Dane Myers And Elly De La Cruz Come Through In The Pinch Against The Cardinals

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Dateline: Cincinnati  

Dane Myers hit a pinch hit home run with two outs and the bases empty in the ninth inning to tie the game. Elly De La Cruz, who was in a 2-for-33 slump coming into the game singled home ghost runner Tyler Stephenson with the winning run in the 10th. The Reds avoided a double header sweep with a 6-5 win.

"It felt good to deliver when the team needed it the most," De La Cruz said. "It's not just me. It's all the guys that do a good job. It has been a couple tough days but we have to stay through it. I feel good there were just a couple bad days. It is always like that, good days, bad days, you just got to stay to it."

Myers has been playing regularly the second half of the season as TJ Friedl has struggled. Early in the season Myers came off the bench a lot and had nine pinch hits when he batted against Peter Strzelecki who was working his third inning. The home run tied him for the Major League lead with Michael Conforto of the Chicago Cubs with 10 pinch hits. 

"You usually don't get to see a guy three innings in relief, so, seeing him kinda throw from inside the (batting) cage and getting some information from my teammates who have faced him, helped a lot. I was trying to get a good pitch to hit and I put a good swing on it."

"Maybe its a tick easier when you're playing more but it's still a tough job," Myers said. "I think pinch hitting has come from reps the previous years. I think I've grown a lot as a person and as a player. I'm just trusting myself and trusting that I'm prepared for the at bat and taking like I've had five already."

The Reds scored a run against old nemesis, Andre Pallante, in the first inning. De La Cruz, Sal Stewart and JJ Bleday singled with Bleday's landing just in front of a diving Nathan Church in center field. De La Cruz had to stop at third. Eugenio Suarez lined to Church to score De La Cruz. Michael Toglia lined to JJ Wetherholt at second base. A snap throw to Masyn Winn double up Stewart to end the inning.

Pallante made 21 appearances, 11 starts against the Reds in his career. He has an 8-4 record and a 2.18 ERA.

Ivan Herrera launched his 14th home run, leading off the fourth against Reds' starter, Rhett Lowder. Alec Burleson and Jordan Walker singled after the home run. Joshua Baez forced Walker at second. Winn was 1-for-20 coming to the plate but he punched an 0-2 pitch into right field to give the Cardinals a 2-1 lead.

Bleday and Suarez singled to open the bottom of the fourth but Pallante struck out Toglia and McLain. Hector Rodriguez hit a weak ground ball to first base and Pallante escaped.

Walker doubled to leadoff the sixth. He moved up to third when Baez flied to deep center. Church singled to make the score 3-1. Bryan Torres walked with two outs to put Church in scoring position. Blaze Jordan singled to score Church. Bleday's throw to the plate was cut off and Torres was tagged by McLain for the third out but the Cardinals led 4-1.

Bleday collected his third hit with one out in the sixth. Suarez went 2-for-2 with a single. Toglia doubled to right to close the gap, leaving runners on second and third with one out. McLain flied out to shallow left. Suarez chose not to run. Rodriguez, hitting .077 singled to tie the game. Rodriguez was thrown out when the throw by Baez was cut by Burleson. 

The 10 hits off Pallante was the most they had in 22 appearances. 

Lowder got the first two out in the seventh inning to tie his career-high with 6 2/3 innings pitched. He matched established the high on April 15 against the San Francisco Giants. He allowed four runs on eight hits and two walks. He struck out five.

"Rhett going into the seventh really helped a lot," Terry Francona said. "I don't think we've seen him at his best yet. I think his best is ahead of him. He knows how to pitch. You know he's coming off a year where he didn't pitch. He's had some inconsistencies. Like even in the first three innings, it was 50/50 strike, ball. That's a hard way for him to be successful. He still battled and got through it then he started throwing more strikes."

Brock Burke entered to face Burleson and struck him out. It is Burke's 63rd appearance.

Strzelecki replaced Pallante in the bottom of the seventh.

Walker singled for his third hit of the game. Burke struck out Baez and retired pinch hitter Jose Fermin on a fly out to center. Burke walked Winn and Walker stole third. Torres put the Cardinals ahead with a ground single to left. Jordan struck out to end the inning.

