Marlins end 1st half on high note with finale win in Cincy

CINCINNATI -- The first half of the season didn't go the way the Marlins necessarily planned, but they're hoping things are looking up in the second half.

Miami heads to the All-Star break riding a win after Xavier Edwards went 2-for-3 -- including the go-ahead single in the eighth -- to lift the Marlins to a 3-2 victory over the Reds on Sunday afternoon.

Left-hander Trevor Rogers held the Reds hitless into the sixth inning at Great American Ball Park -- until Jonathan India doubled with one out. The next batter, Elly De La Cruz, hit a game-tying two-run home run.

But those were the only two hits Rogers allowed in 5 2/3 innings. He walked three and fanned four.

“He was great,” manager Skip Schumaker said. “He threw his fastball really well at the top. His changeup was really good today. Kept the ball on the ground for the most part. Elly hit a home run. He’s a good player. That’s going to happen. But he did enough for us to keep us in the game.”

The Marlins, meanwhile, were held hitless by Reds lefty Nick Lodolo through four innings, but they grabbed a lead on Jonah Bride’s two-run single in the fifth.

“Some really good at-bats,” Schumaker said, of Bride’s afternoon. “Up the middle, a big hit, obviously with the two-out RBI base hit. Spot starting is not easy. He played good defense too. He did everything he’s supposed to do, and more.”

Jake Burger doubled with two outs in the eighth off Fernando Cruz and scored on Edwards’ single to put the Marlins ahead.

After taking reps at second base, then moving to second midgame on Saturday, Jazz Chisholm Jr. got the start back in the infield on Sunday. It was the first start Chisholm has had in the infield since 2022. He went 0-for-3 with a pair of walks.

Rogers, who has just one victory this season in 20 starts, has had plenty of misfortune. The Marlins have scored two or fewer runs 11 times when he starts. Seven times they scored one or fewer runs. It’s something that used to bother the 26-year-old lefty, but not anymore.

“That’s something I struggled with really bad earlier in my career,” Rogers said. “I tried to do my position’s player job as well, mentally. We’re not scoring runs, I’ve got to do better and it would kind of snowball from there. I just try to go out there and do my job.”

In six games since making his Major League debut on Monday, Reds outfielder Rece Hinds had homered five times, second-most for any player since at least 1900.

But Hinds went 0-for-4 on Sunday against Rogers.

“Just keep the fastballs up,” Rogers said, of his approach to Hinds. “He’s been able to hammer some off-speed stuff over the plate and I wasn’t gonna change my plan until he changed his. I was playing that north-south game and keeping the fastballs up there, and getting some off-speed down below.”

Rogers carried his no-hit bid into the sixth inning, making it the longest no-hit bid of his career.

Until De La Cruz’s homer, the Reds didn’t have much hard contact against him either. Jeimer Candelario flied out to the warning track in the fourth. Austin Slater led off the fifth with a hard liner to right.

The Marlins have seen their rotation decimated by injuries and their best hitter, Luis Arraez, traded to San Diego.

More moves could be coming as the July 30 Trade Deadline approaches. The Yankees are rumored to be interested in a trade for Chisholm, and his move to second base could make him an even better fit for New York.

But with Sunday’s win, the Marlins can take a little momentum into the break.