CINCINNATI _ For five innings, Trevor Richards kept the basepaths clear for the Miami Marlins. Two shaky innings to start were a distant memory by the time the starting pitcher finished seven innings and Don Mattingly handed the ball to his bullpen with a one-run lead. After two shaky innings, Richards had been dominant.
Two pitches by the bullpen spoiled his effort. In the bottom of the eighth, Miami turned to Drew Steckenrider, who gave up a leadoff home run to Jose Iglesias, then another to Jesse Winker. They were the Cincinnati Reds' only two runs and enough to beat the Marlins, 2-1, at Great American Ball Park.
Richards and Reds starting pitcher Tyler Mahle traded laborious innings for the first hour of the game. Mahle started the game by walking two Marlins (3-9) in the top of the first, then Richards walked two and loaded the bases for Cincinnati (3-8) in the bottom of the frame. In the second, Mahle walked two more and loaded the bases, then Richards walked two more before escaping unscathed.
In the third, both settled down, but not until after Mahle allowed a solo homer to utility man Neil Walker. The starting pitcher otherwise cruised through the rest of his five innings, setting down in order the last eight he faced. He finished with seven strikeouts.
Richards was even better. The second-year starter threw a career-high 108 pitches in his six innings and he too cruised after the opening two frames, retiring the final 13 Reds he faced in order to lower his ERA to 2.00.
Richards has gone exactly six innings in each of his three starts so far this season. The latest was his best yet. The right-handed pitcher fired six scoreless frames, while striking out seven and allowing just one hit. He did hand out five walks, but only one came after the first two innings and the runner was immediately wiped away trying to take second on a wild pitch.
Like usual, Richards dominated with his change-up. The righty fired 48 of them and got 12 swinging strikes with it. The difference Tuesday was the life on his fastball. He threw 47 four-seam fastballs and 23 were balls, but he also forced Cincinnati into eight swinging strikes with his No. 2 pitch. Five of his strikeouts came with the changeup and the other two off his fastball.
Starting pitching has been one strength for the Marlins so far this season and the bullpen has been another. On Wednesday, the relievers couldn't hold up. Relief pitcher Adam Conley tossed a 1-2-3 inning, but Steckenrider (0-2) brought the crowd of 11,375 in Cincinnati to life.
And Miami's mediocre offense couldn't do anything against Reds' bullpen of Jared Hughes, Amir Garrett (1-0) and Raisel Iglesias. Hughes tossed 1 2/3 scoreless and Garrett threw another 1 1/3 to get the ball to Iglesias, who notched his first save of the year.