Suarez third hit of the game was a double off the third base bag with two outs. Noelvi Marte came in to run for Suarez. Toglia flied out to center. 

Zach McCambley gave up an infield hit to JJ Wetherholt but held the score to give the Reds a chance to tie in the ninth. 

Strzelecki struck out McLain and Rodriguez to start the ninth. Dane Myers pinch hit for Jose Trevino and hit his fifth home run and second of the day to tie the game. Tyler Stephenson pinch hit and flied out to send the game to extra innings.

"Even early in the year when he (Myers) was getting that one at bat, he was always ready to hit. That's a good trait," Francona said. 

Emilio Pagan started the ninth with Walker on second as the ghost runner. Baez appeared to be hit by a pitch but the first base umpire, Edwin Moscoso ruled that he went around on a swing at the pitch. Pagan struck him out. Fermin walked. Winn was called out on a checked swing and Moscoso ejected manager Oliver Marmol from the game. Everson Pereira forced Fermin at second.

Stephenson was the ghost runner on second when De La Cruz shot a 3-2 pitch past Jordan at third to allow the catcher to score the winning run. It was the first time De La Cruz had ever delivered a walk off hit.

"It's about damn time," Stephenson chimed in when De La Cruz was asked about the hit.

Reds Thank Kent Emanuel And Send Him On His Way Big Sugar Coming Back

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Dateline: Cincinnati  

After Kent Emanuel got the Reds out of a tough spot with five solid innings in the first game of the double header with the St. Louis Cardinals, the Reds designated him for assignment.

Zach Maxwell, also known as, "Big Sugar" will return to the tired Reds bullpen. Earlier today, Ron Marinaccio was designated for assignment after throwing 47 pitches in an inning and a half on Sunday (081626).

Maxwell is 2-0 with a 3.99 ERA with two saves in 33 games at Triple A Louisville. He has thrown 38 1/3 innings, walking 28 and striking out 48.

He has also appeared in 10 games for the Reds this season with a loss and a 9.90 ERA. He has walked 10 and struck out nine in 10 innings with the big club. He gave up three home runs.

Maxwell last pitched at this level on June 19 at Yankee Stadium pitching one inning, allowing a run on one hit and two walks with a strikeout.

Emanuel pitched five innings, giving up two runs on five hits and three walks with four strikeouts.

Kent Emanuel Emergency Start Was Strong Reds Offense Was Not

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Dateline: Cincinnati  

The Reds emergency starter did exactly what the Reds needed but the St. Louis Cardinals did just enough to post a 2-1 win. It put 4 1/2 games between themselves and the Reds for a potential Wild Card berth.

Kent Emanuel climbed a major league pitching mound for the first time since, 2024 and was not greeted well by the St. Louis Cardinals. It was his first big league start.

Rookie sensation Joshua Baez, who hit home runs in his first three Major League at bats on Saturday, was hit on his right foot with a pitch. Ivan Herrera walked. Emanuel struck out Jordan Walker but Alec Burleson drove them both in with a double into the right field corner. It put him into the MLB lead with 92 RBI.

"The way the game started, he hit the guy in the foot and it goes first and second before he can even breath. He gives up the double and hung in like, I'm very proud of him," Terry Francona said.

Cardinals' starter, Quinn Mathews, struck out the side in the bottom of the first. 

Blaze Jordan tripled to dead center field to lead off the second inning. Emanual stranded Jordan at third. Everson Pereira grounded out to third with Jordan holding. Pedro Pages struck out looking an Baez lined out to center. 

The Reds loaded the bases with one out. Eugenio Suarez was Mathews fourth straight strikeout victim. Dane Myers singled. Michael Toglia and Matt McLain walked. Noelvi Marte popped out foul to the first baseman and Ke'Bryan Hayes grounded out to third base.

"We made him throw a ton of pitches but only had a run to show for it," Terry Francona said. "We got him out. After that they went one inning with their pen and we weren't able to get anything going."

A double play allowed Emanuel to escape the third inning after Herrera walked and Burleson singled. Jose Fermin hit a ground ball right up the middle where, McLain is working in his 110th straight game without an error. He fielded the ball stepped on second and threw Fermin out to end the inning.

