Pleasanton’s TJ Friedl rallies Reds past the A’s despite Lawrence Butler’s three homers

CINCINNATI — The Cincinnati Reds never found a way to slow down A’s outfielder Lawrence Butler, who homered three more times on Thursday and clobbered five in three games at Great American Ballpark.  But a Bay Area native capped a ninth-inning rally that allowed the Reds to overcome Butler and avoid being swept by the A’s.

TJ Friedl, who starred at Pleasanton’s Foothill High, capped Cincinnati’s three-run ninth inning with a two-run single in the Reds’ 10-9 comeback win. Oakland won the first two games of the series...