CINCINNATI (AP) — Elly De La Cruz hit his fourth career leadoff home run — one of four homers by Cincinnati — and the Reds beat the Athletics 6-5 on Thursday afternoon to complete a three-game sweep.
The Reds (56-58) improved to 13-6 since the All-Star break. The A’s (45-70) have lost eight straight games and 12 straight series.
Brian Serven hit a two-run homer off Brock Burke to get the A’s within a run in the ninth. It was Serven’s second homer. Burke retired the next two batters for his second save.
De La Cruz led off the game with his 19th home run of the season off A’s left-hander Mason Barnett.
Barnett (1-2) made his second straight start after 14 relief appearances. He allowed five earned runs in 4 1/3 innings with three walks and seven strikeouts.
Reds left-hander Andrew Abbott retired seven straight before singles by Henry Bolte and Tommy White and a walk to Jonah Heim loaded the bases in the fourth.
Tyler Soderstrom’s two-run single then put the A’s ahead 2-1. Heim scored a third run on a double-play grounder.
Abbott (6-7) allowed three earned runs on seven hits with two walks and four strikeouts.
Sal Stewart led off the fourth with his 25th home run, moving him into second place on the franchise’s single-season list for homers by a rookie. Stewart was tied with Joey Votto, who hit 24 in 2008.
Two batters later, Tyler Stephenson hit his 10th homer to tie the score 3-3.
A’s right-hander Elvis Alvarado issued consecutive bases-loaded walks in the fifth to put the Reds ahead 5-3. Alvarado hadn’t allowed a run in 13 of 15 appearances.
JJ Bleday hit his 20th home run off Seth Johnson, who made his A’s debut, to increase the Reds’ lead to 6-3 in the seventh.
Up next
Athletics: RHP Jack Perkins (2-7, 6.72 ERA) is scheduled to start Friday at Boston.
Reds: Have not announced the opener for Friday’s game at Washington.
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