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.

E.P. Is OK MRI Shows Clean Arm

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Dateline: Cincinnati  

Reds' closer Emilio Pagan created concern when he was not used to close out the series ending victory over the Chicago White Sox on Thursday (081326).

He had some discomfort gripping his split fingered fastball, an key for Pagan to close games.

"The MRI was clean. There was no damage. It was just uncomfortable gripping my splitter," said Pagan, who missed 46 games with a strained left hamstring. "I wanted to pitch but I understand why we had to be cautious. It only bothers me on the split. On my other two pitches I didn't feel it. Now that the the MRI proved there was no damage. I have confidence to throw it."

Pagan has seven saves and two wins in his last nine outings.

The Reds are three games into 17 games in 16 days with a make up game on Monday against the St. Louis Cardinals. 

The Reds sent setup pitcher, Tony Santillan, who has already missed 40 games with a strained left oblique. He is on a rehab assignment in Triple A Louisville. 

Graham Ashcraft, who has been dealing with a UCL strain in his right elbow is also making slower progress to return.

Those three pitchers are the staples that Terry Francona uses to navigate from the starting pitcher to the end of the game.

Early Start Rain Forecast Reds Turn The Other Cheek To Finish Road Trip Srong

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Dateline: Cincinnati  

The Reds and Chicago White Sox series deciding game started an hour early fearing heavy late afternoon rain. The Reds pour it on with a 9-8 win.

The Reds put some thunder into the mix and rained a pair of home runs upon the cap of Davis Martin. Sal Stewart’s 26th home run scraped the clouds on its way to the left field stands. Tyler Stephenson ducked for cover as he was hit by a pitch. Eugenio Suarez reached the stands with his 18th home run precipitating a 3-0 lead.

 Andrew Abbott making his 100th career start, gave up back-to-back doubles to Chase Meidroth and Randal Grichuk, leading off the second inning.

The White Sox took the lead in the bottom of the second inning.

Abbott got the first two outs, then it started to rain White Sox hits. Sam Antonacci and Luisangel Acuna singled. Meidroth’s second double appeared to tie the game but it was ruled a ground rule double because it bounced off the foul pole which prevented it from reaching the stands. Grichuk’s second double made it academic and the Sox grabbed the lead.

Martin buzzed Stewart with a pitch over his head. The next pitch hit the chin guard in his batting helmet, instead of turning the other cheek he stepped toward the mound. The benches and bullpens convened between the mound and plate in a contentious union meeting.

Martin was ejected by home plate umpire, Alan Porter. Erick Fedde relieved after peace was restored.

Stephenson singled Stewart to third. Suarez hit a long fly to center to tie the game.

The Reds punished Fedde in the fourth inning. Ke’Bryan Hayes drilled a single to left. Elly De La Cruz walked. Stewart, who extols the virtues of Jesus, took his anger out with an RBI single to right. Stephenson lifted his 11th home run to put the Reds up, 8-4.

Abbott ran out of gas in the fifth. He issued a one-out walk to Braden Montgomery. Brenton Doyle beat out a slow roller to third. Terry Francona pulled the plug and brought on iron man Brock Burke for his 62nd appearance. He gave up a two-out single to Edgar Quero that drove home Montgomery.

Tanner McDougal made his Major League debut in the sixth inning. He got De La Cruz to ground out. That remains the only big league out he’s gotten. He walked Stewart, JJ Bleday and Stephenson. He hit Suarez with a 3-0 pitch as the Reds DH collected his fourth RBI.

Tejay Antone struck out the side in the sixth inning. A resurgent Luis Mey struck out two in a scoreless seventh.

Sam Moll alternated two outs with singles by Quero and Antonacci, then walked Meidroth to load the bases with two outs. Madeira High School grad Andrew Benintendi grounded a two run single past McLain into right field.

Pierce Johnson was summoned. He struck out Miguel Vargas to escape.

Julian Garcia looked for his second career save as he took the mound in the ninth to face the White Sox 4, 5 and six hitters. He walked Braden Montgomery as pinch hitter Munetaki Murakami stepped up representing the tying run. He stuck out. Colson Montgomery flied out to the warning track in right. Quero singled to score Montgomery. Antonacci grounded out to De La Cruz who reached his bid for a single as the Reds won the series.

Hunter Greene’s Next Start In 2028

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Dateline: Cincinnati 

Hunter Greene the Reds 27-year old number one pick in the 2017 in draft will have “Tommy John” surgery in Los Angeles performed by Dr. Neal EllAtrache.

The recovery time is typically 18 months, which puts him in line to compete in spring training 2018.

 Greene is signed through the 2028 season with a team option for 2029.

It will be the second “TJ” surgery for Greene. He had one in 2018 that kept him out until 2021.

He broke in with the Reds in 2022. 

Greene has 96 big league starts with a 27-31 record and 3.82 ERA. 

