Dateline: Cincinnati
Nick Lodolo cooled off the hot Atlanta Braves with his second straight quality start. JJ Bleday doubled Elly De La Cruz, who left the game early, twice. The Reds pulled out a 6-4 win.
The Reds improve to 30-28 and have not been swept in a series at home since August 16-18 against the Kansas City Royals, who come in for a three-game series starting Monday (060126).
There was drama at the end but the Reds held on.
As he has the last three games, Ronald Acuna Jr. homered. On Friday he led off the game with a home run. Today, he launched one on the first pitch from Nick Lodolo.
It is his fifth home run in the last four games, seventh in the season and the 39th time he's led off a game with a home run.
The Reds came right back against Braves' starter Spencer Strider. Elly De La Cruz singled and scored when JJ Bleday doubled into the right field corner, his 25th RBI of the season which didn't start until April 26.
The Reds took the lead in the third inning with two out, De La Cruz walked. He stole second and took third on Chadwick Tromp's throwing error. Bleday followed with his second RBI double of the game.
"I think we're good. We've had some injuries and what not. If we keep our heads down and trust in the process. I like where we are right now," Bleday said. "I feel really good right now. I don't want to get too far ahead of myself and just win each pitch."
The Reds scored an unearned run to extend their lead in the fourth inning. Spencer Steer beat out an infield hit to shortstop, Ha-Seong Kim. Will Benson doubled over the head of Acuna in right field. When Acuna dropped the ball trying to throw to the infield, Steer scored.
Lodolo retired 12 of 13 batters until Jorge Mateo led off the fifth inning with his fourth home run of the season and second in two days.
"I thought he (Lodolo) was pretty good," Francona said. "It was against a pretty good lineup."
De La Cruz hit a line drive to the gap in right center in the fifth. He limped around first and had to leave the game with tightness in his right hamstring. Matt McLain had to run for De La Cruz, who has a 277 game streak without missing a game. Sal Stewart singled McLain to third and Eugenio drove in the Reds fourth run with a deep fly out to Acuna in right.
The Braves loaded the bases in the sixth on singles by Harris and Ozzie Albies and a walk to Mauricio Dubon. Austin Riley hit a sacrifice fly to center to make it a one-run game. Mateo flied out to left as Lodolo kept the lead.
"They keep coming at you," Terry Francona said. "They have a fabulous bullpen. They hit the ball out of the ballpark. You can see why they are where they are."
Steer, who has reached base in 19 straight games, walked against Didier Fuentes to lead off the bottom of the sixth. Steer went to second on a passed ball and scored on a double by P.J. Higgins.
Lodolo came out for the seventh inning he got Kim and pinch hitter Eli White on easy fly outs then cautiously walked Acuna. Brock Burke came in to pitch to Harris, who was 2-for-2 with a walk. Harris flied out to left.
"Burke did a pretty good job," Francona said.
Lodolo had his longest outing of the season 6 2/3 innings. He allowed three runs in a quality start on five hits and four walks. He struck out four. He dropped his ERA from 5.57 to 5.20.
"I was ahead for the most part, overall I thought it was pretty solid," Lodolo said. "Today was a pretty good step. I did things I wanted to do better, the timing and everything is a good step in the right direction."
Eugenio Suarez hit his fourth home run with two outs in the bottom of the seventh. It came against Dylan Dodd.
Burke retired the Braves in order in the eighth inning.
Tony Santillan started the ninth inning looking for his third save of the season but after he got Riley to fly out to left, pinch hitter Dominic Smith walked. Pinch hitter Mike Yaztremski singled to center. Sandy Leon flied out to left for the second out. Acuna drove in Smith with a single and became the tying run at first base.
Terry Francona went to Sam Moll to pitch to Harris the count went full as Harris lined a ball down the first base line that hooked foul. Harris walked to load the bases but Matt Olson grounded out to third baseman Sal Stewart and Moll picked up his first save of the season.
It was Moll's second career save and first since June 27, 2023 against the New York Yankees as a member of the Oakland Athletics.
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