Reds’ offense disappears again in 2-1 loss to Miami
Published 1:28 am Monday, August 11, 2014
CINCINNATI (AP) — Cincinnati got one run off Nathan Eovaldi in Miami last week. The rematch was even worse for the Reds.
The right-hander gave his second straight shutdown performance, holding Cincinnati to five hits over eight shutout innings, and Giancarlo Stanton hit his NL-leading 28th homer on Friday night, powering the Marlins to a 2-1 victory.
The Reds fell to 8-13 since the All-Star break, a slide that has them stranded in fourth place in the NL Central.
Eovaldi (6-6) got his first victory since June 23, ending a streak of three losses and four no-decisions. He was coming off what was his best performance of the second half of the season — seven innings of one-run ball in a 2-1 win over the Reds last Saturday. He didn’t get the decision in that one.
He stayed with the same approach and finally got that win.
“He throws hard, that’s my impression,” Reds shortstop Zack Cozart said. “That’s my impression. He’s throwing 99 mph in the eighth. He’s got a good fastball. You don’t see many starters throwing 98 in the eighth too often.”
Eovaldi threw 112 pitches, his last one clocked at 99 mph. He walked one and struck out six while going eight innings for the second time this season.
Devin Mesoraco doubled home a run in the ninth off Steve Cishek, who then fanned Cozart with two runners aboard to get his 28th save in 31 chances. Todd Frazier had three of Cincinnati’s seven hits.
Jarrod Saltalamacchia had a bases-loaded sacrifice fly in the sixth inning off Mike Leake (9-10) and Stanton connected in the seventh, ending the right-hander’s perfect career mark against the Marlins. Leake had been 3-0 in three starts against them with a 1.93 ERA.
“It was a bad slider,” Leake said of the home run pitch. “This is going to sound bad, but I’ll take a solo homer. I was more angry about the pitch. He’s strong. If he gets any wood on the ball, he’s going to hit it hard.”
Casey McGehee hit his second double of the game with one out in the sixth, and Leake walked Garrett Jones and hit Marcell Ozuna to load the bases for Saltalamacchia’s run-scoring fly to center. Stanton homered with two outs in the seventh.
Cincinnati’s Brayan Pena singled in the second inning, giving him a 12-game hitting streak that matches his career high. His left hamstring tightened after he reached base, and he left the game as a precaution after the inning.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Marlins: Left-hander Dan Jennings was released from a Pittsburgh hospital on Friday, a day after he was hit in the head by Jordy Mercer’s line drive. After getting a scan, he was cleared to fly back to Florida. The Marlins put him on the 7-day concussion list.
Reds: Right-hander Homer Bailey had a sore jaw a day after he deflected a line drive at his head. Bailey stayed in the game and went seven innings for the 4-0 win. Aside from the sore jaw, he was fine. … Second baseman Brandon Phillips took ground balls on the field before batting practice. He’s recovering from a torn ligament in his left thumb.
MARLINS SHUFFLE
The Marlins called up infielder Ed Lucas, right-hander Anthony DeSclafani and left-hander Edgar Olmos from Triple-A New Orleans. Left-hander Brian Flynn and infielder Kike Hernandez were optioned. Miami also traded right-hander Jacob Turner to the Cubs for minor league right-handers Jose Arias and Tyler Bremer.
STATS
The Marlins haven’t allowed a homer in their last 11 games since July 28, the second-longest such streak in club history. They went 12 games without giving up a homer last season. … Stanton has three homers in five games against Cincinnati this season. … Miami’s Jordany Valdespin bunted for a single in the first, ending his streak of three games without a hit. It matches his longest drought of the season. … Frazier had three hits for the eighth time this season.
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