LDN - Sports

Phelps earns victory as Marlins defeat Reds

[August 16, 2016] CINCINNATI -- David Phelps hadn't earned a win as a starting pitcher in 14 months. That dry spell ended Monday night.

Phelps allowed two runs and struck out eight batters in 5 1/3 innings as the Miami Marlins beat the Cincinnati Reds 6-3 at Great American Ball Park.

Miami used six relievers to back up Phelps' effort. Fernando Rodney tossed a scoreless ninth inning for his 21st save, his fourth since being acquired in a trade with the San Diego Padres on June 30.

Martin Prado went 3-for-5, and Chris Johnson and Marcell Ozuna each hit solo home runs to back up Phelps in his third start of the season. Phelps (6-6) had made 50 relief appearances before getting his first start on Aug. 5 at Colorado.

He was pulled after giving up a one-out single to Ivan De Jesus with a 4-1 lead in the sixth inning. Phelps threw 90 pitches while giving up four hits and one walk.

Three relievers -- Brian Ellington, Hunter Cervenka and Dustin McGowan -- followed him in the inning, combining for three walks, but McGowan struck out Tony Renda to leave the bases loaded and keep Miami in front 4-2.

"I felt good. I really wanted to go out and get the sixth (finished)," said Phelps. "I never want to come out of a game. I just gave up a hit on a pitch I wasn't too pleased about, but I know what we've got down in the bullpen. I've got more faith than most people in those guys. I was one of them two and a half weeks ago."

Of the eight batters Phelps struck out, five were caught looking.

"I had a lot of backwards K's tonight. That usually gives me a good idea that I have good fastball command that day," Phelps said.

The Marlins have beaten the Reds in all four meetings this season and six times in a row overall.

Miami (62-56) earned its third consecutive win and pulled into a tie with the St. Louis Cardinals for the second National League wild card.

Reds starter Brandon Finnegan (6-9) took the loss after allowing four runs on seven hits in 5 1/3 innings. Finnegan struck out three but also walked three and gave up the homers to Johnson and Ozuna, pushing his season total to 26.

"They took advantage of some elevation pitches," Reds manager Bryan Price said. "I bet they are tickled to death to be hitting here instead of their own ballpark."

Johnson also had an RBI double in the sixth inning, scoring J.T. Realmuto for a 4-1 lead. Realmuto walked following Ozuna's home run and was the final batter Finnegan faced.

"I made a lot of good pitches today," Finnegan said. "I had bad luck on two routine fly balls that carried out. I've been going deep into games all year. There were just a few games that I didn't."

The Marlins scored first in a game for the 69th time this season when Dee Gordon led off the first inning with a double to right field, then scored without a throw on a single to right by Prado. Prado's hit capped a 12-pitch at-bat that included six foul balls.

Phelps struck out the side in the bottom of the first and retired the first two batters in the second before Scott Schebler broke an 0-for-28 streak with a solo home run to center field to tie the score 1-1. It was the third homer of the season for Schebler, who has taken over right field for Cincinnati after Jay Bruce was traded to the Mets.

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Marlins starting pitcher David Phelps throws against the Cincinnati Reds during the first inning at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports

The Marlins regained the lead, 2-1, with two outs in the fourth when Johnson hit his fifth home run of the season. It went just 327 feet, but that was enough to get over the fence in front of the Marlins' bullpen in right field.

"That's not a home run at our place, that's for sure," Johnson said. "I'm glad I hit it here and not at home."

Gordon provided the Marlins with some insurance with a two-out, two-run infield hit in the eighth inning after the Reds had closed to within 4-3. He hit a high chopper to first baseman Joey Votto, who made a high toss to covering pitcher Blake Wood, giving Gordon time to beat out the play.

Reds center fielder Billy Hamilton was replaced by Tyler Holt in the top of the fifth inning after sustaining a right knee contusion. Hamilton hit the center field wall hard in the third inning attempting to catch a ball hit by Martin Prado that went for a triple.

Marlins manager Don Mattingly was ejected in the bottom of the third inning for arguing with plate umpire Bill Welke over a check-swing call ruled no swing against the Reds' Tucker Barnhart.

NOTES: The Reds optioned LHP Cody Reed to Triple-A Louisville before the game and recalled OF Kyle Waldrop. Reed went 0-7 in 10 starts with a 7.36 ERA. He gave up six runs on five hits and three walks in one-plus innings in a 7-3 loss at Milwaukee on Sunday. No replacement has yet been named for his spot in the rotation. ... Marlins manager Don Mattingly said he expects OF Ichiro Suzuki to get the bulk of the playing time in right field after Giancarlo Stanton sustained a groin injury that could cost him the rest of the season. Of the 30 current ballparks, Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati is the only one where Suzuki hasn't recorded a hit. ... Reds SS Zack Cozart was given a day off from the starting lineup, and 2B Brandon Phillips (knee contusion) also was out of the lineup. Manager Bryan Price hopes Phillips can start Tuesday.

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