Stephenson flied out to Lawrence Butler in medium right De La Cruz dashed for third. Stewart had to hold but when Harris had to glove a wide throw, Stewart took second. Eugenio Suarez was at the plate and Harris threw a wild pitch that allowed De La Cruz to tie the score. The extra base by Stewart was crucial for when ball four got away from catcher Jonah Heim, Stewart dived home with the winning run.
"Sometimes you catch a break but when you do little things correctly, when you do little things it matters," Terry Francona said. "The whole idea that the play is never over. When you preach that to everybody, it doesn't reward you every time but when you do it enough, you get rewarded for it."
This is what Stewart saw.
"I honestly thought Elly was going to bluff," Stewart said. "When he took off I said I can't go because they would cut it off and throw me out at second. When the ball got through and got to the pitcher, (Jeff) McNeil was there but it was a far throw to the pitcher. I was kind of half way. I saw the pitcher with his head down. I thought he thought they called time but never called time on the field so I just took off."
Ivan Johnson ran for Suarez and he moved up when Elvis Alvarado relieved Harris and threw another wild pitch.
The A's got a run in the fourth inning against Reds' starter Brady Singer. Tyler Soderstrom doubled to open the inning. Jeff McNeill's second single of the game scored Soderstrom.
The Reds put two runners on base in the first inning on singles by Sal Stewart and JJ Bleday but Tyler Stephenson hit into a double play against Athletic's starter JT Ginn. They stranded two in the fourth inning. Bleday walked and Eugenio Suarez singled but Dane Myers lined out to Lawrence Butler in right.
The Athletics added two runs in the fifth. Donovan Watson walked. Henry Bolte singled. Butler hit a one hop ground ball to Stewart at first. The throw to second retired Bolte but Singer slipped covering first for the relay. Butler stole second and Jacob Wilson doubled both runners home.
The Reds tied the game against Ginn in the bottom of the fifth. New Red Hector Rodriguez walked Matt McLain doubled to right. Elly De La Cruz plated them both with a single and took second on the throw. De La Cruz took third on a wild pitch and Stewart lined out to right to drive in his Major League leading, 86th run.
Singer completed the sixth inning and left the game. He gave up three runs on five hits and three walks, while striking out six.
"I'm glad he's here," Francona said. "When I heard Nick (Krall) and Brad (Meador) talk about him I knew he would feel good. I told Brady that."
On his 30th birthday, Singer notched his seventh quality start. Once among the Major League leader in home runs allowed, Singer has allowed just two on his last six games.
"I'm going to go home and get some good sleep for sure. It was definitely tiring yesterday," said Singer who watched over the trade deadline, thinking he might be on another team. "You get to the deadline and realize, you got to go pitch tomorrow. I felt fine the night before but yesterday, I started stressing out. I'm happy I didn't have to move and I'm still here competing with these guys."
The A's took a lead with Sam Moll pitching on a throwing error by De La Cruz. Bolte singled with two outs and stole second. Butler grounded to short. De La Cruz' throw was in the dirt. Stewart had it pop out of his glove and Bolte kept running to put the Athletics in the lead.
Julian Garcia pitched a quick scoreless eighth.
Emilio Pagan was asked to nail down the win. Tommy White flied out to right field. Alika Williams hit a ground ball to shortstop and he was ruled safe on a close play. The Reds challenged but it went for an infield hit. Max Muncy flied out to left but Henry Bolte hit his second single of the game. Butler struck out swinging on a 1-2 pitch to give Pagan his 12th save in 15 chances.
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