Barnhart, Reds slam Fish early for ex-Marlin Disco

CINCINNATI -- Anthony DeSclafani worked out of a first-inning jam, regrouped and dealt a blow to his former team's standing in the National League Wild Card race. The 26-year-old right-hander gave up two runs in six innings, and Tucker Barnhart belted a grand slam in a five-run first inning that lifted the Reds to a 6-3 win over the Marlins on Tuesday night at Great American Ball Park.
Dealt by the Marlins to the Reds at the 2014 Winter Meetings, DeSclafani improved to 7-1 on the season, striking out six. Raisel Iglesias tossed two innings of relief, surrendering a home run in the eighth to Christian Yelich, which was the first extra-base hit allowed by the right-hander in 23 1/3 innings.
The Marlins, 6-3 winners on Monday, fell to one game back of the Cardinals for the second NL Wild Card spot. They grabbed a one-run lead in the first inning on Yelich's RBI single. But right-hander José Ureña, called up from Triple-A New Orleans earlier in the day, was tagged for five two-out runs in the first.

"We get out and score a run and kind off get off on a good foot," Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. "Get the first couple of guys out and they end up getting five on us. But at that point, at this ballpark, you know you have a chance to get back into the game."
The Reds had five straight batters reach with two outs, with Barnhart's first career grand slam following Ivan De Jesus Jr.'s bases-loaded walk.

"Certainly when you think about big things, you think about everybody who helped get there," Reds manager Bryan Price said. "Two outs, nobody on and Joey [Votto] with the base hit and then we get ourselves going with [Eugenio] Suarez and [Scott] Schebler, which leads to that situation for Barney."
"The first inning, that was tough," Urena said. "I was trying to put the ball down in the zone. I couldn't find it, and I was fighting with myself. I have to put the ball down with those hitters."
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Barnhart's big night: The gap opened early when Barnhart's drive landed in the right-field seats. It extended his career-best hitting streak to 12 games. He also had a good night behind the plate, which included throwing out the ever-quick Dee Strange-Gordon trying to steal second base in the fifth inning. More >
Dee manufactures run: Miami didn't have too many chances off DeSclafani after the first. In the third, Gordon used his speed to manufacture a run. The two-time All-Star second baseman reached on an infield single, stole second and moved to third on a groundout. He scored on a balk, closing the gap to 5-2. But a chance to add more was denied when DeSclafani struck out Derek Dietrich with Marcell Ozuna on third.

"We tried to chip away. It was just too little, too late," Gordon said. "Hats off to them. They got a lead early, and they were able to hold on."
Nice start, with a twist: After he walked in the bottom of the fourth inning, there was a scary moment when DeSclafani appeared to twist his left ankle and fall down while trying to run back to first on a Zack Cozart lineout. Out on the inning-ending double play, DeSclafani limped to the dugout, but he was able to return and pitch the fifth. He allowed two singles but no damage and finished his night with a nine-pitch perfect top of the sixth for a quality start, his 10th in 13 starts this season.

"The ankle is good. I rolled it," DeSclafani said. "It was a little bit swollen and it's just sore. I think I'll be easy on it between starts and get some treatment on it and it will be good.
"I was just glad I was still able to throw strikes, get some quick outs. Cozart made an awesome play. Those always help do. Good plays, good defense. I had a solid lead, too, so that helps, too. I didn't have to be so fine."
Urena settles, goes six: For a few moments, it didn't look as if Urena would make it through the first inning. After using eight pitches to get two outs, the righty needed 27 more to get the final out, allowing three singles, a walk and Barnhart's slam. But after that rough first, Urena found his stride, which was important for Miami in terms of not taxing the bullpen. Urena ended up going six innings without giving up any more runs, and he exited after 97 pitches. He worked five scoreless frames on just 62 pitches.

"After the first, he was good," Mattingly said. "Once we get past the first, he throws five zeros and seemed to be better as the game was going on. But obviously, the first hurt him." More >
QUOTABLE
"We scratch one in there. We didn't really mount a whole lot of charges as far as getting to DeSclafani. He throws the ball good. This guy has good stuff, seeing him last year. We had a lot of trouble with him last year." -- Mattingly, on DeSclafani's strong start
"He wasn't going to be joining the Tom Emansky team as far as the baserunning stuff goes, OK? We won't be seeing him do any baserunning videos. We were really concerned with the ankle. He was fine. He wanted to compete, but we felt like after six ... and it made sense to get him out of there. We're banged up as it is. We certainly don't want to lose a starting pitcher because he does something different with his mechanics." -- Price, on DeSclafani rolling his ankle
SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS
With his triple in the ninth inning off Tony Cingrani, Ichiro Suzuki now has a hit in every active ballpark, and 40 total in his MLB career.

MENECHINO TOSSED
For the second straight night, the Marlins' dugout took issue with the umpiring. In the ninth inning, with Ichiro at the plate, assistant hitting coach Frank Menechino was ejected for flipping his gum onto the field after a first-pitch strike call by home-plate umpire D.J. Reyburn. After the game, Menechino indicated he didn't say a word. After the strike was called, many in the dugout groaned, and Menechino flipped his gum up in the air, saying it landed a couple of feet over the railing. On Monday night, Mattingly was tossed in the third inning.
"He got thrown out for throwing his gum," Mattingly said. "It was a crazy one."
WHAT'S NEXT
Marlins:Andrew Cashner (4-9, 5.08 ERA) is 0-2 with a 6.61 ERA in four games and three starts since being dealt from the Padres to Miami. The right-hander gets the nod in the third game of the four-game set at 7:10 p.m. ET on Wednesday.
Reds: The game will mark the 2016 home debut for starting pitcher Homer Bailey, and his first time pitching at home since Aug. 7, 2014, which was vs. the Indians. Bailey, who is back from Tommy John surgery, struck out 11 over six scoreless innings on Friday vs. the Brewers in his last start.
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