OAKLAND – Kyle Muller sidestepped a couple of landmines but was in line for a win Saturday when he left the game after five innings with the Oakland A's holding a one-run lead over the Cincinnati Reds.
That in and of itself was significant considering the tumultuous time A's starters have had this month.
But the A's bullpen, specifically closer Jeurys Familia, couldn't hold the lead. The Reds loaded the bases in the top of the ninth before Jake Fraley doubled to score runs, helping to hand Oakland a crushing 3-2 loss before an announced Coliseum crowd of 7.052.
Familia worked a tense ninth, walking two and allowing a single to Nick Senzei to load the bases with one out.
Familia struck out Jose Barrero before Fraley, with a broken bat, went the other way, with the ball hitting first base before it got past Ryan Noda.
The A's losing streak is now at five games and their three-game series with the Reds ends Sunday afternoon.
The A's couldn't get anything going in the ninth and were unable to add to a 2-1 lead, leaving 10 runners on base.
Aledmys Díaz and Jordan Diaz both had RBIs for the A's.
A's starters had gone 0-15 this season, as their streak of 27 consecutive games without a win tied a new Major League record set by last season's Pittsburgh Pirates team went 27 games without a win to start the year.
The nine starters Oakland has used this season came into Saturday with a 8.95 ERA after 27 games. Friday, A's starter Drew Rucinski allowed three earned runs over 5 2/3 innings but was saddled with the loss as Oakland made two errors in the third inning, with one coming before a two-run homer by Jake Fraley, in a 11-7 Reds win.
Muller allowed just two walks Saturday but 10 of the pitches that were hit had an exit velocity of 90 mph or more. Still, he was the beneficiary of two double plays, including one by Ramón Laureano, who threw out Tyler Stephenson at third base in the second inning after he caught a Kevin Newman foul ball in right field.
Laureano was reinstated from the 10-day injured list Saturday, with infielder/outfielder Tyler Wade designated for assignment in a corresponding move.
Laureano missed 11 games after he was placed on the IL — retroactive to April 17 — with a strained left groin.
It was an eventful day for Laureano. Besides the unassisted putout, he also doubled and scored a run, was hit by a pitch, and got some chin music from Reds reliever Ian Cibaut in the seventh inning before he grounded into a fielder's choice.
NOTE: A's infielder Aledmys Díaz left the game in the third inning with a left hamstring injury suffered as he ran the bases.
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