Home Notice Box Sports Braves fall to Reds 6-3, drop series between NL’s worst

Braves fall to Reds 6-3, drop series between NL’s worst

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By Joe Kay

AP Sports Writer

CINCINNATI — Lucas Harrell doesn’t mind pitching in a hitter-friendly ballpark, figuring he can use the stadium to his advantage. That’s not what happened on Wednesday at Great American.

Tucker Barnhart and Joey Votto hit two-run homers, and the Cincinnati Reds rallied to beat the Atlanta Braves 6-3 and win the season series between the NL’s worst teams.

Barnhart’s homer completed a four-run rally in the sixth off Harrell (1-2), who had allowed only three singles entering the inning. Jose Peraza’s two-run single tied it, and Barnhart hit a pitch over the middle of the plate for a 4-2 lead in the homer-friendly park.

“Actually I think it works in my favor,” said Harrell, who hadn’t allowed a homer this season. “You get guys knowing the ball flies, and they’re trying to hit homers. You don’t have to be perfect. The home run was just a mistake.”

Interim manager Brian Snitker thought he left Harrell in the game too long on an 88-degree afternoon. He threw 96 pitches.

“The wheels came off right there,” Snitker said. “He did his job and kept us in the ballgame for five innings. Obviously I stayed with him too long.

“If I knew then what I know now, it would be different.”

Votto extended his post-All Star break surge with his 16th homer off Ian Krol in the seventh. Votto is 11 for 20 in the last six games with two homers, a double and six walks.

The Reds hit six homers while taking two of three in the series.

“It’s a different place,” Snitker said of the ballpark. “We knew that. Every ball that goes in the air, you think it’s going to go out.”

Anthony DeSclafani (5-0) kept up his streak of solid starts since returning from a strained oblique that sidelined him for most of the first half. The right-hander gave up eight hits, including Freddie Freeman’s homer, in eight innings. DeSclafani is 5-0 in his last six starts with a 2.61 ERA.

Adonis Garcia led off the ninth with a homer off Ross Ohlendorf, the 68th homer allowed by Cincinnati’s bullpen — by far the most in the majors.

Cincinnati won four of seven this season against the Braves, who have the league’s worst record at 33-62. Cincinnati is 36-59.

Atlanta was trying to win back-to-back road series for the first time this season. They Braves are 19-26 on the road overall.

Freeman emerged from a slump with his first-inning homer, his 17th this season and his first career at GABP. Freeman was 1 for 19 heading into the game. Erick Aybar doubled in the fifth — he’s in a 5-for-36 slump — and scored on Chase d’Arnaud’s single for a 2-0 lead.

STATS

Garcia hit safely in all seven games against Cincinnati this season, batting .406 with three homers and four RBIs. … Freeman has fanned in 11 of his last 16 at-bats. … DeSclafani hasn’t walked a batter in his last 21 innings. He’s 3-0 with a 1.93 ERA in four starts at GABP. … Reds relievers have given up 19 homers to the first batter they faced. … Brandon Phillips singled in his final at-bat, extending his hitting streak to nine games (12 for 34). It’s the longest active streak on the club.

REPLAY

Eugenio Suarez was ruled safe as he slid into home on Peraza’s two-run single in the sixth. The Braves thought that catcher A.J. Pierzynski tagged him before he got his hand on the plate, but the call was upheld on review.

OLD DAYS

As part of Major League Baseball’s throwback day, the Braves wore 1969 replica uniforms. To honor Ken Griffey Jr.’s induction into baseball’s Hall of Fame, the Reds wore uniforms from the early 2000s, when he played for his hometown team.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Reds: LF Adam Duvall got a day of rest. He was hit by a pitch on the left arm Tuesday night but stayed in the game. … RH Homer Bailey pitched 5 1/3 innings of a rehab start for Triple-A Louisville on Wednesday afternoon in Columbus, giving up five runs. He threw 83 pitches, 53 strikes. Bailey had Tommy John surgery last year.

UP NEXT

Braves: The Braves continue their trip with a four-game series in Colorado. Mike Foltynewicz (3-3) is 0-1 career against the Rockies in two starts and two relief appearances.

Reds: After a day off, Dan Straily (4-6) opens a three-game series against the Diamondbacks at Great American Ball Park. He’s never faced Arizona.

By Joe Kay

AP Sports Writer