Votto goes deep as Reds rally in opener
Joey Votto slammed a three-run homer, Luis Castillo pitched seven innings of one-run ball and the Cincinnati Reds beat the Miami Marlins 6-1 on Thursday night.
Votto’s 428-foot shot into the seats in right-center — his team-leading 27th homer — highlighted the Reds’ four-run fourth after Miami right-hander Nick Neidert had faced the minimum in the first three innings.
Castillo (7-12), averaging 97 mph on his four-seam fastball and sinker, allowed eight hits and struck out seven. Michael Lorenzen retired the Marlins in order in the eighth, and Tony Santillan did the same in ninth.
Kyle Farmer and Jonathan India each had run-scoring doubles for the Reds, who rebounded after dropping two in a row and the series to the depleted Chicago Cubs.
Cincinnati moved within a game of the San Diego Padres for the second NL wildcard slot.
Neidert (1-2) — who got his first win of the season Aug. 4 but was demoted to Triple-A Jacksonville right after — was recalled before the game to start. He allowed four runs and five hits through five innings.
“Outside of the fourth inning, I had a good outing,” he said. “Even in the fourth inning, if I could have minimized the damage it would have been a good night.”
Jorge Alfaro had an RBI single in the fourth for the last-place Marlins.
Trainer’s room: Marlins: Placed RHP Jorge Guzman (right elbow soreness) on the 10-day injured list. He was promoted from Triple-A last weekend and had a couple rough outings against Atlanta.