CINCINNATI: Tyler Naquin hit two solo homers and Vladimir Gutierrez pitched seven effective innings, helping the Cincinnati Reds beat the Miami Marlins 3-1 on Sunday for a sweep of their four-game series.
Naquins leadoff shot extended his hitting streak to 12 games. He added his 18th homer in the eighth, making it 3-1 when he drove an 0-2 fastball from Anthony Bass into the seats in right-center.
Cincinnati won for the sixth time in eight games. It began the day in a tie with San Diego for the second NL wild card.
Miami wasted a sharp performance by Sandy Alcantara (7-11) in its seventh straight loss. Alcantara struck out a career-high 11 while working seven innings of two-run ball.
The game was tied at 1 when Mike Moustakas led off the fifth with a drive to right for his fifth homer, stopping an 0-for-26 slide, the longest of his career.
Gutierrez (9-4) allowed three hits, struck out eight and walked one. Lucas Sims got three outs before Michael Lorenzen pitched a scoreless ninth for his third save.
TRAINERS ROOM
Reds: LHP Wade Miley’s leg appeared to be bothering him after he delivered a pitch Saturday. He stayed in the game. Manager David Bell said it doesn’t appear to be serious, but Miley is being checked out further.
UP NEXT
Marlins: After an off day, Miami opens a three-game series against visiting Washington on Tuesday. It sees the Reds again next weekend.
Reds: Following the first off day after 20 straight games, second-place Cincinnati starts a critical series Tuesday against NL Central-leading Milwaukee. Right-hander Tyler Mahle (10-4, 3.78 ERA) is expected to start the opener against right-hander Corbin Burnes (8-4, 2.13 ERA).
___
More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
___
Follow Mitch Stacy at http://twitter.com/mitchstacy
Read all the Latest News, Breaking News and Coronavirus News here