In the last game of the year not televised for the Cincinnati Reds, they experienced a defeat against Oakland, who mounted a comeback victory on Friday night. Despite the lack of TV coverage, the Athletics emerged triumphant with an 8-6 win.
The game initially progressed with a score of 3-2 by the fifth inning, but both teams scored runs consistently in the final four innings. Cincinnati managed to secure a lead with a 4-run surge in the sixth inning, but Oakland responded with six runs in the remaining innings, including a decisive walk-off home run.
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The game commenced with Oakland taking an early lead in the first inning through a 2-out rally, sparked by a walk to Brent Rooker, followed by consecutive singles. The Athletics extended their lead in the second inning with two ground-rule doubles. However, Cincinnati narrowed the gap in the third inning, with Jonathan India walking and eventually scoring on a double by Will Benson.
The fifth inning saw opportunities for both teams, with Cincinnati loading the bases but failing to score, while Oakland drew three walks but couldn’t capitalize due to a timely double play. Cincinnati broke through in the sixth inning, with Christian Encarnacion-Strand leading off with a single and later scoring on a 2-run homer by Nick Martini. They added three more runs, making it 5-2.
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Cincinnati added another run in the seventh inning, extending their lead to 6-2. However, Oakland mounted a comeback in the bottom of the seventh, scoring three runs with a home run from Daniel Susac. They scored another run in the eighth inning, cutting the deficit to 6-5.
In the ninth inning, with Cincinnati still holding onto a narrow lead, Oakland managed to load the bases and secure a dramatic walk-off victory with a 3-run homer by Daniel Susac.
Looking ahead, Cincinnati will face the Colorado Rockies in Goodyear on Saturday afternoon, with the game broadcasted on various platforms including Bally Sports Ohio, MLB Network, and radio coverage provided by 1360 WSAI.