Emanuel stranded two more base runners in the fourth inning.

Dane Myers led off the bottom of the fourth inning with his fourth home run at the end of a nine pitch at bat. Emanuel survived a one-out double by Walker to complete five innings.

Luis Gastelum relieved Mathews for the Cardinals in the fifth inning.

Emanuel left after five innings. He allowed two runs on five hits, three walks and he hit a batter. He struck out four. The first two batters he faced scored but the Cardinals stranded six runners.

Luis Mey started the sixth inning. He struck out the side in the sixth. He got the first two outs in the seventh, when Hayes took a double away from Baez with a diving stop. He walked Herrera, the third time he walked in the game. Walker singled but Mey got Burleson to pop out to McLain at second.

Pierce Johnson pitched a quick eighth for Cincinnati.

Gastelum, Gordon Graceffo and Ryne Stanek shut down the Reds on one hit through the eighth. Stanek struck out Elly De La Cruz for the fourth time in the game. De La Cruz has two hits in his last 34 at bats.

"It is kind of telling on De La Cruz when he challenged that pitch, it got the whole plate. Sometimes, you kind of lose where you are. The ball he thinks is in, is a strike. He's just going through a tough time."

Sam Moll started the ninth for the Reds. 

Former Reds' reliever, Riley O'Brien struck out the side to pick up his 31st save.

The Reds have lost three straight. They scored one run in the last two with both runs coming on solo home runs. The Reds struck out a total of 15 times. 

Myers had two of the Reds' three hits.

"It is tough. It's part of the game. I think everybody in the clubhouse still has confidence that we can make a run," Myers said. "Obviously, we're kind of running out of time and we need a sense of urgency but we're still confident."

The Reds have 38 games left including the second game of this double header.

Who Is That Left Hander On The Mound

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Dateline: Cincinnati  

Kent Emanuel has 22 Major League appearances none as a starter but he will be on the mound to face the St. Louis Cardinals in the makeup of an early season rainout on Monday (081726).

Emanuel is 34-years old. He was drafted by the Houston Astros with the third pick in the 2013 draft out of The University of North Carolina. He was born and raised in Woodstock, Georgia.

He broke in with the Astros in 2021. Emanuel made 10 relief appearances and had a 1-0 record with a 2.55 ERA in 17 2/3 innings. He has been through the Philadelphia Phillies, the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Miami Marlins organizations. He last appeared in the big leagues in 2024 with the Marlins, where he made 12 relief appearances with another 17 2/3 innings with a 6.62 ERA.

Emanuel was granted free agency by the Marlins in October of 2024.

He pitched at High Point in Independent baseball and Mexico in the Mexican League last season. The Reds signed him on August 7 off the High Point roster.

Emanuel made nine starts at High Point this season and had a 4-0 record with a 2.30 ERA. He pitched 47 innings with nine walks and 53 strikeouts. He made just one start at Louisville. He pitched six innings, allowing a run on two hits, walking none and striking out eight.

"There were a lot of conversations the last several days," Terry Francona said. "You have the conversations, sayin that, you never know until you get to the end of it."

"He is like (Julian) Garcia, coming out of an independent team. I just got a text from PK (Louisville manager Pat Kelly). He said I wish I had more than one start to tell you about. I talked to Kent a few minutes ago. I introduced him to the coaches and told them this is our starter," Francona said.

Rhett Lowder will start the second game.

Call To Arms Reds Send For Pitching Help

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Dateline: Cincinnati  

Terry Francona sounded the alarm after the Reds dropped the third game of the Miami Marlins series. With a double header looming today (081726), "We're up against it," Francona said.

The bullpen is tired and struggling to tread water. The Reds used more arms than it wanted to use to finish off Sunday's game. Now they had to call for help.

Ron Marinaccio got the first two outs of the ninth inning but couldn't get the third one until nine more hitters reached against him, including a three-run home run to Javier Sanoja, only his fifth of the season. He threw 47 pitches. 

The Reds designated Marinaccio for assignment to add LHP Kent Emanuel. ,who will start the first game as his contract was selected from Louisville. They recalled Zack McCambley to be the extra bullpen arm as the rules allow for double headers.