He was only able to make five start this season. He is 2-2 with a 6.83 ERA.

Reds Reminded Luis Castillo Is An Ace

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Dateline: Cincinnati  

It was January 19, 2017, the Reds sent Dan Strailey to the Florida Marlins for a minor league pitcher the Reds thought was a future ace.

Luis Castillo that minor league pitcher painfully reminded the Reds of that fact with seven shut down innings on one hit and 10 strikeouts with a pair of walks, in a 5-0 triumph in the Chicago White Sox win.

 The White Sox beefed up its pitching by trading for Castillo, sending Boston Smith, Seranthony Diminguez and Nolan Jones to the Seattle Mariners on August 2.

Castillo won 44 games in six seasons with the Reds, his best being a 15-8 year in 2019. The Reds traded him at the 2022,deadline for Edwin Arroyo and Noelvi Marte.

Castillo faced off against new Reds prospect Rhett Lowder, who has started three games that the Reds won.

White Sox catcher Drew Romo provided all the run support Castillo needed with his sixth home run of the season in the third inning.

Lowder got the first batter in the sixth inning but Colson Montgomery singled. Julian Garcia replaced Lowder and Chase Merdroth sent his 12th home run into left field stands.

Lowder finished 5 1/3 innings giving up two runs on seven hits and a walk. He struck out four.

The Reds meager offense amounted to two singles by Sal Stewart. He got the lone hit off Castillo with a first inning single. Stewart also hit a harmless single against Huascar Brozoban in the ninth. 

Sam Moll pitched a scoreless seventh.

Newly acquired Ron Marinaccio walked two batters allowed Romo’s RBI single and threw a wild pitch both with two outs to finish the scoring.

Reds Snap Out Of Sweep Whack White Sox Pen

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Dateline: Cincinnati  

Nick Lodolo brought his new grip to the South Side of Chicago. The Reds whacked the White Sox bullpen to snap a three game losing streak with a 5-4 10-inning win over the Chicago White Sox.

Lodolo’s bread and butter breaking ball looked good with the new, less corrosive grip. It was mistakes  with the fastball caused him problems. 

 Light hitting, Brenton Doyle, a recent refuge from the Colorado Rockies, improved on his .224 average by belting Lodolo’s first pitch 415 feet for his second home run of the season. Catcher Edgar Quero is a .197 hitter but clubbed his third home run of the season in the second inning. 

Miguel Vargas at .235 hit his 25th home run of the season to stake the Sox to a 3-0 lead. 

The lead got bigger as Randall Grichuk doubled and Sam Antonacci blooped a double just ahead of Dane Myers diving attempt at a catch.

“My fastball wasn’t sharp but my breaking ball gives me something to build on,” Lodolo said.

He finished his first start in a month with four innings, giving up four runs on five hits, three solo home run and two doubles. He didn’t issue any walks and struck out five.

“I thought he was crisp,” Terry Francona said. “He made some mistakes with his fastball and paid for it but I thought he threw the ball pretty well.”

The Reds were totured by White Sox starter Sean Burke for seven innings. The only base runner to reach in the first four innings was rookie Hector Rodriguez, who struck out on a wild pitch. Rodriguez struck out four times.

Eugenio Suarez hit his 17th home run leading off the fifth. He doubled off Burke and Sal Stewart singled for the only hits the White Sox starter surrendered. Burke didn’t walk a batter and fanned eight Reds in his seven innings. 

Left hander Bryan Hudson took over in the eighth. Matt McLain beat out a slow roller to third for a hit. Pinch hitter Michael Toglia placed a single into short center in his first at bat as a Red. Elly De La Cruz grounded a single to right to score McLain. Stewart hit a drive to right caught by Braden Montgomery. Toglia went to third and De La Cruz took second in an aggressive move to put tying runs in scoring position.

Grant Taylor walked JJ Bleday and Tyler Stephenson tied the game with a two-run single.

Luis Mey retired six batters on 21 pitches with two strikeouts. Pierce Johnson set down three batters on eight pitches with a strikeout to keep the game tight until the rally.

Tejay Antone gave up a double to Munetaka Murajami, who has reached base in 25 straight games, but stranded him in a scoreless inning.

Brock Burke the Reds left handed iron man made his 60th appearance a scoreless one to make himself the pitcher of record in line for his fifth win of the season.

McLain was the ghost runner in the 10th. He went to third on Toglia’s fly to right and scored on De La Cruz fly to right center against Sean Newcombe.

Quero was the runner on second in the White Sox 10th. He got a great view of a 14 pitch battle between Reds’ closer Emilio Pagan and Antonacci. The second baseman fouled off eight two-strike pitches before Stephenson was able to hold onto a foul tip for a strikeout. Luisangel Acuna and Tristan Peters popped out in the infield to give Pagan his 14th save.

In his last nine appearances has seven saves and two wins.