Jay Bruce hits 2-run homer as Cincinnati Reds edge Oakland Athletics 6-5

CINCINNATI — Jay Bruce hit a two-run homer and threw out a runner at the plate, helping the Cincinnati Reds beat Bartolo Colon and the Oakland Athletics 6-5 on Wednesday.

Corky Miller added two run-scoring doubles for Cincinnati, which won consecutive games for the first time since July 24 in San Francisco and July 25 in Los Angeles. Bruce also had a run-scoring grounder in the first.

AL West-leading Oakland, which began the day with a one-game advantage over Texas, scored as many runs as it had in its previous three games, but still lost for the sixth time in seven games.

Colon (14-4) was knocked out in the third inning in his shortest outing of the season. The All-Star right-hander had made 15 consecutive starts of at least six innings and three or fewer earned runs.

Miller's first run-scoring double gave Cincinnati a 2-1 lead in the second inning. The Reds added three more in the third, with Bruce going deep for the second straight game and Miller driving in Zack Cozart for the second time on the day.

Colon allowed five runs and seven hits in 2 2-3 innings. He was 3-0 with a 1.57 ERA in his previous five starts, including a four-hitter in a 6-0 victory at the Los Angeles Angels on July 21.

Homer Bailey (7-10) won his second straight start despite allowing nine hits and five runs in 5 1-3 innings.

Josh Donaldson and Eric Sogard had two hits and two RBIs apiece for Oakland, which finished with 11 hits. Donaldson hit a solo drive in the second for his 17th homer.

Stephen Vogt singled in a run in the fourth for the A's, but Bruce made a perfect throw to cut down Alberto Callaspo trying to score from second on the base hit to right. Oakland also had Sogard retired in a rundown off third in the sixth.

Bruce jumped on the first pitch he saw in the third, sending a long drive into the netting above the visitor's bullpen down the right-field line. The one-out shot came with Joey Votto aboard after a leadoff single.

It was Bruce's team-leading 24th homer. He also is second on the Reds to Brandon Phillips with 78 RBIs.