Late Two Out Rallies Carry Marlins To Series Win

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Dateline: Cincinnati  

For the second straight game the Reds' bullpen led by Tejay Antone faltered in the eighth inning, leading to a 7-1 loss to the Miami Marlins.

The Marlins rallied to take the last two games of the series after Chase Burns shut them out on Friday (081526). The Marlins also took the season series 4-3. It is important if the two teams tie for a playoff spot. They scored all seven runs with two outs, aided by three errors.

The game not only resulted in a disappointing loss, it burned most of the Reds bullpen with a five-game series against the St. Louis Cardinals coming up. The Reds went through four relievers with Ron Marinaccio throwing 47 pitches in an inning and a third. He won't be available for a couple days. The Reds can add an extra pitcher and Tony Santillan and Brandon Williamson are close to returning. The Reds are praying that they are ready.

"We're kind of up against it," Terry Francona said. "Pretty much anybody that pitched today will be down tomorrow. Marinaccio got the strikeout to end the inning, then came back out and couldn't stop the inning."

Nick Lodolo pitched five scoreless innings against the Marlins, who had three hit. Lodolo walked two and struck out two. He retired the last eight batters and threw 73 pitches with 44 strikes. It was the second start since returning from a blister on his left index finger.

"Lodolo kept them off the scoreboard," Francona said. "It's progress. We've just got to build him up so we can get him out a little further. He was out of gas. I would never send someone back out there when the pitcher says I've about had it."

The Reds were trying to solve Eury Perez with no luck. 

"He has exceptional stuff. We knew that coming in," Francona said. "They have a couple starters that are in the high end of the league as far as stuff goes. We did a decent job actually with his pitch count but didn't have anything to show for it."

Jose Trevino had both of the Reds lonely hits and Perez walked five, two involved pitch clock violations and the Reds struck out five in his six innings. The Reds stranded five runners from the third through fifth inning and were 0-for-2 with runners in scoring position.

Julian Garcia retired three batters in the sixth. He allowed a single in a scoreless seventh.

Josh Ekness took over for Perez in the seventh. The Reds went down in order.

Antone started the eighth for the Reds. Heriberto Hernandez lined his 18th home run of the season into the first row of the left field stands to break the scoreless tie with two outs. Augustin Ramirez reached on a throwing error by Elly De La Cruz. Xavier Edwards singled to put two men on. Javier Sanoja walked to load the bases. Antone went to a full count on pinch hitter, Griffin Conine. He walked on a ABS challenge by Jose Trevino to forcing in the Marlins' second run. 

Ron Marinaccio relieved Antone with Estrury Ruiz do up. He caught Ruiz looking at a 3-2 pitch to leave the bases loaded.

Michael Peterson started the eighth for the Marlins. Tyler Stephenson pinch hit for Ke'Bryan Hayes to start the bottom of the inning. He hit his 12th home run on the first pitch. It is Stephenson's 30th birthday. De La Cruz flied out deep to center. Sal Stewart struck out and JJ Bleday popped to third.

Marinaccio got two quick outs in the top of the ninth but walked Otto Lopez and hit Hernandez with a 3-0 pitch. Ramirez double over the head of Noelvi Marte to add two insurance runs. Javier Sanoja put the game on ice with his fifth home run. Two errors forced Marinaccio to throw way more pitches than normal for an inning and a third.

Coming Attraction Joshua Baez Brings Bat To Cincinnati

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Dateline: Cincinnati  

Watch enough baseball and you will see something that has never been done before.

On Saturday at Wrigley Field, Joshua Baez, a 23-year old, 6'3". 220 pounder broke a 75 year precedent by hitting home runs in his first three Major League at bats.

Baez was drafted in the second round of the 2021 out of Dexter High School in Brookline, Massachusetts. He hit .256 at Triple A Memphis for the St. Louis Cardinals with 22 doubles, three triples, 90 RBI and 34 home runs, including four in one game against the Nashville Sounds on June 16, the three years to the day his father, Jose Manuel, died.

"I was just feeling him the whole time," Baez told reporters after the game. "I think he guided me to be able to do that."

He will be with the Cardinals tomorrow when they start a five-game series against the Reds.

The Reds pitching staff is collecting horse shoes just in case.

