Reds fall to Braves 4-1 in rain-shortened affair

The Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game

/checks notes

Rain. Rain won this one, as the two clubs only completed 6+ innings before things were called with the Cincinnati Reds a 4-1 loser.

It’s a bit of a tough pill to swallow considering the game was still, in theory, quite in reach, but that’s why you win the close ones months ago so that this one doesn’t sting as badly, right?

Sigh.

Key Plays

• A grand total of 3 pitches into Anthony DeSclafani’s evening, the Braves had runners on the corners after a leadoff double down the LF line by Ronald Acuna and a single into CF by Ozzie Albies. About a billion pitches later, Freddie Freeman then cleared the bags with an opposite field 3-run blast, one that came after he fouled out seemingly everything Disco could think to throw to him. Reds trailed, 3-0.
• The Reds punched back in the Top of the 2nd off Max Fried, however. Phil Ervin began things by legging out an infield single, and Jose Iglesias followed with a single of his own. Ervin moved up to 3B on a 6-4-3 double play off the bat of Aristides Aquino, and Phlerv later scored on a big 2-out single into LF by Peraza. Reds trailed, 3-1.
• Wandy Peralta took over for the Reds for the Bottom of the 6th, and he promptly served up a meatball to Adam Duvall, who clubbed a solo dinger against his former club to make it a 4-1 Reds deficit.
• Phlerv sliced a Fried pitch just foul down the RF line in the Top of the 7th, but that was unfortunately the last pitch we saw on the night. The rain rolled in, a delay ensued, and after seemingly endless hours without baseball, the game was officially called. Reds lost, 4-1.

Tony Graphanino

Other Notes

• Disco’s night got off to a rough start, but he settled in nicely after that. His spot in the lineup was due to lead off the Top of the 6th, however, and he was pulled after just 92 pitches because his Reds were behind. His final line: 5 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, BB, 5 K.
• Trevor Bauer will make his Cincinnati Reds debut on Saturday, and he’ll do so opposite another big name pitcher that many once wanted to be on the Reds, too - Dallas Keuchel. Keuchel, of course, didn’t sign until mid-season, and didn’t cost the Atlanta Braves Taylor Trammell to acquire. Just thinking out loud here in the comfort of these Other Notes.
• As for Friday’s game between Cincinnati and Atlanta, it will be a homecoming game for Alex Wood in his second start as a Red. Wood, of course, was originally drafted by Atlanta in the 2nd round of the 2012 MLB Draft out of the University of Georgia and appeared in 86 big league games for the Braves prior to being traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers in a 3-team deal that included current and former Reds such as Bronson Arroyo, Jose Peraza, and Mat Latos. Atlanta will counter with Kevin Gausman, with first pitch set for 7:20 PM ET.
• Tunes.