Braves 6, Reds 5
Freddie Freeman validated being voted onto the National League All-Star team with three hits and four RBIs, sparking host Atlanta in the opener of a four-game series.
Freeman, who won fan voting Thursday for the final spot on the National League squad, finished 3-for-4 and Justin Upton added three hits for the Braves, who improved to a major-league best 30-13 at home. Tim Hudson (6-7) held Cincinnati to four runs (three earned) on eight hits in seven innings and Craig Kimbrel pitched around a leadoff single in the ninth for his 25th save.
Mat Latos (8-3) lasted just four innings, allowing a season high-tying six runs on nine hits with seven strikeouts in losing for the third time in five starts. Brandon Phillips drove in two runs and Shin-Soo Choo finished 2-for-4 with three runs scored for the Reds.
Freeman doubled home two runs in the first to tie the game at 2-2, and singled home a run in the second to give the Braves advantage. Reed Johnson’s RBI-triple and Upton’s double in the fourth put Atlanta up 5-3, and Freeman followed with a RBI single.
The Reds jumped ahead 2-0 in the first on RBI singles from Phillips and Jay Bruce, and Joey Votto’s third-inning sacrifice fly to center tied the score at 3-3. Phillips’ one-out double in the eighth pulled Cincinnati within 6-5, but the Reds left two runners on base.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Atlanta RF Jason Heyward left the game in the second inning with a strained right hamstring. He will be re-evaluated on Friday. … Cincinnati placed C Ryan Hanigan (sprained left wrist) on the disabled list and recalled C Corky Miller from Triple-A Louisville. … The Reds bullpen pitched four solid innings and have fired 28 2/3 scoreless frames dating back to June 28.