Braves, Reds Spark 16-Run Inning Surge in Wild Showdown
What did we just watch!
It wasn't just another night at Great American Ball Park on Thursday, as the Reds and Braves unleashed one of the most hectic showdowns ever played in the eighth frame of a game.
A jaw-dropping eighth inning began with Atlanta erupting for eight runs, seizing an 11-3 lead over Cincinnati.
Refusing to fold, the Reds roared back with eight runs of their own in the bottom of the eighth.
While seeming very out for a moment, Cincy roared back, and the inning produced a combined 16 runs (8 each) between teams, which is a truly rare feat.
CINCINNATI, OHIO - JULY 31: Ke'Bryan Hayes #3 of the Cincinnati Reds celebrates his three-run run home run in the eighth inning against the Atlanta Braves at Great American Ball Park on July 31, 2025 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Mowry/Getty Images)
Rarely do games showcase 12 pitchers or a combined 30 hits in a single night. Once in a blue moon, a stellar offense collides with shaky defense and bad pitching, sparking a scoring bonanza.
The Reds' thrilling comeback ended in a heart-breaking extra-innings loss on a sacrifice fly by Braves' Marcell Ozuna.
The Braves prevailed, 12-11. The Braves' early success in the eighth inning saw Atlanta score eight runs off four Reds pitchers.
Amid a hectic week with the MLB trade deadline falling on Thursday, Cincinnati’s acquisition of Ke'Bryan Hayes from the Pittsburgh Pirates led to some splash moments in the eighth.
Hayes smashed a home run and drove in three runs during the wild eighth inning. It was Hayes' first in a Reds uniform, a day after Cincy pulled off the trade.
Hayes and Spencer Steer stepped up in the comeback inning, with the lineup also producing hits evenly.
CINCINNATI, OHIO - JULY 31: Michael Harris II #23 of the Atlanta Braves celebrates with Sean Murphy #12 of the Atlanta Braves after scoring during the eighth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on July 31, 2025 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Mowry/Getty Images)
This marked only the third time in MLB history that both teams scored eight or more runs in the same inning.
It was another night of unpredictable baseball.
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