ATLANTA (AP) — Chris Sale struck out 10 and reached 200 Ks for the season, Mauricio Dubón delivered a winning RBI single in the 10th inning, and the Atlanta Braves defeated the Cincinnati Reds 3-2 on Wednesday night.
Matt Olson and Austin Riley hit solo homers for the Braves. Brent Suter (3-2) worked a scoreless 10th inning and earned the win.
Sale went 5 2/3 innings and was removed after recording his third strikeout of the game of Reds rookie Sal Stewart.
The 37-year-old left-hander has reached 200 strikeouts nine times, which is the most of any pitcher since 2013. In his final start before the postseason, he allowed one run on four hits. Sale hit at least 99 mph on the radar gun on 12 of his 97 pitches.
Olson’s home run was his 41st of the season and tied the game at 1 in the sixth. Riley's homer tied the game at 2 in the seventh. Dubón was 2 for 4 with a walk and extended his hitting streak to 10 games.
Reds right fielder Juan Brito led off the game with a home run to center field off Sale. He went 2 for 4, including his third homer of the season.
Braves reliever Robert Suarez pitched for the first time since June 19 after being sidelined due to elbow inflammation. He pitched the seventh inning and gave up a leadoff triple to Matt McLain and a sacrifice fly to Will Banfield that gave the Reds a 2-1 lead. He threw 13 pitches.
Braves right fielder Ronald Acuña Jr. sat out after suffering a bone bruise when he fouled a ball off his shin in Tuesday's 4-0 loss to the Reds. Braves manager Walt Weiss said Acuña was asking to play and felt he could play right field Wednesday, but the Braves decided to be cautious with a postseason berth clinched.
Braves RHP Tyler Mahle (7-10, 3.81) will make his final start before the postseason against Reds RHP Brady Singer (6-15, 5.67) in the series finale Thursday.
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