Reds streak through the quad to the aquarium. CIN 5, MIA 2.

The Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game

Mat Latos brushed off having his name floated in trade rumors yesterday and held the Miami Marlins to just a single run over his 7 innings pitched, earning tonight's JNMHSotG in the process.  The big right-hander allowed just 5 hits on the evening (none for extra bases), and he struck out 5, walked 4 (including an intentional walk to Giancarlo Stanton), and picked up his 3rd win of the season thanks to his 93 pitch effort.

More importantly, his velocity looked good for the second consecutive start.

Honorable Mentions are due to:  Todd Frazier, who had a pair of hits, scored a run, and drove in the first Cincinnati Reds run of the evening; Ryan Ludwick, who hit a jam-shot double with the bases loaded to break the game open for the good guys; Aroldis Chapman, for being Aroldis Chapman; Jay Bruce, who was activated off the bereavement list prior to the game and chipped in with a single and a walk; and Billy Hamilton, who went 2 for 5 to keep his OBP fractionally over the .300 mark (at .301).

Key Plays

• The Reds struck first in this one, finally getting to new Marlin Jarred Cosart in the Top of the 4th after the former Houston Astros pitcher had been perfect in his first foray through the order.  Consecutive singles from Hamilton, Bruce, and Frazier got one run in before Cosart escaped trouble.  Reds led, 1-0.
• That run was nabbed back by the Marlins in the Bottom of the 5th, however.  A single from Adeiny "had to get a hit so I had to type out his entire damn name" Hechavarria led off with a single, moved to 2B on a sacrifice, and scored on a single from Jordainy Valdespin.  He moved to 2B on an error by Frazier at 1B, and after back to back walks to Stanton and Casey McGeeHeeHeeHeeHeeHeeHee, the Reds nearly got screwed into a pickle jam conundrum bind fiasco thanks to a poor call by 1B ump Tom Woodring.  He ruled that Garret Jones was safe on a slow grounder to 1B, and that ruling allowed a pair of Marlins to score while Latos argued with him.  Fortunately, Bryan Price and the whosawhatsa's by the TVs in New York agreed that Latos had barely beaten Jones to the bag, the call was overturned, and the Reds escaped with the game tied, 1-1.
• The Reds promptly re-took the lead and the momentum in the next half inning, though, putting a 3-spot on Cosart in the Top of the 6th thanks to a some walks and a generous bullpen.  Bruce took a 1-out walk, Frazier followed with an infield single, Devin Mesoraco walked to load the bases, and after Chris Hatcher was summoned to pitch in relief, Ludwick hit said double down the LF line to score two.  Skip Schumaker then followed with a gritty sac-fly to further empty the bases, and the Reds led 4-1.
• Jonathan Broxton allowed a laser-dinger to Stanton in the Bottom of the 8th, but the Reds got that run back in the Top of the 9th thanks to a Chris Heisey double, productive Hamilton grounder, and a passed ball by Marlins catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia.  Chapman did the deed in the Bottom of the 9th, and that was that.  Reds win, 5-2!