CINCINNATI _ The formula has become familiar for the Miami Marlins each time Pablo Lopez has taken the mound for one of his three starts this season. On his first pass through the order, the starting pitcher has mostly carved through opposing lineups, giving his offense a chance to give him some breathing room.
Once the opponents get a second or third look at the right-handed pitcher, though, they've started to tee off. It was the case again against the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday. Lopez began with three 1-2-3 innings before the Reds broke through in the fourth, then blew the game open with a three-run fifth on their way to a 5-0 win in Cincinnati.
The Marlins' loss was their eighth in nine games and left Miami (3-10) swept for the second time already this season. The Reds, who came into the three-game series at Great American Ball Park with just one win, outscored the Marlins, 18-1, across the three games.
Cincinnati (4-8) got to Lopez (1-2) the same way everyone else has. The 23-year-old starter allowed just one hit in his first turn through the order only to come undone quickly in the fourth. Outfielder Jesse Winker led off with a single and first baseman Joey Votto followed with another. After a long flyout by Yasiel Puig, third baseman Eugenio Suarez drove in the first run with another single to left.
In their second turn through the order, the Reds went 4 for 9 against Lopez. In their third, they went 2 for 2 with a walk before manager Don Mattingly pulled Lopez (1-2) after an RBI single by Votto and a two-run double by Puig, who returned from a two-game suspension in front of 11,192 at GABP.
Through three games in 2019, Lopez is holding opponents to 4 of 26 his first time through the order, but batters are 10 for 25 the second time they see Lopez and 5 for 11 the third time. Disappointing finishes are watching away impressive starts and leaving Lopez with days like Thursday, when he allowed seven hits, a walk and four earned runs in just 4 2/3 innings despite striking out five. The righty's ERA is up to 6.60 even though he's striking out more than a batter per inning.
Again, the Marlins didn't give Lopez much wiggle room, anyway. Miami finished with just five hits _ two by slugging third baseman Brian Anderson, who snapped an 0-for-12 slump after getting a day off _ even after a left thigh contusion knocked pitcher Sonny Gray from his start after just four innings.
Five relief pitchers combined to close out the game for Cincinnati, beginning with Robert Stephenson. The Marlins have had far more success against opposing bullpens than starters, so this was a chance to end a three-game losing streak. Instead, Stephenson (1-0) set down Miami in order to maintain a 1-0 lead. The next time the Marlins came to the plate, they were down 4-0, a fourth straight loss all but inevitable.
