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Reds 2 Marlins 1
Graham Ashcraft continued the run of dazzling starts by Reds rookie pitchers as he tossed 8.1 spectacular innings and the Reds beat the Marlins 2-1 Tuesday night in Miami. Ashcraft took the mound in the 9th gunning for a complete game but a one out double ended his evening. Alexis Diaz slammed the door with the final two outs.
The Reds have won four straight games to move to 39-39 since 3-22 start. They have won 14 of their last 21 and are 5-1-1 in their last seven series.
The Cardinals beat the Cubs, so the Reds have taken over sole possession of 3rd place in the NL Central.
Ashcraft: 8.1 IN, 5 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K. 107 pitches/75 pitches. He needed just 48 pitch to get through the first five innings, including seven in the 3rd, seven in the 5th and eight in the 8th. He took a shutout to the 6th inning before a Kyle Farmer error led to sacrifice fly. Leading 2-1, David Bell gave him the 8th inning at 88 pitches thrown.....then gave him the 9th at 96 pitches. Pitches by inning: 11-13-7-10-7-25-15-8-11. He was attempting to toss the first nine inning complete game by a Reds rookie since Lance Davis in 2001. Pitch usage: 54 Cutter, 34 Slider, 19 Sinker. He got three swings and misses.
The future in the present: The last three games Nick Lodolo (6 IN, 4 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 7 K), Hunter Greene (6 IN, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 8 K) & Graham Ashcraft
have combined to go 20.1 IN, 10 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 18 K. Holy. Moly.
Heeeee's back: Aristides Aquino returned from the IL and slapped a two-run single the other way to put the Reds on top 2-0 in the 1st inning.
The inning started with a Nick Senzel double, Kyle Farmer HBP and Joey Votto walk.
Bazooka: Aquino cut down a Marlin at the plate by a good 10 feet. It was his 6th assist of the season, the fourth time he threw out a runner at home plate
Tough nights: The Reds managed just three hits and struck out 15 times. Joey Votto struck out twice, Jonathan India three times and Donovan Solano four times. Marlins starting pitcher Braxton Garrett struck out 11 Reds in 5.2 innings.
Odd: Reds won on a night they had three hits and as many runs as errors, 2.