Gennett's second homer of game lifts Reds over Braves
Second baseman Scooter Gennett, who hit 27 home runs for the Reds in 2017 but had not hit one this season, hit two on Tuesday, including a walkoff two-run shot in the 12th inning to give host Cincinnati a 9-7 win over the Atlanta Braves.
Joey Votto walked to open the inning before Gennett’s second homer, giving the Reds their second straight win despite blowing a four-run lead in the ninth inning.
The winning pitcher was Jared Hughes (1-2), who worked 2 2/3 scoreless innings. He gave up two hits and struck out two.
The losing pitcher was Max Fried (0-1), who was making his first appearance since being recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett.
The Braves batted around in the ninth inning and pushed across four runs to tie the game 7-7. Freddie Freeman led off with his second homer of the night against Amir Garrett.
Closer Raisel Iglesias entered with one out and walked Johan Camargo with the bases loaded and allowed a two-out single to Ender Inciarte that tied the game. It was Iglesias’ first blown save of the season.
Cincinnati starter Tyler Mahle had his best outing of the season. He threw six no-hit innings but could not get an out in the seventh. He allowed three runs on three hits and two walks. Mahle struck out a career-high 11 in his fifth start of the season.
Atlanta starter Brandon McCarthy gave up a season-high five runs (three earned) on six hits and one walk in five innings. He had a season-low one strikeout in his fifth start.
The Reds scored three runs in the second inning to take the early lead. Mahle pushed the first run across when Freeman, the Atlanta first baseman, made a wild throw and was charged with an error that allowed Gennett to score. Billy Hamilton singled in a run on a grounder to McCarthy, and Jesse Winker added a sacrifice fly to left.
Joey Votto and Gennett hit back-to-back solo homers in the fifth inning to take a 5-0 lead. It was Votto’s first home run.
Atlanta cut the lead to 5-3 in the seventh. Freeman led off with a solo homer. Nick Markakis followed with a double and Kurt Suzuki launched a two-run homer, his fourth of the season.
The Reds got two of those runs back in the bottom of the seventh against reliever A.J. Minter. Gennett drove in a run with a squeeze bunt and Tucker Barnhart knocked home the second with a single.
—Field Level Media