Hurricane Alonso Blows Away Marlins 8-6

The Florida Marlins cancelled the game Thursday night to avoid Hurricane Irene but they could not avoid Hurricane Alonso Wednesday night.

Yonder Alonso Homers in the second inning

The Miami resident and former University of Miami Hurricane star, Yonder Alonso, teamed with fellow rookie Dave Sappelt to rally the Reds past Leo Nunez and the Florida Marlins.

Alonso, homered, singled in a run and hit a two-run double to cap the Reds four run ninth inning.  Sappelt doubled earlier in the inning to plate Joey Votto and Brandon Phillips.  Former Reds manager and current Marlins skipper, Jack McKeon elected to walk Jay Bruce, who hit his 27th home run with a man on to keep the Reds in the contest.

Alonso's home run in the second initiated the scoring.  He drove in the Reds second run with a single in the third to put the Reds up 2-0 with ace Johnny Cueto on the mound seeking his 10th win.

Cueto had trouble with the mound and his control on this sticky South Florida night.  His first pitch was a strike but he slipped when his foot landed on the wet mound.  He never looked comfortable.  He allowed just four hits in five innings but he walked six, including the Marlins young slugger Mike Stanton three times..  He threw over 100 pitches in just five frames.  He also threw 11 pitches while striking out Gabby Sanchez in the third inning to build his pitch count too quickly.

The Marlins had just one hit entering the fifth but Emilio Bonifacio, who was a pest all night singled to open the inning.  Bonifacio took third when Cueto's pick off attempt eluded Alonso at first base. Cueto fanned Bryan Peterson but walked Stanton for the third time.  Greg Dobbs hit a sacrifice fly to left center.  Sappelt made a rookie mistake by not yeilding to Drew Stubbs to make the catch. Stubbs was in better position to make the throw, still Bonifacio barely beat the tag by Ramon Hernandez, triggering a mild argument by Dusty Baker.  A friendly call would have ended the inning without a run scoring but Omar Infante singled and Sanchez doubled to give Florida a lead.

The Reds pulled another reverse Houdini routine by loading the bases with no out but failing to score.  Hernandez lined to shallow center to keep Miguel Cairo on third.  Paul Janish hit a one hopper right at thirdbaseman Dobbs, who was even with the bag, he stepped on third and easily threw out Janish.

As often happens when a team misses a chance like that, the Marlins scored right away.  John Buck topped a ball off reliever Sam LeCure that died in the grass in front of Cairo for a single.  Bonifacio lined a hanging breaking ball from LeCure into the right field stands to extend the Marlins lead to 5-3.

Jay Bruce hits his 27th home run in the seventh

The Reds made up for the blown chance with two outs and the bases empty in the Sappelt singled, the second of his three hits.  Bruce followed with his home run.

The Marlins got a run back in the eighth in Nick Masset's second inning of work and Bonifacio completed his three-RBI night with a sacrifice fly after Masset balked Buck into scoring position.

Aroldis Chapman matched Irene's speed in blowing away Peterson with one pitch at 98 (category one), three at 99 (category two) and one at 100 (category three) to record the strikeout to earn his third win.

Francisco Cordero saved the game for his 27th of the season and 317th of his career.  He needs one more to tie Rick Auguilera for 15th place on the all-time list.  It extended Cordero's current streak to eight straight in as many appearances.

Hurricane Irene is expected to reach the area on Thursday in time to threaten the third game of the series.  The Marlins scheduled that game as part of a Wednesday doubleheader beginning at 4:10.