Barnhart’s 3-run homer off Greene lifts Reds over Braves
Tucker Barnhart hit a tiebreaking three-run homer in the 10th inning off new Atlanta closer Shane Greene, and the Cincinnati Reds beat the Braves 6-4 on Sunday after wasting a two-run lead in the ninth.
A day after blowing a save chance in his Braves debut, Greene (0-1) gave up four hits and three runs in one inning.
Josh Vanmeter singled leading off but Greene got Nick Senzel to ground into a double play. Aristides Aquino and José Iglesias singled ahead of Barnhart’s sixth homer, his first since May 25.
Greene was acquired from Detroit on Wednesday by the Braves, who have a comfortable NL East lead.
Ronald Acuña Jr. hit a tying two-run homer in the ninth off Amir Garrett, thumping his chest and yelling at the Braves’ dugout as he flung his bat while leaving the batter’s box after his 27th home run this season. Acuña hit a game-ending, 10thinning single that lifted Atlanta to a 5-4 win on Saturday.
Robert Stephenson (3-2) got the final two outs in the ninth. David Hernandez gave up a two-out homer to Tyler Flowers in the 10th before retiring Freddie Freeman on a groundout for his second save.
Sonny Gray allowed four hits in seven scoreless innings and struck out seven. He escaped a basedloaded jam in in the sixth when Flowers’ grounded out.
Cincinnati built a 3-0 lead on Jesse Winker’s RBI single in the third, Gray’s sacrifice fly in the fourth and Senzel’s run-scoring single in the fifth.
Atlanta wore throwback uniforms from 1974, when Hank Aaron broke Babe Ruth’s home run record, and was shut out until Josh Donaldson homered off Lucas Sims in the eighth.
Braves starter Julio Teheran walked a season-high six, including one intentionally, in five innings.
Reds manager David Bell served the third game of a sixgame suspension.
RAYS 7, MARLINS 2: Yonny Chirinos allowed one run in five innings before leaving with a hand injury, and Tampa Bay matched its longest winning streak this season at six games. Chirinos (9-5) gave up two hits but was pulled after 63 pitches due to right middle finger inflammation. Diego Castillo, Colin Poche and Andrew Kittredge finished a six-hitter.
TWINS 3, ROYALS 0:
Devin Smeltzer pitched two-hit ball into the seventh inning for his first major league win, and Minnesota finished off a three-game sweep. Jason Castro homered and Eddie Rosario drove in two runs for the Twins, who maintained their three-game lead over Cleveland in the AL Central.
CUBS 7, BREWERS 2:
Jason Heyward drove in three runs, Yu Darvish pitched five effective innings and the Cubs finished a three-game sweep. Heyward and Kyle Schwarber homered as the NL Central leaders won for the 11th time in 13 games at Wrigley Field.
WHITE SOX 10, PHILLIES 5: Leury Garcia hit a grand slam and Eloy Jiménez added a three-run shot, powering the White Sox to the victory. The Phillies are still in the NL wild-card hunt but lost two of three at home to the below-.500 White Sox. Not even appearances by Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, Pedro Martinez and the rest of the 2009 NL champions could inspire the Phillies and they trailed all the way against Reynaldo Lopez (6-9) and three relievers.