Braves 7 - 2 Reds
Final
  for this game

Big eighth inning helps Braves beat Reds

May 9, 2013 - 12:35 AM

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Cincinnati, OH (Sports Network) - Dan Uggla smacked two solo homers in the Atlanta Braves' 7-2 win over the Cincinnati Reds in the rubber match of a three-game set.

Juan Francisco added a grand slam as part of a five-run eighth for Atlanta, which had dropped four of its previous six tilts.

Mike Minor (4-2) struck out seven and surrendered a run on four hits and three walks over seven innings to pick up the win.

"Mike gave us a great opportunity to win the game," Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said.

Mike Leake (2-2) fanned six, but allowed four runs on eight hits and a walk over seven-plus frames for the Reds, who had won four of their last five games coming in.

Zack Cozart crushed a two-out solo homer into the second deck in left in the third for the game's first run, but Uggla cracked solo shots in consecutive at-bats to give the Braves the lead.

Uggla knotted the contest in the fourth with a one-out blast into left and gave Atlanta the advantage in the sixth when he ripped a two-out homer into the front row of seats just inside the left-field foul pole to make it 2-1.

The Braves broke the game open in the eighth, as Jordan Schafer and Andrelton Simmons both singled to lead off the frame.

"Schafer made me pay for getting behind. It was an unfortunate hit right after him," Leake said.

Sean Marshall took over for Leake and Freddie Freeman brought Schafer home with a line-drive base hit to right. J.J. Hoover then replaced Marshall on the bump and walked Justin Upton to load the bases. Francisco stepped up to the plate two batters later and launched a grand slam down the right- field line to increase the margin to 7-1.

Jay Bruce led off the ninth with a homer to center.

Game Notes

Atlanta was 3-for-8 with runners in scoring position, while the Reds finished 0-for-5 with RISP ... Simmons went 4-for-5, while Schafer tallied three hits ... Uggla has seven homers this season.






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