Matt Olson Wraps His 25th Home Run Around The Foul Pole In Left To Lift Braves

Matt Olson lifted a two-strike pitch the opposite way just inside the foul pole to lift the Atlanta Braves to a series win over the streaking Reds, 7-6.

The Braves who started the series with an eight-game winning streak of their own are a perfect 6-0 in games that decide a series. 

Still the young Reds fought back three times from three-run deficits to put the tying and winning runs on base to threaten the dominance of the best team in the league.

"You want to give guys every possible shot, coming back right there. It's just over and over to be able to do that against that team. We're after wins but I do know that like playing like that the wins will come. We've shown that and that is the most important thing to continue to play like we have been and trust one and other and trust that the wins will come. Games like that when you lose them are hard to swallow. Because you fight back so hard. Yes you're supposed to do that but honestly, this team does it more than any team I've ever been around. And there are a lot of wins on the other side of that so we have to keep going."

Levi Stoudt made his third appearance for the Reds and second as a starter. Ben Lively went on the disabled list with a strained right pectoral muscle. Stoudt was recalled from Louisville.

The Reds tested Braves starter, Charlie Morton, the 39-year old veteran, in the first inning.

TJ Friedl walked and stole second. He went to third on Spencer Steer's single. Friedl was thrown out at home on a fielder's choice grounder by Elly De la Cruz. The close play was reviewed but the out call stood.

The Braves broke the ice in the third inning. Michael Harris II hit a line drive to the glove side of Jake Fraley in right field, who's diving attempt permitted a lead off triple. Stoudt got Ronald Acuna Jr. to pop up but Ozzie Albies hit a sacrifice fly to right. Stoudt walked Austin Riley and Olson back-to-back. Sean Murphy and Marcell Ozuna singled for two more runs. Eddie Rosario walked but Orlando Arcia lined out to Will Benson in left.

Matt McLain and Steer opened the third with doubles to get one run back. De la Cruz moved Steer to third but Morton pitched out of trouble.

"I was trying to get my pitch to hit," McLain said. "Sometimes I get too swing happy but I was trying to get a pitch in my zone and put a good swing on it. Um I really need to get back to that."

Randy Wynne, at the age of 30, made his Major League derut in the fourth inning. He gave up a double to Acuna which stretched his hitting streak to seven games but he turned in a scoreless fourth.

Tyler Stephenson and Nick Senzel singled off Morton to open the fourth Friedl bunted. He was thrown out but the runners moved up. McLain brought them home with his second double. 

Wynne gave up another double to Acuna one out into the sixth inning. Ian Gibaut took over. He struck out Albies but walked Riley. Olson lifted his 25th home run down the leftfield line to give the Braves a 6-3 lead. 

McLain's fifth home run came off Nick Anderson to eat into the Braves lead. Steer walked but Anderson struck out De la Cruz. Fraley lined to Albies at second. Braves' manager Brian Snitker brought on his lone left handed pitcher AJ Minter to face Joey Votto. Bell made a rate move sending Jonathan India to bat for the Reds' best career hitter. Minter caught India looking at a 3-2 pitch for the third out. 

Buck Farmer walked Albies and hit Riley to start the eighth. Bell made another unusual decision, going to his closer Alexis Diaz, who walked Murphy and Ozuna to force in a run before getting the Reds out of the inning.

"We have a couple guys that were emergency only and we got to that point," Bell said. "Diaz was going to throw the ninth whether were down two or three or four. I felt like, there with the first two guys getting on it was our best chance. I'd rather use him in that situation. We can hold them right there. I just want to give our guys every opportunity to have a shot to come back. It was a tough spot for Alexis to come in. He understood the situation and he was a pitch away from getting out of it. That was the thinking. I had a couple guys not feeling well that have been used a lot so. we did get Lucas up. We did not want to pitch him today. He would have pitched the 10th. And Daniel would have been used for the third day. I just felt it was our best chance to win that game."

The Reds brought the tying run to the plate with two outs in the eighth against Minter. Joe Jimenez gave up McLain's third double to cut the lead one run.

Daniel Duarte entered to start the ninth inning, pitching a 1-2-3 inning.

Raisel Iglesias, who gave up two home runs on Saturday before getting his 11th save faced De la Cruz to lead off the Reds' ninth, needing a run to tie. He struck out De la Cruz for the third time in the game. Fraley, who hit one of the home runs on Saturday. Fraley singled. India went to 3-2 again. He fought off a pitch and dumped a bloop single to send Fraley to third. Newman hit into a 5-4-3 double play to end the game.