Braves at Reds
The calendar has flipped from May to June, but Ender Inciarte and Matt Kemp keep piling up the hits as the Atlanta Braves play the middle game of a three-game set Saturday at the Cincinnati Reds. Kemp, who batted .357 last month with 41 hits, collected three in Friday’s series-opening 3-2 10-inning loss while Inciarte, who finished May with 40 hits while batting .336 for the month, went 2-for-4.
Cincinnati was held without a first-inning run for just the second time in the past 11 games Friday, but rallied with two runs in the bottom of the ninth before Devin Mesoraco hit the game-winning solo shot in the 10th. The Reds scored the game-tying run on a wild pitch in the ninth and ended a three-game losing streak, allowing only two runs after surrendering 28 runs during the skid. Shortstop Zack Cozart finished 1-for-4, extending his streak of consecutive games reaching base to 24. Atlanta relievers gave up three runs in two innings (two by Jim Johnson, one by Jose Ramirez), raising the bullpen’s ERA to 4.29 as the Braves have lost five of their past six games.
TV: 4:10 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 1
PITCHING MATCHUP: Braves RH R.A. Dickey (3-4, 4.95 ERA) vs. Reds RH Scott Feldman (4-4, 4.26)
The Braves are 5-5 in Dickey’s 10 starts, but the 42-year-old knuckleballer looks to rebound after a rough showing in Atlanta’s loss Sunday at San Francisco. Dickey gave up seven runs (six earned) in six innings with five walks, the first start of the season in which he allowed more than four earned runs. Right-handers are hitting .303 with a .903 OPS against Dickey, who is 1-2 in four career starts against the Reds.
Feldman looks to win his third consecutive start, after giving up four runs in five innings to beat Philadelphia on Sunday and six one-hit innings with nine strikeouts in a May 22 victory against Cleveland. The 34-year-old has pitched better at home, posting a 3.53 ERA in six home starts with 30 strikeouts and 12 walks in 35 2/3 innings. Feldman is 0-2 in three career appearances against Atlanta and will be facing the Braves for the first time since 2014.
WALK-OFFS
1. Atlanta juggled its roster Friday, activating 3B Adonis Garcia and P Eric O’Flaherty from the disabled list while promoting INF Johan Camargo, optioning P Matt Wisler and INF Jace Peterson to Triple-A Gwinnett, and designating OF Emilio Bonifacio for assignment.
2. Cincinnati C Tucker Barnhart has hit safely in 12 of his past 14 appearances, hitting .311 in that stretch.
3. The Reds have won seven of the past eight series at home against Atlanta.