MIAMI — The Miami Marlins’ slide continues.
Following a 2-1 loss to the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday at loanDepot park, the Marlins are now 47-57, 10 games under .500 for the first time this season. They have lost five consecutive games and 14 of their last 20 overall.
Some quick hits from the defeat:
— Both runs allowed came in the first inning, a frame in which left-handed pitcher Braxton Garrett gave up two hits, walked a third batter, hit a fourth and allowed another to reach on a throwing error. He needed 26 pitches to get out of the frame.
But after that? Garrett was dominant. He held the Reds scoreless the rest of his time on the mound, tying a single-game career-high with 11 strikeouts over 5 2/3 innings.
Garrett has pitched at least five innings and held opponents to two runs or fewer in four of his past six outings.
— The offense, once again, was anemic. Miami scored its lone run in the sixth inning on a Miguel Rojas sacrifice fly that scored Charles Leblanc, who hit a single and reached third on a Kyle Farmer fielding error on a Joey Wendle ground ball.
The Marlins stranded potential game-tying runs at third base in both the seventh and ninth inning.
— Anthony Bender threw a perfect eighth inning in his first MLB appearance since May 18 following a two-and-a-half month stint on the injured list with a back injury. He struck out two batters and induced a groundout for the third out. He threw just 12 pitches, eight of which landed for strikes.
— Outfielder Avisail Garcia exited the game in the second inning with left hamstring discomfort after pulling up running to first base trying to beat out a ground ball. Garcia postgame said he will have better clarity on the severity of the injury Wednesday.
