Jay Bruce’s early HR enough for Cincinnati Reds to beat Braves, 3-1

The Cincinnati Reds were able to hold on against the Atlanta Braves, taking their second straight win to open the series.

After a high-scoring affair in the series opener, the Reds and Braves played a much more clean, well-pitched game on Tuesday. The end result was the same, though, as the Reds escaped Turner Field with a 3-1 win on Tuesday, marking their fourth straight road win and moving their June record to 9-4.

Bruce provides the offense

There wasn’t much hitting to go around, with the Reds picking up only three knocks on the night. Braves ace Julio Teheran was on top of his game, striking out eight in seven innings and at one point retiring 17 batters in a row. But he made one big mistake, which came in the very first inning, when he allowed a three-run home run to Jay Bruce. Those proved to be the only Cincinnati runs of the contest. The blast was the right fielder’s 15th of the season, as he continues his impressive bounce-back season. He’s now hitting .271/.329/.584 and figures to be a valuable trade chip before the July deadline.

Finnegan battles

It wasn’t the greatest performance Brandon Finnegan has ever had, but the Reds’ starter was able to keep his team in front and pick up his third win of the season. He needed 102 pitches to get through six innings, throwing only one perfect inning as he gave up four hits and three walks. However, he held the Braves to just one run and striking out five on the night. The southpaw has allowed only four runs over his last three starts, while going at least six innings in each outing. It seems he’s here to stay in the starting rotation.

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Stressful ninth

With Tony Cingrani unavailable due to a heavy workload in recent days, Blake Wood was called upon to close the game out for the Reds. He got the job done, though he certainly made it interesting. Wood sandwiched two walks around a single to load the bases with nobody out, and it looked like the Reds could be on their way to another bullpen meltdown. But the right-hander buckled down, striking out A.J. Pierzynski before getting Mallex Smith to ground into a 6-4-3 double play to end the game. The save was Wood’s first of the season and the second of his career.

Notes:

• In his first game back in the big leagues, J.J. Hoover faced the minimum in two shutout innings. He did hit a batter, but quickly erased the baserunner by inducing a double play.
• Kyle Waldrop was penciled in the lineup in left field, making the first start of his career. He went 1-for-3 with a double.
• For a second straight game, Joey Votto walked twice and now has his on-base percentage sitting .364, climbing toward his usual .400 mark.
• Eugenio Suarez once again wore the golden sombrero, striking out four times for the fourth time this season and the third time in his last 10 games.