Marlins Hook Reds In Series Opener

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Perhaps the euphoria of winning the Ohio Cup drained the Reds offense or perhaps Nathan Eovaldi is a better pitcher than his record (5-6, 4.22) indicates.

Eovaldi evened his record at six and Cishek saved his 28th game in nerve wracking fashion in a 2-1 victory.

Whatever the reason or reasons, the Reds wasted another quality start.  Mike Leake pitched seven innings, allowing two runs on five hits.  He was nicked by a sacrifice fly in the sixth after Reds pitchers put together 15 straight shutout innings. 

"It's tough to face the same team back-to-back," Bryan Price said.  "Mike and Eovaldi both did a nice job."

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Leake was a little two wild for his own good, walking four and hitting a batter.  He allowed just five hits.  Leake gave up a double to Casey McGehee with one out in the sixth.  He walked Garrett Jones and hit Marcel Ozuna with a two-strike pitch, setting up Jarrod Saltalamacchia's fly to center that broke the scoreless tie.

"I tried to keep the ball down to minimize the damage," Leake said.  "I tried to get Saltalamacchia to hit the ball on the ground but he didn't let me. It wasn't a bad pitch."

Giancarlo Stanton hit a majestic 437ft. home run in the seventh. It was his 28th of the year, which leads the National League.

"Stanton hit a bad slider.  He's so strong.  He doesn't have to get it all," Leake said.

Even with a high pitch count, Price had no problem sending Leake out for the seventh.

Leake faced nine times before the seventh inning. Stantom had managed one single and a walk but struck out four times.

"I had no problem sending Leake out to face Stanton.  He had handled him pretty well," Price said. "You make decisions like that.  They don't always work out."

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The Reds managed  five harmless hits, including a single by Brayan Pena which extended his hitting streak to 12 games.  That ties his career high.  Pena had to leave with a tight left hamstring after the hit second inning.

Todd Frazier had two singles.  Jay Bruce and Skip Schumaker singled in Eovaldi's eight scoreless innings.

Cishek entered the game in the ninth.

Frazier doubled to open the inning.  He trotted home when Devin Mesoraco followed with a double.  Ramon Santiago bunted Mesoraco to third.  Schumaker hit a ball up the middle with a drawn-in infield shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria fielded it on a short hop. He threw Schumaker out as Mesoraco held.  Cishek struck out Zack Cozart on a 2-2 pitch.

"My impression of Eovaldi? He throws hard, that's my impression," Cozart said.  "It's not often you face a starter that throws 98 in the eighth inning."