<img alt="MLB: Game One-Cincinnati Reds at Atlanta Braves" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/tgGs4qoYzDANA4lUUq4-upWrgSs=/0x4:3212x2145/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73480241/usa_today_23813825.0.jpg">
Allen Winans struggled again in his second start of the season | Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
The Braves showed some life on offense, but it was not enough to make up for the nine runs given up. The Atlanta Braves faced off against the Cincinnati Reds first game of a double header at lunch time today featuring two pitchers that have struggled with keeping runs off the board. Allan Winans has made one 5.0 innings appearance this season in which he gave up six runs, and Frankie Montas of the Reds who had a 4.88 ERA before today’s game.
Right from the start, Allan Winans struggled. After getting India to ground out, De La Cruz hit a single and then stole second. It looked like Winans may get out of the innings unscathed when Candelario struck out on a filthy changeup, but right after that is when it went downhill. Spencer Steer hit a triple to right field that Duvall seemed to misread off the jump, scoring De La Cruz, and then Steer came in to score on a throwing error from Zack Short that when trying to throw home somehow landed in the outfield.
Winans then walked Tyler Stephenson who then scored on Jake Fraley’s second HR of the year to make the score 0-4. Noelvi Marte then popped up to end the first half of the inning.
In the bottom half of the first the Braves looked to start an early game rally. Jarred Kelenic walked and then it was followed up by Nacho Alvarez Jr getting his first career hit for a single.
First big league hit for Nacho Alvarez Jr.‼️ pic.twitter.com/98hZZ4y3TB— Bally Sports: Braves (@BravesOnBally) July 24, 2024
Marcel Ozuna then hit into a force out where Alvarez was thrown out at second to make the score 1-4. This was then followed by Matt Olson getting on first on a fielding catch error at second to put runners on first and second. This botched play was challenged by the Reds, but was upheld. Unfortunately for the Braves, this bit of fortune did not result in any more runs as Duvall and Rosario had back-to-back strikeouts to end the inning.
In the second, Winans seemed to settle down. He struck out Hinds and Benson on seven total pitches and got India to ground out again for a clean inning.
The Braves started a rally again in the second. Sean Murphy grounded out, but then Orlando Arcia finally came through with a single, followed by a Zack Short double to put runners on second and third. Jarred Kelenic was able to hit a single to center field to score them both to make the score 3-4. The rally was ended when Alvarez struck out, followed by a 106.1 MPH line out from Marcel Ozuna.
The Reds came out swinging in the third as Elly De La Cruz took Winans deep over the center field wall to make the score 3-5. After a Candelario lineout that was hit hard (103.5 MPH), Spencer Steer came through for the Reds again with a double. Stephenson had his second walk of the day to put runners on first and second. Fortunately, Winans won his rematch against Fraley and got him to groundout to first, but that moved the runners over. Marte then doubled to score the two runners making the score 3-7.
Winans was then replaced with Grant Holmes. Winans ended his outing with 2.2 innings, seven hits, two walks, three strikeouts, and seven earned runs. Holmes was able to end the inning with a Hinds fly out.
The Braves continued to put runners on in the third. Olson and Duvall had back-to-back singles with zero outs. Rosario then scored Matt Olson from third on a sac fly to make the score 4-7. Murphy then singled to put runners on first and second followed by Arcia’s second single of the game to load the bases. The rally then ended when Zack Short struck out and then Kelenic popped up to third to leave the three runners stranded.
Holmes looked like he was going to have a solid inning in the fourth. He struck out Benson and then got India to pop up to make it two outs with no base runners. But, it was not to be. De La Cruz singled and stole second base for his second steal of the game. Holmes then hit Candelario with a pitch to put two runners on. Spencer Steer continued to be locked in as he had his third extra base hit of the game (double) which scored the two runners making the score 4-9. Holmes then struck out Stephenson to end the inning.
Spencer Steer has 3 XBH today... and it's only the 4th inning. @spenc__er pic.twitter.com/2UCTEo26qn— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) July 24, 2024
The Bottom of the fourth saw Matt Olson get another single, so that is a positive sign, but Alvarez line out, and Ozuna and Duvall both struck out, yielding no runs in the inning.
Holmes stayed in to pitch the fifth inning. Fraley was able to single and get to second via a steal, but other than that Holmes was solid by getting a strikeout, pop up, and fly out.
The fifth inning looked like the Braves may be able to get things going. After Rosario struck out, we saw three straight runners on base with a single from Murphy, folloed by back-to-back walks from Arcia and Short to load the bases with one out. The Reds made a pitching change where Sam Moll replaced Frankie Montas and unfortunately Kelenic was unable to produce with the bases loaded for the second time this game when he struck out. Alvarez then followed up with a strikeout of his own to end the inning with no runs produced.
