Drake Baldwin Delivers First Walk-Off as Braves Outlast Reds in Extras

ATLANTA, GA - MAY 08: Atlanta catcher Drake Baldwin (30) reacts after hitting a walk-off single to win the game during the MLB game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Atlanta Braves on May 8th, 2025 at Truist Park in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire)

The Atlanta Braves were looking to bounce back from Tuesday night’s tight loss and take the series against Cincinnati. Spencer Schwellenbach was also looking for redemption after his tough outing last weekend against the Dodgers. He got exactly that, and then some.

Schwellenbach showed poise and early command, working efficiently through the first few innings. After walking the leadoff man, TJ Friedl, Atlanta’s defense picked him up right away. Ozzie Albies doubled up Friedl on a Matt McLain liner, as the Reds outfielder took off early assuming it would drop. Schwellenbach then struck out Elly De La Cruz to end the frame, setting the tone for a much-improved night. De La Cruz is electric but often boom or bust, and the Braves were banking on the latter.

Atlanta wasted no time jumping on the board. Austin Riley lined a one-out double down the left field line, followed by a base hit from Marcell Ozuna, who’s been walking at an elite clip but not hitting much lately. Ozuna’s .428 OBP ranked third in the Majors entering the day. Matt Olson followed with a sac fly to plate Riley and give the Braves a 1-0 lead.

From there, it turned into a pitcher’s duel. Schwellenbach settled in, and Reds lefty Nick Lodolo matched him pitch for pitch. After giving up the first-inning run, Lodolo silenced Atlanta’s bats. From the second through fourth, the Braves failed to reach base, a theme that’s followed this team all season. Lodolo struck out five across four innings while allowing just two hits. Quietly, Cincinnati’s rotation has been one of the best in baseball this year.

The Reds finally broke through in the fifth. Spencer Steer and Santiago Espinal opened the frame with back-to-back singles, Espinal’s deflecting off Austin Riley’s glove and into the outfield. After a Tyler Stephenson strikeout, Jose Trevino lined an RBI double to tie things up. Schwellenbach responded well, though, striking out Rece Hinds and getting Friedl to line out to end the threat.

Eli White sparked the bottom of the fifth with a perfect bunt single. His speed and play making ability continues to make a case for a consistent role, even once Ronald Acuña Jr. returns. Next up, Michael Harris II tripled to right-center to score White and put Atlanta back on top 2-1. It was Harris’ first triple of the season and part of an excellent night for the center fielder.

In the sixth, Schwellenbach danced out of trouble. After a walk to De La Cruz and a Gavin Lux single, he engineered a tailor-made double play ball from Steer to escape the jam. That would wrap his outing: six innings, five hits, one run, two walks, and six strikeouts on 93 pitches. A strong bounce-back outing from the 24 year old right-hander.

Rafael Montero came on for the seventh and immediately found trouble. After a walk and Trevino’s second double of the night, the Reds loaded the bases with one out. That brought in Dylan Lee, who gave up an RBI single to Friedl to tie it 2-2. But Lee responded, striking out McLain and getting De La Cruz swinging for the second time on the night to strand three. Lee did a good job for what he was dealt. Walking into a bases loaded one out situation is a very tedious situation.

The Braves managed only a Harris II single in the seventh, and Pierce Johnson worked a clean eighth with his streak intact, not allowing a baserunner since April 16 in Toronto. He fanned Steer for good measure.

It was Raisel Iglesias’ turn in the ninth, on his own bobblehead night, but it didn’t go to script. Trevino jumped all over the first pitch for his third double, and Hinds followed by crushing a hanging slider for a two-run homer. Reds suddenly led 4-2, and De La Cruz struck out yet again to cap the frame, his third of the game and seventh of the series.

Still, the Braves had life. Lyon Richardson walked Albies to start the ninth, then Sean Murphy ripped a single to right that bounced off Hinds’ glove. With runners at the corners and no outs, Eli White laid down a textbook sac bunt to score Albies and cut the lead to 4-3. Then Harris II came through once again, lining an RBI single to left to tie the game at four. Drake Baldwin pinch-hit with a chance to win it, but struck out on a cutter in. Verdugo, hitless to that point, grounded out to send it to extras. It was an off series for Verdugo. He finished 3-for-17 in the series, hitless in the last three games of the four game set, and not even so much as a walk.

Scott Blewett took the ball for the 10th, with De La Cruz starting on second. Blewett continued to impress, retiring the side and giving Atlanta another chance to win it.

Luis Mey entered for the Reds with Verdugo on second. Riley went down, but Verdugo advanced to third. Stuart Fairchild had a chance to walk it off against his former club but grounded into a fielder’s choice, with Verdugo tagged out at the plate. Olson drew a two-out walk, putting runners at first and second for Albies, but Ozzie struck out on a 99 mph ball way outside to end the inning.

In the top of the 11th, Matt Olson made a sharp defensive play, fielding a bunt and firing to third to get the lead runner. After a flyout, Cincinnati tried to get aggressive on the bases, but Drake Baldwin cut down Blake Dunn trying to steal. The Reds challenged, but the call stood. Red's manager Terry Frankona was not happy in the least, and was eventually ejected, as well as his first base coach Collin Cowgill.

Atlanta’s half of the 11th began with Albies on second. Orlando Arcia popped up a bunt attempt for the first out. After an intentional walk to Eli White, Harris II went down swinging, bringing Baldwin to the plate with two on and two out.

And this time, Baldwin delivered.

He turned on a 2-2 pitch and drove it to left, scoring Albies and sending the Braves home with a 5-4 win. It was Baldwin’s first career walk-off hit, and it came at the perfect time. 

“I mean, it was awesome,” Baldwin said postgame. “Yeah, something you dream about, getting the chance to be up at the plate with a guy in scoring position, and getting it done makes it a lot better as well. Especially after the chance earlier in the game with the guy on third and not being able to get it done, that definitely feels really good to kind of move past. I’m happy with my adjustments and getting it done there.”

Atlanta takes the series, and with it, a bit of momentum heading into the weekend at Pittsburgh, who is in a bad spot right now. The Pirates are 12-26 and just fired their manager, Derek Shelton. Pirates Bench Coach Don Kelly will take over as manager. An extra note that I saw from one of my favorite follows on X, @OzunasKeys, mentions the Braves have won five of their last six series. This team is definitely getting there. At 18-19, I look for Atlanta to finish this weekend in Pittsburgh and return home for a four-game set with the Nationals over .500.