Atlanta Braves Lose in a Walkoff to Reds 4-3

Well, you can’t win ’em all.  The Atlanta Braves fall to the Cincinnati Reds 4-3 in the bottom of the ninth on a pinch hit RBI double by Devin Mesoraco.  Mesoraco has been unable to catch games behind the plate for the Reds as a hip injury makes it painful for him to get down into a crouch.  That doesn’t mean that the Reds All-Star catcher can’t still swing the bat.  His double off Jason Grilli to leftfield plated pinch runner Michael Lorenzen from first as Andrelton Simmons could not receive Jonny Gomes’ throw from left cleanly.  After defeating the Reds last night on what was a wild pitch from fireballer Aroldis Chapman, the three game set goes into the finale tied a game apiece.

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Rookie Mike Foltynewicz pitched well tonight, going 6.2 innings allowing just 2 earned runs.  The walks were still prevalent for Folty but so were the strikeouts.  His quality start gave the Braves a chance to win but an errant throw on a Zack Cozart bunt well into centerfield left Folty with a no-decision.

Atlanta left too many men on base tonight.  It seemed like the Braves stranded runners every inning.  Perhaps the amazing RISP numbers for the Braves are beginning to fall back to Earth.  I felt like Atlanta had too many unproductive outs at the plate tonight, too.  At least four outs were easy pop-ups for infielders in foul territory.  Although Eric Young, Jr. had a nice sacrifice bunt to advance Jace Peterson to third base in the top of the sixth inning, Atlanta didn’t move runners over like I know they can.

Outside of a two-run blast by Todd Frazier in the bottom of the first, this series has been played inside the fence almost entirely.  I did not expect more gap doubles than home runs playing in Great American Ball Park.  These two teams are pretty evenly matched.  I believe that this series will come down to which bullpen caves first tomorrow night.  Last night it was Aroldis Chapman.  Tonight it was Jason Grilli.

Eric Stults will take the mound for the Atlanta Braves in the series finale against Raisel Iglesias of the Cincinnati Reds.  First pitch is at 7:10 PM ET.