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Alonso shines in homecoming as Reds top Marlins

Aug 24, 2011 - 4:48 AM Miami, FL (Sports Network) - Yonder Alonso came up big in his return to South Florida.

Alonso, who went to college at the University of Miami and led the Hurricanes to the College World Series as a freshman, had the tie-breaking two-run hit in to cap a four-run ninth inning, sending the Cincinnati Reds to a 8-6 win over the Florida Marlins.

It was a huge inning for the Cincinnati young players. Dave Sappelt, in just his 15th major league game, had the first two RBI of his career, the tying two-run double as part of a three-hit night.

Alonso also had three hits, including a homer, and knocked in four runs in the opener of what now amounts to a two-day, three-game series.

The teams moved up Thursday's contest to Wednesday for a doubleheader starting at 4:10 p.m. (et) due to the approach of Hurricane Irene.

Leo Nunez (1-4) failed to close out what would have been Florida's third win in 18 games. Instead, he walked pinch-hitter Joey Votto with one out and gave up a single to center from Brandon Phillips on a 3-2 pitch. Sappelt then hit a one-hop double off the wall in left field to tie the game.

Jay Bruce was intentionally walked, and after Miguel Cairo struck out, Alonso hit a sinking line drive to center field. Mike Cameron nearly made a diving catch, but the ball squirted away and Phillips slid in safely at the plate, barely ahead of the strong throw from Bryan Petersen.

"For Alonso that was big," Reds manager Dusty Baker said. "That's one of the best center fielders to ever play the game out there in Mike Cameron. We just wanted that ball to get in."

Aroldis Chapman (3-1) retired the final batter of the eighth and Francisco Cordero threw a spotless ninth to notch his 27th save of the season and 200th in the National League.

Emilio Bonifacio homered and had three RBI for the Marlins, who wasted a good pitching performance from Ricky Nolasco.

It was a big bounce-back game for Nolasco, who allowed nine hits and four runs while fanning eight over 6 2/3 innings. He gave up a career-high 11 earned runs on 11 hits in a 12-5 loss at Colorado last Wednesday. Nolasco has 765 career strikeouts in a Florida uniform, moving past Dontrelle Willis (757) for the most in club history.

The Marlins, though, failed to hold the lead with Nunez suffering his sixth blown save, on the way to a sixth straight loss for Florida.

"There's no question this hurts because we had a meeting tonight and the guys played extremely well," Marlins manager Jack McKeon said. "I thought they were really alive with some energy on the bench. It looked like we had it and it went away."

Johnny Cueto walked six batters and gave up four hits and three runs over five innings in the start for the Reds.

Alonso homered to right on the first pitch of the second inning.

The Marlins didn't take advantage of a bases-loaded chance in the bottom of the frame, and Alonso's RBI base hit in the third made it 2-0.

Florida went ahead in the fifth thanks to a Greg Dobbs sacrifice fly, a run- scoring single from Omar Infante and an RBI double high off the wall in center from Gaby Sanchez.

The Reds couldn't score despite loading the bases with nobody out in the sixth.

John Buck singled to start the bottom of the frame against Sam LeCure. One out later, Bonifacio went deep to right field.

Bruce homered to right with Dave Sappelt on base in the seventh for a 5-4 margin. Ryan Webb then replaced Nolasco and retired Cairo on a groundout to end the inning.

Bonifacio's sacrifice fly plated Buck in the eighth.

Game Notes

Florida won two of three meetings in Cincinnati from April 29-May 1 this season after the Reds went 5-2 in the 2010 series...The Marlins have dropped 10 of their last 11 at home...Cordero has 140 saves for Cincinnati and 60 for Milwaukee. He has 117 saves in the American League, all for the Rangers.