Cincinnati Reds' Rece Hinds rounds the bases after hitting his career first MLB grand slam during the third inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Friday, July 12, 2024, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean)
CINCINNATI (AP) — Rookie Rece Hinds hit his first career grand slam, Jonathan India and Jeimer Candelario had first-inning solo shots and the Cincinnati Reds beat the Miami Marlins 7-4 on Friday night.
Reds starter Carson Spiers (3-2) struck out eight of the first 10 Marlins he faced and finished with a career-high nine in the opener of the final series before the All-Star break. Spiers allowed three runs and six hits through five innings.
“A lot of luck and a lot of good pitches, I guess,” Spiers said of his string of strikeouts.
The Reds, who took three of four from the Colorado Rockies this week, did their damage in the first three innings off Miami starter Yonny Chirinos (0-1).
India hit one out to center field, his first lead-off homer since May 7, 2023, and Candelario’s shot went out to right, his 15th of the season.
Will Benson hit a two-out RBI double in the second, and Hinds hit a bases-loaded shot into the first row of seats in center field in the third inning, his third homer in his first five games in the majors. He set a major league record earlier this week with five extra-base hits in his first two games.
“It’s unheard of, really,” Reds manager David Bell said.
“I got a pitch over the heart of the plate with runners on base,” the 23-year-old Hinds said of his round-tripper. “I wanted to drive in runs. I got the pitch. I’m always ready for the heater.”
Chirinos gave up seven runs and eight hits over 5 2/3 innings, striking out one and walking four.
“A lot of pitches middle of the belt, waist-high, thigh-high, and not a ton of swing-and-miss,” Marlins manager Skip Schumaker said. “When you don’t have a ton of swing-and-miss, you have to have elite command or be on the ground a lot, and unfortunately, he was neither one of those.”
Jesús Sánchez hit a one-out, three-run homer for the Marlins in the fourth off Spiers. Vidal Bruján got his first career RBI with a two-out single in the ninth off Alexis Diaz.
Reds All-Star shortstop Elly De La Cruz stole his major league-leading 46th base after singling in the sixth inning, and ranged way to his left to make a great play on a grounder by Xavier Edwards and throw to first to end the game.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Marlins: Sent SS Otto Lopez (back) on a rehab assignment to Triple-A Jacksonville.
Reds: Manager David Bell reported INF Christian Encarnacion-Strand had surgery on his fractured right hand. He likely will not return this season. … RHP Graham Ashcraft (elbow strain) will be out until September, if he’s able to come back at all, Bell said.
UP NEXT
Reds lefty Nick Lodolo (8-3, 3.30 ERA) will be on the mound facing Marlins lefty Trevor Rogers (1-9, 4.82) as the series continues Saturday afternoon.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB
BY MITCH STACY
AP Sports Writer
This post was last modified on 07/12/2024 9:12 pm
