Hernandez Ks 3 with bases loaded, Reds beat Braves 4-2
CINCINNATI (AP) -- Reliever David Hernandez struck out three straight with the bases loaded, Eugenio Suarez drove in three and the Cincinnati Reds beat the Atlanta Braves 4-2 Thursday night in a rain-delayed victory.
Luis Castillo shook off early problems to pitch six scoreless innings for the Reds but loaded the bases to start the seventh. Hernandez relieved and struck out Dansby Swanson, Ender Inciarte and Ozzie Albies to maintain a 3-0 lead, getting a high-five procession in the dugout.
Freddie Freeman hit a two-run homer for Atlanta, but the Reds held on for their second win in the three-game series.
Raisel Iglesias got the final five outs for his sixth save.
The game was delayed 2 hours, 42 minutes by rain in the middle of the seventh.
Castillo (3-1) allowed a season-high five hits over the first three innings but retired nine straight before getting into trouble in the seventh. He also got his first hit of the season and scored on Suarez's drive off the left field wall. Suarez was thrown out at second.
Suarez delivered a drive to almost the exact same spot in the fifth for a two-run double.
Atlanta's Ronald Acuna Jr., the reigning NL Rookie of the Year, celebrated the first anniversary of his major league debut in Cincinnati last season by going 1 for 3 with a walk, but he was robbed twice by Suarez. The third baseman barehanded a slow bouncer behind the bag and threw Acuna out at first to end the first and made a diving stab of Acuna's sharp one-hopper to lead off the fourth.
Julio Teheran (2-3) pitched six innings, allowing five hits and three runs with three walks and seven strikeouts. He also hit a batter.
Yasiel Puig fumbled his way into an outfield assist in the third. He misplayed Freeman's hit in right field but recovered in time to throw out Freeman at second base.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Braves: RHP Darren O'Day is scheduled to be re-evaluated Tuesday. O'Day has been out all season with a right forearm strain and still is not throwing.
Reds: LHP Alex Wood threw a bullpen Wednesday in Arizona and is scheduled to throw another Saturday. Wood has been out all season with back spasms. He will need two or three bullpen sessions before the team decides on its next move, manager David Bell said Thursday.
UP NEXT
Braves: Atlanta hopes to improve on its 7-6 home record during a seven-game stand that opens Friday with the first of three against Colorado.
Reds: Cincinnati opens a seven-game road trip Friday with the first of three in St. Louis. They are the last seven of a stretch in which the Reds play 20 of 26 games away from Great American Ball Park.
