Marlins Pummel Struggling Singer, Top Reds 7-4 in Miami

Sometimes a ballgame tells you everything you need to know in the first inning, and that’s exactly what happened Wednesday night at loanDepot park. The Cincinnati Reds came to Miami with aspirations of competing in the National League Central, but they left with their tails between their legs after a 7-4 loss that exposed some serious vulnerabilities in their pitching rotation.

Brady Singer lasted just 2.2 innings, allowing 10 hits and 5 runs while striking out only 3 batters. That’s not just bad. That’s an embarrassment for a major league starting pitcher. The Marlins’ lineup attacked Singer from the opening pitch, and he had no answers. By the time Terry Francona mercifully yanked him from the game, the damage was done. This is the kind of performance that makes you wonder if the Reds made a mistake banking on Singer as a rotation cornerstone.

Marlins’ Early Assault Settles It

Miami’s attack began immediately. Agustín Ramírez doubled in the first, Liam Hicks drove in a run with a single, and suddenly the Marlins had a 2-1 lead before the Reds could even catch their breath. The second inning brought more pain: Jakob Marsee singled home another run, followed by Xavier Edwards’ RBI single. By the time Griffin Conine launched a two-run homer in the third, the Marlins had already built a commanding 6-1 advantage. Game over, folks. Everything that followed was just formality.

Eury Pérez deserves credit for his 5.0 innings of work, allowing just 6 hits and 2 runs while fanning 6 Cincinnati batters. That’s solid starting pitching, though the Marlins’ early explosion meant he was never under real pressure. Michael Petersen came in for the save opportunity and recorded it cleanly, proving the Marlins’ bullpen can handle business when the outcome isn’t in doubt.

Reds’ Late Rally Amounts to Nothing

The Reds weren’t completely lifeless. Sal Stewart smacked a two-run homer in the fifth to cut the deficit to 6-3, and there was a moment where you thought Cincinnati might stage something resembling a comeback. TJ Friedl went 3-for-5 with solid contact, and Eugenio Suárez added an RBI double earlier. But rallies mean nothing when you’re down by three runs and your starter has already handed the opposition a five-run cushion in the first three innings.

Connor Norby added insult to injury with a solo shot in the seventh, making it 7-3 Marlins. That’s what good teams do: they don’t let teams back into games. Cincinnati had their chances, but Singer’s disaster start was the albatross around their neck that they simply couldn’t shake.

The Reds will need to find answers in their rotation if they’re going to compete this season. Wednesday’s loss wasn’t just about one bad game. It was a crystalline moment revealing that their pitching staff might have some serious depth issues. Meanwhile, Miami’s young lineup continues to look dangerous and balanced. That’s a recipe for success in baseball, and it’s a formula the Reds clearly don’t have figured out yet.