"He can only go in one direction, now, down," mused closer Emilio Pagan.

"That was some debut," Reds pitcher Brady Singer, after he was informed that Baez hit three different pitches from Mathew Boyd and hit one to left, center and right field. "I will have to watch the video closely for sure"

"The law of averages are against him," Andrew Abbott said. "We're going to have to figure out ways to get him out."

The Cardinals and Cubs played an afternoon game and the word got around to clubhouses at Great American Ball Park. 

The Miami Marlins gathered around the TV as Baez came up with a chance to hit four home runs in the game. He lined out to left.

It was a tribute to Baez and the love of the game that created the desire to watch the at bat.

Marlins' manager, Clayton McCullough, was asked if he watched it in his office. He had not heard the news and was genuinely surprised by it. When told how his players gathered around the TV to see it. He had this response. 

"I think it is cool. I think guys understand how hard it is to get up here," McCullough said. "They understand how hard it is to perform at this level. Having a multi homer game in a debut, guys understand big moments like that. I think players around the league appreciate someone doing something that is that hard to do. We are all fans of baseball and its cool and guys are pulling for him from afar for guys able to play at this level."

There was the precedent set on September 14, 1951 when Bob Nieman hit home runs in his first two major league at bats in the same game.

The 1945 Withrow High School grad, who was also a journalism major at Kent State University. He was signed by the Reds in 1948 but was claimed on waivers byt the St. Louis Browns. He made his Major League debut for the Browns against the Boston Red Sox.

He hit a home run off Micky McDermott in the second inning. He homered again in the third inning with a runner on base. He added another single and RBI later in the game.

Nieman had a 12-year career in which he hit 125 home runs. He was teammates with the father of Reds' manager Terry Francona, Tito, in 1961 and 1962.

Marlins Score Four Eighth Inning Runs To Rout Reds

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Dateline: Cincinnati  

A rare melt down by Tejay Antone set up the Miami Marlins for a big inning in an 8-4 win.

Antone hit two batters in the inning, Owen Caissie with a 1-2 pitch to open the inning. He later plunked Esteury Ruiz to keep the inning alive.

"Tejay came in and uncharacteristically lost his command. He was spinning it and it wasn't going where he wanted it to," Terry Francona said. "

Jakob Marsee hit his seventh home run of the season in the third inning. It was the first run scored by the Marlins in the series. 

The Reds took a brief lead against Ryan Gusto in the bottom of the inning. Ke'Bryan Hayes reached base when right fielder, Esteury Ruiz dropped his routine fly ball. Matt McLain doubled down the left field line to put runners at second and third with one out. Elly De La Cruz struck out but Sal Stewart shot a single to right center to boost his RBI total to 91. He is tied with CJ Abrams for the Major League lead.

Joe Mack hit his 12th home run to tie the game in the fourth inning. 

The Marlins took the lead. Marsee's third hit of the game, a single to right was booted by Noelvi Marte to allow Marsee to reach second. Xavier Edwards laid down a sacrifice bunt. Heriberto Hernandez singled past De La Cruz to score Marsee.

Power came from an unlikely pair in the Reds lineup against Gusto.

Hayes, hitting .143 lined his fifth home run of the season down the line in left. McLain, a .195 hitter followed with his 11th home run of the year. De La Cruz was out on a diving catch by Ruiz and Stewart put Ruiz against the wall for the second out. JJ Bleday, a former Marlin doubled into the right field corner. It ended Gusto's day. Calvin Faucher struck out Tyler Stephenson for the third out.

Singer finished six innings, allowing three runs on eight hits and two walks. He struck out four. It was the fifth time in six starts that Singer pitched at least six innings.

"I didn't think it was his best but you look up and you have a chance to win," Francona said. "He doesn't give in. He competes like crazy."

"It was definitely a battle. I was able to get through six there," Singer said. "I couldn't get the slider exactly where I wanted to on some of the guys. They are definitely pesky. They strung some hits together."

Luis Mey took over in the seventh.

Marsee greeted him with a single to go 4-for-4. Edward singled on a high chop off Stewart's glove. Mey struck Hernandez out on a 3-2 pitch. Griffin Conine struck out looking. With .310 hitter Otto Lopez at bat, Mey threw a wild pitch. Lopez grounded out to Hayes to end the threat. 

