CINCINNATI_Atlanta Braves interim manager Brian Snitker said he didn't worry about his young pitchers starting for the first time at Great American Ball Park, known for its homer-friendly dimensions.
"Not really," Snitker said Monday before opening the series against the Reds. "It might (be), I'm sure, in the back of their mind sometimes when you come here. It's always, 'The ball goes out in Cincinnati.' I think they've just got to stay with that hitter-to-hitter approach and make their pitches and hit the locations and not worry about that."
Homers weren't a worry for Braves right-hander Matt Wisler on Monday until, suddenly, they were. The Reds hit three of them in the fourth inning on the way to an 8-2 victory.
The Reds (35-58) touched Wisler for six runs runs (five earned) over five-plus inning in his first career start at their ball park. Braves rookie right-hander Tyrell Jenkins is set to make his debut in the ball park on Tuesday for his second career start.
The Braves (32-61) lost for the third time in four games since the All-Star break. They are 8-15 since their season-long six-game winning streak.
Good defense helped Wisler face the minimum nine batters through three innings. He snagged a hard liner by Joey Votto for the final out in the first inning, catcher Anthony Recker threw out Jay Bruce trying to steal second base in the second and Reds pitcher Brandon Finnegan grounded into a double play to end the third.
Jeff Francoeur's RBI double staked Wisler to a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning. He gave the lead right back in the bottom of the inning when Zack Cozart homered to left field on his second pitch.
The ball park's cozy dimensions contribued to that homer. But then, after Billy Hamilton followed Cozart with a single, Joey Votto hammered Wisler's fastball several rows into the right-field stands.
With two outs, Eugenio Suarez added another two-run home run on a line drive that stayed inside the foul pole in left field. Just like that the Braves were down 5-1, and they had little offensive response.
The Braves got within 5-2 on Adonis Garcia's lead-off homer in the sixth inning against lefty Finnegan (5-7). Freddie Freeman followed with a double and Nick Markakis singled, prompting Reds manager Bryan Price to call on right-hander Blake Wood from the bullpen to face Francoeur.
Wood stuck out Francoueur before Ender Inciarte hit a hard line drive at third baseman Eugenio Suarez, who saved at least one run with the catch. Wood stuck out Recker to end the rally.
