Miami Marlins vs Cincinnati Reds Box Score on Jul 22, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Jul 22, 2017

CINCINNATI -- J.T. Realmuto hit two two-run homers, including a tiebreaking drive in the sixth inning that propelled the Miami Marlins to a 5-4 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Saturday night.

Both of Realmuto's homers, giving him 10 this season, went to left field and followed singles to center by Justin Bour while helping drop Cincinnati's record on its 10-game homestand to 1-8.

Bour also turned in a key defensive play, snaring Patrick Kivlehan's line drive and doubling Eugenio Suarez off first base to end the eighth with a run in and the tying run at third base.

The Reds (40-57) have allowed 69 runs during the homestand, tying the franchise record for the most allowed in a homestand of 10 or fewer games.

Miami's Ichiro Suzuki singled as a pinch-hitter in the ninth, giving him 3,057 career major league hits. He is three short of tying Hall of Famer Craig Biggio for 22nd on the career hits list.

Robert Stephenson, recalled by the Reds on Saturday to join the rotation, allowed both Realmuto homers. Stephenson (0-3) gave up five runs and eight hits with five strikeouts and two walks in 5 1/3 innings.

Miami's Chris O'Grady, in his third major league start, allowed four hits, three runs and six walks with six strikeouts and a balk in 4 2/3 innings.

AJ Ramos pitched the ninth for his 19th save in 21 opportunities, striking out Joey Votto looking to end the game with Zack Cozart on first base.

Threatening weather delayed the first pitch by exactly one hour, but it couldn't slow down Dee Gordon, who led off the game with a single to right field, stole second and third and scored on Giancarlo Stanton's groundout.

The Reds capitalized on O'Grady's control problems to take a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the inning. Billy Hamilton's hit and three straight walks pushed across the tying run, and Cincinnati took the lead on Suarez's double-play ball.

The Marlins regained the lead in the second on Realmuto's mammoth two-run homer that reached the upper level of the second deck in left field.

Kivlehan, starting in place of right fielder Scott Schebler, hit his sixth homer leading off the fifth for a 3-3 tie.

Cozart followed with a two-out triple and Nick Wittgren relieved O'Grady after he intentionally walked Votto. Wittgren struck out Adam Duvall looking to end the threat.

O'Grady allowed four hits, three runs and six walks with six strikeouts and a balk in 4 2/3 innings.

NOTES: The Reds optioned RHP Ariel Hernandez to Triple-A Louisville with no record a misleading 5.28 ERA. It was at 1.88 before Arizona rocked him for four hits, including two home runs, and six runs in the ninth inning of Thursday's 12-2 loss. ... Miami SS JT Riddle is improving after injuring his left shoulder diving for a ball on Wednesday. The Marlins are hoping to avoid placing Riddle on the disabled list, manager Don Mattingly said. ... The bullpen session that Marlins RHP Brad Ziegler was supposed to throw on Friday instead happened on Saturday. He threw 25 pitches and is scheduled to throw another on Monday. He's been out since July 21 with a right back strain. ... The start of the game was delayed one hour by threatening skies, but rain never fell. The delay was Cincinnati's second in two nights and fifth of the season.