Matt Olson capped an explosive series with a tiebreaking three-run homer to lead the visiting Atlanta Braves to a 7-6 win Sunday over the Cincinnati Reds.
Olson, who belted his 200th career homer in Saturday’s win, finished the three-game set with four home runs, giving him 25 on the season. The Braves won their 10th game in 11 tries and lead the majors with 139 home runs.
The Braves won the rubber game of intensely fought three-game series in Cincinnati. Atlanta finished the season series winning five of the six meetings between the two clubs, with all six games decided by one run.
Raisel Iglesias earned his second save in as many days and his 12th in 14 chances this season when Kevin Newman grounded into a 5-4-3 double play to end the game with the potential tying run at third base.
The Reds rookie class did it again Sunday, as Matt McLain doubled three times, homered, collected 10 total bases in four at-bats and drove in five runs for the Reds, who lost their second straight after a franchise-tying 12-game win streak.
The four total extra-base hits matched a Reds rookie record, last set by Chris Sabo on June 18, 1988.
Atlanta starter and winner Charlie Morton (7-6) worked out of trouble all day, allowed three runs on seven hits over five innings.
The Braves scored first for the third straight game, scoring three times in the third against emergency starter Levi Stoudt, filling in for the injured Ben Lively.
The injury-riddled Cincinnati pitching staff was not only forced to promote Stoudt but called on right-hander Randy Wynne to make his major league debut to start the fourth inning.
Wynne (0-1) allowed a one-out double to Acuna in the sixth before being lifted for Ian Gibaut. The third Reds pitcher of the day struck out Ozzie Albies before walking Austin Riley. Olson then drove a high fastball to the seats in left for his team-leading 25th homer of the season and a 6-3 Atlanta lead.
McLain’s third hit of the day, his fifth homer, was a fly ball that landed in the right field seats to cut Atlanta’s lead to 6-4 in the seventh. The Braves answered with another run when Alexis Diaz relieved Buck Farmer and walked two batters, including one to force in a run with the bases loaded.
–Field Level Media