Braves 3 - 1 Reds
Final/12
  for this game

Braves beat Reds in 12 on Upton's homer

Aug 23, 2014 - 6:18 AM Cincinnati, OH (SportsNetwork.com) - Justin Upton hit a two-run homer in the 12th inning to lift the Atlanta Braves to a 3-1 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Friday night.

Upton's upper-deck shot off Manny Parra (0-1) came long after Braves starter Mike Minor carried a no-hitter into the eighth inning that was broken up by Billy Hamilton's game-tying RBI single with two outs.

"I was just looking for a good pitch to hit," said Upton. "Off the bat, I knew I got it pretty good."

Upton was 3-for-6, extending his hitting streak to 13 games. The Braves, who won the opener of the four-game series 8-0 on Thursday, have held the Reds to six runs in their five meetings this season (5-0).

They snapped a six-game losing streak in extra innings, improving to 6-10 this season in those games, and have won seven of their last eight overall.

Hamilton broke up Minor's no-hit bid with a two-out RBI single to center field in the eighth that scored Zack Cozart, who walked and was just the second Reds runner to reach second base after he moved up on a ground out.

"We didn't do much offensively," Reds manager Bryan Price said.

No kidding.

Hamilton had both of Cincinnati's hits as the slumping Reds matched a season- high with their seventh straight loss. They are 1-10 in their last 11.

David Hale (4-4) pitched out of a second-and-third jam in the 11th to pick up the win for Atlanta and Craig Kimbrel pitched the 12th for his 38th save.

No Braves pitcher -- not Greg Maddux, not Tom Glavine, not John Smoltz -- has thrown a no-hitter since Kent Mercker's against the Dodgers in Los Angeles on April 8, 1994.

Minor rarely saw trouble before giving up his only hit. He issued four walks -- the first three coming in the fourth, fifth and sixth inning, when Hamilton drew a one-out pass and stole second base.

The left-hander came off the mound to field a grounder in the third, firing to first to get the runner on a close play. Braves third baseman Chris Johnson had a defensive gem in the eighth when he charged Chris Heisey's bouncer and got him by a step at first.

Cozart went to second on the play and scored easily when Hamilton reached out to slap Minor's 1-2 pitch into shallow center field and out of the reach of Gold Glove shortstop Andrelton Simmons, tying the score at 1-1.

Minor, who carried a 5.16 ERA into the game and has thrown just one complete game in 105 career starts, was lifted after the hit. He struck out five and threw 64 of his 107 pitches for strikes.

Jordan Walden came in and Todd Frazier grounded out on a bang-bang play at first base.

Earlier, the Braves loaded the bases with two outs in the second inning but Reds starter Mat Latos got Jason Heyward on a broken-bat grounder to end the inning.

But after they loaded them again in the third on three consecutive singles, Tommy La Stella hit a sharp ground ball that the shortstop Cozart dove to field, getting an out at second base but allowing one run to score for a 1-0 Atlanta lead.

Game Notes

Reds relievers are 0-11 since the All-Star break ... Minor gave the Braves their MLB-leading 90th quality start this season ... Hamilton had his second three-steal game of the season and has 49 ... Latos gave up nine hits and two walks in six innings, striking out three. He has not recorded a decision in his last three starts despite allowing just five earned runs in 18 innings ... Hard-throwing Reds closer Aroldis Chapman pitched the ninth and 10th innings, striking out four and giving up one hit.






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