The Braves got seven runs in the first five innings Monday night, with Freddie Freeman collecting three hits in that span including an RBI triple and two-run homer.
They got the first two-walk and first two-stolen base game from rookie Mallex Smith, who did that in the first seven innings from the leadoff spot, plus singled and scored on Freeman's homer.
And after the Cincinnati Reds scored two runs against rookie Ryan Weber in the sixth to take back the lead, the Braves got a leadoff homer from Adonis Garcia in the eighth to tie it.
But here’s what the Braves ultimately got: another loss after closer Arodys Vizcaino issued a bases-loaded walk in the ninth.
The Reds beat the Braves, 9-8, in the opener of a four-game series at Turner Field, with Vizcaino swallowing his second “L” in seven days and the Braves losing for the ninth time in 11 games.
“We came back, kept pushing and got ahead,” Freeman said. “It was just one of those things where we couldn’t close it out.”
Atlanta fell to 2-34 in games when trailing after seven innings, and 0-6 when tied after eight.
Vizcaino’s consecutive walks in the ninth proved decisive, and rookie starter Aaron Blair’s three straight walks in the third inning — one with bases loaded — also were costly.
Vizcaino (1-2) gave up a run on one hit and three walks in the ninth, after allowing three hits, two runs and a walk in one-third of an inning in a 4-3 walk-off loss Tuesday at San Diego.
“We did some good things,” Braves interim manager Brian Snitker said. “Something we haven’t been doing is scoring some runs, and we did that. It’s just a shame we can’t get everything on the same page like that, because you kind of see bits and spurts of what we’re capable of.”
The first walk by Vizcaino was intentional, to Jay Bruce with first base open and one out, after Joey Votto’s leadoff double caromed off third baseman Garcia’s glove as Garcia attempted an over-the-shoulder catch in left field, with the outfield at “no-doubles” depth.
But the second and third walks were unintentional and damaging, to Eugenio Suarez and Tyler Holt consecutively with two outs. One loaded the bases, the second brought in the go-ahead run.
The Braves’ majors-worst record fell to 18-45, the franchise’s worst through 63 games since the 1911 Boston Rustlers (14-49).
“We put ourselves in position to win,” Snitker said. “The guys kept fighting back. Too many walks early, but we came roaring back. Give ourselves a chance to blow it open in the eighth.”
Indeed, after Garcia’s tying homer to start the eighth, the Braves had two on with none out in the inning and loaded the bases with one out. But Smith lined out to second and Ender Inciarte grounded out to end the inning.
Blair toiled through a 30-pitch, three-run first inning and lasted five innings, giving up four hits, six runs and four walks with three strikeouts.
After Freeman’s two-run homer in the fifth put Atlanta ahead, 7-6, Weber gave up two runs in the sixth on three hits and a wild pitch.
Blair retired nine of last 10 batters he faced, beginning with a pair of sacrifice flies in the third inning after giving up a single and three consecutive walks to start the inning.
Things started messy with a 30-pitch first inning for Blair, who walked leadoff hitter Zack Cozart, retired the next two batters, then gave up a triple to Jay Bruce on an 0-2 count and a two-run homer by Adam Duvall, pushing the lead to 3-0 before the third out of the game.
After pitching a perfect second inning with two strikeouts, Blair labored in an unusual three-run third inning that went this way: Cozart leadoff single, walk, walk, walk, sac fly, sac fly, line-out.
“I looked up and I think it was six runs in three hits at one point, with all the walks,” Snitker said. “That’s just hard. You can’t defend (against a walk), you can’t do anything with it. Then he ended up retiring nine out of 10, seemed like he got tired of it and got aggressive. That’s kind of the way you’ve got to start the game.”
Blair remained 0-4 in nine starts as his ERA climbed to 7.59. After posting a 3.31 ERA in his first three starts, he has a 10.50 ERA in his past six starts, allowing 35 hits, five homers and 16 walks with 19 strikeouts in 24 innings.
He needed 103 pitches (61 strikes) to get through five innings, the second time he worked more than 4 1/3 innings in his past six starts. Snitker plans to keep Blair in the rotation for at least another start and hope he carries forward the momentum from retiring all but one of his last 10 batters.
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