The Reds beat the Marlins, 3-2, Wednesday night at Great American Ball Park. “I don’t say this in a negative way about Giancarlo because in the past I think when you’d read about the Marlins it was Giancarlo and all of these little guys with him”. His fastball played up out of the bullpen, coming in at an average of more than 95 miles per hour in 2016 as opposed to the mostly 90-91 miles per hour in past seasons, a common occurrence when a pitcher knows he can air it out for an inning as opposed to saving strength for a longer outing. “I had bad luck on two routine fly balls that carried out”.
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Betances got major league RBI leader Edwin Encarnacion to ground into a game-ending, around-the-horn double play with runners at the corners.
The loss cost Miami a chance to move into a three-way tie with San Francisco and Pittsburgh behind St. Louis in the National League wild-card standings. Miami used six relievers to back up Phelps’ effort.Martin Prado went 3-for-5 while Chris Johnson and Marcell Ozuna each hit solo home runs to back up Phelps (6-6) in his third start of the season.
Marlins 1B Justin Bour had an MRI show no Achilles damage but was shut down from baseball activities to let an ankle injury heal. “He kept the ball down, and his breaking balls were better”. He left Monday night’s game after twice crashing into the wall. The Reds chose to bunt Hamilton into scoring position. Joey Votto was then intentionally walked.
“I was looking for a pitch out over the plate and I finally got it”, Phillips said.
Phillips went 2-for-4 with two doubles, two RBIs and a run scored. The right-hander gave up one run in five innings, scattering 10 baserunners (five hits, four walks, one error).
“I didn’t make my pitches”, Wittgren said. “I got behind, and (Phillips) knew a 3-1 fastball was coming. He got good wood on it”.
Josh Smith (2-1) pitched two scoreless innings for the victory.
Fernando Rodney pitched the ninth for his 21st save.
The first inning presented Cashner with his biggest test. Reds RHP Homer Bailey (2-1) is scheduled to make his fourth start since coming off the DL, his first in Cincinnati since August 7, 2014. “They stay on the ball well”.
With Adam Conley on the disabled list, the Marlins started their road trip without a fifth starter.
“It felt good off the barrel”, he said. The home run was a pitch I just served up there. “It didn’t come out of my hand right”.
Phillips and Suarez tied the score with consecutive doubles in the fourth. Cashner comes off a 4-2 loss to the White Sox with all four runs plated on nine hits and five BB over five innings.
Bailey left after five innings having thrown 96 pitches. He allowed three runs on four hits in five innings in that game.
“We had a righty against a lefty, and you don’t want that”, Wittgen (3-2) said. “I need to be in the zone more to avoid those”. They put together some really good at-bats. NOTES: Marlins manager Don Mattingly said he’s planning regular rest for RF Ichiro Suzuki to keep the veteran fresh for the stretch run. Mattingly expects RHP Jose Fernandez, who skipped his last turn in the rotation, to not miss another start if healthy.
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Cincinnati CF Billy Hamilton (knee contusion) sat out Tuesday and is day-to-day. He singled as a pinch-hitter in the seventh.
