Braves drop series finale to Reds as Weiss pinch-hits for Mateo

The Atlanta Braves lost 6-4 to the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday at Great American Ball Park, closing out the series. Manager Walt Weiss stirred controversy by pinch-hitting Dominic Smith for Jorge Mateo in the ninth inning despite Mateo's strong season. Mateo, hitting.316 with a.487 slugging percentage, has been a key contributor for Atlanta. Smith managed to walk in that crucial at-bat, but the Braves could not complete the comeback. Weiss emphasized the importance of leveraging left-handed hitters against righty Tony Santillan, showing the team's depth as they prepare to move into June with the best record in baseball at 40-20.

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