Serven makes it close
Serven gave the Athletics one last swing Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026, but their ninth-inning rally ended one run short in a 6-5 loss to the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, Ohio.
The Athletics trailed 6-3 entering the top of the ninth before Serven homered to left center, a 391-foot drive that also scored Butler. Brock Burke allowed two hits and two earned runs with no walks and one strikeout in one inning, earning his second save.
Attendance was 17,617.
Reds answer in the fourth
Cincinnati opened the scoring in the bottom of the first when De La Cruz homered to left center, a 381-foot drive, for a 1-0 lead.
The Athletics moved in front in the top of the fourth. Soderstrom singled to center, scoring Bolte and White and moving Heim to second. Butler then grounded into a double play, with Heim scoring, Muncy out at second and Soderstrom advancing to third after a Cincinnati challenge overturned the call on the field.
The Reds tied it in the bottom of the fourth on back-to-back scoring swings. Stewart homered to center at 416 feet, and Stephenson followed with a 406-foot homer to center to make it 3-3.
Cincinnati builds the lead
The Reds went ahead in the bottom of the fifth without a hit on the two scoring plays. Suárez walked, bringing in McLain and moving Bleday to second and Stewart to third. Myers then walked, scoring Stewart while Suárez moved to second and Bleday to third.
Cincinnati added its final run in the seventh when Bleday homered to right center, a 406-foot shot, for a 6-3 lead. The Reds hit four of the game’s five home runs.
Pitching and records
Andrew Abbott earned the win for Cincinnati, improving to 6-7 after allowing seven hits and three earned runs over 6.2 innings. He walked two and struck out four.
Mason Barnett took the loss for the Athletics, falling to 1-2. He allowed five hits and five earned runs in 4.1 innings, with three walks and seven strikeouts. Elvis Alvarado worked 0.2 innings with no hits, no earned runs, two walks and two strikeouts.
Brady Basso pitched one inning with no hits, no earned runs, no walks and no strikeouts. Seth Johnson allowed three hits and one earned run over two innings, with no walks and four strikeouts.
Pierce Johnson earned his sixth hold for Cincinnati, and Sam Moll also earned his sixth hold. The Reds improved to 56-58, while the Athletics fell to 45-70.
Sources
https://www.espn.com/mlb/game/_/gameId/401816415
