ATLANTA (AP) — AJ Smith-Shawver’s bid for a no-hitter was broken up when Santiago Espinal led off the eighth inning with a clean single to center field, giving the Cincinnati Reds their first hit against the Atlanta Braves pitcher Monday night. Espinal’s base hit came on the 93rd pitch from Smith-Shawver, who worked into the eighth inning for the first time as a professional.
Smith-Shawver struck out five and walked four — two in the first inning and two in the fourth. He had given up at least four hits in all four of his previous starts this season. The right-hander got a popup and a double play to end the eighth, then was lifted after 99 pitches with Atlanta leading 4-0. Enyel De Los Santos entered in the ninth for the Braves.
The Braves managed to secure a 4-0 victory against the Reds, thanks to a single scoring inning that defined the game. While Smith-Shawver mostly let the defense behind him do the work and walked four, it was still a scintillating outing for a guy whose major league performance had been uneven, if intriguing, thus far.
In the third inning, the Braves jumped on the board after a slow start against Reds pitcher Brady Singer. Nick Allen, who leads all MLB shortstops with six Outs Above Average this season, sparked the Braves' offense with a one-out single. Alex Verdugo then turned on an inner-third pitch and smashed it into the ground, resulting in an RBI double that brought Allen home.
Austin Riley followed up with a solid hit, lining a two-strike fastball into center field to plate Verdugo. The excitement of the inning reached its peak when Matt Olson hit a ball that turned into an inside-the-park home run. Unfortunately, the play was marred by a gruesome injury to Reds rookie Tyler Callihan, who broke his left forearm while trying to make the catch and collided with the wall at full speed.
As Callihan lay crumpled in pain, Riley and Olson circled the bases in what was one of the saddest “home runs” seen in live sports. Reds skipper Terry Francona challenged the call, trying to argue that the play should not stand, but to no avail; the inside-the-parker call remained, and the Braves had a commanding 4-0 lead.
Smith-Shawver’s performance was impressive, as he managed to navigate through a few rough patches. He issued back-to-back two-out walks in the following inning, as his command temporarily abandoned him, but managed to get Jake Fraley to pop up a hanging splitter for the third out. After that, the Reds were largely helpless against Smith-Shawver, who allowed just that one hit for the rest of the game.
Despite the one hiccup, the Braves’ defense, particularly through Allen’s stellar glovework, aided Smith-Shawver significantly. The Braves’ offense, however, was not as prolific, finishing with just seven non-ball-in-play outcomes during the game and stranding several runners throughout.
Verdugo was a bright spot offensively, contributing two doubles, a walk, and a stolen base, while Olson’s inside-the-park home run was the highlight of the game. The Braves scored all four of their runs in that pivotal third inning, which defined the outcome of the match.
After the game, Smith-Shawver received hugs from teammates and manager Brian Snitker, who smiled brightly as he congratulated the young pitcher. This was Smith-Shawver’s 11th career start, and the 22-year-old hurler left the field to an appreciative roar from the home crowd.
Smith-Shawver’s performance was a significant improvement from his previous outings, where he had displayed a tendency to give up hits. His current stats reflect a 3.00 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP with a K:BB ratio of 27:13 across 27 innings pitched this season. He is scheduled to make his next start at Pittsburgh this weekend, where fans will be eager to see if he can build on this promising outing.
As the Braves look to gain momentum, they will hope to carry this victory into their next game against the Reds, with Chris Sale set to take the mound against Andrew Abbott. The series continues, and the excitement around the Braves is palpable as they strive for more wins in the competitive landscape of Major League Baseball.
