Reds at Braves
Ozzie Albies is in just his second full big-league season but is a big reason why the Atlanta Braves' future is bright entering the finale of a four-game home series against the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday. The 22-year-old second baseman led the way in Saturday’s 5-4 victory with a triple, two stolen bases and two runs scored, giving Albies 10 steals to go with 29 doubles, 15 homers and 68 runs scored this season as the National League East leaders won for the fourth time in five games.
Albies hit just .231 against right-handed pitchers last season but has raised that mark to .263 in 2019, recording his 40th multi-hit game of 2019 as the Braves survived newly-acquired closer Shane Greene blowing the save in the ninth inning of his Atlanta debut with outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr's first career walkoff hit in the 10th. It was a difficult loss for the Reds, who fell for the third time in their past eight games thanks in large part to Cincinnati pitchers issuing nine walks. Right fielder Aristides Aquino recorded his first major-league hit with a second-inning single and added a three-run game-tying homer in the seventh inning. One night after reaching base five times, third baseman Eugenio Suarez finished 2-for-5 with a run scored Saturday and in his past 14 games is hitting .375 with five homers, 11 RBIs and nine runs scored.
TV: 1:20 p.m. ET, FS Ohio (Cincinnati), FS South (Atlanta)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds RH Sonny Gray (6-6, 3.45 ERA) vs. Braves RH Julio Teheran (6-7, 3.38)
Gray earned his second career All-Star berth after going 5-5 with a 3.59 ERA in the first half, and he’s been even better in four starts since the break, going 1-1 with a 2.96 mark while limiting opponents to a .202 average. The 29-year-old allowed four runs (his highest total since June 21) on six hits over 5 1/3 innings Monday in a victory over Pittsburgh, and across his past six outings has walked eight with 45 strikeouts across 38 2/3 innings. Gray is 0-2 with a 4.34 ERA in three career starts against Atlanta, allowing four runs on six hits with nine strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings on April 23 in Cincinnati.
Teheran continues to author a stellar season, posting a 1.28 WHIP while holding opponents to a .224 average through 23 starts. The 28-year-old has shined since the end of April, going 4-3 in 16 starts - allowing two earned runs of fewer in 14 of those outings - with a 2.50 ERA with 66 hits allowed in 86 1/3 innings as the Braves are 12-4 in those games. Teheran, who is 3-3 with a 2.26 ERA in 10 home starts, surrendered three runs on five hits with seven strikeouts over six innings in an April 25 loss at Cincinnati.
WALK-OFFS
1. Atlanta INF-OF Johan Camargo is 5-for-37 in 10 games since taking over for injured SS Dansby Swanson (bruised right heel), who still isn’t ready to begin a minor-league rehab assignment.
2. Cincinnati LHP Amir Garrett, appealing an eight-game suspension resulting from Tuesday’s brawl versus Pittsburgh, allowed a run in one inning Saturday in his first appearance since the incident.
3. Greene allowed a pair of bloop hits in the ninth, giving up one run on three hits with one walk after converting 22 saves with Detroit before being traded to Atlanta on Wednesday.