Miami Marlins Walkoff in Another Chen Gem

Wei-Yin Chen limited the Cincinnati Reds to three hits over seven shutout innings, and Isaac Galloway walked them off in a 1-0 Miami Marlins victory.

Starting Pitching

Chen struck out eight, and got 67-of-96 pitches in the strikezone. He finished with an 84 GameScore. That’s one better than former Miami Marlins prospect Luis Castillo finished at. Castillo’s 83 GameScore was due to 8 1/3 shutout innings by the former phenom. He allowed five hits and a walk, striking out five and placing 73-of-102 offerings in the strikezone.

Over his last nine starts, Chen has struck out 56 while walking only 10 over 53 1/3 innings. He’s given up 13 earned runs on 37 hits during that time, for a WHIP of 0.881. For a little context as to how the Miami Marlins have fared overall during that time, Chen has posted a 3-3 record over those nine starts.

Game Story

After the two clubs traded a 1-2-3 first inning, Chen kept the Reds hitless through the second. In the bottom of the inning, Derek Dietrich lined his 26th double of the season with one out, but was stranded when Rafael Ortega flew out to end the inning.

Curt Casali doused off Chen to lead off the third, but two strikeouts and a fly out later, and Casali was left to drift. The Marlins again went down 1-2-3.

The Reds and Marlins traded singles in the fourth, by Eugenio Suarez and J.T. Realmuto respectively, but there was nothing doing for either. They traded hits again in the fifth, with a Phillip Ervin leadoff double and a Magneuris Sierra infield single. They still went into the sixth inning still tied at zero.

The sixth and seventh would see the two clubs trade a pair of 1-2-3 frames again. In the eighth, Miami Marlins reliever Drew Steckenrider repeated the trick, striking out Blake Trahan. In the bottom of the inning, Ortega led off with a single. After Galloway subbed in to pinch run, he was doubled off on a slide interference rule as Castillo faced the minimum.

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In the ninth, Joey Votto drew a two-out walk from new Marlins reliever Adam Conley, but was left on base. Starlin Castro slapped a line-drive single into center field with one out, and Realmuto drew a walk to put the winning run on second base. Peter O’Brien then grounded into a 6-4-3 double play to send it to extras.

In the 10th, Conley struck out Scooter Gennett, then was relieved in turn by Kyle Barraclough. Claw induced two fly outs, giving way to the Marlins turn at the plate. After a Dietrich strikeout, Brian Anderson hit his 32nd double of the season, then scored the winning run on Galloway’s third double. The walkoff win was Miami’s ninth of the season.

Hitting

• No Miami Marlins hitter collected more than one hit, but Realmuto got to base twice with his single plus a walk.
• O’Brien, who came into the game six for his last 16, with three walks, went 0-for-4, grounded into a double play, and struck out twice.
• Sierra’s single was his 23rd of the season, in 128 at bats to raise his average to .176.

Relief Pitching

• Steckenrider lowered his ERA to 3.98 with his team-leading 69th appearance.
• Conley struck out two in his 1 1/3 innings of work, allowing only a walk.
• Barraclough’s performance was flawless, in a small sample size. He earned his first win of the season, pushing his record to 1-6.

Tomorrow

Jose Urena (7-12, 4.21) will take the hill tomorrow at the same time. His opposite will be former Marlins prospect Anthony DeSclafani (7-6, 4.92).

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