Cincinnati Reds, riding 11-game winning streak, sell out series opener against Atlanta Braves

The Cincinnati Reds announced they sold out their game Friday night against the Atlanta Braves at Great American Ball Park.

The Reds (40-35) take an 11-game winning streak into the game, while the Braves (48-26) have won eight games in a row. The Reds lead the Milwaukee Brewers by 1½ games in the National League Central Division.

The Reds are the first team in big-league history, according to the Elias Sports Bureau, to move into first place alone in nine games or fewer after falling five or more games under .500 while facing a deficit of at least five games.

The sellout comes during a season that saw the Reds draw the smallest crowd in GABP history (7,375) in April. The Reds rank 23rd in baseball in attendance, averaging 19,659 fans in 38 home games.