The Sports Xchange
Jul 28, 2017
MIAMI -- J.T. Realmuto snapped a tie score with a seventh-inning solo homer down the left-field line as the Miami Marlins rallied to defeat the Cincinnati Reds 7-4 on Friday night at Marlins Park.
Realmuto came back from a bases-loaded strikeout in the first inning and ended up with a huge game, finishing a triple shy of a cycle. He went 3-for-4, including his career-high 12th homer of the season.
The Marlins (48-53) have won six of their past eight games.
Cincinnati (41-62) has lost five games in a row and 13 of its past 15. The Reds have lost seven straight games at Marlins Park.
Neither starting pitcher earned a decision. Miami's Vance Worley allowed three runs in four innings. Cincinnati's Sal Romano, who beat the Marlins on Sunday, allowed two runs, both unearned, in 3 2/3 innings.
Dusty McGowan (6-1) earned the win with one scoreless inning of relief. Wandy Peralta (3-2), who gave up Realmuto's homer, took the loss.
Worley struggled early as Cincinnati scored three runs in the first. Leadoff batter Billy Hamilton drew a walk on a 3-2 pitch, stole his 44th base of the season, advanced to third on a groundout and scored on Joey Votto's single to center.
The next batter, Adam Duvall, drove a 1-0 pitch, a fastball clocked at 89 mph, to left-center for his 22nd homer.
Romano walked the bases loaded in the first, but he escaped any damage by striking out the side. With the bases loaded, Romano struck out Realmuto on a 1-2 breaking ball outside. Then Romano struck out Derek Dietrich on an 0-2 breaking ball in the dirt.
Miami scored twice in the fourth. The Marlins loaded the bases on a double by Realmuto and a pair of walks. With one out, pinch hitter Tomas Telis hit comebacker, but Romano's throw home was several feet wide of catcher Tucker Barnhart. Dee Gordon then hit a sacrifice fly to make the score 3-2.
The Reds escaped further damage when Christian Yelich popped out to end a bases-loaded threat.
Miami's Giancarlo Stanton tied the score 3-3 with an RBI groundout in the sixth.
The Marlins then took their first lead, going ahead 7-3 in the seventh after Realmuto's homer, consecutive doubles by Dietrich and Tyler Moore and a two-run homer by pinch hitter Mike Aviles.
Cincinnati closed the scoring with Scott Schebler's solo homer in the ninth. It was his 23rd homer of the year.
NOTES: Marlins OF Ichiro Suzuki tied Craig Biggio with career hit No. 3,060, a double down the right-field line. Suzuki and Biggio are tied for 22nd on the hit list. ... Reds 1B Joey Votto picked up career RBI No. 800 in the first inning. ... Marlins 3B Martin Prado (right knee) had surgery Friday and is expected to miss about one month. ... Miami placed RHP Nick Witgren (elbow) on the disabled list and recalled RHP Odrisamer Despaigne from Triple-A New Orleans. ... Reds 2017 All-Star SS Zack Cozart (right quad) missed his third straight start but might be able to return this weekend. ... The Marlins are reportedly willing to trade RHP Dan Straily, a starter who is under contract through 2020. ... Friday's homer by INF Mike Aviles was his first as a Marlins player. He was called up on July 25.