Rookie Mike Leake snaps 3-start losing streak and drives in run as Reds beat Marlins 5-4

Leake snaps losing streak, drives in run for Reds

CINCINNATI — Mike Leake snapped his three-start losing streak and drove in a run, Drew Stubbs homered and the Cincinnati Reds moved back into a tie for the NL Central lead by beating the Florida Marlins 5-4 Saturday night.

The Reds went into the game knowing division-leading St. Louis had lost to Chicago. The last few innings of that game were shown on the scoreboard at Great American Ball Park, with fans groaning at every Chicago miscue and cheering as the Cubs wrapped up their 3-2 win.

Leake (8-4) allowed runners to reach second base in every one of his six innings, but he was hurt only on homers by Dan Uggla and Wes Helms. The rookie right-hander gave up six hits and three runs with three walks and six strikeouts.

Reds reliever Arthur Rhodes allowed the two batters he faced in the seventh to reach base before Nick Masset came on to pitch two shutout innings, setting up Francisco Cordero’s 31st save. He needed a run-scoring double play and a popup escape a bases-loaded, none-out jam.

Florida left-hander Sean West, making his second start since being recalled on Aug. 3, escaped a jam of his own making in the third. Paul Janish led off with a double, and West bobbled Leake’s sacrifice bunt for an error, but West rebounded to strike out the top three batters in the order — Brandon Phillips, Chris Heisey and Joey Votto — all swinging.

West (0-2) wasn’t as lucky in the fourth. He walked Scott Rolen and Jonny Gomes to start the inning. Rolen moved to third on Stubbs’ fly ball to right field and scored with Gomes moving to third on Ramon Hernandez’s single to left.

Gomes scored and Hernandez advanced on Janish’s suicide-squeeze bunt, and Leake capped the inning with an RBI single, improving to .364 (16 for 44) with three RBIs.

Uggla cut Cincinnati’s lead to one run with his 27th homer, a two-run liner into the left field seats. The Reds got one run back on Heisey’s leadoff walk and back-to-back singles by Votto and Rolen, chasing West.

Helms added a solo homer in the sixth, his fourth of the season. Helms has eight career home runs against the Reds, more than he’s hit against any other team.

Stubbs greeted reliever Clay Hensley with his 15th homer of the season leading off the eighth.

NOTES: The start of the game was delayed 15 minutes by rain. … According to Elias Sports Bureau, 20-year-old Florida rookie Mike Stanton on Friday became the first player under 21 to hit two home runs in one game since Miguel Cabrera did it for the Marlins on April 13, 2004, at Montreal. “As a fan, you don’t want to miss one at-bat for that guy,” manager Edwin Rodriguez before Saturday’s game. “Maybe his last at-bat is the one when he’s going to make history. He’s something special.” … Reds and Fox football broadcaster Thom Brennaman broke his leg while wakeboarding on vacation in San Diego, said his father, Reds broadcaster Marty Brennaman.