Gennett, Duvall spark rally in seventh

“You see why Atlanta is at the top. … It says a lot for our club that we can play these first-place clubs in the Central and East and can win those series.”

The Reds’ Jose Peraza (9) celebrates with Scooter Gennett, right, in the dugout after hitting a home run in the third inning.

is at the top. … It says a lot for our club that we can play these first-place clubs in the Central and East and can win those series.”

Castillo (5-9) lasted four innings and allowed five runs (four

earned) on six hits.

He walked one and struck out four.

It was the first time in 14 games that the starting pitcher did not go at least five innings.

The Reds played most of the game

without their best player. Joey Votto was ejected by home plate umpire Carlos Torres after Votto was called out on three straight called strikes in the first inning. It was Votto’s first ejection — Jim Riggleman, Reds interim manager since Sept. 9, 2015.

Votto was impressed with his teammates.

“It was very good,” Votto said. “I got to watch the guys play. I thought they were very good. They swung the bats well. Jose (Peraza) swung the bat fantastically today. It was a really nice team effort.”

The Reds have scored 90 runs over their past 15 games. Peraza homered and tripled. Scooter Gennett was 2 for 5 with an RBI. Adam Duvall contributed a two-out, two-run single.

Castillo got out 11 straight batters to start the game. But after Freddie Freeman came back from down 0 and 2 to work an 11-pitch walk with two outs in the fourth, the Braves hit five consecutive singles — four of them scored runs to take a 4-2 lead.

The Reds didn’t retake the lead until the seventh, when Gennett had an RBI single and Duvall a two-run single for a 6-5 lead.

The Cincinnati bullpen — Kyle Crockett, Stephens, David Hernandez, Jared Hughes and Raisel Iglesias — only allowed one hit over the final five innings.

“Early on, we were coming from behind a lot but not winning,” said Riggleman, now 31-31 as interim manager. “We get down three or four runs in the first inning and come back and make a game of it, which is great,” Riggleman said. “It’s really nice to come back and actually win the game.”