The Sports Xchange
Aug 20, 2017
ATLANTA -- Rookie Sean Newcomb pitched five scoreless innings and Tyler Flowers clubbed a grand slam to give the Atlanta Braves an 8-1 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday at SunTrust Park.
Newcomb (2-7) allowed five hits but permitted no runs in his five-inning stint. He walked five, struck out two and worked out of trouble in his final three innings, when the Reds stranded eight runners.
Flowers connected for his second career grand slam in the fifth inning, part of a six-run inning against reliever Drew Storen. The right-hander gave up six runs, six hits and two walks in two-thirds of an inning. It was the ninth grand slam allowed by Cincinnati this season, a club record.
Brandon Phillips went 3-for-5 with an RBI and two runs scored and Freddie Freeman was 3-for-5 with a double and two runs scored. Ozzie Albies and Dansby Swanson each had two hits in Atlanta's 12-hit attack.
Newcomb escaped a bases-loaded mess in the third inning thanks to some good defense. Albies jumped as high as possible at second to snag Joey Votto's line drive that might have cleared the bases. Newcomb then helped himself get the final out, sprawling on the infield grass to stop a slow grounder and rolling the ball to first in time to nip Adam Duvall.
Newcomb left the bases loaded again in the fifth when he retired Scooter Gennett on a harmless fly ball to center field to end the inning.
Cincinnati starter Luis Castillo (2-6) was victimized by a high pitch count and lasted only four innings on the hot afternoon. He threw 90 pitches, giving up two runs and striking out eight. He fanned six of the first nine batters he faced.
Atlanta broke through for two runs in the third against Castillo, with Nick Markakis bouncing a two-out double that caromed against the brick portion of the right-field wall and scored Phillips and Freeman.
Atlanta's Matt Wisler threw three scoreless innings of relief. But Cincinnati broke up the shutout in the ninth when Phillip Ervin singled home Jose Peraza against rookie Max Fried.
Cincinnati got 3 1/3 scoreless innings of relief from Tim Adleman.
NOTES: Atlanta 1B Freddie Freeman extended his hitting streak to eight games with a single. ... Atlanta RF Nick Markakis had his 30th double, the eighth straight year he has met that mark. ... Cincinnati returns home to begin a three-game series on Tuesday against the Chicago Cubs. The Reds send RHP Homer Bailey (4-6, 8.44 ERA) against Chicago's John Lackey (10-9, 4.67). Atlanta starts a three-game series with Seattle on Monday. Atlanta RHP Mike Foltynewicz (10-8, 4.75) will be opposed by Seattle's Andrew Albers (1-0, 1.80), who was acquired from the Braves' Triple-A team a week ago.