J.T. Realmuto slugs Miami Marlins past Cincinnati Reds

CINCINNATI -- July is turning into J.T. Realmuto's favorite month.

August could be even better.

Realmuto is hitting .373 in 14 games during the month after putting together his second career multi-homer game with two two-run shots, including a tiebreaking drive in the sixth inning that propelled the Miami Marlins to a 5-4 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Saturday night.

Realmuto's homers, which give him 10 this season, went to left field and followed singles to center by Justin Bour while helping drop Cincinnati's record on its 10-game homestand to 1-8.

Realmuto and manager Don Mattingly believe there's room for more.

"He's getting better." Mattingly said. "He feels he's still working on his swing. That's going to get better, but you see what he can do. He's going to be one of those guys."

Bour also turned in a key defensive play, snaring Patrick Kivlehan's line drive and doubling Eugenio Suarez off first base to end the eighth with a run in and the tying run at third base. The Marlins turned four double plays, tying their season high, while the Reds were 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position.

"There were a few in there," Mattingly said of the double plays. "That one in the eighth, when it gets later in the game, they get bigger."

The Reds (40-57) have allowed 69 runs during the homestand, tying the franchise record for the most allowed in a homestand of 10 or fewer games.

Miami's Ichiro Suzuki singled as a pinch-hitter in the ninth, giving him 3,057 career hits. He is three short of tying Hall of Famer Craig Biggio for 22nd on the career hits list.

Robert Stephenson, recalled by the Reds on Saturday to join the rotation, allowed both Realmuto homers. Stephenson (0-3) gave up five runs and eight hits with five strikeouts and two walks in 5 1/3 innings.

"There were some positives and negatives," said Stephenson, the Reds' top pick in the 2011 draft. "It was really hot. About the sixth inning, I started getting tired. I didn't feel like myself. In the third, fourth and fifth innings, I felt like I was in a groove, but in the first and sixth, the long ball killed me. I've had trouble with that lately."

"Realmuto gave him trouble," Reds manager Bryan Price said. "He made some big pitches to the rest of their lineup. He was more in the zone and more ahead. It was a better showing."

Miami's Chris O'Grady, in his third major league start, allowed four hits, three runs and six walks with six strikeouts and a balk in 4 2/3 innings.

"Tonight, it was a grind for me from the first inning on," O'Grady said. "I had a lot of trouble gripping the ball. That's something I've never experienced before. I had to use resin. That's something I've never done in my career."

AJ Ramos pitched the ninth for his 19th save in 21 opportunities, striking out Joey Votto looking to end the game with Zack Cozart on first base.

Threatening weather delayed the first pitch by exactly one hour, but it couldn't slow down Dee Gordon, who led off the game with a single to right field, stole second and third and scored on Giancarlo Stanton's groundout.

The Reds capitalized on O'Grady's control problems to take a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the inning. Billy Hamilton's hit and three straight walks pushed across the tying run, and Cincinnati took the lead on Suarez's double-play ball.

The Marlins regained the lead in the second on Realmuto's mammoth two-run homer that reached the upper level of the second deck in left field.

Kivlehan, starting in place of right fielder Scott Schebler, hit his sixth homer leading off the fifth for a 3-3 tie.

Cozart followed with a two-out triple and Nick Wittgren relieved O'Grady after he intentionally walked Votto. Wittgren struck out Adam Duvall looking to end the threat.

"We needed the big hit and we weren't able to get it," Price said. "We had some unproductive at bats, but they made some plays, too. We had opportunities to do things. We had plenty of chances. We just weren't able to cash in."

NOTES: The Reds optioned RHP Ariel Hernandez to Triple-A Louisville with no record and a misleading 5.28 ERA. It was at 1.88 before Arizona rocked him for four hits, including two home runs, and six runs in the ninth inning of Thursday's 12-2 loss. ... Miami SS JT Riddle is improving after injuring his left shoulder diving for a ball Wednesday. The Marlins are hoping to avoid placing Riddle on the disabled list, manager Don Mattingly said. ... The bullpen session that Marlins RHP Brad Ziegler was supposed to throw on Friday instead happened Saturday. He threw 25 pitches and is scheduled to throw another Monday. He's been out since June 21 with a right back strain. ... The start of the game was delayed one hour by threatening skies, but rain never fell. The delay was Cincinnati's second in two nights and fifth of the season.