The Reds had the game where they wanted it for six innings. They had already answered Miami twice, they were carrying a one-run lead into the eighth, and Brady Singer had done his job with another quality start. Then the bullpen door swung open, and the Marlins walked right through it.
Miami scored five runs over the final two innings to turn a 4-3 deficit into an 8-4 win on Sunday, evening the series and leaving Cincinnati to sort through another late collapse.
The first crack in the Reds’ defense came early, when Jakob Marsee launched a solo homer three rows deep into the seats in right-center in the top of the third to put Miami ahead 1-0. Cincinnati answered in the bottom half after some help from the Marlins. Ke’Bryan Hayes reached when Esteury Ruiz dropped a fly ball in right, Matt McLain followed with a double down the left field line, and after Elly De La Cruz struck out, Sal Stewart delivered again with a two-run single to make it 2-1.
That edge lasted only briefly. Joe Mack tied it with a solo home run about six minutes later.
Miami grabbed the lead back in the fifth. Marsee singled into right, moved to second on a Noelvi Marte error, advanced on a bunt, and scored on a line drive into left.
Cincinnati responded in the bottom of the inning the same way a team does when it’s trying to keep pace with a shaky opponent: with power. Hayes led off with a home run, and McLain followed with one of his own to put the Reds back in front.
Singer’s day ended after six innings, and the Reds turned it over to the bullpen with a 4-3 lead. Luis Mey worked through trouble in the seventh.
He gave up a pair of singles, then recovered with back-to-back strikeouts. A wild pitch moved both runners up, but he got Otto Lopez to ground out and strand them, preserving the lead.
Tejay Antone inherited the eighth and immediately lost the zone and the game. He hit the first batter he faced, allowed a single to put runners on the corners, and a sacrifice fly tied it. Then he hit Esteury Ruiz, forcing Terry Francona to the mound and Sam Moll into the game.
Miami responded by pinch hitting Agustin Ramirez for the hot-hitting Marsee, who had gone 4-for-4. Ramirez walked to load the bases, and though a chopper turned into a forceout at the plate, Heriberto Hernandez and Griffin Conine followed with back-to-back RBI singles.
Just like that, Miami had flipped the game to 7-4. The Marlins added another run in the ninth.
Pete Fairbanks finished it off in the bottom of the ninth, striking out the side after Cincinnati sent up Hector Rodriguez for Noelvi Marte and Michael Toglia for Hayes. Rodriguez struck out, Toglia struck out, and McLain became the final out as Fairbanks completed the trifecta.
McLain was one of the few bright spots for Cincinnati, finishing with three hits, including a double and a home run. It was just his second multi-hit game since June 9, and his first three-hit game since March 28. Singer’s line was solid too: three runs allowed in 6.0 innings, his sixth quality start in his last seven outings.
The bigger problem was everything around them. The Reds didn’t draw a walk and struck out 13 times. Miami went 4-for-18 with runners in scoring position, while Cincinnati finished 2-for-6.
Sunday, August 15th, 1:40pm ET.
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