ATLANTA (AP) — Nick Martinez pitched seven innings of two-hit ball, Ty France had an RBI double and the Cincinnati Reds defeated the Atlanta Braves 1-0 on Monday night in the makeup of a July rainout.
Atlanta began the night tied with the New York Mets for the last National League wild card. New York was playing at Toronto.
Martinez (8-6) struck out five and held the Braves hitless from the second through the seventh, retiring 17 straight batters in the process. It was the fourth time this season he allowed just two hits in an outing.
Fernando Cruz struck out two in the eighth and Alexis Díaz pitched a flawless ninth for his 27th save in 30 opportunities, completing the two-hitter.
The game was scheduled to make up a July 23 rainout. The Reds won the first two games of that series on July 22 and 24.
A win would have pushed Atlanta to a season-high 14 games over .500. Instead, the Braves dropped to 4-4 in September.
Atlanta is 16-22 in one-run games and 22-38 when the opponent scores first.
Charlie Morton (8-8) struck out seven in 6 2/3 innings. He permitted one run and six hits.
Cincinnati got on the board in the second when France's double scored TJ Friedl, who was hit by a pitch.
Martinez set down 17 batters in a row before Matt Olson reached on an infield single in the seventh, beating out a throw from third baseman Noelvi Marte.
Cincinnati momentarily took a 2-0 lead in the top of the ninth, but a close call at first base was overturned upon replay review to end the inning.
The Reds won despite leaving nine runners on base.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Braves: Placed catcher Travis d’Arnaud on the paternity list and recalled Chadwick Tromp from Triple-A Gwinnett.
UP NEXT
Braves RHP Reynaldo Lopez (8-5, 2.04 ERA) will open a two-game series against Washington opposite LHP MacKenzie Gore (8-11, 4.32).
