Robert Stephenson bit by homers, Reds lost to Marlins 5-4

The Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game

Zack Cozart. Who else?

The Cincinnati Reds shortstop keeps right on raking, on Saturday bonking a triple into the RF corner, walking thrice, and scoring a run against the Miami Marlins. At this point in the season, I think it’s still fair to suggest that what we’ve seen from him so far in 2017 will likely be a career-best outlier, but it might just be that we might make it all the way to 2018 before we get any chance to look back on it as such.

Considering Zack’s about to be a free agent, that’s fantastic news for him, whether he ends up somehow sticking with the Reds or simply cashing in big time from someone else this offseason.

Honorable Mentions are due to: Billy Hamilton, who had 2 hits and swiped his 41th bag of the season; Patrick Kivlehan, who homered; Asher Wojciechowski, who fired a pair of scoreless innings of relief; and Eugenio Suarez, who had 2 hits and another pair of excellent defensive plays at 3B.

Key Plays

• Dee Gordon singled and stole both 2B and 3B to open the Top of the 1st, and he then scored on a productive grounder by Giancarlo Stanton. Reds trailed early, 1-0.
• Chris O’Grady struggled mightily at the start, though the Reds couldn’t fully capitalize on his wildness. Three walks helped force in a run in the Bottom of the 1st, but while a Suarez GIDP plated another run, it effectively ended the bases loaded rally. Reds led, though, 2-1.
• JT Realmuto seized that lead back for Miami a half-inning later, however, clubbing the first of his two 2-run jacks on the night off Robert Stephenson. Reds trailed, 3-2.
• Kivlehan leveled the score in the Bottom of the 5th, however, sending an O’Grady meatball into the 2nd deck in LF to make things 3-3.
• Realmuto happened again, however. He turned around a Bob Steve meatball for a 2-run jack into left-center, scoring Justin Bour and putting the Marlins on top 5-3.
• A mini-rally resulting in an RBI single by Scooter Gennett that scored Adam Duvall got some hopes up in the Bottom of the 9th, but that was it for the Cincinnati scoring on the day. Reds lost, 5-4.

Tony Graphanino

Other Notes

• According to C. Trent Rosecrans, Louisville infielder Dilson Herrera is likely done for the season thanks to the shoulder injury that has flared up again. On the negative side, it’s yet another setback for the once prized prospect who was the primary return in the Jay Bruce trade to the New York Mets last year. On the plus side, however, at least it’s pretty obvious that the shoulder was what was sinking his numbers this year, and at least that might be fixable - in theory.
• This 10 game homestand has not gone well.
• Stephenson’s final line wasn’t quite as bad as it looks, really. He got tagged for big homers, but actually hit the strike zone rather well and had his off-speed pitches working very will. Line: 5.1 IP, 8 H, 5 ER, 2 BB, 5 K on 100 pitches.
• Sal Romano will get Sunday’s start in hopes the Reds can salvage something from this awful series. First pitch is set for 1:10 PM ET, and Sal will be opposed on the mound by Tom Koehler.
• Tunes.