Marlins pitchers stifle struggling Reds bats in series opener

Janson Junk held the Cincinnati Reds to one hit over six innings and Agustin Ramirez provided the pop to lead the Miami Marlins to a 5-1 road win Monday.

Junk (3-1), Lake Bachar and Anthony Bender teamed to hold the Reds to just three hits as the Marlins won for the 11th time in their last 14. The Reds had just one hit through eight, but Bender came on with runners on the corners and two outs to strike out Austin Hays for his second save.

Ramirez went 2-for-4, scoring twice and driving in a pair. He doubled and hit his 14th home run of the season, a seventh-inning shot to the second deck in left field. Xavier Edwards also went 3-for-5 with two doubles and a run.

Junk threw six innings, matching his season high set last Wednesday against the Minnesota Twins. This time, though, he came away with the victory as he allowed only an unearned run and struck out three.

A pair of two-out hits in the fifth off Reds starter Brady Singer (7-7) put the Marlins ahead. Ramirez doubled to score Edwards, who reached on a one-out double. Liam Hicks then singled Ramirez home.

Those were the only runs Singer allowed. He gave up seven hits and a walk and struck out three in five innings.

A combination of aggressive Marlins baserunning and poor fielding from the Reds helped Miami tack on two runs in the sixth. Eric Wagaman led off with a single and then advanced to third on Connor Norby's groundout to third.

Derek Hill hit a chopper to Noelvi Marte at third, but Marte's throw home sailed over catcher Tyler Stephenson, allowing Wagaman to score. Reliever Lyon Richardson backed up the play, but his throw to second went into the outfield, allowing Hill to reach third. He scored on Javier Sanoja's sacrifice fly to right.

Cincinnati scratched across its run without a hit. Junk, who hadn't walked a batter since June 9, issued back-to-back free passes to Hays and Gavin Lux to start the second. Hays scored on Stephenson's sacrifice fly to right.

The Reds, who have lost three straight, have managed just three runs over their last 31 innings.

--Field Level Media