Reds offense struggles again in 3-1 loss to Braves

The Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game

This wasn’t the best game he has pitched this season, and he mostly worked out of trouble all night, but Tanner Roark was able to limit damage and keep the Reds in a game where he was let down by the offense and a costly defensive miscue. Roark hasn’t been as flashy as Luis Castillo or Sonny Gray, but he has kept runs off the board for the most part and given the Reds plenty of chances to win. That is all you can ask for when you acquire someone like Roark. His line against Atlanta wasn’t spectacular, but he went 5 innings and allowed 2 runs (1 earned) on 6 hits with 3 walks and 4 strikeouts.

Honorable mentions are due to: Joey Votto, for walking twice, and scoring; and Jesse Winker and Yasiel Puig for each going 2 for 4, with Jesse Winker driving in the lone run.

Key Plays

• The Braves wasted no time getting on the board tonight, as Ozzie Albies took the first pitch of the night from Tanner Roark and launched into the right field seats to give Atlanta a 1-0 lead.
• The Reds were able to get that run back almost as quickly. Joey Votto led off with a walk and then moved to 2nd on a base hit by Eugenio Suarez. That brought up Jesse Winker, who hit a line drive into left field and brought around Votto to tie it at 1-1.
• Things held there until the top of the 5th. Roark had been dancing around trouble all night and it finally got to him, though he didn’t get much help from the defense in this inning. He led off by hitting Freddie Freeman with a pitch. After Freeman was retired by a force out that left Ronald Acuna on 1st, Nick Markakis would line a single into right. Unfortunately, that line drive was played a little too aggressively by Yasiel Puig and it would get past the right fielder and roll all the way to the wall, allowing Acuna to score. Braves led, 2-1.
• The Braves tacked on another run in the top of the 9th. Robert Stephenson walked Ozzie Albies and then allowed a rare run when Josh Donaldson lined a double to the wall in left. That brought around Albies and gave the Braves a 3-1 lead. The Reds were unable to do anything in the bottom of the inning, and the Braves would win 3-1.

Tony Graphanino

Other Notes

• The Reds did not have an extra-base hit tonight. Woof.
• The Reds will face off against Atlanta again tomorrow in the rubber match. Luis Castillo will face off against Julio Teheran. First pitch is scheduled for 6:40 PM EDT.
• Tunes.