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Braves Split Series With Reds, Maintain 7 Game Lead Over Nationals

By Deke Lloyd

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - JULY 12: Ronald Acuna Jr. #13 of the Atlanta Braves is congratulated in the dugout after hitting a solo homerun during the fifth inning of a game against the San Diego Padres at PETCO Park on July 12, 2019 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - JULY 12: Ronald Acuna Jr. #13 of the Atlanta Braves is congratulated in the dugout after hitting a solo homerun during the fifth inning of a game against the San Diego Padres at PETCO Park on July 12, 2019 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /
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The Braves kept pace over the Washington Nationals by splitting a four-game set with the Cincinnati Reds. Their NL East lead remains safe at 7 games heading into a road series with the Minnesota Twins.

Coming into this series with the Reds, the Braves were riding the high of taking two out of three from the Washington Nationals and making trades to shore up the bullpen. The Braves kept their momentum in the first game of the series by winning in a rain-shortened game. Max Fried, who pitched all six innings of the first game, was credited with his first complete-game win as a starter.

The Reds were up for a fight in the second game of the series, taking the game 5-2. The third game would belong to the Braves and get the team back to winning ways, however. Another milestone happened for Ronald Acuna Jr. when he hit his first-ever walk-off hit of his career in the 10th inning.

The last game of the series would go to extra innings, for the second game in a row. Alas, the Braves would lose this game when their new arrival, Shane Greene, gave up three runs in his one inning of work. Greene has had a rough start to his Braves career, giving up the runs in both of his first two games.

Even with the series split with the Reds, the Braves have maintained a healthy lead of 7 games over the Washington Nationals. Sunday’s loss can be viewed as a missed opportunity to have a bigger lead with the Nationals losing, too. However, that’s not the case. The Braves could have easily won on Sunday, taking 3 of 4 from the Reds, which would make this series look like more of a success. Saturday’s results could have gone the other for the Braves, also, which would have had Braves fans seething over missed chances. The Braves will take their series split in stride and move to the next opponent, the Minnesota Twins.

The Braves will go back on the road for the next week with stops in Minnesota and Miami. The Braves will face off with the Twins for a three-game set. The AL Central leaders have been good all season, but are also are competing with easily the worst division in all of baseball. Weak division or not, the Twins, a playoff team, will be a good test for the Braves to test their merit.

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