Marlins capitalize on sloppy play, edge Reds
MIAMI -- It was a day that came down to defense. In the Marlins' 4-2 victory over the Reds on Saturday at Marlins Park, they made a play that saved the day, while a mistake in the field sent Cincinnati to defeat.
The Reds held a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the fifth inning when pitcher John Lamb's relatively smooth day hit a snag with two outs. Pitcher Adam Conley beat out an infield hit and J.T. Realmuto followed with a lined single. Martin Prado followed with a fly ball toward the right-field wall that should've been caught for the third out. Instead, right fielder Jay Bruce misjudged it, and the ball landed behind him for a two-run double that put Miami ahead by a run.
Lamb was lifted before the sixth with only 88 pitches, and he finished with five innings, three runs (two earned), six hits, no walks and a career-high nine strikeouts. The first run he allowed, in the bottom of the first inning, came on a passed ball by catcher Ramon Cabrera that scored Realmuto.
Conley pitched 5 2/3 innings with two earned runs and four hits, one walk and seven strikeouts. Reliever David Phelps was working in the seventh and escaped unscathed despite allowing three hits. Brandon Phillips tried to go from first to third base on a Cabrera single, but he was nailed by center fielder Marcell Ozuna's perfect throw as he slid headfirst. Phillips was originally called safe, but the call was overturned upon review.
The Marlins displayed suspect defense while the Reds made several nice plays during Friday's series opener. But Miami still won that game, giving the home team two wins to already claim the three-game series.
A pair of walks allowed by Reds reliever Michael Lorenzen to begin the bottom of the eighth helped the Marlins add on. Giancarlo Stanton hit a broken-bat RBI single into center field for a two-run lead.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Phillips provides lead: In the fourth vs. Conley, Bruce hit a one-out double and scored on a two-out RBI single from Phillips. It was a two-hit day for Phillips, who sustained a fractured left hand in Friday's game after being hit by a pitch.
Missile Ozuna: On the same day he was named a starter for Tuesday's All-Star Game presented by MasterCard, Ozuna saved the game. His seventh-inning laser throw from center to nab Phillips for the second out at third proved to be important, because Phelps allowed a double to pinch-hitter Ivan De Jesus a batter later. The assist was Ozuna's fourth of the season, which is second most among Marlins outfielders behind Ichiro Suzuki's five.
Unlikely spark: With two outs in the fifth, Conley's infield single that caromed off Lamb's glove ignited a two-run rally. The Marlins mustered just one hit in their previous 15 at-bats off Lamb before the lefty's single. Conley, who turned in a 1-for-2 performance at the dish, has now recorded a hit in back-to-back starts for the first time in his career. He began the season 0-for-26 with 16 strikeouts.
Duvallstar: Leading off the second inning, Adam Duvall hit Conley's 1-1 pitch for a game-tying home run to left field, his 23rd of the season. Duvall is the second Reds hitter to produce at least 23 homers, 20 doubles and 60 RBIs before the All-Star break, joining Johnny Bench in 1970.
WHAT'S NEXT
Reds: In the final game before dispersing for the All-Star break, the Reds will have Cody Reed face the Marlins on Sunday at 1:10 p.m. ET in Sunday's series finale. The rookie Reed has been hit hard lately and is 0-3 with a 9.00 ERA in four big league starts.
Marlins: The Marlins give the ball to Tom Koehler to close out the three-game series and the first half of the season Sunday at 1:10 p.m. ET at Marlins Park. Koehler is 0-1 with a 7.07 ERA in his last three starts, but hasn't allowed a run in 10 1/3 career innings against Cincinnati.
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Mark Sheldon has covered the Reds for MLB.com since 2006, and previously covered the Twins from 2001-05. Follow him on Twitter @m_sheldon and Facebook and listen to his podcast.
Patrick Pinak is a reporter for MLB.com based in Miami.
This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
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