Hunter Greene received some rare run support on Monday and pitched the visiting Cincinnati Reds to a 4-1 win over the Atlanta Braves in the opener of their three-game series.
The win broke Cincinnati’s four-game losing streak and handed Atlanta its third straight loss.
Greene (7-4) pitched seven innings and allowed only two hits, three walks and seven strikeouts. It was his fifth scoreless appearance of the season. Greene has allowed a combined two runs in his last four starts, a stretch of 24 2/3 innings.
The right-hander entered the game receiving only 3.63 runs per game in his 19 starts, tied for the fourth-lowest among all qualified starters in the league.
Cincinnati’s Alexis Diaz allowed a run in the ninth inning on Eddie Rosario’s sacrifice fly.
Elly De La Cruz, Jeimer Candelario and Atlanta native Will Benson sparked the offense.
De La Cruz went 2-for-4 with a walk and extended his hitting streak to 10 games. He tripled in the first inning, his National League-leading seventh three-bagger, and scored on Candelario’s sacrifice fly to shallow right field.
De La Cruz manufactured another run when he singled and scored easily on Candelario’s double to right field during the third inning. Candelario was 2-for-4 with two RBIs.
Benson, who was 1-for-11 in his last four games, went 2-for-2 with a walk. Benson hit a solo homer, his 11th, into the right field stands in the third inning. It was Benson’s second career homer against the Braves.
Atlanta starter Reynaldo Lopez (7-4) pitched six innings and allowed a season-high four runs on seven hits, two walks and five strikeouts. His ERA rose from a league-leading 1.88 to 2.12.
Atlanta’s Marcell Ozuna went 2-for-3 with a walk and extended his hitting streak to 10 games.
Nacho Alvarez, rated as Atlanta’s top position player prospect, was recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett to replace Ozzie Albies at second base. Alvarez went 0-for-4 in his major league debut.
Atlanta third baseman Austin Riley was removed from the game with one out in the top of the ninth when his wife went into labor.