CINCINNATI - Max Fried is making his case for a spot on the National League's roster for the upcoming MLB All-Star Game, along with a bunch of his teammates.
Fried won his eighth straight decision after a loss in his first two outings this season, allowing one run in seven innings in the Atlanta Braves' 9-1 rout of the woeful Cincinnati Reds on Friday night.
The 28-year-old left-hander was 3-0 with a 2.16 ERA in June for the reigning World Series champions.
"Just kind of embracing who I am as a pitcher," Fried said. "Just trying to mix speeds and get soft contact and not always chase a strikeout."
Although Fried acknowledged he didn't have his best stuff, the Reds were no problem. He gave up five hits with four strikeouts and no walks. After allowing Tommy Pham's RBI single in the third, Fried retired 10 batters in a row and 11 of his last 13 faced.
It was the opener of a three-game series between mismatched teams at Great American Ball Park. Atlanta (45-33) is the four-time reigning champion in the NL East Division but is currently second, 3 1/2 games behind the New York Mets. The Reds (26-50) are last in the NL Central and have lost 11 of their past 14 games.
Austin Riley put Atlanta ahead to stay with his team-high 19th homer of the season, a two-run shot in the first inning. Dansby Swanson added a three-run homer for the Braves.
"Their lineup took over the game," Reds manager David Bell said. "You have to look at what Fried did for them. He really was able to shut us down."
Cincinnati has the NL's worst record.
Atlanta's Ronald Acuña Jr., the NL's top vote recipient for the July 19 All-Star Game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, was back in the lineup after fouling a pitch off his left foot last Saturday and missing four games. He did not start in his usual spot in right field but went 2-for-3 as a designated hitter and was hit by a pitch twice.
Riley hit a two-run homer in the first off Mike Minor (1-5), his first home run since he hit two against the Washington Nationals on June 15. Riley added a run-scoring single in the ninth against Jeff Hoffman.
Minor allowed two runs and six hits in six innings, the former Brave's first quality start this season. Atlanta piled on seven runs off Cincinnati's bullpen, which entered with a 5.69 ERA - nearly a run higher than any other team. Swanson homered off Joel Kuhnel.
"With the bullpen, we have to keep working with our guys, stay with them," Bell said. "This game is tough, and it seems like an eternity when you're going through it, but it can turn around in a hurry."
In the eighth, Adam Duvall had an RBI double and Orlando Arcia hit a two-run single against Luis Cessa.
"Mike was doing a good job against us, keeping everybody off balance," Braves manager Brian Snitker said. "This is one of them ballparks you never feel comfortable. It's like you've just got to keep scoring, because you never really feel good about any kind of a lead here. Seen a lot of them vanish over the years, so that was nice we kept adding on."
Cincinnati has lost nine straight at Great American Ball Park. It's the worst home losing streak at the stadium, which replaced Riverfront Stadium/Cinergy Field in 2003. The Reds lost eight straight at home in 2015 and nine straight in 2001 at the old stadium.
Before the game, the Braves activated right-handed pitcher Silvino Bracho after acquiring him from the Boston Red Sox for cash, and they also optioned right-hander Jesus Cruz to Triple-A Gwinnett.
When the series continues Saturday, Atlanta will start Spencer Strider (3-2, 3.02 ERA) against Cincinnati's Tyler Mahle (3-6, 4.53 ERA) in a matchup of right-handers.
Strider allowed five hits through six scoreless innings in a home loss to the Dodgers last Sunday. Mahle tied his season high by going 6 1/3 innings while allowing three runs and four hits in Sunday's road win against the San Francisco Giants.