Reds, Steer win Game 1; rain takes Game 2

Published 11:47 pm Wednesday, July 24, 2024

ATLANTA (AP) — Spencer Steer drove in three runs with three extra-base hits, Elly De La Cruz also had three hits, including a home run, and the Cincinnati Reds beat the slumping Atlanta Braves 9-4 on Wednesday.

The second game of a scheduled split doubleheader was postponed due to inclement weather and has been rescheduled for Sept. 9.

Steer drove in a run with a first-inning triple off Allan Winans (0-2) and had a two-run double in the fourth. Steer added another double and scored two runs. Jake Fraley also had three hits, including a two-run homer in the first.

Email newsletter signup

Cincinnati won both games of the shortened series.

“I think we’re just finding a way to play good baseball against good teams,” Steer said. “I think it’s as simple as that.”

Steer said the Reds, who had 12 hits, were “spraying line drives all over the field.”

Winans gave up seven runs in only 2 2/3 innings in Atlanta’s fourth consecutive loss. The Braves may look to boost their depleted rotation before the July 30 trade deadline.

Atlanta has lost two prominent starting pitchers to injuries. All-Star left-hander Max Fried was added to the 15-day injured list with forearm neuritis, a nerve inflammation, on Sunday. Ace right-hander Spencer Strider had season-ending Tommy John surgery in April.

Braves All-Star second baseman Ozzie Albies is expected to miss about eight weeks with a fractured left wrist. Reigning NL MVP Ronald Acuña Jr. was lost with a season-ending knee injury in May, and Michael Harris II has been on the injured list since June 15 with a hamstring injury.

With the losses and injuries mounting, the Braves, who lead the NL wild-card standings, held a players-only meeting on Tuesday.

“It’s a hard game,” center fielder Jarred Kelenic said. “These stretches happen. … It’s pretty easy to get down and get negative. I feel the talent we have in our clubhouse is second to none and we have our fair share of leaders in the clubhouse to keep us on the right track.”

The Braves left the bases loaded in the third and fifth innings and stranded 11 runners overall.

Reds right-hander Frankie Montas allowed four runs on 10 hits and three walks in 4 1/3 innings. Montas loaded the bases with one-out walks to Orlando Arcia and Zack Short in the fifth. Left-hander Sam Moll (2-1) struck out Kelenic and Nacho Alvarez Jr. to end the inning.

Cincinnati had three stolen bases, including two by De La Cruz, who leads the majors with 51.

Tuesday night’s game was postponed by rain, forcing a second game to be added to Wednesday’s schedule. The forecast called for more rain Wednesday night, leading to the decision to postpone the second game.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Braves: Winans was recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett and LHP Dylan Dodd was optioned to Gwinnett. … Harris (left hamstring strain) worked out on the field and may be moving closer to a rehab assignment.

UP NEXT

Reds: Following a day off on Thursday, LHP Nick Lodolo (8-3, 3.51 ERA) is scheduled to start when Cincinnati opens a three-game series at Tampa Bay on Friday night.

Braves: LHP Chris Sale (13-3, 2.70) was scheduled to start Wednesday night and now will be available on Thursday, when they open a four-game series at New York. The Mets list RHP Luis Severino (7-3, 3.58) as their starter.

Reds 9, Braves 4

Cincinnati AB R H BI BB SO Avg.
India 2b 4 0 0 0 1 1 .271
De La Cruz ss 5 3 3 1 0 1 .262
Candelario dh 4 1 0 0 0 2 .233
Steer 1b 5 2 3 3 0 0 .241
Stephenson c 3 2 1 0 2 1 .240
Fraley lf 5 1 3 2 0 0 .282
Marte 3b 5 0 1 2 0 2 .181
Hinds rf 4 0 0 0 0 2 .316
Benson cf 4 0 1 0 0 2 .195
Totals 39 9 12 8 3 11

Atlanta AB R H BI BB SO Avg.
Kelenic cf 4 1 1 2 1 1 .248
Alvarez 3b 5 0 1 0 0 3 .111
Ozuna dh 5 0 0 1 0 2 .306
Olson 1b 5 1 2 0 0 0 .223
Duvall rf 5 0 1 0 0 3 .184
Rosario lf 3 0 0 1 0 2 .190
a-Laureano ph 1 0 0 0 0 1 .250
Murphy c 4 0 2 0 0 0 .212
Arcia ss 3 1 2 0 1 0 .216
Short 2b 3 1 1 0 1 2 .148
Totals 38 4 10 4 3 14

Cincinnati 403 200 000_9 12 3
Atlanta 121 000 000_4 10 1

a-struck out for Rosario in the 9th.

E–Benson (2), De La Cruz 2 (20), Short (4). LOB–Cincinnati 7, Atlanta 11. 2B–Steer 2 (24), Marte (3), Benson (16), Short (3). 3B–Steer (2). HR–Fraley (2), off Winans; De La Cruz (18), off Winans. RBIs–Steer 3 (64), Fraley 2 (16), De La Cruz (45), Marte 2 (9), Ozuna (80), Kelenic 2 (32), Rosario (5). SB–De La Cruz 2 (51), Fraley (13). SF–Rosario.

Runners left in scoring position–Cincinnati 5 (Benson, De La Cruz, Marte, Hinds, Stephenson); Atlanta 5 (Alvarez 2, Rosario, Kelenic 2). RISP–Cincinnati 3 for 10; Atlanta 2 for 9.

Runners moved up–Fraley.

Cincinnati IP H R ER BB SO NP ERA
Montas 4 1-3 10 4 4 3 6 101 5.01
Moll, W, 2-1 2-3 0 0 0 0 2 7 2.62
Sims 1 0 0 0 0 1 11 3.71
Santillan 2 0 0 0 0 4 26 0.00
Wilson 1 0 0 0 0 1 11 4.67
Atlanta IP H R ER BB SO NP ERA
Winans, L, 0-2 2 2-3 6 7 7 2 3 65 15.26
Holmes 3 1-3 3 2 2 0 5 52 2.70
Lee 2 1 0 0 1 2 23 1.98
Chavez 1 2 0 0 0 1 17 1.83

Inherited runners-scored–Moll 3-0, Holmes 1-0. HBP–Holmes (Candelario).

Umpires–Home, Marvin Hudson; First, Derek Thomas; Second, John Tumpane; Third, Nick Mahrley.

T–2:49. A–34,407 (41,149).