Santillan gets 1st victory, hit to lead Reds past Braves 5-3
CINCINNATI (AP) - Tony Santillan allowed one run in six innings to earn his first major league victory and Nick Castellanos hit a two-run homer, lifting the Cincinnati Reds to a 5-3 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Thursday night.
Santillan (1-1) gave up three hits, struck out eight and walked three in his third big league start. He also doubled in the third inning for his first career hit.
The Braves, who score nearly half their runs via home runs, went ahead 1-0 on Freddie Freeman's 17th homer in the first. But that was the only run Atlanta could manage against Santillan.
Brad Brach, the Reds' fourth pitcher of the night, got three outs for his first save of the season.
It was a bullpen day for the Braves, who summoned 37-year-old Jesse Chavez (0-1) from Triple-A Gwinnett to make his 482nd major league appearance and first start since 2019. He allowed two runs in 2 1/3 innings to take the loss.
The Braves used six pitchers on the night.
Cincinnati Reds' Tony Santillan throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves in Cincinnati, Thursday, June 24, 2021. (AP Photo/Aaron Doster)
The Reds were clinging to a 2-1 lead when Castellanos delivered the big blow, his two-run blast off Luke Jackson in the seventh. Castellanos drove in four runs.
Ozzie Albies hit a solo home run off Tejay Antone in the eighth.
TRAINERS ROOM
Braves: OF Ronald Acuna Jr. was out of the lineup for the second straight day with a stiff back. "He's still sore," Snitker said. "They worked on him today. Hopefully he'll be back in there tomorrow. It's a day-to-day thing." Acuna was scratched from his start Wednesday.
Reds: RHP Sonny Gray was scratched from his rehab start Thursday at Triple-A Louisville after he woke up with a sore back Wednesday morning. Gray, on the 10-day injured list since June 9 with a right groin injury, had his start pushed back to Saturday.
UP NEXT
Right-hander Vladimir Gutierrez (3-1, 3.86 ERA) makes his sixth major-league appearance after becoming the 19th pitcher in Reds franchise history with at least three wins in his first four starts since Tom Shearn in 2007. The Braves will counter with left-hander Drew Smyly (0-1, 4.70 ERA) who'll be making his 13th start.
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Cincinnati Reds' Tony Santillan hits a double during the third inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves in Cincinnati, Thursday, June 24, 2021. (AP Photo/Aaron Doster)
Cincinnati Reds' Nick Castellanos watches after he hits a two-run home run during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves in Cincinnati, Thursday, June 24, 2021. (AP Photo/Aaron Doster)
Atlanta Braves' Freddie Freeman high-fives teammates in the dugout after hitting a solo home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds in Cincinnati, Thursday, June 24, 2021. (AP Photo/Aaron Doster)
Cincinnati Reds' Joey Votto hits an RBI-single during the third inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves in Cincinnati, Thursday, June 24, 2021. (AP Photo/Aaron Doster)
Atlanta Braves' Jesse Chavez throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds in Cincinnati, Thursday, June 24, 2021. (AP Photo/Aaron Doster)
Cincinnati Reds' Nick Castellanos watches as he hits an RBI-sacrifice fly during the first inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves in Cincinnati, Thursday, June 24, 2021. (AP Photo/Aaron Doster)
MLB umpire Laz Diaz, left, inspects the hat and glove of Atlanta Braves' Jesse Chavez after the first inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds in Cincinnati, Thursday, June 24, 2021. (AP Photo/Aaron Doster)
