Conley strikes out seven, lifts Marlins past Reds, 7-3

MIAMI -- Adam Conley gave up a couple of home runs, and nearly got caught on the basepaths by teammate Dee Gordon.

He's rolling otherwise.

Conley pitched 7 2/3 innings and won consecutive starts for the first time this season, Christian Yelich hit a three-run homer and the Miami Marlins beat the reeling Cincinnati Reds 7-3 on Saturday night.

The left-handed Conley (4-3) started the season with Miami, struggled and got sent to the minors, and rejoined the Marlins late this month. His ERA was 7.53 when he was sent down, is now 5.11 and a most tidy 1.74 in his last three starts.

"When I was out there and getting hit around every fifth day, I would really come back into the clubhouse and sit down and say `Who was that out there?" Conley said.

No need for that now. Conley allowed two runs and five hits while striking out a season-best seven.

"I love his pace," Marlins manager Don Mattingly said.

Gordon had three hits, Giancarlo Stanton drove in two runs and Marcell Ozuna doubled twice for the Marlins, who have won four straight.

Joey Votto hit his 27th home run and Adam Duvall hit his 23rd for the Reds, who are 2-14 since the All-Star break. Reds starter Tim Adleman (5-9) allowed six runs and six hits in 4 1/3 innings.

"The clubhouse is not morose," Reds manager Bryan Price said. "Some people think it should be, but we don't want the ballpark to be a place that nobody wants to go to."

Adleman's undoing came in a fifth that started with a leadoff walk to Conley, the second drawn by the Marlins pitcher in three big league seasons. Gordon followed with his third hit, Stanton brought both home standing up with a double to center -- the super-speedy Gordon tried to catch Conley as they chugged toward the plate -- and Ozuna chased Adleman with an RBI double to left to make it 6-2.

"They didn't go my way all night," Adleman said. "I was just bad out there. My fastball command was awful, and only sporadically good off-speed wise. Didn't do a whole lot well tonight."

Yelich's home run put Miami on top for good in the third, an opposite-field shot for a 3-1 lead. He said it was his second other-way homer at home in his Marlins career.

"You don't really get any cheap homers in this place," Yelich said.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Reds: SS Zack Cozart (left quadriceps) was placed on the 10-day disabled list, retroactive to Wednesday. RHP Kevin Shackelford was brought up from Triple-A Louisville to take his spot on the roster. Shackelford pitched a scoreless eighth Saturday, hitting one batter. ... C Devin Mesoraco won't start Sunday, after aggravating a right knee injury.

Marlins: RHP Brad Ziegler, who had been out since June 22 with a strain on the right side of his back, was recalled to take the roster spot vacated by the trade of RHP A.J. Ramos to the Mets on Friday night. Ziegler will likely be the closer candidate for the Marlins, at least for now. Ramos had all 20 of Miami's saves this season when he was traded.

ONE UNASSISTED

Conley recorded an unassisted putout to end the Reds' fourth, when Scooter Gennett tapped one to the right-field side of the mound. Conley pounced to field the ball, and instead of flipping it to Tomas Telis just kept trotting over to first and tagged the bag himself.

OLYMPIC VISIT

Olympic tennis gold medalist Monica Puig, a Miami resident, was at the game -- and was doing some lunges outside the Marlins clubhouse afterward.

WHOOPS

Gordon led off the first with what should have been a double -- had he not overslid the bag at second. Gennett kept the tag on after Gordon's left foot came off, and after video review Gordon was called out.

UP NEXT

The four-game set concludes Sunday when RHP Dan Straily (7-6, 3.84) goes for Miami against Cincinnati RHP Luis Castillo (1-4, 4.05). Castillo was the Marlins' 2016 minor league pitcher of the year -- then traded to the Reds in January in the deal that sent Straily to Miami. Castillo has never faced his former club.