The Braves pieced together a worthy comeback, but it wasn’t enough to prevent their second loss to the Reds in as many days.
Trailing 5-0, then 7-3 in the ninth, the Braves forced extra innings. Their comeback bid ended when Scooter Gennett homered off Max Fried for a 9-7 win in the 12th.
The Reds had three wins in 21 games prior to hosting the Braves. Despite the late rally, the Braves have notched two in the loss column to one of baseball’s worst teams.
Here’s what the Braves said after the game:
Manager Brian Snitker:
On the comebacks:
“It was good. The kid (Mahle) was throwing the ball really well. Started amping it up the later we got in the game, was getting another gear. But the guys never stop. They came back and when Zuke (catcher Kurt Suzuki) hit the homer, it felt like we had a ballgame. Good to see them roaring in the ninth inning to tie the game, and Shane (Carle), Vizzy (Arodys Vizcaino) got us back in the dugout to try to win the game. Just couldn’t do it.”
On Great American Ball Park:
“It’s very similar to Coors Field to me. I’ve seen some weird games in this place just like I have at Coors Field. It’s just one of those places where no lead’s safe, you just have to keep adding on and we had the one weird inning.”
On knowing reinforcements are coming for lineup, and group is productive as is:
“These guys have been fighting from day one. They keep getting after it. You’re going to go through periods where things aren’t going your way. They’ll come back out tomorrow and do the same thing and win the game tomorrow. The guys never quit. They keep fighting. We had some good baserunning. It’s not always going to go your way. That’s how baseball is. You just have to keep grinding and fighting and put that day behind you and start a new day the next.”
Starter Brandon McCarthy:
On the comebacks:
“Really encouraged. That was a game that was pretty much over, 5-0, guy’s just breezing through us. And to keep grinding, keep grinding, keep grinding. … It’s unfortunate (they lost), but it still shows us a lot that the guys keep going.”
On the ninth inning:
“Everybody did their job. Everybody kept things moving. (For Camargo) To come off cold, especially when you’re young and really anxious, to layoff some of those pitches is really good. … The sequence was good and he did a great job.”
Reliever Max Fried:
On the game-losing homer:
“I have to make a better pitch. I left a two-strike curveball up that I was trying to leave in the dirt. But I have to make a better pitch in that situation.”
Could you tell when it left your hand?
“Not too sure yet. A little too soon. I could tell it was a little more up than I wanted.”
First baseman Freddie Freeman:
On the comebacks:
“I’m not surprised by this at all. It doesn’t matter what inning it is, we’re still in this game no matter how many runs. We keep showing it time and time again and hopefully teams start to understand that we’re not going to give up no matter what the score is. Unfortunately we came up a little short today but it’s positive for us to keep coming like that.”
On Mahle’s outing:
“He was just hitting spots. He’s just going in and out and the in he wasn’t missing. When you don’t miss your spots, that’s usually what happens no matter who’s out there. We were just waiting him out, waiting for him to make mistakes and string together a couple good ones there in the seventh.”
On Great American Ball Park’s homer-friendly tendencies:
“They had a couple home runs that were Cincinnati home runs. That’s just kind of how it is here. It’s almost like Colorado. It doesn’t matter what the score is, we have a chance to come back. And we showed that tonight.”
Shortstop Dansby Swanson:
On the comebacks:
“It’s the same thing we’ve said all year. We never quit. We really feel like we’re never out of games, and if we can consistently put at-bats together like that we give ourselves a chance.”
On Mahle:
“Just executed his pitches. Stayed down in the middle of the plate. Just tip your hat to him. He was able to mix up his pitches. Like I said, location is everything, and when he’s putting it like he wants it, it makes it tough.”
On Camargo’s bases-loaded walk:
“It’s something we expect out of everyone really. Try to put the best at-bat you can together. We have faith in everybody on the team to do that and provide those at-bats.”
