Braves survive crazy comeback, win wild one in Cincinnati, 12-11

After a number of heartbreaking 1-run losses this season, the Braves get to be on the right side of a fun one.

In arguably the wildest game of the season, the Braves used patience and timely hitting at the plate to outlast the Cincinnati Reds, 12-11 in the series opener Thursday night at Great American Ballpark.

The wildest part of the game by far was the dueling 8-run innings by both team in the 8th inning. One in the top half by the Braves to give them an 11-3 lead, and then one in the bottom half by the Reds, all scoring before a single out was made, to tie the score at 11. It was the 4th most combined runs scored in a single inning since 1974.

The game started innocently enough with Carlos Carrasco making his debut with the Braves and turning in a nice first performance. He got hit around little early in the game, giving up 3 earned runs in his first 3 innings, including a 2-run HR from Elly De La Cruz, but then settled in after that. He finished with 6 innings pitched, 3 earned runs, 5 strikeouts and 2 walks, earning a quality start. At that point I just looked like a normal game.

The Braves’ offense found itself in an early 3-0 hole, it felt like it was going to be one of the many losses we’ve seen here recently, where the team goes down early and never really has a chance. But credit to the offense, they fought back in the game tonight. In the top of the 4th, Marcell Ozuna singled to open the frame, Ozzie Albies followed with a double and after a Sean Murphy walk, the Braves had the bases loaded a no outs. Michael Harris followed with an RBI single to right field to cut the deficit to 3-1, and even though the inning fizzled from there, the team was at least showing some fight at the plate.

After a couple of shutdown innings from Carrasco, the offense was back at it in the 6th, and it was the same 3 guys, Ozuna (walk), Albies (single) and Murphy (walk) loading the bases with no outs. After Harris popped out, it looked like the Braves were going to let another scoring chance fizzle when Eli White grounded to the sure-handed Ke’Bryan Hayes, but Hayes offered a free gift, a rare error, which allowed 2 runs to score, and tied the game at 3-3.

From there, we’ll things got wild. After both teams pitched scoreless 7th innings, the Braves came up for the top of the 8th and this where the fireworks started. To start the 8th inning, the Braves went Ozzie single, Murphy single, Harris single, White RBI single, Luke Williams 2-run double, Profar strikeout, Matt Olson RBI fielders choice, Austin Riley RBI single, Ozuna walk, Albies 2-run single, and a Murphy RBI double. Add all that up and you get 8 hits, 8 runs, and a 11-3 score going to the bottom of the frame.

Should be an easy W from there, no? Well Braves fans know nothing has come easy in 2025, and tonight was going to be no different.

The Reds immediately respond in the bottom half with a Tyler Stephenson single, a Will Benson single, a Hayes 3-run homer, a Matt McClain single, a Noelvi Marte single, a De La Cruz RBI single, an Austin Hayes RBI single and finally a Spencer Steer 3-run homer. All done consecutively with zero outs made. An 8-run lead erased in 8 batters. Lordy. And after all that it was 11-11 going to the 9th.

But credit to Atlanta for staying in it and credit to Pierce Johnson who came in after all that and pitched a scoreless 9th to keep the game tied and send it to extras.

In the 10th, the Braves executed some A-B-C baseball, getting Olson over to 3rd on a fly ball from Riley and then home to score on a sacrifice fly from the very much not traded away Marcell Ozuna. After that the very much not traded away Raisel Iglesias came in and pitched a 1-2-3 bottom half, with some questionable base running by De La Cruz to keep the ghost runner from moving up, and ultimately got the save for a wacky 12-11 victory.

The Brave have lost some truly heartbreaking 1-run games this season and frankly deserved to have one like this go their way.

The series continues tomorrow night at Great American Ballpark with Bryce Elder taking on Brady Singer as the Braves look to do something they haven’t done since the All-Star break – win a series.