Field Level Media
Sep 20, 2018
Second baseman Scooter Gennett, bidding for a National League batting title, homered, doubled and drove in four runs to lead the Cincinnati Reds to a 4-2 win over the Miami Marlins on Thursday night at Marlins Park.
Gennett also made a defensive gem to end the game.
Miami (59-93), which has the worst record in the National League, was held to seven hits -- six singles and one double.
The Reds, who are in last place in the NL Central, are 66-88.
Gennett, who is now hitting .318 and trails only Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich (.319), went 2-for-3 against Miami. He hit a two-run, two-out double that one-hopped the wall in left-center field and then hit a two-run, two-out homer that landed in the upper deck in right.
He has 30 doubles and 23 homers this year.
Gennett's performance overshadowed Cody Reed (1-2), who earned his second major league win and his first as a starter.
Reed, who has a 2-10 career record in 38 career appearances (17 starts), allowed just five hits and no walks in six scoreless innings, striking out six.
In his past two starts, Reed has pitched 11 scoreless innings, striking out 16.
Marlins starter Jeff Brigham (0-3), who has yet to win a major league game, took the loss, allowing three hits, four walks and two runs, striking out six in five innings.
Cincinnati opened the scoring with two runs in the third. Brigham, who threw 29 pitches in a tiring inning, got off to a bad start by walking speedster Billy Hamilton, who stole second and advanced to third on catcher J.T. Realmuto's throwing error.
Scott Schebler drew another walk, and two outs later, Gennett lofted his double to give Cincinnati a 2-0 lead.
The Reds doubled their lead to 4-0 in the seventh. Jose Peraza singled with one out, and Gennett later slugged his homer on a 91 mph fastball from reliever Elieser Hernandez.
Despite allowing no runs, Reed was lifted after just 71 pitches. The Marlins took advantage of that relatively early hook in the eighth as Miguel Rojas drew a walk off reliever Jared Hughes and scored when Realmuto drilled a two-out double to left.
Cincinnati brought in closer Raisel Iglesias, but Peter O'Brien, who has seven RBIs in eight starts with the Marlins, followed with a run-scoring, opposite-field single off the end of his bat.
Iglesias then closed the game for his 29th save with a scoreless ninth, working around two walks. Gennett made a diving catch on a Rojas ground ball, saving a run and ending the game.
--Field Level Media