The Atlanta Braves have scored the second most runs MLB so far this season and had plans of continuing this trend while facing the Reds an their started Chris Paddack and his 6.86 ERA.
The first inning started off with a bang. Ronald Acuña Jr. hit the fourth pitch he saw for a solo shot in the first inning to set the tone with a solo shot to make the score 1-0. The interesting part is he saw three four-seam fastballs and then took a curveball deep. Notoriously this season he has struggled against
four-seamers.
After a Harris fly out Olson hit a ball to the wall and tried for a sliding double but got thrown out in a bang-bang play. Albies then flied out to end the top of the first. Grant Holmes looked good in the first, outside of a walk to Mosley High School graduated JJ Bleday, he sat down every other batter to include a strikeout.
In the second inning the Braves started to blow the game open, Smith singled followed by a Riley walk and a Yastrzemki walk and the bases loaded. Jorge Mateo then hit a chopper to short in which he got out, but a run scored to make it 2-0. Tromp then came to the plate and did his job by hitting the ball deep to right to get a sac fly and make it 3-0. After a walk, Harris hit a single to score Mateo from second to make the score 4-0. Olson grounded out, but the damage had been done.
Holmes then did what he does best early in a game and sat the Reds down in order in the second inning picking up two groundouts and a strikeout. To not be outdone, the Braves were also sat down in order in the third. In the third fr Holmes his rival Freidl who already has two HRs against him singled, but then Holmes struck back with back-to-back strikeouts and a groundout from De La Cruz.
The only offense in the fourth for the Braves was a single by Yastrzemski. The fourth for the Red was very different. Bleday hit a shot to to RF to make the score 4-1. After a pop up and Stewart being caught try ing to steal third, Lowe hit a solo shot to make the score 4-2 Braves. Steer then singled, but after a mound visit Holmes got the last out.
In the fifth, Harris singled, but was caught stealing second. He was initially called safe, but after a challenge it was overturned. That was the only offense for the Braves in the inning. The Reds got to Holmes again. This time with two singles After the hits Didier Fuentes came in the game. Holmes finished the game going 4.2 innings with seven hits (two HRs), three earned runs, one walk and five strikeouts. Solid work.
Fuentes allowed a runner to score that he inherited, but then he got the strikeout to end the inning. After a single by Smith and a HBP from Riley, Yastrzemski hit a double to make the score 5-3.
Mateo then singled to keep the scoring going and make it 6-3. Harris came in clutch after an intentional walk and singled to make the score 8-3, which would end up being the final score.
The Braves started the series off with a statement. They are the best overall team in MLB. After Fuentes the Braves pitched Lee, then Suarez, and finally Kinley who combined for 3.0 innings and allowed two hits, zero walks, zero runs, zero walks, and five strikeouts.
The Braves showed out tonight and look to do it again when they face the Reds again tommorow. Harris and Smith had three hit nights and Ronald Acuña had a HR.
