Soroka pitches Braves past Reds
Mike Soroka enhanced his case to remain in the Atlanta rotation on Wednesday by posting his second straight strong effort to help the visiting Braves to a 3-1 win over the Cincinnati Reds.
Soroka (1-1) pitched 5 2/3 innings and allowed only one run on five hits -- all singles and two of those infield hits -- with seven strikeouts in his first career start against the Reds. The effort helped Atlanta even the three-game series, which concludes on Thursday.
Soroka, the team's first-round draft choice in 2015, has now worked 10 2/3 innings and allowed two runs in his two starts since being recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett.
The beleaguered Atlanta bullpen was able to finish the job. Josh Tomlin got the final out of the sixth inning with one pitch, a sharp grounder that first baseman Freddie Freeman grabbed and stepped on the bag to end a bases-loaded jam.
Luke Jackson, Dan Winkler and A.J. Minter each pitched a scoreless inning. Minter earned his third save by retiring the side in order.
The Braves opened the scoring when Ozzie Albies led off the game with a home run, his third, against Atlanta nemesis Tanner Roark. It was the second career homer for Albies against Roark in 16 at-bats.
The Reds tied the game in the bottom of the first on Jesse Winker's RBI single that scored Joey Votto.
Atlanta took the lead with a run in the fifth. Nick Markakis singled and Ronald Acuna Jr. scored on Yasiel Puig's fielding error.
The Braves added an insurance run against Robert Stephenson in the ninth when Albies walked and scored on Josh Donaldson's screaming double into the left-field corner.
Roark (1-1) pitched five innings and allowed two runs, one unearned, on six hits, three walks and four strikeouts. He now has a 15-9 career record against Atlanta.
Freeman had a single and has reached base in every game this season.
--Field Level Media