Holmes continued to stay in the game for the Braves in the sixth inning and struck out India and De La Cruz. He then got Candelario to fly out to end the inning with zero base runners.
Former Brave Lucas Sims relieved Moll. This was a full circle moment in a sense, as he was part of the deal that initially brought Duvall to the Braves for the first time. Sims was able to get Ozuna and Olson to fly out, followed by a strikeout to the aforementioned Duvall.
Grant Holmes was replaced by Dylan Lee in the top of the Seventh and did his job. He produced two pop ups and a fly out to end the inning with no base runners.
In the bottom of the seventh, Tony Santillan replaced Sims and struck out Rosario. Murphy reached on an error so there was some minor hope of a rally, but then Arcia lined out followed by a strikeout from Zack Short.
Dylan Lee stayed in the game to pitch the eighth for the Braves and it was not nearly as clean as the seventh. He did get back-to-back strikeouts to Marte and Hinds, but then Benson hit a double followed by a walk from India. Fortunately, he was able to get red hot De La Cruz to ground out to end the inning.
In the Braves half of the eighth they were not able to hget anything done. Even though it was the top of the lineup, it resulted in zero baserunners as Kelenic flied out, followed by Alvarez and Ozuna both striking out.
Jesse Chavez came in to pitch the ninth inning and replaced Lee. He was able to ge Candelario to strike out followed by doing what seemed impossible by getting Steer out when he lined out to first. It looked like the Reds may add some insurance runs when Stephenson and Fraley both singled, but Marte grounded out to end the inning.
Justin Wilson came in to pitch the ninth for the Reds. Matt Olson, who had a multi-hit game for the first time since the All-Star break came up to bat, but he grounded out to shortstop De La Cruz. Adam Duvall was not able to get a rally going either as he popped up on two pitches. The last hope was when Ramón Laureano replaced Eddie Rosario as a pinch hitter, but he struck out on four pitches.
The Braves lost 4-9 in a game where they stranded the bases loaded with one out twice. For the game, the Braves stranded eleven runners and were 2-9 with RISP.
The Braves will face the Reds for game two of the double header at 6:05 ET
<img alt="MLB: Game One-Cincinnati Reds at Atlanta Braves" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/tgGs4qoYzDANA4lUUq4-upWrgSs=/0x4:3212x2145/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73480241/usa_today_23813825.0.jpg">
Allen Winans struggled again in his second start of the season | Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
The Braves showed some life on offense, but it was not enough to make up for the nine runs given up. The Atlanta Braves faced off against the Cincinnati Reds first game of a double header at lunch time today featuring two pitchers that have struggled with keeping runs off the board. Allan Winans has made one 5.0 innings appearance this season in which he gave up six runs, and Frankie Montas of the Reds who had a 4.88 ERA before today’s game.
Right from the start, Allan Winans struggled. After getting India to ground out, De La Cruz hit a single and then stole second. It looked like Winans may get out of the innings unscathed when Candelario struck out on a filthy changeup, but right after that is when it went downhill. Spencer Steer hit a triple to right field that Duvall seemed to misread off the jump, scoring De La Cruz, and then Steer came in to score on a throwing error from Zack Short that when trying to throw home somehow landed in the outfield.
Winans then walked Tyler Stephenson who then scored on Jake Fraley’s second HR of the year to make the score 0-4. Noelvi Marte then popped up to end the first half of the inning.
In the bottom half of the first the Braves looked to start an early game rally. Jarred Kelenic walked and then it was followed up by Nacho Alvarez Jr getting his first career hit for a single.
First big league hit for Nacho Alvarez Jr.‼️ pic.twitter.com/98hZZ4y3TB— Bally Sports: Braves (@BravesOnBally) July 24, 2024
Marcel Ozuna then hit into a force out where Alvarez was thrown out at second to make the score 1-4. This was then followed by Matt Olson getting on first on a fielding catch error at second to put runners on first and second. This botched play was challenged by the Reds, but was upheld. Unfortunately for the Braves, this bit of fortune did not result in any more runs as Duvall and Rosario had back-to-back strikeouts to end the inning.
In the second, Winans seemed to settle down. He struck out Hinds and Benson on seven total pitches and got India to ground out again for a clean inning.
The Braves started a rally again in the second. Sean Murphy grounded out, but then Orlando Arcia finally came through with a single, followed by a Zack Short double to put runners on second and third. Jarred Kelenic was able to hit a single to center field to score them both to make the score 3-4. The rally was ended when Alvarez struck out, followed by a 106.1 MPH line out from Marcel Ozuna.
