CINCINNATI -- A little change of scenery was all Jorge Soler needed to get going. The Marlins’ designated hitter had batted second in 85 of Miami’s 114 games entering Tuesday. But with the Marlins hitting only .244 this month, and Soler himself batting .214 in August, manager Skip Schumaker shuffled the lineup to put Soler in the leadoff spot with Luis Arraez, who has led off 62 times, batting behind him.

“We're just trying to mix it up a little bit, trying to get the best spot where they feel most comfortable,” Schumaker said pregame.

Soler broke out of his skid, and he helped the Marlins break one of their own. Soler went 3-for-3 with two RBIs and a game-winning home run in Miami’s 3-2 victory over the Reds to snap a five-game losing streak.

“I think lately we've been finding ways to lose instead of finding ways to win. And I think today we found a way to win,” Schumaker said. “Soli, I mean, he's had big hit after big hit for us this year, and he was the story of the game.”

It didn’t take long for Soler to settle in as he led off for the first time this season. He took the first two pitches for balls, then fouled off a fastball in the heart of the zone. He sent the fourth pitch of the game -- a cutter below the zone -- out to left field for a single, but he was stranded at first.

Soler showed off his knack for getting on base all game, but he didn’t truly have an impact on the outcome early on, as he was stranded after a four-pitch walk to load the bases in the second and got out on a double play following a fifth-inning single.

“It felt good [leading off]. It didn't feel strange or different,” Soler said.

But in the seventh, Soler finally had his moment. With the Marlins trailing 2-1, No. 9 hitter Nick Fortes was hit by a pitch with two outs. Soler then came to the plate and swatted a first-pitch fastball to center field to put Miami up for good. Of his 28 home runs this season, 14 have put Miami ahead.

Braxton Garrett, who delivered six innings of two-run ball, put both hands in the air and started jumping in celebration in the dugout.

“He's been so huge for us all year, just so many go-ahead homers, and obviously it was a huge one tonight,” Garrett said.

Though there are logistical issues to Soler leading off on days when he plays in the field, Schumaker liked what he saw from the slugger on Tuesday. Prior to the game, Schumaker emphasized how important it is to get his best hitters near the top of the lineup. With the second best OPS on the team and 13 more home runs than any other Marlin (excluding Jake Burger, who was acquired at the Trade Deadline), Soler certainly fits that bill.

“When he's DHing, I think there's a good chance you'll see him in the leadoff spot,” Schumaker said after the game. “I think that probably fits him most.

“Coming in from right field, that's a long run for a big dude trying to get ready to lead off a game. I do feel like there's a chance that could happen still, but we'll have to take a look as we get going.”

After snapping a losing streak and inching back up in the NL Wild Card standings, the Marlins (59-56) feel like they’ve found something they lost as they try to stay in the postseason hunt the final two months of the season.

“We came from behind, got that victory, and I think that's going to pulse us to continue and get more victories this trip,” Soler said. “I think that today's game will help us to get back that confidence. That's one of the things that we have lost.”

More than anything, though, the win brought relief to a Marlins clubhouse that’s struggled to find its footing in the second half.

At 53-40 entering the All-Star break, the Marlins had the third best record in baseball and a strong hold on an NL Wild Card spot. But they’ve gone 6-16 in the second half and sit a half-game out of the postseason. Following Monday’s loss to Cincinnati, several Miami veterans held a players-only meeting to set the team back on track. 

“It was overwhelmingly positive, just really productive, and guys had an opportunity to talk,” Joey Wendle said. “We tried to address some of the issues that have been plaguing us lately, and I think everybody left that meeting encouraged. And obviously, it worked.”