CINCINNATI – This was a fantastic series.
Unless, of course, you are a Braves or Reds fan. You probably need a week of rest if so.
The Braves defeated the Reds, 7-6, in another nail-biter on Sunday at Great American Ball Park. Atlanta, which reached 50 wins, won two of three games in as wild a regular-season series as you can imagine.
Five observations:
1. Raisel Iglesias stood on the mound, with runners on the corners. The game hung in the balance, with another sold-out crowd – and two stressed-out teams – watching. Once again, the finish was exhilarating.
Of course it was. It had to be.
This was the way the entire series went.
“I don’t know if I’ve ever been this exhausted after a series before,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said.
“Felt like I played three football games, back-to-back-to-back days,” Austin Riley said.
It ended with this: Kevin Newman grounded a ball to Riley, who flung it to Ozzie Albies, who fired it to Matt Olson.
Game over. Series won.
“That was something else,” Snitker said. “I’ll tell you what: The fans got their money’s worth in this series, that’s for sure. They saw some great baseball. Exciting. The whole thing. Wow. Good series win.”
The Braves and Reds on Sunday finished their six-game season series. All of the games were one-run contests, and the Braves won five of six.
The last three games were particularly crazy.
“Very stressful,” Sean Murphy said. “Every time, I prefer to win 15-0, but that doesn’t happen. Those games are easy. But these are more fun, and more satisfying when you win them.”
2. The Braves arrived at Great American Ball Park for its wildest weekend in years. Ask anyone here, and they’ll tell you this is the most excited Cincinnati has been about the Reds in a long time.
Despite all of this, the Braves won the series. Regardless of the hype and renewed energy here, Atlanta flexed its muscles.
Even so, the Braves didn’t feel like they made a statement.
“I think the guys have established that this is a really good team,” Charlie Morton said. “I don’t think that anybody was really thinking that we had to prove ourselves – more just try to keep playing good baseball. No matter who we’re playing against, I think that’s what everybody’s goal is. Sure, there might be series where guys are a little bit more amped up, but I haven’t really noticed that. I’ve just looked around and seen a lot of level-headedness.
“And I think that’s what the really good teams do. I don’t think they let the circumstances dictate how they feel about the series coming up.”
The Braves and Reds combined for 47 runs over these three games in front of three sellout crowds. There were comebacks and lead changes. In all three contests, the losing team had a chance to swing the game late.
There were no dull moments.
“That team, they’re gonna have a fun summer here,” Snitker said of the Reds. “I’m glad we don’t see them anymore.”
3. In his incredible series, Olson had two moments that made you ask yourself: “How? How did he do that?”
The first came Saturday, when he golfed a pitch below the strike zone for a home run.
The second, and probably more impressive of the two, came in the sixth inning on Sunday, when Olson connected with a 96 mph four-seam fastball that went far above the zone. It is usually not a pitch on which someone can homer.
Olson turned it into a go-ahead, three-run home run that flew 378 feet.
“I need to get whatever program he’s on,” Riley joked.
Olson homered four times and drove in eight runs in the series.
4. Murphy grew up around Dayton, about 50 minutes away from this ballpark, and went to Centerville High. He attended Wright State, which is around an hour away.
Growing up, he attended Reds games at Great American Ball Park. Before Sunday, he had never played there, which is why it worked out that the finale marked his first start since injuring his hamstring.
“I didn’t know how I’d feel coming back,” Murphy said, “but it was cool to be back here.”
He went 2-for-4, including a run-scoring single. He also drew a walk. He felt well as he caught his first game since June 17.
Murphy won’t catch on Monday as the Braves look to ease him back into the fold.
5. The Braves won four of five games on this two-city trip as they cooled down two opponents.
Before seeing Atlanta, the Phillies had won six in a row and 13 of their last 15. They left the series with the Braves having lost consecutive games for the first time since earlier this month.
After Friday’s game here, the Reds had a 12-game winning streak. Now they’ve suffered consecutive losses.
Stat to know
25, 60 - Olson is tied for the MLB lead with 25 home runs and is tied for second with 60 RBIs.
Quotable
“To continue to do that on the road, I think it just shows the mettle of these guys.”-Snitker on having a successful road trip against two great opponents
Up next
Spencer Strider will start Monday’s series opener versus Minnesota, which begins at 7:20 p.m.
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