Conrad's grand slam caps Atlanta's seven-run ninth, shocking Reds

Baseball Betting Lines

05/20/2010 - Atlanta, GA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Brooks Conrad hit a pinch-hit, game-winning grand slam in the bottom of the ninth inning, as the Atlanta Braves scored seven times in the frame to come back and shock the Cincinnati Reds, 10-9, and complete the sweep of a brief two-game series at Turner Field.

Nate McLouth contributed a two-run single in the ninth, while Martin Prado and Jason Heyward knocked in a run apiece for the Braves, who have won three straight and eight of their last 10 overall.

Atlanta's Tommy Hanson got the start and was raked for a career-high eight runs on as many hits with two walks and a pair of strikeouts in only 1 2/3 innings. Craig Kimbrel (1-0) was credited with the win for tossing a scoreless top of the ninth. It was his first major league victory.

Joey Votto cracked his first career grand slam, while Laynce Nix added a solo shot and knocked in three for Cincinnati, which has dropped two in a row after winning four straight.

Mike Leake worked six solid innings, giving up three runs -- one earned -- on five hits with six strikeouts and one walk. Francisco Cordero (1-3) absorbed the loss for giving up the grand slam in the ninth.

"It was kind of a shock, disappointing, obviously to finish off the game that way," Votto said. "I don't think anybody assumed we were going to win the game until it was over, but you go into the ninth inning comfortable and the bullpen has been excellent so far, another reason it was a shock to us."

Mike Lincoln replaced Leake after six frames and appeared to have things in total control after throwing a perfect seventh and eighth inning. The veteran right-hander stayed on for the ninth with the Reds up 9-3 and got into trouble.

Three straight singles loaded the bases and McClouth's two-run base hit made it a 9-5 game, leaving runners on the corners with nobody out.

Nick Masset came in out of the bullpen and walked David Ross to load the bases. Masset then got Prado to ground to third, but Miguel Cairo was unable to get the ball out of his glove, allowing another run to cross the plate. Arthur Rhodes entered the game and struck out Heyward.

Manager Dusty Baker again turned to his bullpen and brought in Cordero, who left a 2-2 fastball out over the plate and Conrad hammered it to deep left. Nix appeared to have a beat on the ball, but as he leapt at the wall to grab it, the ball hit off the left fielder's glove and went over for the dramatic grand slam.

"What an unbelievable game," Conrad said. "Getting down early, them hitting Tommy (Hanson) like that. Just perseverance. We stuck there the whole game, we scratched out a few runs, guys battled in the ninth and gave us a chance. Definitely unbelievable excitement. I'm speechless right now."

Hanson worked out of trouble in the first, but the young right-hander wasn't so fortunate in the second, as the Reds sent 12 men to the plate and pushed across eight runs -- all with two outs.

Cincinnati loaded the bases before Cairo's RBI base hit got the scoring started. Votto then crushed a fastball into the center field seats for a 5-0 game. After the next two batters reached, Ramon Hernandez brought in a run with a base hit and Nix followed with a two-run double to make it 8-0. Hanson was lifted for Jesse Chavez, who got the final out of the inning.

Atlanta got on the board in the third when Prado hit a ground-rule double and crossed the plate on Leake's missed catch error at first base on a grounder hit by Heyward.

Nix clubbed a solo shot in the fifth to make it a 9-1 game before the Braves responded with two in the bottom half. Atlanta loaded the bases with a walk and two singles, then Heyward grounded to first and Votto's throw was dropped at second base by shortstop Orlando Cabrera, allowing two runs to score.

Game Notes

The Reds won six of nine versus the Braves last year, sweeping all three meetings at Turner Field from September 4-6...Atlanta finished 5-for-13 with runners in scoring position and stranded only four runners, while Cincinnati went 4-for-13 with RISP and left eight.