Reds crank out 15 hits, take series from Marlins. CIN 7, MIA 3.

The Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game

It was an all-around solid effort by the Cincinnati Reds today, one in which the offense showed up in a way not seen since prior to the All-Star break and the pitching held to its usual stellar form.

Todd Frazier gets today's honor, though, as he had just the second 4-hit game of his career.  The first dozen games out of the break and after his Home Run Derby performance had been frustrating for Todd, and his OPS had dipped all the way down to .800 prior to today's game.  While each of his 4 hits were singles (and he added to the season's TOOTBLAN total), hopefully this will help turn the tide as the Reds go into a stretch of games against teams they should be able to produce offense against.

Honorable Mentions are due to:  Billy Hamilton, who went 2 for 5 with a steal, an RBI, and 3 runs scored; Jay Bruce, who also had a 2 for 5 day, with his featuring an RBI, run scored, and a steal, too; Devin Mesoraco, who had a 3 hit day that included a 2-run single with the bases loaded; and Mike Leake, who had a hit and a run scored to help support his 6 IP of 1-run, 3 hit ball.

Key Plays

• The Reds got on the scoreboard first in this one courtesy of a 2-out single from Zack Cozart in the Top of the 2nd that scored Mesoraco after his leadoff single, and they then added a pair of runs in each of the next two innings, too.  In the Top of the 3rd, Hamilton led off with a single and a steal of 2B, and he scored on Bruce's single.  Bruce then stole 2B, too, and he later scored when Ryan Ludwick doubled.  Reds led, 3-0.
• The Top of the 4th featured a leadoff baserunner (Kris Negron on a walk) and a steal of 2B, and Negron scored on a 2-out single up the middle by Hamilton.  Both Bruce and Frazier followed with singles, too, the latter scoring Hamilton; unfortunately, Bruce was thrown out to end the inning while trying to take 3B.  Reds led, 5-0.
• The Miami Marlins got one back in the Bottom of the 4th thanks to a 2-out double from Adeiny "had to get a hit so I had to type out his entire damn name" Hechavarria and a later single from Jeff Mathis.  Reds led, 5-1.
• The Reds tacked on the rest of their runs in the Top of the 6th against Sam Dyson.  Leake reached on an infield single, and he then took 2B when Hamilton followed with a soft grounder to Dyson on the mound.  The Marlins pitcher fumbled it, both runners were safe, and after Frazier reached on an infield single two batters later to load the bases, Mesoraco drove a pair of Reds across the plate with a single to CF.  Reds led, 7-1.
• J.J. Hoover followed the semi-unfortunate script he's written of late by having an impressive first inning of work followed by a rough second inning.  He threw a clean 7th, but allowed a walk and a Garrett Jones 2-run dinger in the Bottom of the 8th.  Jonathan Broxton made sure that's as close as things would get, though, and that was that.  Reds win, 7-3.