Game Recap: Atlanta Braves Fall to Reds 8-4
By Dan Horton
The Atlanta Braves fell victim to the long ball … again, as they go down in the series to the Reds. 4 of the Reds’ 8 runs came via the long ball. As if finding out Braves pitcher Mike Minor would be enduring an extended stay on the DL wasn’t bad enough (60 days to be exact) this had to happen.
Things were simple to start off, with both sides going quietly through three innings. With the exception of a hard liner off the bat of Kelly Johnson then off the arm of Reds starter Jason Marquis, he would stay in the game. Eric Stults started the game for the Braves and was solid through 3 innings. Things took a turn south though for Atlanta in the top of the 4th.
With two outs already in the inning, Stults left a ball up that caught enough of the plate. Reds right fielder Jay Bruce sent a deep fly ball to Kelly Johnson in left field. Johnson would get turned around and would end up committing the Cardinal sin for an outfielder … back-pedaling.
With Kelly’s inexperience in the outfield, he seemingly got lost, not knowing where the fence was and was preparing to maybe jump or run into the wall. Unfortunately the ball would fly past his stretched out arm. It would be one of two triples on the night for Bruce.
The next batter was Brandon Phillips. On a 2-1 pitch, Phillips sent a ball deep to Andrelton Simmons at shortstop. The sure-handed Simba would have a hard time handling the grounder (we sometimes forget that he is human). The ball hit the heel of his glove and popped out, allowing Bruce to score from third. Phillips would then swipe second to get into scoring position.
Stults would continue to struggle in the 4th as he walked Marlon Byrd putting runners on 1st and 2nd. With Bryan Pena now the hitter, Stults would surrender a bloop hit that would score Phillips from 2nd. The misplay by Johnson in left field was the key play that inning. Marquis would ground out to Jace Peterson at second base to end the inning. 2-0 Reds in the 4th.
Atlanta struggled against Marquis most of the night. The Braves hitters fell victim to Marquis’ sinker for most of the night. Failing to get a hit through 4 innings. Apparently that bullet off of Marquis’ arm didn’t seem to bother him.
The Reds would tack on two more runs in the 5th. After back to back hits by Zack Cozart and Joey Votto, Jay Bruce would rip his second triple of the night off Stults. Cozart and Votto would score.
The Braves would finally get on the board in the 5th. Simmons would tally Atlanta’s first hit of the night off Marquis. With Simmons aboard at 1st, Cameron Maybin would send a 2-1 pitch over the wall in left for his 4th home run of the year. However, the Reds would get one back on Marlon Byrd‘s lead off solo home run to make it a 5-2 ballgame.
Zack Cozart led off the 7th inning with a single but was erased as part of a nicely turned 3-6-3 double play off the bat of Votto. But the Braves killer in this series, Todd Frazier, would send the next pitch from Stults out to center. 6-2 Reds.
The Braves would get another run back in their half of the 7th. After a nice display of going the other way to beat the shift, Kelly Johnson would single to the left side. Andrelton Simmons would then place a perfect ball on the right filed line for a double, scoring Johnson to put the Braves within 3.
A bit of some rarity happened next. With Simmons on at second and no out, Jace Peterson would send a roller to shortstop. However, as Simmons was taking of for third, his feet seemed to anchor in a few steps off second. The ball unfortunately found him and hit Simmons in the leg. Simmons would be out and Peterson safe at first.
It looked like Simmons was a bit indecisive. As he took off from second, it looked like he had second thoughts about going to third. He may have been possibly going back to second but got caught.
It would stay 6-3 Reds going into the 9th inning. Braves reliever Donnie Veal would come on to get some work in. Veal would give up a lead off walk to Brennan Boesch. Lead off hitters have been an Achilles for the Braves this season. It would bite them again in the ninth. Zack Cozart … there’s that name again, would send a 2-1 pitch out to left for his 5th home run (2nd in the series). Boesch would score to make it 8-3.
In the 9th, the Braves would add another run on an RBI single from Maybin after a Simmons walk. Maybin was responsible for 3 of the Braves’ 4 runs tonight.
After the loss, Atlanta falls to 11-13 with Stults suffering his second loss of the season. Marquis went to 3-1.
The Braves look to split the four game series tomorrow as Julio Teheran (2-1) goes up against Johnny Cueto (2-2) at 1:35 ET.