Conine and Norby ignited the offense with crucial homers, powering the Marlins to a decisive victory over the Reds.
MIAMI – Griffin Conine and Connor Norby homered to lead the Miami Marlins to a 7-4 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday.
The Reds held an early advantage in the first inning. Elly De La Cruz drew a walk and scored on a fielding error. Sal Stewart reached on that error and later scored on a double by Eugenio Suárez to give the Reds a 2-0 lead.
The Marlins struck back in the bottom frame with an RBI double by Agustín Ramírez and a run-scoring single by Liam Hicks to tie the game.
Conine led off the second inning with a base hit and later scored on a single by Jakob Marsee to take the lead. Xavier Edwards drove Marsee home to make it a 4-2 game.
Hicks led off the third inning with a single and scored on Conine’s two-run homer. After Leo Jiménez singled on a line drive, the Reds turned to their bullpen.
“I think the first three innings we came out punching them in the mouth,” Conine told Marlins Radio after the game. “Offense came to swing it today. I think that set the tone.”
Brady Singer’s night ended with six runs (five earned) on 10 hits and three strikeouts in 2.2 innings pitched. His ERA ballooned to 7.71 three starts into his season.
The Reds (8-4) added two runs in the fifth after Sal Stewart homered to right field. Stewart, a 22-year-old rookie first baseman from Miami, has driven in a run in each game this series.
Norby hit his first home run of the season in the seventh inning add an extra insurance run for a bullpen that was coming off a rough end to Tuesday’s contest. It was a game Norby needed after struggling to hit above .200 entering the season.
Seven different Marlins (7-5) batters got a hit against the Reds, totaling 12 in the game.
“We’re having great at-bats throughout,” Norby said after the game. “Some guys are kind of getting unlucky, kind of like me. We've got to stick to the process even more. It’s a long season and they’ll even out.”
Eury Perez earned his first win of the season after allowing four runs (two earned) on six hits, two walks, and six strikeouts in five innings pitched. More than half of his pitches came in the first two innings of the game.
“We know he’s our guy and he’s gonna give us a good start,” Conine said.
The Marlins' bullpen combined for three hits in four scoreless innings. Michael Petersen earned his first career save after responding to giving up two hits with two strikeouts to end the threat.
“The pen was nails today,” Conine said. “Everyone just came out wanting to win.”
Ryan Gusto made his season debut with the Marlins in relief, throwing a perfect sixth inning with a strikeout. Gusto was called up on Monday after closer Pete Fairbanks was placed on the paternity list.
The Marlins will send Max Meyer (0-0, 4.66 ERA) to conclude the series on Thursday. The Reds will trot out Rhett Lowder (1-0, 1.64 ERA) for the matinee.
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