CINCINNATI -- Tyler Mahle wasn't the first pitcher to regret a pitch thrown to Ronald Acuña Jr., and he certainly won't be the last.
In the fifth inning of Sunday's 4-0 loss to the Braves, Mahle's first-pitch fastball had Acuña ducking for cover as it sailed high and inside. In a 3-1 count, Acuña made Mahle pay with a scorching solo homer to center field that had an exit velocity of 117.4 mph, according to Statcast.
The Reds had to settle for a four-game series split with the Braves, despite holding the offensively-scuffling club to 11 runs overall.
Here are three things to note from the game and series:
Mahle has a second straight subpar start
Mahle had a five-start winning streak end with a no-decision on Monday vs. the Twins. In that game, he lasted only four innings while throwing 93 pitches. On Sunday vs. the Braves, the right-hander pitched six innings and gave up four earned runs on six hits and one walk, striking out seven.
"Giving up four runs, but getting through six, it makes it look not as bad, I guess," Mahle said. "But it’s still not a good start, no."
Atlanta took a 2-0 lead with two-out hitting in the third inning. Acuña hit an RBI double through the gap in right-center field that scored Guillermo Heredia from first base. Acuña then scored on Freddie Freeman's RBI single to right field before returning in the fifth with his mammoth homer.
Leading off the top of the sixth inning against Mahle, Austin Riley made it a four-run game with his homer to right-center field.
Good series for the bullpen
Owners of MLB's worst bullpen ERA (5.55 after Sunday’s game), the Reds’ relief corps has taken its lumps this season. But it was an encouraging series for the group, especially as it tries to get by without its two best arms -- Tejay Antone and Lucas Sims.
In the four-game series, Reds relievers gave up three runs (two earned) over 11 innings.
"Those are huge shoes to fill," said Sean Doolittle, who gave the Reds a scoreless eighth inning on Sunday. "Not only have they been throwing [in] a lot of games, but they've been pitching some of the biggest innings for us. I think it's got to be, as a group, it's that next-man-up mentality. Nobody's really going to be able to do what Tejay and Lucas do as far as pitching multiple days in a row, pitching multiple innings at a time, so we're really going to have to come together as a group to fill that gap."
Two of the runs in the series came against Antone on Thursday when he was battling before going on the 10-day injured list Saturday with a right forearm strain.
Amir Garrett has five consecutive scoreless appearances, including a save in Saturday's 4-1 win vs. the Braves.
Art Warren recovered from a rough appearance at Minnesota on Tuesday and pitched a perfect inning on both Friday and Sunday. Warren has a 2.79 ERA in 11 appearances over multiple big league stints this season.
"It’s going to take every one of us to get to where we want to be at the end of the year, so why not start now and get some momentum right before the All-Star break so when we get back, we’re ready to roll," Warren said.
Brad Brach earned his first save in 94 appearances going back to 2018 on Thursday. Brach gave up the other bullpen run vs. Atlanta on Saturday in the eighth inning.
Doolittle has a 4.73 ERA in 31 appearances and has allowed 11 of 13 inherited runners to score this season. But after giving up a one-out double and a two-out intentional walk, he got a popout to first base to get out of the eighth inning.
"I put up a zero! I get to talk to the media! We can joke about it, it's OK," Doolittle said with a smile. "I think it's super important even in games like today where we're down by four, and it gives the offense a chance to feel like they don't have to press even more, that we can hold them right there. If they can find a way to get four or five runs, we can extend the game and get a win."
Winker looks 100 percent
Jesse Winker had to exit Saturday's game in the fifth inning because of a right hip contusion from a diving catch attempt. Winker was not in the lineup on Sunday, but pinch-hit for Kyle Farmer in the seventh inning and drew a four-pitch walk.
Winker stayed in the game and played left field for the final two innings, and had to track down a pair of drives towards the corner. One went for an out with Freeman batting, the other was an Ozzie Albies double off Doolittle.
"We knew going into the game that he could not only pinch-hit, but pinch-hit and potentially stay in the game, [and] we almost got him two at-bats there," Reds manager David Bell said. "He’s already beyond any concern. He should be fully 100 percent tomorrow."