KSReds: Cincinnati Reds Win Series in Miami

They couldn’t close out the sweep on Sunday, but the Cincinnati Reds just might be hitting their stride. After taking two out of three from the Miami Marlins, the Reds have now won back-to-back series and sit at 18-22 on the season. The overall record still isn’t ideal, but the flashes of young talent and non-stop fight this ball club shows has made the beginning of this season successful.

Once again, the Reds came from behind to win games on Friday night and Saturday afternoon in Miami. Unfortunately, there was no magic left for Sunday as the Marlins won 3-1. The Cincinnati offense only had five hits on the game and hit into an inning-ending double play with the bases loaded in the top of the sixth. A lack of timely hitting kept the brooms in the closet.

Cincinnati will now pack their bags and head west to face the Colorado Rockies. First pitch is set for 8:40 p.m. EST on Monday night with Hunter Greene scheduled to start. The pitching rotation for the rest of the series hasn’t been announced at this time.

Jake Fraley Leads Reds to Come-From-Behind Win

This Cincinnati Reds team simply does not quit. Friday night saw yet another come-from-behind victory as they took down the Miami Marlins 7-4 for a series-opening win. Not typically known as a power hitting team, the Reds used the long ball in this one to secure the victory.

Tyler Stephenson was the first to go deep knocking a solo home run in the fourth inning to make it 1-0. Then, Jake Fraley followed with his own solo shot in the fifth inning. However, it was Fraley’s three-run home run in the top of the ninth that ultimately sealed the deal for Cincinnati.

With the game tied at four a piece, following Spencer Steer’s game-tying double in the seventh, Fraley came to the plate with runners on the corners and one away. After taking a first pitch ball and fouling off a slider, Fraley parked one 392 feet in the right-centerfield seats to set the eventual final score of 7-4. He finished the game 2-4 with a pair of home runs, four RBI, and three runs scored.

Jake Fraley Does it Again

Fresh off of a huge stat line on Friday night, Jake Fraley was the star once again on Saturday afternoon for the Cincinnati Reds. He went 2-4 with four runs batted in for the second night in a row including a fifth-inning, three-run home run that put the Reds on top 3-1. Fraley would eventually tie the game with a RBI single in the eighth before Henry Ramos and Stuart Fairchild each drove in runs to make it 6-4.

On the mound, Derek Law got things started in his new-founded “opener” role. He pitched one and one-third scoreless innings before turning the game over to the bullpen. Levi Stoudt played the role of long reliever going three innings and allowing one run on two hits. However, it was Ian Gibaut who backed into earning the win despite allowing two runs during his one inning on the mound. Alexis Diaz didn’t have his best stuff either, but he gutted things out in the ninth to record the save.

The Saturday afternoon win in Miami clinched a second straight series victory for the Reds.

Reds Offense Goes Cold as Marlins Avoid Sweep

The brooms will have to stay in the closet this time around. After come-from-behind wins on Friday and Saturday, the Cincinnati Reds had no such luck on Sunday afternoon. Only collecting five hits will make it hard to win. That is especially true when the timely hitting fails to come through in crucial moments.

Miami’s pitching staff got the best of the Reds on Sunday. Starter Braxton Garrett struck out eight batters in five innings while allowing just one run. In total, the Marlins recorded 11 strikeouts in the game. However, Cincinnati did threaten in the top of the sixth. The bases were loaded with nobody out as Tyler Stephenson stood at the plate. With the game tied at zero, this was a situation where the Reds needed to break through and put a few runs on the scoreboard.

Stephenson got behind in the count 0-2 but did come through with a RBI ground out to first base. Avoiding a strikeout and a double play made his at-bat productive. However, after Jake Fraley was intentionally put on first base to set up the double play, Henry Ramos could not convert. The switch-hitter batting from the left side swung at the first pitch and grounded into a 6-4-3 double play. Only getting one run with the bases loaded and nobody out would prove to cost the Reds the game in the end.

The Marlins immediately answered, tying the game in the bottom half of the sixth at one apiece. Then, Miami plated a pair of runs in the seventh to set the eventual final score of 3-1. It was Kevin Herget and Alan Busenitz on the mound for the Reds that allowed the runs. The win brought the Marlins to 20-21 while Cincinnati fell to 18-22 on the season.