Jonathan India bounced back from a left thigh injury by belting his first career grand slam and coming within a triple of the cycle as the Cincinnati Reds routed the visiting Miami Marlins 11-2 Monday.
Brandon Drury broke open a one-run game with a three-run homer in the fourth as the Reds won their eighth straight home game against Miami, outscoring the Marlins 53-12 in the eight games.
The Reds have won nine of 13 overall and seven of their last eight at home. The Marlins lost for the eighth time in 12 games.
The key for Cincinnati rookie starter and winner Nick Lodolo (3-3) was working out of early trouble. In the third, the Marlins loaded the bases with none out, trying to add to a one-run lead. Jesus Aguilar struck out and Avisail Garcia lined into a double play to help Lodolo escape without Miami adding to its 1-0 lead.
That proved significant when the Reds scored three times with two outs in the third to take the lead. Kyle Farmer singled home Tommy Pham before Donovan Solano doubled home two runs to snap the 1-1 tie and give the Reds the lead for good, 3-1.
It was a rough night for Cincinnati backup catcher Michael Papierski. In the first inning, his throw to second on a Nick Fortes steal was mishandled by Solano. Fortes scored an unearned run on a Garcia single.
In the fourth, Lodolo was close to escaping again but rookie JJ Bleday, who had doubled, scored on a two-out wild pitch by Lodolo.
Lodolo allowed only the two unearned runs over six innings, striking out a career-high nine, walking two while allowing five hits.
The Reds knocked Miami starter and loser Trevor Rogers (4-10) from the game in the fourth when Drury belted a two-out, three-run homer to left, his team-leading 19th of the season. Rogers was tagged for six runs and eight hits over just 3 2/3 innings.
India, who sat out Sunday’s win over St. Louis, doubled, singled and walked against Rogers, the pitcher that finished second to him in 2021 National League Rookie of the Year voting. India’s grand slam off reliever Zach Pop in the fifth landed in the second deck in left. Pop left the game with an apparent arm injury one batter later.
–Field Level Media