[August 23, 2014]CINCINNATI -- Justin Upton produced
the game-winning blow in the 12th inning. But it was what starter Mike
Minor almost did that had the Atlanta Braves clubhouse buzzing on Friday
night.
Minor lost a no-hit bid in the eighth inning before Upton
launched a two-run home run off Manny Parra in the 12th, lifting the
Braves to a 3-1 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on a hot, humid
evening at Great American Ball Park.
Minor held Cincinnati hitless until center fielder Billy Hamilton's
RBI single with two outs in the eighth tied the score 1-1.
Minor, who was attempting to become the first Braves pitcher to
throw a no-hitter since Kent Mercker on April 8, 1994, at Dodger
Stadium, walked four and struck out five over 107 pitches. He
would've been the 15th Braves pitcher to accomplish the feat.
It was Minor's third straight quality start.
"You can see the confidence," said Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez.
"His command was outstanding. His stuff was electric. There's
definitely been significant progress from where he was three weeks
ago."
Red-hot Upton went 3-for-6 with a triple, homer and two RBIs,
extending his hitting streak to 13 games.
"We could've been playing all night, or we could've lost," said
Minor. "Justin came up big for us."
David Hale (4-4) earned the win. Craig Kimbrel notched his 38th
save. Parra (0-1) took the loss for Cincinnati (61-68), which
extended its losing streak to seven, while Atlanta (68-61) defeated
the Reds for the fifth straight time this season.
Hamilton went 2-for-4 with an RBI and three stolen bases.
"The kid pitched a nice ballgame," said Reds manager Bryan Price of
Minor. "We couldn't do much against him. That being said, since we
started this losing streak, we'd been scoring plenty of runs. It's
discouraging, frustrating -- whatever word you want to use."
The Braves stranded 12 runners and went 1-for-8 with runners in
scoring position before Upton's blast.
"If we can hit home runs we're going to win games," said Braves
catcher Gerald Laird. "Our big boys are putting good swings on it
right now."
Minor, who owns just one career complete game, pitched under
pressure most of the way with the Braves unable to extend a one-run
lead.
With the no-hitter intact in the eighth, Minor walked shortstop Zack
Cozart with one out. Third baseman Chris Johnson charged
pinch-hitter Chris Heisey's slow roller and threw to first for the
second out with Cozart advancing to second.
But Hamilton's soft liner eluded shortstop Andrelton Simmons and
dropped into center field, ending the no-hitter and the shutout as
Cozart raced home to tie the score.
"He had a no-hitter going, but we were only down one run," said
Hamilton. "We still could've won the game. I've been focusing on
hitting with runners in scoring position."
The run salvaged a solid outing from Reds starter Mat Latos, who struggled
at times with his command but was able to minimize the damage, giving up
just one run in six innings and a season-high nine hits.
The Reds overcame a defensive lapse in the second inning when Simmons'
routine fly ball dropped between left fielder Ryan Ludwick and center
fielder Hamilton for a double.
Latos intentionally walked catcher Gerald Laird, then unintentionally
walked Minor to load the bases. But right fielder Jason Heyward grounded
to first to end the inning.
Atlanta loaded the bases again with one out in the third inning and
pushed across a run on second baseman Tommy La Stella's fielder's choice
grounder.
Minor, meanwhile, rolled through the Reds order, retiring the first 10
batters he faced before walking third baseman Todd Frazier with one out
in the fourth inning.
Warning-track fly balls by Hamilton and Ludwick were the hardest-hit
balls off Minor through five innings.
"I wasn't as focused on the no-hitter as I was on it being a 1-0 game,"
said Minor. "We stayed with the two-seam fastballs. We wanted to see if
they would make an adjustment. I left a couple in the middle of the
plate but they were caught."
NOTES: The Reds optioned LHP David Holmberg to Triple-A Louisville on
Friday and recalled RHP Daniel Corcino from Triple-A. ... Commissioner
Bud Selig was in Cincinnati on Friday for the opening of an MLB Urban
Youth Academy. He later addressed reporters at Great American Ball Park.
"The thing I'm proudest of ... a lot, but mostly the economic
reformation of the game," said Selig, who is retiring in January. "The
first thing I do is look at the standings in the paper. Today you see
Milwaukee in first place, Kansas City in first place, Oakland battling.
This didn't happen 15 or 18 years ago." ... Atlanta's 8-0 win over
Cincinnati was one of five shutouts on Thursday, the highest total on a
day when eight or fewer games were played since April 25, 1966.
