BRISTOL, TENN. — Less than four innings into their suspended matchup Sunday against the Reds in the MLB Speedway Classic, the Braves lost a key player to injury.
Third baseman Austin Riley left the game with what the Braves called “lower abdominal pain.” Luke Williams replaced him as a pinch hitter in the top of the third inning.
Riley likely suffered the injury on the second pitch — and first out — of the resumed game from Saturday night. In the bottom of the first inning, he made a sliding stop on a ground ball off the bat of Miguel Andujar before engaging in a rundown with Reds speedster Elly De La Cruz.
The play ended with Riley diving to apply the tag on De La Cruz just shy of home plate.
Riley missed eight games — with the All-Star break sandwiched in between — with a lower abdominal strain earlier in the season after aggravating the area on a pair on plays July 12 against the Cardinals.
The Braves were trailing the Reds 3-2 in the bottom of the sixth inning.
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