Haren's steady hand goes unrewarded
Righty delivers 6 1/3 innings, stung again by Reds' Byrd
CINCINNATI -- The way Mike Leake was throwing on Friday night, Dan Haren needed to be pretty much perfect.
• Cast your Esurance All-Star ballot for #ASGWorthy players
The 34-year-old right-hander did his part, but "very good" wasn't enough to snap the Marlins' road slide. Marlon Byrd homered off Haren in the fourth inning, and the Reds rolled to a 5-0 victory at Great American Ball Park.
Like he's been all season, Haren was reliable, giving up two runs on four hits with six strikeouts over 6 1/3 innings. The second run he was charged with came in the seventh inning, when Steve Cishek gave up a pinch-hit single to Skip Schumaker that scored Tucker Barnhart, who had doubled off Haren.
"Dan pitched a heck of a ballgame," Miami manager Dan Jennings said. "To give up one run here in this ballpark, and it was a Great American Ball Park home run he gave up here. He really threw the ball outstanding. We couldn't supply any offense."
Jennings was referring to Byrd's homer to center, which was projected by Statcast™ of traveling 401 feet. In spacious Marlins Park, it doesn't leave the playing field.
Video: MIA@CIN: Byrd drills solo shot in return from DL"The homer is probably an out at Marlins Park," Haren said. "I love Marlins Park."
In Haren's career, facing Byrd hasn't been much fun. The Reds outfielder now has three homers off the Miami veteran.
"Byrd has hit me in the past," Haren said. "He's got a lot of homers off me. I fell behind to him [1-0 count]. He put a good swing on it, for sure."
With Miami's offense struggling, even a one-run deficit looked large.
Leake, who threw seven scoreless, held Miami without a hit for 5 2/3 innings.
The Marlins were shut out for the fifth time this season, and first since May 17, when Atlanta's Shelby Miller had his no-hit bid end with two outs in the ninth inning in a 6-0 victory.
With some run support, Haren could have been looking at his seventh win. Instead, he was saddled with the loss, falling to 6-4 with a 3.19 ERA.
"Again, Dan comes out. He gives us a great outing," Jennings said. "He gives us an opportunity to win a ballgame. Offensively, we were very sluggish to start. Leake threw a heck of a game."