AUGUST 30•STAR-TELEGRAM.COM
Reds Rapid Reactions from a Walk-Off Win to Avoid the SweepThe Oakland Athletics are not trying to win baseball games.
TJ Friedl lifts Reds to wild comeback against AthleticsTJ Friedl hit a two-run, walk-off bases-loaded single to cap a three-run bottom of the ninth as the host Cincinnati Reds rallied for a wild...
AUGUST 30•NEWSOBSERVER.COM
Pleasanton's TJ Friedl rallies Reds past the A's despite Lawrence Butler's three homersOakland A’s win two of three from Reds behind Butler’s five-homer series; visit to Bruce Bochy and Texas Rangers starts Friday.
AUGUST 30•MERCURYNEWS.COM
JJ Bleday - Five hits in Thursday's lossBleday went 5-for-5 with a solo home run, two doubles and three total runs scored in Thursday's 10-9 loss to the Reds.
ImpactBleday went 6-for-39 (.154) over a 10-game span without a multi-hit effort before a massive breakout game Thursday. The outfielder is now hitting .295 (26-for-88) with six homers and five doubles over 23 contests in August. Overall, he has a .249/.330/.460 slash line with 19 homers, 50 RBI, 65 runs scored, 35 doubles, four triples and a stolen base through 131 games as a centerpiece of the Athletics' offense.
AUGUST 30•ROTOWIRE
Lawrence Butler - Massive performance in lossButler went 3-for-4 with three home runs, a walk and four total RBI in Thursday's 10-9 loss to the Reds.
ImpactButler hit a two-run blast in the second inning and added solo shots in the fourth and ninth frames, but his power display was overshadowed by a ninth-inning disaster from Grant Holman. This was Butler's second three-homer game of the season, and he's lifted six long balls while going 13-for-32 (.406) during an eight-game hitting streak. The outfielder is up to a .255/.313/.503 slash line with 19 homers, 51 RBI, 49 runs scored and 12 stolen bases over 100 contests this season. While the Athletics' offense isn't particularly impressive, Butler has done well in the leadoff role versus right-handed pitchers.
AUGUST 30•ROTOWIRE
J.T. Ginn - Yields four runsGinn allowed four runs on four hits and a walk while striking out four over five innings in a no-decision versus the Reds on Thursday.
ImpactGiven that his first major-league start came in hitter-friendly Great American Ball Park, this was an acceptable performance for Ginn. He yielded a pair of home runs, which were solo shots by Will Benson and Tyler Stephenson, and the Reds were able to scrape together another pair of runs in the fifth. Ginn allowed one run over 3.2 innings in his first two appearances out of the bullpen, but it looks like he has a chance to be a part of the Athletics' rotation over the final month of the season. He's tentatively projected to make his next appearance at home versus light-hitting Seattle.
AUGUST 30•ROTOWIRE
Will Benson - Goes yard again ThursdayBenson went 1-for-2 with a solo home run in Thursday's 10-9 win over the Athletics.
ImpactBenson got the Reds on the board with his third-inning homer. This was his second game in a row with a homer, which could help his case for playing time down the stretch, but he's still unlikely to see anything more than a part-time role. The outfielder has gone 6-for-31 (.194) in August, which is right in line with his .195 average for the year. He's added 14 homers, 42 RBI, 37 runs scored and 14 stolen bases with a .676 OPS across 352 plate appearances. Even as a lefty hitter, Benson has had to share right field with a trio of right-handed hitters in Santiago Espinal, Rece Hinds and Amed Rosario.
AUGUST 30•ROTOWIRE
