CINCINNATI (AP) — Rookie Rece Hinds slugged two more long home runs, lifting the Cincinnati Reds to a 10-6 win over the Miami Marlins on Saturday.
The 23-year-old Hinds has five homers and nine extra-base hits since making his major league debut on Monday. Only one of home runs was short of 400 feet — a 397-foot grand slam on Friday night.
That's the most extra base hits by any player in his first six games in major league history.
“I’m just completely locked in,” Hinds said. “I’m hunting one spot and once I get it, I try to capitalize and don’t miss.”
Leading off the third on Saturday, Hinds blasted a 430-foot solo shot into the upper deck in left field. Then, with the Reds holding on to a 7-6 lead in the sixth, he slugged another one out to left, a two-run, 454-foot shot that came off the bat at 112 mph.
“It’s amazing to watch,” Reds manager David Bell said. “To be able to watch somebody in that pure state of playing the game of baseball is a lot of fun. I’m happy for Reese. These are big games for us. He’s contributed in a big way since he’s been here.”
Elly De La Cruz and Jeimer Candelario hit back-to-back homers in the third, and Spencer Steer and Santiago Espinal also went deep for the Reds, who beat the NL's worst team for the second day in a row after taking three out of four from Colorado earlier in the week.
Jake Burger and Josh Bell hit back-to-back homers in the third for the Marlins off Andrew Abbott, who had one of his worst outings of the season. The Reds' lefty allowed five runs and seven hits in 3 1/3 innings. Seven relievers kept the Marlins at bay the rest of the way.
Sam Moll (1-1) got the third out in the fifth inning to pick up the win.
Marlins starter Edward Cabrera (1-3) fared worse. He also lasted just 3 1/3 innings, giving up seven runs and six hits while striking out seven.
Burger had four hits and drove in four, and Bell had two RBIs for Miami. The Marlins out-hit the Reds 15-10 but left 14 runners on base.
“The tough part was that every time we scored, they answered back," Marlins manager Skip Schumaker said. “We didn’t get that shut down inning.”
The Reds, who have dealt with injuries in falling to as many 10 games under .500 this season, have climbed back to two games under .500 and in contention in the NC Central, seven games behind the leader Milwaukee.
“There's a lot to be said for having a good feeling going into the break,” Bell said.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Reds: 2B Jonathan India left the game after the third inning with a left-knee contusion. ... RHP Carson Spiers, who got the win Friday night, was placed on the 15-day injured list with a right-shoulder impingement. ... OF/1B Nick Martini was put on the 60-day injured list after having surgery on his left thumb.
UP NEXT
The Marlins send lefty Trevor Rogers (1-9, 4.82 ERA) against Reds left-hander Nick Lodolo (8-3, 3.30) in the finale of the three-game series and the last before the All-Star break.
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