(Photo credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images)

The Cincinnati Reds look to rebound from a night of missed opportunities when they face the Athletics in the middle contest of a three-game series on Saturday night at West Sacramento, Calif.

Cincinnati missed the chance to gain ground on the New York Mets in the National League wild-card race as the Reds repeatedly failed with runners in scoring position, going 0-for-12 during a 3-0 loss on Friday night.

The Reds are 1 1/2 games behind the slumping New York Mets, who hold the No. 3 wild-card berth. The San Francisco Giants are a half-game back of the Mets.

'We wanted to get a win,' Reds outfielder Austin Hays said afterward. 'We gave ourselves a good chance. We had the opportunities, we just didn't finish them.'

Cincinnati batters struck out 14 times and left 11 runners on base.

One of the Reds' many opportunities came in the eighth inning when Hays led off with a single and Spencer Steer drilled a two-out single.

Ke'Bryan Hayes then hit a hard comebacker that caromed off the upper back leg of Justin Sterner. The reliever scrambled to get the ball and threw Hayes out at first.

'It ends up being the whole night where we didn't get any hits in scoring positions,' Cincinnati manager Terry Francona bemoaned. 'The one time, Hayes hits the ball up the middle and it hits the guy's (leg) but you got to give yourself more chances than that.'

The Reds were done in Friday by Carlos Cortes, a 28-year-old career minor leaguer who wasn't in the original starting lineup.

Tyler Soderstrom (groin tightness) was scratched, prompting Cortes to get the start. Cortes smacked two solo homers.

'It seems like baseball always rewards the guy that gets into the lineup late,' A's manager Mark Kotsay said afterward. '(Friday) was that night for Carlos. Some great at-bats. The kid comes prepared every day.

'He doesn't get a ton of opportunities but the at-bats have always been consistent.'

Cortes had one major league homer prior to Friday's multi-homer contest. The switch-thrower bats exclusively from the left side and is hitting .328 in 67 at-bats over 31 games.

'It was a pretty cool day to get two (homers) in there,' Cortes said. 'I'm just trying to go everything I can to get on base and put some runs on the board.'

Lawrence Butler hit a solo shot - his 20th homer of the season - for the other Athletics' run.

Cincinnati's Hunter Greene (6-4, 2.59 ERA) and the Athletics' Luis Severino (6-11, 4.67) take the mound Saturday in a matchup of right-handers who were their respective team's Opening Day starters.

Greene, 26, dominated the Mets while winning last Sunday. He gave up one run and one hit (a homer) while striking out 12 in seven innings.

Greene struck out 10 and gave up two unearned runs and five hits over five innings in his lone career start against the A's in 2023. He received a no-decision.

Severino has struggled at home, going 1-9 with a 6.34 ERA in 13 starts.

He received a no-decision on the road against the Los Angeles Angels last Sunday. Severino gave up three runs and four hits over five innings.

Severino, 31, is 1-0 with a 2.49 ERA in five career starts against the Reds.

One interesting moment of Friday's contest came in the bottom of the eighth inning when right-hander Chase Burns of the Reds and slugger Nick Kurtz of the Athletics squared off.

Both players starred for Wake Forest last season. Burns was the second overall pick in the 2024 draft and Kurtz was the fourth.

Burns got the out but just barely as Kurtz's bid for a three-run homer was caught at the wall in right by Cincinnati's Will Benson.

--Field Level Media