The Reds came out swinging in the third as Elly De La Cruz took Winans deep over the center field wall to make the score 3-5. After a Candelario lineout that was hit hard (103.5 MPH), Spencer Steer came through for the Reds again with a double. Stephenson had his second walk of the day to put runners on first and second. Fortunately, Winans won his rematch against Fraley and got him to groundout to first, but that moved the runners over. Marte then doubled to score the two runners making the score 3-7.
Winans was then replaced with Grant Holmes. Winans ended his outing with 2.2 innings, seven hits, two walks, three strikeouts, and seven earned runs. Holmes was able to end the inning with a Hinds fly out.
The Braves continued to put runners on in the third. Olson and Duvall had back-to-back singles with zero outs. Rosario then scored Matt Olson from third on a sac fly to make the score 4-7. Murphy then singled to put runners on first and second followed by Arcia’s second single of the game to load the bases. The rally then ended when Zack Short struck out and then Kelenic popped up to third to leave the three runners stranded.
Holmes looked like he was going to have a solid inning in the fourth. He struck out Benson and then got India to pop up to make it two outs with no base runners. But, it was not to be. De La Cruz singled and stole second base for his second steal of the game. Holmes then hit Candelario with a pitch to put two runners on. Spencer Steer continued to be locked in as he had his third extra base hit of the game (double) which scored the two runners making the score 4-9. Holmes then struck out Stephenson to end the inning.
Spencer Steer has 3 XBH today... and it's only the 4th inning. @spenc__er pic.twitter.com/2UCTEo26qn— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) July 24, 2024
The Bottom of the fourth saw Matt Olson get another single, so that is a positive sign, but Alvarez line out, and Ozuna and Duvall both struck out, yielding no runs in the inning.
Holmes stayed in to pitch the fifth inning. Fraley was able to single and get to second via a steal, but other than that Holmes was solid by getting a strikeout, pop up, and fly out.
The fifth inning looked like the Braves may be able to get things going. After Rosario struck out, we saw three straight runners on base with a single from Murphy, folloed by back-to-back walks from Arcia and Short to load the bases with one out. The Reds made a pitching change where Sam Moll replaced Frankie Montas and unfortunately Kelenic was unable to produce with the bases loaded for the second time this game when he struck out. Alvarez then followed up with a strikeout of his own to end the inning with no runs produced.
Holmes continued to stay in the game for the Braves in the sixth inning and struck out India and De La Cruz. He then got Candelario to fly out to end the inning with zero base runners.
Former Brave Lucas Sims relieved Moll. This was a full circle moment in a sense, as he was part of the deal that initially brought Duvall to the Braves for the first time. Sims was able to get Ozuna and Olson to fly out, followed by a strikeout to the aforementioned Duvall.
Grant Holmes was replaced by Dylan Lee in the top of the Seventh and did his job. He produced two pop ups and a fly out to end the inning with no base runners.
In the bottom of the seventh, Tony Santillan replaced Sims and struck out Rosario. Murphy reached on an error so there was some minor hope of a rally, but then Arcia lined out followed by a strikeout from Zack Short.
Dylan Lee stayed in the game to pitch the eighth for the Braves and it was not nearly as clean as the seventh. He did get back-to-back strikeouts to Marte and Hinds, but then Benson hit a double followed by a walk from India. Fortunately, he was able to get red hot De La Cruz to ground out to end the inning.
In the Braves half of the eighth they were not able to hget anything done. Even though it was the top of the lineup, it resulted in zero baserunners as Kelenic flied out, followed by Alvarez and Ozuna both striking out.
Jesse Chavez came in to pitch the ninth inning and replaced Lee. He was able to ge Candelario to strike out followed by doing what seemed impossible by getting Steer out when he lined out to first. It looked like the Reds may add some insurance runs when Stephenson and Fraley both singled, but Marte grounded out to end the inning.
Justin Wilson came in to pitch the ninth for the Reds. Matt Olson, who had a multi-hit game for the first time since the All-Star break came up to bat, but he grounded out to shortstop De La Cruz. Adam Duvall was not able to get a rally going either as he popped up on two pitches. The last hope was when Ramón Laureano replaced Eddie Rosario as a pinch hitter, but he struck out on four pitches.
The Braves lost 4-9 in a game where they stranded the bases loaded with one out twice. For the game, the Braves stranded eleven runners and were 2-9 with RISP.
The Braves will face the Reds for game two of the double header at 6:05 ET
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