Reds at Braves
With an early-afternoon start to Thursday’s finale of the Cincinnati Reds’ four-game series at the Atlanta Braves, both teams hope their starters can provide innings after relying heavily on their bullpens in Wednesday’s 9-8 Atlanta victory in 13 innings. Atlanta first baseman Freddie Freeman experienced a night to remember, becoming the sixth player in Braves’ franchise history to hit for the cycle while finishing with career-high five hits.
The Braves – baseball’s worst team at 19-46 – rode Chase d’Arnaud’s walkoff hit in the 13th to snap a four-game losing streak. The Reds lost for the second time in six games despite striking out a season-high 15 hitters. Right fielder Jay Bruce continues to punish opposing pitchers, going 2-for-6 with a double and two RBIs Wednesday to improve to 4-for-13 with seven RBIs in the first three games of the series. Second baseman Brandon Phillips snapped out of a 2-for-16 slump with three hits Wednesday.
TV: 12:10 p.m. ET, FSN Ohio (Cincinnati), FSN Southeast (Atlanta)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds RH Dan Straily (4-2, 3.15 ERA) vs. Braves RH Matt Wisler (2-7, 4.36)
Straily spent spring training with Houston and San Diego before being released, but the 27-year-old has found a home in Cincinnati’s rotation while holding opponents to a .199 average – fifth-best in the National League. He has been outstanding in his first two June starts, beating Oakland on Saturday with one run allowed on five hits in seven innings, and getting a no-decision after limiting Washington to two runs on two hits in seven frames on June 4. Straily, who faces the Braves for the first time, has surrendered more than three earned runs once in 11 starts.
The biggest area of concern for the 23-year-old Wisler has been homers, giving up 12 blasts in 76 1/3 innings this season after allowing 16 in 109 innings as a rookie in 2015. The Ohio native allowed three homers in each of his past two starts, four-inning efforts in which he took the loss June 5 at the Los Angeles Dodgers (eight runs allowed) and Saturday against the Chicago Cubs (five runs surrendered). Wisler makes his first career appearance against the Reds.
WALK-OFFS
1. Cincinnati starters have failed to pitch more than four innings three times in the past four games.
2. The Braves collected a season-high 19 hits Wednesday.
3. Reds RHP A.J. Morris left Wednesday’s game with a right arm injury.