WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Nick Kurtz launched — the longest home run in the majors this season — and the Athletics hammered Hunter Greene early in an 11-5 victory Saturday night over the Cincinnati Reds.
Brent Rooker also went deep and rookie Carlos Cortes hit a two-run shot for his third homer in two games as the Athletics handed Cincinnati another costly loss. Jacob Wilson provided a pair of RBI doubles.
Greene, an All-Star last year, was tagged for five runs, four hits and four walks over 2 1/3 ineffective innings, raising his ERA from 2.59 to 3.01.
With a chance to gain ground in a crowded wild-card race, the Reds (74-74) lost their second consecutive game to the Athletics (69-80) and remained 1 1/2 games behind the for the final National League playoff spot.
San Francisco is a half-game back of the Mets.
Tyler Stephenson’s three-run homer for Cincinnati tied it 5-all in the fourth. Wilson put the A’s back ahead with an RBI double in the seventh, Lawrence Butler added a run-scoring single in the eighth and Kurtz sent a 2-2 fastball from Scott Barlow soaring over the high batter’s eye in straightaway center field to make it 11-5.
It was the 31st homer for Kurtz, a rookie slugger who hit four in one game earlier this season.
Brady Basso (1-0) retired the side in order on six pitches in the seventh for his second big league win.
Reds reliever Nick Martinez (10-13) gave up a leadoff double to Shea Langeliers in the seventh and walked Rooker with one out before Wilson doubled off Graham Ashcraft to give the Athletics a 6-5 lead.
Kurtz’s 493-foot drive was the longest by an A’s player since Statcast tracking began in 2015. It surpassed Mike Trout’s 484-foot homer April 19 with the Angels for the longest in the majors this year.
Reds LHP Nick Lodolo (8-7, 3.10 ERA) pitches against RHP Luis Morales (3-1, 2.73) in the series finale Sunday.
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