9th Inning Meltdown Leads to 5-4 Reds Loss In 11 Innings

Nick Lodolo pitched another gem, but the Cincinnati Reds could not overcome walks and defensive miscues late in the game, ultimately leading to a 5-4 extra-innings loss against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on Thursday night. It was the Reds’ second extra innings loss of the four game series.

Final
R
H
E

Cincinnati Reds (19-20)
4
10
1

Atlanta Braves (18-19)
5
10
0

W: Scott Blewett (1-0) L: Taylor Rogers (1-1)

Statcast | Box Score | Game Thread

The Braves jumped out in front early off Nick Lodolo with back-to-back hits from Austin Riley and Marcell Ozuna in the first inning. Lodolo was able to limit the damage, however, by only allowing one run to score on a sacrifice fly by Matt Olson. Meanwhile, the most action Reds players saw on the bases early in the game vs. Braves starter Spencer Schwellenbach was a TJ Friedl leadoff walk in the first inning. That was quickly extinguished by a Matt McLain double play, which was hit very hard (104.8 mph), but also hit right at the second baseman.

After the first inning, Lodolo settled down quickly. He retired 11 straight batters, including five strikeouts in a row at one point. Eli White broke up that streak in the fifth inning with a bunt single. The Braves would go on to score White on a Michael Harris II triple, but Lodolo was able to limit that Braves opportunity to just one run as well. Lodolo’s final line was quite good, giving up only two runs on five hits with seven strikeouts and zero walks.

The Reds broke through on the scoreboard in the fifth with a leadoff single by Spencer Steer followed by a single (or an Austin Riley error if you’re anyone but the Braves official scorer) off the bat of Santiago Espinal. One batter later, Jose Trevino smoked a ball down the left field line for a double, scoring Steer. That was all the Reds would get though, as Rece Hinds struck out on three straight sliders out of the zone and Friedl lined out to second base.

The Reds tied the game in the top of the seventh against the Braves bullpen. Tyler Stephenson drew a one-out walk and Jose Trevino doubled down the left field line. After a Rece Hinds walk, Friedl tied the game with a double down the right field line. The Reds had a golden opportunity to take the lead with two on and only one out, but McLain and De La Cruz both struck out swinging to end the inning.

Facing former Red Raisel Iglesias in the top of the ninth, Jose Trevino doubled with one out and then Rece Hinds got his chance to shine. On an 0-2 count, he got a hanging slider and launched it into the left field seats for a two-run home run. Unfortunately, the lead was short-lived. With Emilio Pagan unavailable, Graham Ashcraft came on for the save in the ninth and promptly surrendered the lead, with some help from bad defense behind him.

It started with Ashcraft walking the leadoff batter. Rece Hinds had a ball ricochet off his glove to put another runner on base, and White laid down a bunt for a squeeze play that scored the runner from third to make it 4-3. Up stepped Michael Harris II and he came through a second time tonight with a single against a drawn-in infield to tie the game. Ashcraft was able to keep the game tied and send it to extra innings despite a runner on third with one out.

The Reds failed to score in the 10th and 11th innings. The 11th inning also included a controversial out call on an attempted steal of second base that saw Colin Cowgill and Terry Francona both get ejected after arguing obstruction by Ozzie Albies. In the bottom of the 11th, Drake Baldwin singled to left field with two outs, scoring the ghost runner from second base and walking it off for the Braves.

Key Moment of the Game

Graham Ashcraft walked the leadoff hitter in the 9th inning, and it set off a series of Braves’ hits and Reds’ defensive miscues that led to the Braves tying the game in the ninth. The Braves would go on to walk it off in the 11th on a single by Drake Baldwin.

Notes Worth Noting

-The Braves hit Lodolo’s fastball hard right out of the gate. In the first inning, the Braves’ first three hitters had exit velos of 106.2 mph, 107.8 mph, and 110.8 mph. Only Alex Verdugo, the leadoff hitter, made an out. Knowing this, it’s quite impressive that Lodolo limited the Braves to only one run that inning.

-Lodolo’s quality start was his fifth of the season, tying him with Hunter Greene for the most among Reds starters in 2025.

-Spencer Schwellenbach had his slider working against Reds hitters tonight. Of the eleven sliders he threw, Reds batters whiffed at seven of them. While his slider is usually one of his better pitches (32.5% whiff rate against right-handed batters), it was particularly good tonight.

-Lyon Richardson gave the Reds a much-needed two innings out of the bullpen in the 7th and 8th innings, allowing only two hits while striking out two.

-The bottom third of the Reds lineup tonight was 5-for-9 with three runs scored, two walks and three RBI. The rest of the lineup was 5-for-28 with six strikeouts.