LDN - Sports

d'Arnaud's hit lifts Braves to marathon win over Reds

[June 16, 2016] ATLANTA -- It isn't often that a player will hit for the cycle and not be the star of the game.

But that was the case on Wednesday, when Atlanta first baseman Freddie Freeman hit for the cycle and took a back seat to Chase d'Arnaud, who came up with the hit to complete the unlikely winning rally.

d'Arnaud, who also threw out a runner at the plate from left field, drove in the winning run with a single as the Atlanta Braves scored three times in the 13th inning to stun the Cincinnati Reds and score a 9-8 win on Wednesday at Turner Field.

"He can do so much," Braves manager Brian Snitker said. "He throws a runner out, gets a big hit ... he's the star of the game and he played 30 minutes."

With Alfredo Simon pitching (2-7), Adonis Garcia and Nick Markakis singled to lead off the inning. Garcia scored on a double by Jace Peterson and Flowers tied the game with a single through the drawn-in infield.

After an intentional walk to Erick Aybar to load the bases, d'Arnaud hit a fly ball to center field that went over the head of the drawn-in outfield to score Peterson with the winning run. d'Arnaud had entered as a pinch hitter in the 10th inning and stayed in the game to play left field.

d'Arnaud's hit ensured Freddie Freeman's cycle would not be wasted. Freeman became the seventh player in Braves franchise history to hit for the cycle and the first since Mark Kotsay on Aug. 14, 2008 against the Chicago Cubs.

"It would have meant nothing if we hadn't won," Freeman said. "It's a cool feeling. It's nice that it came in a win."

The hit capped a five-hour, 18-minute marathon that saw the Braves finish 7-for-25 with runners in scoring position.

"For entertainment value, that had to be one of the great performances of the year," Cincinnati manager Bryan Price said. "Both teams had a lot of missed opportunities. Either team could have won that game by a handful of runs, but that's baseball."

Alexi Ogando (2-1) was credited with the win despite allowing a bases-loaded walk to Jose Peraza and an RBI single to first baseman Joey Votto in the 13th.

The Braves had a chance to win it in the 11th inning but left the bases loaded against Tony Cingrani. It was the second straight night Atlanta had failed to produce a run with no outs and the bases loaded in a late-inning situation.

"We were able to work through it in the 11th with the five-man infield and a great job by Tony Cingrani," Cincinnati manager Bryan Price said. "But you can't put yourself in that situation too often and think you're going to win those game or hold on to win those games."

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Atlanta starter Bud Norris pitched five innings and allowed three runs on three hits and two walks. He matched his season high with seven strikeouts and received no decision.

Norris left with a 5-3 lead, but Casey Kelly allowed the first four runners to reach in the sixth before giving up an RBI double to Adam Duvall and a two-run single to Ivan De Jesus Jr.

Freeman's 11th home run in the sixth off Josh Smith evened the game at 6-6 and it stayed that way until the wild 13th.

Atlanta got scoreless showings from Ian Krol, Chris Withrow, Hunter Cervenka, Jim Johnson, Arodys Vizaino and Dario Alvarez, who worked two innings in debut with the club after being recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett on Tuesday.

Cincinnati got a scoreless inning apiece from J.J. Hoover and Ross Ohlendorf and two from J.C. Ramirez, who struck out six.

Atlanta took a 1-0 lead on Ender Inciarte's double in the first off Anthony DeScalfani.

The Braves added three runs in the third and took a 4-0 lead. Freeman scored on a fielder's choice with the bases loaded when Votto's errant throw pulled catcher Ramon Cabrera off the plate. Erick Aybar knocked in two more with a double that gave Atlanta a 4-0 lead.

Cincinnati made it a one-run game in the fourth on Jay Bruce's double, Duvall's sacrifice fly and a run-scoring infield grounder by De Jesus Jr.

Morris had to leave the game with an injury after he walked Jace Peterson to start the fifth inning. Josh Smith replaced him and surrendered an RBI single to Aybar.

NOTES: Cincinnati is expected to reinstate OF Billy Hamilton from the seven-day concussion disabled list on Thursday. ... The Reds started Jose Peraza at shortstop on Wednesday. He is the 29th player to appear at shortstop and play alongside 2B Brandon Phillips. It was the first chance for Peraza to start for his former team, where he was once considered Atlanta's best minor league prospect. Peraza was traded to the Dodgers last summer in the deal that brought Cuban rookie Hector Olivera to the Braves. ... The starting pitchers on Thursday will be Cincinnati RHP Dan Straily (4-2, 3.15) vs. Atlanta RHP Matt Wisler (2-7, 4.36). It will be the last time the Reds play at Turner Field.

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