Jesus Sanchez tied the game with a pinch hit home run and Jesus Aguilar drove in four runs. The Miami Marlins scored three runs to gain a split in the four-game series with a 7-6 win.
The Reds sent hard throwing rookie Graham Ashcraft against the Marlins.
Miami sent out its third left handed pitcher in a row in the person of Daniel Castano, who took a line drive off his forehead and had to leave the game.
The Reds literally knocked Castano out of the box early in the first inning. Brandon Drury and Tommy Pham doubled with one out. Castano hit Joey Votto with a pitch. Hot hitting Donovan Solano sent a rocket back to the mound. The ball hit off the pitcher's forehead and third baseman Joey Wendle caught the carom on the fly. Castano had to leave the game and was able to walk off on his own with a knot on his forehead.
"That's terrifying," Ashcraft said. "You never want to see a player hurt like that. I was waiting to see blood coming out. I thught he got hit in cheek or his eye bone or something. I am hoping he's ok. My stprayers go out to him and his family. I hope he can come back and make his next start."
Reds' manager David Bell was concerned for Castano and Solano.
"It is really awful to see that happen to anyone," Bell said. "I've seen it happen before. I had a conversation to see that every thing was ok. It is just a major relief to hear that. It's very scary for everyone involved. Certainly, for their pitcher and their home team and our team. You almost want to stop playing the game. When he was kneeling and walked off on his own, we all felt a little better."
"I saw Donovan go over to the mound and check. He came to the dugout. I asked him if he was ok. I said, if you need to come out of the game. We'll get you out. I think the fact that he saw him walk off helped a lot."
Jeff Brigaham took his place on the Marlin's mound.
Miami took the lead against Ashcraft in the third. Jacob Stallings singled and was forced at second by Wendle. Jesus Aguilar launched his team leading 12th home run of the season after going 0-for-9 in the first three games. The Marlyins took a 2-1 lead.
The home run to Aguilar, I kind of went against the game plan," Ashcraft said. I threw a pitch I shouldn't have in a location I shouldn't have. All and all I was pleased with it. There are still some things I have to work on like always."
The Marlins added an insurance run in the fourth. Lewin Diaz singled and went to second on a passed ball by Mark Kolozsvary. Miguel Rojas poked a single through the right side of the infield to plate the unearned run.
Brigham pitched two scoreless innings until the Reds put two runners on base with one-out singles by Reynolds and Nick Senzel. Miami manager Don Mattingly brought in left hander Richard Bleier to pitch to left handed batter, Tyler Naquin. Bleier's wild pitch moved both runners up. Kolozsvary delivered a twOo-run double to tie the game a 3-3.
Three straight singles by Pham, Votto and Solano put the Reds in front and caused Bleier to shower early with Steven Okert another lefty to face Reynolds. Okert escaped when Reynolds bounced into a double play.
Tyler Naquin blasted his seventh home run off Okrent in the sixth. It was his second of the season off a left handed pitcher.
Ashcraft tried to get through the seventh but a double by Stallings put his quest in danger. He retired Wendle with a ground out. David Bell came to the mound but decided to allow Ashcraft to pitch to Aguilar, who doubled into the right field corner to cut the Reds lead to one. Bell came to the mound before Aguilar's at bat. He was going to take out his rookie pitcher but changed his mind.
"I was pretty committed with going to Diaz right there," Bell said. "In my heart I wanted Graham to have the opportunity. It's tough. He's every bit good enough to get that opportunity. I've seen enough games. I know my team well enough most times I trust that I'm doing the right thing whether it works out or not."
Ashcraft wanted a chance to finish off the Marlin's slugger.
"It was what I wanted," Ashcraft said. "It was nice that he had that trust in me to go back out. He came out and asked, 'what you got?' I said I've got a strikeout and some other words. He trusted with me. After I came out he told me, "I trust you and the next time it will come out in your favor."
Bell brought in Alexis Diaz to protect the lead. Diaz struck out JJ Bleday to end the inning.
Ashcraft turned in his sixth quality start with 6 2/3 innings, allowing four runs, three earned on eight hits and two walks. He struck out six.
Diaz retired all four batters he faced.
Hunter Strickland entered the ninth looking, for his seventh save in nine attempts. Jesus Sanchez hit a pinch hit home run to tie the game. It was Sanchez' 12th of the season. Strickland walked Luke Williams and hit Stallings with a pitch. Bell brought on Buck Farmer. Wendle doubled to the gap in right center to score Williams and send Stallings to third. Aguilar came to the plate with three hits on the day. His sacrifice fly gave him four RBI for the day.
The Reds bullpen has been good for a couple weeks. The produced 10 2/3 scoreless innings over the last four games. Strickland had two bad outings in which he allowed seven runs. In his other 34 games he had a decent 3.34 ERA and led the team in saves.
"It is going to happen," Bell said. "The bullpen has been pitching well. I have a lot of confidence in the way they've been pitching. Definitely, Hunter's been doing a great job in that role. It happens to the best of them. He will get a chance next time. He's so tough. He'll bounce right back."
Tanner Scott got two quick outs in the ninth but walked India and Drury with two outs. Pham singled to make it a one-run game and put himself on first as the potential winning run. Votto struck out swinging to end the game.
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