Cincinnati Reds vs Atlanta Braves Live Streaming

Cincinnati Reds vs Atlanta Braves Live | Cincinnati Reds vs Atlanta Braves | Cincinnati Reds vs Atlanta Braves Streaming | Cincinnati vs Atlanta MLB Live Stream | Cincinnati Reds vs Atlanta Braves Live Webcast

1:05 pm EDT Thu May 20, 2010

Tommy Hanson made 75 appearances for five different minor-league teams before making his debut for the Atlanta Braves, while Mike Leake went straight from Arizona State to the Cincinnati Reds. Despite their different paths, the results have been similar for the two promising young right-handers, who will square off Thursday as their clubs finish a two-game set in Atlanta. Originally a 22nd-round draft pick in 2005, Hanson developed into one of the top pitching prospects in all of baseball, and the 23-year-old has lived up to the hype through 29 major league starts. Leake, meanwhile, quickly burst onto the scene after the Reds selected him with the eighth overall pick last year. Following a brilliant collegiate career, the 22-year-old has made a smooth transition to the big leagues and is still unbeaten through seven starts. Leake posted his fourth consecutive quality start Saturday against St. Louis, beating Adam Wainwright and holding the Cardinals to two runs in six innings of a 4-3 victory.

Even though their four-game winning streak was snapped with a 5-4 loss to Atlanta on Wednesday, the Reds remain the surprising leaders in the NL Central, holding a half-game edge on St. Louis. They’ve moved in front by winning nine of their last 11, with their pitchers posting a 2.46 ERA and their defense committing one error in that stretch. The Braves became the first team to score more than four runs against Cincinnati since May 7, when the Reds lost 14-7 to the Chicago Cubs. Atlanta blew a 4-0 lead in the final two innings, with Reds rookie Chris Heisey hitting a pinch-hit home run off Braves closer Billy Wagner in the ninth to tie the game. But Jason Heyward, Atlanta’s own rookie, ended it with a two-out RBI double in the bottom of the inning. The 20-year-old had three extra-base hits in the game and leads all rookies with eight homers and 29 RBIs.