Sánchez's HR a jolt of energy for Marlins in loss

CINCINNATI -- The Marlins arrived in the Queen City around 3 or 4 a.m. ET on Friday morning after a late game in Houston on Thursday night.

After a slow start against Reds starter Carson Spiers, Jesús Sánchez woke up the Marlins with a three-run homer in the fourth inning. They then threatened with a game-tying rally in the top of the ninth, bringing the potential tying run to the plate, but Miami wasn’t able to complete the comeback in a series-opening 7-4 loss to Cincinnati.

Despite the late-night (or, early-morning) arrival, manager Skip Schumaker decided not to alter the team’s pregame routine. The players began arriving at Great American Ball Park around 2:30 p.m.

“You get some of these trips, unfortunately,” Schumaker said. “Getting in at 4 o’clock isn’t ideal, but that’s part of being a big leaguer and adjusting. I think most of the guys got [enough] sleep.”

Schumaker said he would consider not having batting practice on Saturday.

Friday night was particularly rough for Marlins right-hander Yonny Chirinos (0-1) who allowed a season-high seven earned runs and three homers.

Jonathan India and Jeimer Candelario hit a pair of solo homers in the first inning before Rece Hinds teed off in the third for his first career grand slam, putting the Reds ahead, 7-0.

“Those are very aggressive hitters,” Chirinos said via interpreter Luis Dorante Jr. “You don’t want to make mistakes and miss location. It’s part of the game. They took advantage of it. After that, I kept attacking to go deeper in the game.”

Prior to Friday’s game, Schumaker discussed the key to success for Chirinos: Keeping the ball on the ground, especially in homer-friendly Great American Ball Park.

“If you don’t punch out a lot of guys, which he doesn’t, you have to be on the ground,” Schumaker said. “He’s got a good sinker. He’s got a good changeup. It’s just too many balls in the air, and obviously over the fence.”

Chirinos induced six flyouts and six groundouts vs. the Reds, with just one strikeout. But despite giving up those seven runs through just 2 2/3 innings, Chirinos stayed the course. He completed 5 2/3 innings, helping keep the Marlins' bullpen from getting too depleted too quickly.

Meanwhile, the first six Marlins batters to step to the plate against Reds starter Carson Spiers each struck out, as the right-hander cruised through Miami's lineup, recording a career-high nine K's.

But, after being held hitless with just one groundout through three innings against Spiers, Sánchez came to the rescue. The outfielder launched a three-run home run, his 11th of homer the season, to cut the deficit to four runs.

“To be honest, I was just looking for the cutter,” Sánchez said. “He got me with a couple fastballs in the first at-bat. He came in with the cutter, which is what I was looking for.”

Sánchez entered Friday with a .857 slugging percentage in July, which ranked third in the NL. Sánchez said following Friday’s game that he has even more in the tank, and his skipper concurred.

“He’s been great, especially against right-handers,” Schumaker said. “It’s been a tough go against left-handers. Getting the ball in the air is something he’s been working on lately. He put the barrel on it and got it up in the stands. At the time, it was a really big hit.”

The Marlins made several nice defensive plays to keep the score close. Jazz Chisholm Jr. threw out the Reds’ speedy shortstop Elly De La Cruz trying for a triple in the fourth, while Xavier Edwards -- who is still acclimating to being Miami's everyday shortstop -- had one of his best nights with the glove. Edwards wasn't too shabby offensively, either, going 2-for-5 with a double at the plate.

“Thought ‘X’ had a really good game defensively,” Schumaker said. “Really good for him, and for us to see. Feels a lot more confident. You could tell after that really good backhand play that he had some confidence out there.”

The Marlins did have one defensive lapse when a ball dropped between Sánchez and Chisolm in right field, but otherwise, it was the long ball that did them in.

“Overall, we had a really nice day [defensively],” Schumaker said. “Just that miscommunication in the outfield. That run doesn’t score, so it doesn’t show up as much. At this level, you have to play clean baseball.”

Despite the long night, Miami brought the potential tying run to the plate in the ninth.

Nick Gordon doubled off Reds closer Alexis Díaz and scored on Ali Sánchez’s single. It was Sánchez’s first career RBI, making the score 7-4. But Díaz got Edwards to ground out for the final out, stranding runners at first and second and ending a rally before it started.