Cozart, Votto, Eugenio homer in Reds’ 8-2 win over Braves
CINCINNATI (AP) – Zack Cozart, Joey Votto and Eugenio Suarez all homered in the fourth inning as the Cincinnati Reds got the better of a matchup between the NL’s two worst teams, beating the Atlanta Braves 8-2 on Monday night.
The Reds (35-58) have taken three of five this season against the Braves, who have the majors’ worst record (32-61). Atlanta is 19-31 all-time at Great American Ball Park, including five losses in its last six games.
The Reds connected three times off Matt Wisler (4-9), who has given up five homers in his last two starts. Cozart led off the fourth with his 15th homer, and Votto extended his second-half resurgence with a two-run shot. In four games since returning from the All-Star break, Votto is 8 for 15.
Suarez’s two-run homer just inside the left-field foul pole made it 5-1. Votto later added an RBI single.
Left-hander Brandon Finnegan (5-7) pitched into the sixth and gave up seven hits – three of them by Adonis Garcia, who hit a solo homer in the sixth. Finnegan had lost three of his last four starts, giving up 20 runs in 19 innings.
Wisler won his last start, 11-8 over the White Sox in Chicago on July 8 despite giving up six runs, including two homers. Since the start of June, he’s 2-4 in eight starts with a 7.06 ERA.
Billy Hamilton singled three times, scored a run and stole three bases for a total of 27, the third-most in the NL.
