In a thrilling Thursday night showdown at Great American Ball Park, the Cincinnati Reds rallied from an early four‑run hole to beat the National League East champion Atlanta Braves 7-6. The comeback was highlighted by Elly De La Cruz’s 30th home run of the season, a milestone that puts him one stolen base shy of joining the exclusive 30‑30 club in Reds history.
Key moments
The Braves jumped to a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning, capitalizing on a two‑run double by Ronald Acuña Jr. and a solo shot by Austin Riley. Cincinnati answered in the third when De La Cruz launched a solo homer to right field, extending his personal best for a single game.
Rookie Carlos Jorge added a first‑career home run to start the game, and Héctor Rodríguez delivered a decisive two‑run blast in the sixth inning off Atlanta reliever AJ Smith‑Shawver, putting the Reds ahead 7-6.
Pitching performances
Red’s starter Brady Singer lasted three innings, surrendering five runs on seven hits. He was relieved by Connor Phillips, who secured the win by retiring the side in order for the final four outs. Phillips, now 2-0, earned his second victory of the season.
For Atlanta, right‑hander Tyler Mahle struggled in the early innings, allowing five runs in five innings. It was his toughest outing since joining the Braves at the trade deadline, though he had posted two‑run or fewer outings in each of his previous eight starts.
Implications
With the loss, the Braves secured the No. 3 seed in the National League playoffs, trailing the Milwaukee Brewers and Los Angeles Dodgers. They will host a best‑of‑three Wild Card Series beginning Tuesday.
De La Cruz’s power surge continues to energize the Reds’ fan base, and his pursuit of the 30‑30 benchmark adds excitement as the regular season draws to a close. The team now looks ahead to a three‑game series against the Toronto Blue Jays, where left‑hander Nick Lodolo (3-6, 5.04 ERA) will take the mound.
Looking ahead
The Braves have yet to announce their starter for the upcoming series opener at Miami. Meanwhile, the Blue Jays will counter Lodolo with right‑hander José Soriano (12-8, 3.72 ERA) on Friday.
Original reporting: WLWT Cincinnati — read the source article.
