Acuna blasts two homers, Braves bullpen shuts down Reds again in 5-2 victory

CINCINNATI — In the visitors clubhouse Saturday, Ronald Acuña Jr., after hitting two home runs against the Reds, was on a video call with former Braves designated hitter Marcell Ozuna.

“He wants my bat,” Acuña said.

And with good reason.

Acuña’s two home runs were a big part of the story at Great American Ballpark where the Braves beat the Reds to become the first team to win 40 games. Acuña how has four home runs in three games after hitting two in his first 42 of the season.

“Amazing. I’m feeling better and better every day,” Acuña said. “Like we say before, I’m working with my hitting coach, coaching staff in the cage, so I’m feeling better.”

Acuña also drew a walk and stole two bases as the Braves improved to 16-2-1 in 19 series played this season. They also won their 23rd road game.

Relievers Tyler Kinley, Dylan Lee, Robert Suarez and Raisel Iglesias, respectively, shut out the Reds over the final four innings Saturday and were all equally important on the mound as Acuña was at the plate. Iglesias’ 1-2-3 ninth gave the closer his 10th save in 10 tries this season and made the Braves 33-0 when leading after eight innings.

“That’s kind of what we’re doing, just taking it day by day, hoping whenever our time gets called we’re ready to go,” Braves’ bridge man Dylan Lee said before answering the question about what it’s like when Saurez and Iglesias come in behind him with, “where’s the popcorn? It’s that kind of show.”

Braves relievers have pitched eight straight scoreless innings in the series since Didier Fuentes gave up just a single run in the fifth inning Friday.

The Braves will go for the sweep at 1:40 p.m. Sunday.

As they have done now 34 times this season, Atlanta scored first Saturday when Mike Yastrzemski drove in Ozzie Albies with an RBI single in the second. In the bottom of that inning, however, JJ Bleday hit his second home run in as many days, a two-run 363-footer off a hanging curveball giving the Reds a 2-1 lead.

Acuña got the Braves level quickly with a solo home run in the third, this one barely making it over the right field wall. Acuña’s fifth long ball of the season marked the first time he has hit home runs in three straight games since Aug. 31-Sept 2, 2023, in Los Angeles against the Dodgers.

“When he gets going he’s one of those guys that almost makes the game look easy because there’s not a lot of effort, and big things happen,” Braves manager Walt Weiss said. “We’ve all seen him when he’s going good. He’s one of the best that he is when he gets right. It’s good to see him really start to take off.”

Jorge Mateo put the Braves back in front with a 410-foot solo home run to left in the fifth. It was Mateo’s third home run of the season and first since May 3 in Denver.

The Braves left the bases loaded in the fifth against Reds starter Brady Singer (2-5) who gave up three earned runs on four hits and four walks. But Matt Olson eventually padded the Braves’ lead in the seventh with a two-out, two-strike homer off reliever Brocke Burke. Olson’s 16th home run of the season that landed atop the Reds’ bullpen in left center.

Then, in the ninth, Acuña hit a 405-foot shot to center. It was his 15th career multihomer game and first since July 9 in Sacramento.

“More confidence for me, help my team win this game,” Acuña said of the second homer. “We come in (Sunday) with the same mentality.”