After falling behind, 6-0, TJ Friedl ripped his first career grand slam in the seventh inning to pull the Reds within two.
The Marlins traded their closer and sent inexperienced Calvin Foucher to the mound in the ninth inning to protect that two-run lead.
And trouble arose after Jonathan India popped out to open the ninth. Foucher walked Elly De La Cruz on a full count and Tyler Stephenson, also on a full count, doubled down the left field line.
That put the potential tying runs on third and second with one out and brought up Mr. Grand Slam, Friedl. But he popped to shallow left field.
Foucher then hit Ty France in the helmet on his first pitch, loading the bases.
And the Reds had the Marlins right where they wanted. The batter was Jeimer Candelario, 2-for-2 career against Foucher with a home run.
Not this time. Candelario grounded to second to end it.
If the Reds are consistent in anything, they are consistent in their inconsistency. Every time they take a couple of steps closer to .500, they fall back.
After easily winning the first two games of the series, 10-3 and 8-2, to climb to 55-58, they’ve fallen back to 55-59. And they’ve fallen back into last place in the National League Central.
Early in the game, it was if the Marlins borrowed a line from Peter Finch in the movie Network: “We’re as mad as hell and we’re just not going to take it any more.”
The Marlins scored five times in the first inning against Reds starter Andrew Abbott, an unusual turn of events since the Marlins were 8-31 this season against lefthanded pitchers.
The second batter, Jake Burger, drilled a home run. Abbott then gave up two singles and a walk to load the bases.
Before Wednesday, hitters were 1 for 13 against Abbott with the bases full and the one hit was a single.
Derek Hill unloaded them, though, with a grand slam home run over the right center wall and it was 5-0 after Abbott gave up his first career grand slam.
Burger struck again in the fifth with a 422-foot home run off a 0-and-1 85 mph change-up. Burger has 19 homers this season, three off Abbott.
And the three homers lifted Abbott’s given-up total to 24 this season.
The Reds had a chance in the second inning to quickly scramble back into it. With two outs and nobody on, they loaded the bases.
It was India’s turn at bat and he was 4 for 6 with two walks and a home run this year with the bases full.
He took a called third strike.
It was not a good night for Cincinnati’s two catalysts at the top of the order — India and De La Cruz. India had a harmless one-out double in the fifth, but failed to produce with six runners on base during his other at bats.
De La Cruz went 0 for 4 with three strikeouts and left three on base during his at bats before taking a walk in the ninth.
The Reds were mesmerized by Miami’s starting pitcher, 24-year-old rookie Valente Bellozol. He was making his fourth major league start and was 0-1 with a 4.20 earned run average.
He held the Reds to no runs, five hits, walked two and struck out four in 5 2/3 innings, the longest start of his short career.
And the Marlins used the leather on their hands with some highlight defense —a leaping catch against the wall by right fielder Jesus Sanchez on Candelario’s bid for extra bases in the fourth, followed by a backhanded stab and jump-shot throw to first base by third baseman Emmanuel Rivera to nip Noelvi Marte.
And with India on third and two outs in the fifth, Stephenson lined one to the left center gap and center fielder Cristian Pache flagged it after a long sprint.
The Reds left 11 runners simmering on the bases, the bases loaded twice, and were 1 for 9 with runners in scoring position.
With Hunter Greene and his 0.23 earned run average over his last five starts on the mound Thursday, the Reds have the opportunity to take the series three games to one.
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