Recap: Cincinnati vs. Florida
Sports Network | September 22, 2008
Cincinnati, OH (Sports Network) - Jerry Hairston Jr. went 3-for-5 with two RBI and a run scored as the Cincinnati Reds put a serious damper in Florida's slim playoff hopes with a 7-5 win over the Marlins in a makeup game at Great American Ball Park.
The loss is devastating to Florida as the team now sits 5 1/2 games back of the New York Mets for the NL wild card and essentially has to win out its last six games to have any hope of making the postseason. New York plays Chicago later on Monday.
Joey Votto went 2-for-4 with a solo home run, two runs scored and two driven in while Andy Phillips added a pinch-hit two-run single for the Reds, who have won three of their last four. Aaron Harang (6-16) won his second straight start as he gave up four runs on eight hits with two walks and six strikeouts in seven innings of work.
Jeremy Hermida and Josh Willingham each hit a solo home run for the Marlins, who have dropped three straight after a franchise-high nine-game winning streak. Ricky Nolasco went six-plus innings and gave up three runs on six hits with a walk and five strikeouts. Andrew Miller (6-10) was charged with the loss.
This was a makeup of a game that was rained out on May 15.
Trailing by three runs to start the seventh, Cincinnati surged ahead in the frame. Danny Richar started the inning with a single and Corey Patterson followed with a double. Miller then took the mound to relieve Nolasco.
Pinch-hitter Ryan Hanigan hit a soft grounder back to the mound and Miller tried to get Richar at home, but Richar slid under the tag. After Jolbert Cabrera worked a walk to load the bases, Logan Kensing took the mound and promptly gave up a single to Hairston that brought home two runs. Wilkin Castillo then struck out and Arthur Rhodes took the mound.
Rhodes' first opponent was Votto, who smoked a double to left that scored Cabrera. After Edwin Encarnacion struck out, Jeff Keppinger was issued a free pass to load the bases and Phillips ripped a two-run single for a 7-4 lead.
Florida attempted to rally in the ninth. John Baker led off with a walk and moved to third on Luis Gonzalez's single. A wild pitch by Francisco Cordero then scored Baker. However, Cordero retired the next three batters to pick up his 33rd save of the season.
Florida jumped on top in the first inning on a one-out, solo home run from Hermida, his 17th home run of the season.
The Marlins plated two more runs in the second inning. Dan Uggla led off with a walk and Willingham followed with a double. Back-to-back RBI singles from Cameron Maybin and Matt Treanor made it a 3-0 game.
Willingham's solo home run over the left field wall in the third, his 12th of the season, made it a 4-0 game.
The Reds, who were retired in order from the third through the fifth innings, got on the board in the sixth on a two-out, solo home run from Votto to make it a 4-1 contest.
Cincinnati won six of the eight contests against Florida this season and is 14-7 in the matchup over the past three seasons. Florida has not won in Cincinnati since April 18, 2006, a streak of eight consecutive games...Votto's home run was No. 22 on the season, the most by a Cincinnati rookie since Bernie Carvo in 1970...Each team left seven men on base...Cincinnati, which closed the home portion of its season with a record of 43-38, starts a three- game set in Houston on Tuesday...Florida begins a three-game series in Washington on Tuesday.
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