The Braves saw off the Reds 4:2 in a regular-season MLB encounter on Wednesday night, closing out what had been a razor-thin rivalry over the past week. To be fair, neither side has been able to string together more than a single win against the other lately, which makes this result carry a bit more weight than the scoreline alone suggests.
It comes after the two clubs traded victories on Tuesday and Wednesday — Reds took the opener 4:0, then Braves answered 3:2 — so this latest outcome means the home side pulled ahead in the immediate head-to-head. And here's the thing about these back-to-back series: momentum shifts faster than the standings reflect.
Looking at the broader picture, both sides have been inconsistent against other opponents. The Reds have dropped games to the Cubs and lost big to Chicago 9:1, while the Braves have shown they can put up runs against Houston, winning 6:3 and 6:2 on the same day in September.
The result keeps the Braves within striking distance of whatever position they were aiming for heading into the final stretch. By then, every game matters more, and winning two of three against a direct competitor isn't nothing.
