The Sports Xchange
Jun 3, 2017
CINCINNATI -- Matt Adams hit a go-ahead solo home run in the 12th inning and his first career grand slam in the fifth, lifting the Atlanta Braves to a 6-5 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Saturday afternoon at Great American Ball Park.
Adams' slam off Scott Feldman highlighted a five-run fifth inning for the Braves (23-30) before the Reds rallied to tie score with a four-run sixth.
In the 12th inning, Adams crushed a 2-1 pitch from Blake Wood (0-4) to the opposite field for his first multi-homer game since June 23, 2014 at Colorado.
Jim Johnson (3-1) allowed one hit with a walk and two strikeouts over two innings to earn the victory.
Jose Peraza homered for Cincinnati (25-29), which saw center fielder Billy Hamilton and right fielder Scott Schebler both exit the game with strained left shoulders.
Schebler was injured making a diving catch of Nick Markakis' line drive in the sixth. It was not immediately certain when Hamilton's injury occurred.
Solid bullpen work by both teams kept the score tied.
Cincinnati had the winning run in scoring position with less than two outs in the ninth, 10th, and 11th innings but failed to score. The Reds' bullpen retired 11 straight batters in one stretch and 17 of 19 heading into the 12th.
The Braves led 5-2 in the sixth when Jason Motte issued a bases-loaded walk and Joey Votto's two-run single to tie the score 5-5.
Braves starter R.A. Dickey remained winless in his past six starts after giving up five earned runs and six hits in 5 1/3 innings on Saturday. He's 0-2 in those stretch with a 6.39 ERA.
Feldman didn't have his best command early on, but a pair of inning-ending double plays and Hamilton's catch of Kurt Suzuki's drive up against the wall in center helped him keep the game scoreless through three innings.
Atlanta loaded the bases with two outs in the fourth, but Dickey lined softly to second base to end the inning.
Cincinnati didn't get many good swings against Rickey's knuckleball. Even Votto's double to left in the third was a bloop down the line.
That was before Peraza launched a 62-mile per hour hanger into the left field seats to put the Reds in front 1-0 in the fourth. It was Peraza's second home run this season and the 12th allowed by Dickey this season.
After escaping jams in the first four innings, Feldman wasn't so fortunate in the fifth.
A throwing error by Suarez on what would've been the second out helped spark the big fifth innings. The Braves loaded the bases soon after and Adams crushed Feldman's 2-1 pitch up against the Batter's Eye Pavilion in center, putting Atlanta ahead 4-1.
It was Adams' 12th career home run against the Reds, who he faced often as a member of the St. Louis Cardinals.
Feldman allowed five runs with three walks and three hit batters.
NOTES: Rookie LHP Amir Garrett is expected to start for the Reds on Sunday. He's been on the disabled list since May 25 with right hip inflammation. ... Braves 3B Adonis Garcia started for the second straight game since being reinstated from the DL on Friday and went 4-for-6 with a double. ... Reds LHP Brandon Finnegan will throw two innings on Tuesday in Arizona. He could begin a rehab assignment by June 10. ... Prior to Friday night's win, the Reds had lost 225 consecutive games in which they trailed by one or more runs in the ninth inning or later, longest active streak in majors.