CINCINNATI (AP) — Nick Castellanos hit a two-run homer and drove in four runs, and the Cincinnati Reds beat the Miami Marlins 7-4 on Saturday night.
Tyler Naquin hit three doubles and scored three times as Cincinnati won for the fifth time in seven games. The Reds began the day in a tie with San Diego for the second NL wild card.
Castellanos drove in Naquin with his 22nd homer in the first. He added a run-scoring groundout during the Reds’ four-run sixth and an RBI single in the eighth.
Miami dropped its sixth straight game. Jorge Alfaro had two hits and drove in a run, and Zach Thompson pitched five innings of three-hit ball.
The game was tied at 2 before Cincinnati pushed across four runs in the sixth against Anthony Bender (2-2). Tyler Stephenson had the big blow, a pinch-hit double that drove in two runs.
Cincinnati right-hander Wade Miley cruised into the fifth, but Miami loaded the bases with two out. Miley then hit Jazz Chisholm Jr. with a pitch and walked Jesús Aguilar to force in another run.
Luis Cessa (4-2) came on and escaped the jam when Shogo Akiyama made a sliding catch on a shallow fly ball from Lewis Brinson.
Alfaro hit a two-run single in the eighth to reduce Miami’s deficit to 6-4, but Bryan De La Cruz bounced into a inning-ending double play, the fourth of five turned by Cincinnati on the night.
Michael Lorenzen got five outs for his second save.
TRAINERS ROOM
Marlins: RHP Pablo Lopez (shoulder) started a rehab assignment at Triple-A Jacksonville. He hasn’t pitched for the Marlins since July 11.
UP NEXT
The Marlins send right-hander Sandy Alcantara (7-11, 3.39 ERA) to the mound for the finale of the four-game series, and Vladimir Gutierrez (8-4, 3.87 ERA) pitches for the Reds. Alcantara pitched eight effective innings in Tuesday’s loss to Atlanta, allowing a run and five hits. Gutierrez gave up nine hits and two runs in 6 1/3 innings in Tuesday’s loss to the Cubs.
