Takeaways: Luis Cessa hit around in Cincinnati Reds' loss to Atlanta Braves

ATLANTA – The Cincinnati Reds took an early three-run lead against Atlanta on Monday after they batted around their lineup in an inning for the first time this season.

The lead lasted four outs.

Luis Cessa often fell behind in counts and he left too many pitches over the plate. A bad combination. The Reds couldn’t fully recover after Ozzie Albies hit a game-tying homer and Sam Hilliard hit a go-ahead double in the fourth inning in their 7-6 loss at Truist Park.

Jose Barrero blasted a two-run homer in the top of the eighth inning, crushing a fastball over the middle from righty reliever Joe Jiménez, but they couldn’t push the potential tying run past second base. The Reds have scored 20 runs on this road trip and 11 came after the seventh inning.

Cessa, making his second start of the season, allowed five runs on seven hits and one walk in 3 2/3 innings. He gave up a solo homer to Matt Olson, a 448-foot blast that left Olson’s bat at 118.6 mph in the first inning and never seemed to settle into much of a rhythm.

The Reds took a 4-1 lead after the top of their lineup loaded the bases with nobody out in the third inning. A run scored when Tyler Stephenson was hit by a pitch. Two runs scored on an infield single from Spencer Steer and Barrero drew a bases-loaded walk.

Atlanta immediately put a dent into it. Hilliard hit a double on Cessa’s first pitch with a lead and he scored two pitches later. The lead was gone the following inning. Atlanta hit 10 balls in play with an exit velocity above 101 mph against Cessa. Statcast classifies anything above 95 mph as a hard hit.

Michael Tonkin, a 33-year-old reliever, pitched three scoreless innings for Atlanta and earned the win. It was his first MLB win since Sept. 29, 2016.

Takeaways from the Reds’ second game in Atlanta

1. Reds reliever Fernando Cruz could work himself into more high-leverage situations as he becomes more consistent with his splitter. Cruz allowed an inherited runner to score on an infield single in the fifth inning, then struck out Ronald Acuña and Olson in the following inning.

Cruz had a disastrous season debut on Opening Day when he didn’t have a feel for his splitter, but he’s moved back on track with his last two relief appearances.

2. It’s been a tough start to the season for Wil Myers, who signed a one-year, $7.5 million contract with the Reds during the offseason. He struck out in both of his at-bats against starting pitcher Kyle Wright, leaving five runners on base, and he struck out once against reliever Michael Tonkin with a runner on third.

With a runner on first base in the seventh inning, Myers fouled out to first base.

3. Hustle on the base paths created a run for the Reds during their four-run rally. With the bases loaded and two outs, Spencer Steer hit a ground ball to the right side of the infield. It was a tough play for second baseman Ozzie Albies because he was playing up the middle and he had to dive to keep the ball in the infield.

As Steer beat out the infield single, Reds third-base coach J.R. House waved Jake Fraley, who started at second base. Fraley slid at the same time as catcher Sean Murphy received a throw from first baseman Matt Olson, and Fraley dislodged the ball as he crossed the plate. Two runs on a ball that didn’t leave the infield.

Stat of the day

Fraley, who had two walks and two singles, stole second base twice within the first four innings. He became the first Reds player with multiple stolen bases in a game since Shogo Akiyama on Sept. 10, 2020.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Reds vs. Braves game: Luis Cessa allows five runs in loss