ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Braves are gaining momentum in their attempt to recover from a staggering 0-7 start to the season.
A come-from-behind 2-1 victory over the Cincinnati Reds in 10 innings Tuesday night was the latest confidence-building win.
The Braves scored a run in the bottom of the ninth to force extra innings before Marcell Ozuna’s run-scoring single in the 10th ended the game.
“It just kind of shows the character of this team,” said left-hander Chris Sale, who had 10 strikeouts in 6 2/3 scoreless innings. “We were down to our last couple of outs and found a way to do it.”
The Braves (17-18) have won three straight and 12 of 17 to close within a win of .500. That’s usually not big news for a team that has a streak of seven straight postseason appearances, including the 2021 World Series championship.
The woeful start to the season forced manager Brian Snitker’s team to focus on the new goal of becoming the first team to make the playoffs after losing its first seven games.
“It doesn’t get any better than winning a game like that,” Snitker said of Tuesday night’s comeback. “This is a mental game. It can have a great effect on a club.”
The streak of three straight wins began with a 4-3 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday night that saved the Braves from being swept in the series. Atlanta then beat Cincinnati 4-0 on Monday night when AJ Smith-Shawver took a no-hitter into the eighth inning.
With the score tied at 1 on Tuesday night, the Braves opened the 10th with automatic runner Alex Verdugo on second base. The Reds chose to issue an intentional walk to Austin Riley to face Ozuna, who had no hits in his first four at-bats.
Ozuna might have looked even more vulnerable after calling timeout during his at-bat in the eighth because he was experiencing a cramp in his right leg. He was visited by Snitker and an athletic trainer in the batter’s box.
“I said, ‘Hit a two-run homer or get a hit because we’re going to run for you,’” Snitker recalled. “I’m glad we didn’t, in retrospect.”
The eighth-inning at-bat ended with a long flyball to right field and Ozuna, the designated hitter, remained in the game.
When asked if he was motivated by the Reds walking Riley, Ozuna said: “For sure. I was 0 for 4 and I didn’t feel right. Kind of a cramp. I just try to get good contact.”
Happy teammates swarmed Ozuna between first and second base after his line-drive single allowed Verdugo to easily score the winning run.
“It feels amazing,” Ozuna said.
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