Primed to build on their above .500 record, the Braves have faltered thus far in Cincinnati, dropping the first two of four to the hapless Reds.
Cincinnati had three wins in 21 tries entering the series. It’s 2-for-2 against the Braves.
The Reds have scored 19 runs in two games. They entered the game ranked last in runs scored (61) and homers (11), while second-to-last in OPS (29) and 27th in average (.220).
Cincinnati has scored 24 percent of its season’s runs against the Braves in two games.
Here are five other things to know about the first two games:
1 At least Freddie Freeman is hitting. He blasted two homers on Tuesday, including one in the seventh inning that broke up Tyler Mahle's no-hitter, for his 12th career multi-homer game.
The same can be said for Nick Markakis. Hitting clean-up the past two nights, the veteran has gone 5-for-8 with a double, home run, two walks and two runs scored. He’s found a way on base in 20 of the team’s 22 games.
Ender Inciarte, after his usual sluggish start, is finding a groove. His two-run single in the ninth tied the game. Inciarte’s riding an eight-game hitting streak, hitting .378 (14-for-37).
2 Tuesday was a long day for Max Fried. The young lefty woke up at 5:45, caught a flight from Rochester to Chicago to Cincinnati, appeared in the 12th inning and gave up the game-ending two-run homer to Scooter Gennett.
“I have to make a better pitch,” Fried said. “I left a two-strike curveball up that I was trying to leave in the dirt. But I have to make a better pitch in that situation.”
Speaking of homers, Joey Votto hit his first Tuesday off Brandon McCarthy. Votto, arguably the best hitter in the NL, is hitting .244, a slow start for the future Hall of Famer who rarely slumps.
3 The once-hot Ryan Flaherty has cooled off considerably in the Buckeye state. Flaherty is 0-for-9 with five strikeouts in the series. Two nights have dropped his former National League-high .362 average to .313.
It's possible Jose Bautista could supplant Flaherty at third by this weekend in Philadelphia.
4 Bullpen walks continue to hamper the Braves. Sam Freeman was erratic Monday, prompting Snitker to say he needs a little rest. A.J. Minter, Dan Winkler, Peter Moylan and Jesse Biddle have all had good and bad moments.
While Flaherty and Preston Tucker have at least somewhat lost their hot hands, Shane Carle remains reliable in the Braves’ bullpen. He pitched two innings, the ninth and 10th, Tuesday and gave the Braves a chance to win.
His ERA sits at 1.06, and he’s managed to avoid the walking troubles surrounding his colleagues. He’s been by far the team’s best reliever.
5 Matt Wisler, the only Braves starter to go seven innings this season, will try to stop the bleeding Wednesday. The Bryan, Ohio native will have family in attendance, and he's thankful to have earned another look.
“I’ve had my ups and downs before, so I’ve got to go out there on the mound and try to earn my spot every time,” Wisler said. “Nothing’s going to be given this year. So I’ve got to go out there and do the best of my capabilities and try to earn some more starts.”
