Braves win third straight, beat Reds behind two Simmons homers

CINCINNATI — Andrelton Simmons homered twice among his three hits and drove in four runs as visiting Atlanta won the series opener against the Cincinnati Reds on Monday, 7-4.

Simmons posted the first multi-homer game of his career, belting a long solo homer down the left-field line in the second off Cincinnati starter Bronson Arroyo (2-4) and connecting on a two-run shot to left in the eighth. Atlanta starter Paul Maholm (4-3) picked up the victory, allowing two runs on four hits in 5 2/3 innings.

Brandon Phillips and Zack Cozart each finished with two hits for Cincinnati, which dropped to 12-5 at home and fell three games behind idle St. Louis in the National League Central. Arroyo allowed four runs on eight hits with seven strikeouts in five innings.

Jordan Schafer followed Simmons