CINCINNATI -- Elly De La Cruz and Sal Stewart belted solo homers while Andrew Abbott earned his first win since June 20 as the Reds completed their first home series sweep of the season, 6-5, over the Athletics on Thursday afternoon.
Abbott (6-7) allowed three runs and seven hits over 6 2/3 solid innings, striking out four and walking two while giving the Reds another quality start to finish their 7-3 homestand. The Reds earned just their third series sweep of the season, and first since taking all three at Minnesota from April 17-19.
Brock Burke allowed a two-run homer to Brian Serven in the ninth but recorded the final three outs for his second save in as many chances this season.
Tyler Stephenson and JJ Bleday also connected for long balls in the Cincinnati victory before 17,617 fans at Great American Ball Park. The four homers give Cincinnati 150 on the season. They are on pace for 215 home runs this season.
With the three-game sweep, the Reds improved to 13-6 since the All-Star break while the Athletics have dropped eight in a row and 24 of 28 since July 3. The A’s road trip doesn’t get any easier, with three in Boston over the weekend against the Red Sox, the hottest team in baseball.
Eugenio Suárez and Dane Myers worked consecutive bases-loaded walks against reliever Elvis Alvarado, who came on after starter Mason Barnett (1-2) was yanked after loading the bases to open the fifth. Barnett was charged with five runs and five hits over 4 1/3 innings, striking out seven and walking three.
De La Cruz opened the scoring in the first when he drove Barnett’s changeup to the seats in left for an opposite-field leadoff blast, his 19th homer of the season. It was his second leadoff homer this season and the fourth of his career, his first since July 21 at Seattle.
Cincinnati’s 1-0 lead lasted until the fourth when the A’s got to starter Andrew Abbott for three runs. After facing the minimum through the first three frames, the lefty surrendered leadoff singles to Henry Bolte and Tommy White to put runners at the corners. After a walk to Jonah Heim, Tyler Soderstrom gave the Athletics a 2-1 lead with a single to center. Lawrence Butler plated the third run on a grounder that was called a double play at first but overturned via replay.
The Reds got those runs back in the bottom of the inning on solo homers from Stewart and Tyler Stephenson. For Stewart, it was home run No. 25, pushing him past Joey Votto for second-place on the all-time rookie home run leaderboard. Frank Robinson holds the all-time mark of 38 in 1956.