Jorge Soler homered for the second time in as many games — a go-ahead shot in the seventh — as the visiting Miami Marlins snapped a five-game losing streak with a 3-2 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday night.
Braxton Garrett (6-3) allowed just six hits and two runs over six innings to earn the win. Garrett has allowed three or fewer runs in nine of his last 11 starts, helping the Marlins improve to 17-6 in his 23 starts this season.
The trio of Andrew Nardi, Tanner Scott and David Robertson combined on three scoreless innings to close out Miami’s win, just the Marlins’ third in 11 games. Robertson struck out Christian Encarnacion-Strand to end the game and record his 16th save in 20 chances.
The Reds lost for the fourth time in five games on their six-game homestand and have dropped seven of eight overall.
The Marlins took their first lead in the second when Joey Wendle followed Jake Burger’s double with one of his own off Cincinnati starter Luke Weaver, the drive to left-center scoring the game’s first run.
For Wendle, it was just his second hit in 31 at-bats since July 22 and his first extra-base hit since July 9.
The Reds tied the game in the bottom of the inning against Garrett when TJ Friedl’s bloop double down the left field line scored Kevin Newman from second.
Stuart Fairchild thrilled the crowd leading off the bottom of the fifth with one of the most exciting plays of the season. His opposite-field liner down the right field line curved away from right fielder Jesus Sanchez and rolled into the corner.
Fairchild sped into third but ran through the stop sign of Cincinnati third base coach J.R. House. By the time Fairchild stopped, he was halfway down the line to home.
When Luis Arraez’s relay throw bounced in front of catcher Nick Fortes, Fairchild re-started, avoided the tag of Fortes and slid headfirst safely into home for a 2-1 Cincinnati lead on the triple and Arraez’s error.
But the Marlins took the lead back in the seventh when Fortes was hit by a Buck Farmer pitch after Farmer retired the first two batters. Losing pitcher Lucas Sims (3-3) was called on in relief and Soler belted Sims’ first pitch to the seats in right-center for his team-leading 28th home run. The hit capped a 3-for-3 night for Soler.
–Field Level Media