Tejay Antone hit Caissie to lead off the eighth inning. Mack singled Caissie to third with no outs. Graham Pauley hit a fly to left that tied the game. Antone hit Ruiz with a pitch. 

Sam Moll came in to face Marsee for a lefty-lefty match up. Augustin Ramirez hit for Marsee. Ramirez walked to load the bases. Edwards forced Mack at the plate for the second out. Hernandez singled to right to put the Marlins ahead, 6-4. Conine followed with a single to ratchet up the lead. Pierce Johnson replaced Moll. Lopez grounded out to end the inning.

"I didn't think they'd pinch hit. We walked him and set up the force at the plate," Francona said. "Than Sam gives up an 0-2 dager."

Michael Peterson pitched a scoreless eighth inning.

Ron Marinaccio started the ninth inning for the Reds. 

Caissie walked, stole second and scored the eighth run of the game on a double by Pauley.

Pete Fairbanks retired the Reds in order to close out the game.

Brady Singer v Ryan Gusto Reds Try To Catch Wild Card Foe

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Dateline: Cincinnati  

Brady Singer's 5-11 record with a 4.66 ERA does not indicate his value to the Reds playoff quest. The Reds are two games behind the Miami Marlins in the Wild Card race.

He has 119 2/3 innings to help keep the Reds bullpen fresh. The Reds play seven games in the next six days. Singer needs to be effective but he also needs to eat innings. 

Singer has pitched into the seventh inning in his last two starts and pitched at least six in four of his last five.

He has four career starts against the Miami Marlins with a 1-2 record and a 4.29 ERA. He pitched just 2 2/3 innings against the Marlins on April 8, a 7-4 Reds loss. He allowed six runs, five earned on 10 hits, including a home run to Griffin Conine.

Ryan Gusto, making a spot start, is 0-3 with a 4.78 ERA.

He was the Houston Astros 11th pick in the 2019 draft out of Florida Southwestern State College in Ft. Myers, Florida.

Gusto was traded to the Marlins with two minor leaguers for Jesus Sanchez at the trade deadline last season. 

He has made 25 appearances for the Marlins this season with 10 starts. His last four appearances are starts. Gusto has given up nine runs in his last 20 1/3 innings, a 3.98 ERA.

Gusto pitched one scoreless innings against the Reds in that April 8 game. That was the only time he's faced the Reds.

Pitching Shines In Reds Series Opening Win

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Dateline: Cincinnati  

Chase Burns made the most of minimal support to post his 14th win of the season, a 1-0 win over the Miami Marlins.

A pitching duel between a pair of 13-game winners entertained fans as the Reds and Marlins opened a three-game series.

Reds All-Star Chase Burns, 13-2, and Sandy Alcantara, 13-6, hooked up. Alcantara came into the game with 20 straight scoreless innings on three straight scoreless outings. He leads the Major Leagues with 163 2/3 innings and 18 quality starts coming into the game.

"I've watched him for a long time. Going against a guy like that, you have to be at your best," Burns said.

Hits were hard to come by in the first five innings. The Marlins had two in the first five. The Reds had one with three walks.

The Reds got a gift to snap Alcantara's scoreless streak at 26 innings. Former Marlin, JJ Bleday singled with one out. Tyler Stephenson beat a relay on an attempted inning ending double play. Eugenio Suarez hit a line drive to left. Left fielder Heriberto Hernandez made a diving try at a catch but it skipped past him for an RBI double. It was Suarez', 1,500th career hit. 

Burns shut out the Marlins on four hits in seven innings. He issued no walks and struck out eight. He dropped his ERA from 2.61 to 2.47.

"I think he was good from the get go," Terry Francona said. "He got some quick outs and didn't walk anybody. That's what allowed him to go deep in the game. This is probably the best, I've seen him."

Brock Burke made his 62nd appearance with three left handed batters due up. Marlins' manager, Clayton McCullough, used his bench sending three right handed pinch hitters after Burke. Burke struck all of them out. 

Emilio Pagan had an MRI that gave him a clean bill of health. He retired the top of the Marlins order easily to post his 15th save. He has eight saves and two wins in his last 10 outings.