Reds hold on to beat Marlins
CINCINNATI -- Ramon Cabrera hit his second career home run, a three-run shot in the second inning, and right-hander Dan Straily outpitched Jose Fernandez as the Cincinnati Reds held on for a 5-4 victory over the Miami Marlins in the finale of a four-game series Thursday night at Great American Ball Park.
Fernandez (12-7) eclipsed the 200-strikeout mark in the second inning. But, not much else went right for the Marlins' ace who lasted only four innings.
Miami trailed 5-0 in the sixth when Marcell Ozuna belted his 22nd home run of the season, a two-run shot to make the score 5-2.
That was the only mistake for Straily (9-6) who allowed two runs on six hits over six innings. He struck out seven and did not walk a batter.
A throwing error by Jumbo Diaz to begin the seventh led to two runs with Martin Prado delivering a two-out, two-run single to cut Miami's deficit to 5-4.
Raisel Iglesias, whom the Reds want to look at as their future closer, pitched a perfect ninth for his second save of the season and his career.
Thursday's game certainly didn't start the way the Marlins typically expect with Fernandez on the mound.
Cincinnati had several hard-hit balls off the Miami ace before Cabrera, who owned one career home run in 130 major league at-bats, crushed a 1-0 pitch into the right-field seats for a three-run homer, putting the Reds ahead 3-0.
Cincinnati scored three times, collected four hits and had two line-drive outs in the first two innings.
The Reds weren't finished.
In the third, Billy Hamilton singled and later scored on a throwing error. Eugenio Suarez's RBI double made the score 5-0.
Fernandez left after four innings and 65 pitches. It was his shortest outing of the season.
He skipped his last turn in the rotation in an effort to limit his innings. Miami would like to keep him around the 180 mark.
Straily, meanwhile, limited the Marlins to only three hits through five innings with six strikeouts.
NOTES: Jose Fernandez became the sixth Marlins pitcher to reach 200 strikeouts in a season, first since Anibal Sanchez fanned 202 in 2011. Fernandez needs five strikeouts to tie Ryan Dempster's club mark of 209 set in 2000. ... Ichiro Suzuki's two hits tied him with Al Kaline for 28th place on baseball's all-time hits list with 3,007. ... Marlins RHP A.J. Ramos remains on track to be reinstated from the disabled list on Sunday provided he gets through his simulated game on Friday without issue. ... The Reds expect RHP Michael Lorenzen to be reinstated from the bereavement list on Friday. ... Reds LF Adam Duvall is expected to miss at least two more games after he fouled a pitch off his left foot on Monday. ... Reds SS Zack Cozart is having lingering issues with his surgically repaired knee. He was out of the lineup Thursday, but manager Bryan Price said he was available to play if needed.