ATLANTA — Charlie Morton allowed just two hits as he smashed into the sixth inning on his return from a broken leg. Travis d’Arnaud drove in three runs and the Atlanta Braves held off the Cincinnati Reds 7-6 on Friday night.
Morton (1-0) was on top form after sustaining a broken right leg when he was hit by a comebacker in Game 1 of the Braves’ World Series win over Houston.
The 38-year-old Righty retired the first 12 batters, allowing two runs with five strikeouts with a walk in 5 1/3 innings.
“I honestly didn’t even think about the leg,” Morton said.
New Braves seamer Kenley Jansen, asked to hold a 7-3 lead, gave up three runs in the ninth inning on his Atlanta debut.
Jansen went with Joey Votto and gave Tyler Stephenson a single to open the inning. With two outs, Kyle Farmer hit an RBI single and Jake Fraley had a two-run single before Jansen pulled Jonathan India back with a flyball.
“He’s a big horse that just never stops hitting,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said of Jansen’s ability to escape trouble in his 30-pitch inning.
“I’ve seen him get into these jams before when he played against him. It was also a limited spring for these emergency workers. They really didn’t get the work they would normally get in a normal year with extended spring training. … I’m glad we won the game. It really wasn’t that bad for him to go out there and throw that many pitches,” he said.
D’Arnaud had two hits, including a two-run single in Atlanta’s five-run third inning. Matt Olson had three hits.
The Braves took advantage of seven walks from Reds pitchers.
Reds rookie Reiver Sanmartin (0-1) only lasted 2 1/3 innings and his five walks resulted in his early retirement. Sanmartin allowed five runs with four hits, including one Run scoring doubles by Adam Duvall in Atlanta’s big third inning.
Jeff Hoffman, replacing Sanmartin, allowed d’Arnaud’s two-run single and a runs-scoring single from Orlando Arcia.
Morton threw four perfect innings before Votto led the fifth with a single down the middle. Nick Senzel doubled and Mike Moustakas had a sacrificial fly.
“He’s a guy that’s there, most of our hitters have faced him and he just seems to keep doing what he’s doing and getting people out,” Reds manager David Bell said.
“He’s got great stuff, he’s got the experience. He gave us a hard time in the first five innings,” he said.
TRAINING ROOM
Reds: Bell said LHP Mike Minor (sore left shoulder) “felt great” throwing 35 pitches in a simulated game. Minor’s next move could be a minor league rehab assignment unless he throws another simulated game first next week. … RHPs Daniel Duarte and Alexis Diaz made their major league debuts, each posting a scoreless inning.
Braves: LHP Tucker Davidson may be the likeliest contender for the sixth starter in Tuesday’s rotation against Washington. Snitker said “we’re planning to sneak someone in,” but didn’t name the starter.
RAISE THE BANNER
The Braves continued to celebrate their first championship since 1995. A World Series banner was flown in midfield prior to the game. Braves players and coaches will receive their World Series rings prior to Saturday night’s game.
HEAR THE UMP
For the first time, a referee at Truist Park announced a replay review decision to fans. After reviewing the game, Crew Chief Jerry Layne announced that Senzel made a catch from Ozzie Albies’ second-inning liner in midfield.
NEXT
Braves RHP Kyle Wright, who carries an ugly 6.56 ERA in his first 21 games of the regular season, including 14 starts, meets Reds RHP Vladimir Gutierrez (9-6, 4.74 ERA in 2021). Four-game series.
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