Suarez's homer power Reds to 5-0 win over Marlins

Eugenio Suarez went 3-for-4 with a homer and two RBIs to lead the host Cincinnati Reds to a 5-0 win over the Miami Marlins on Thursday afternoon. Yasiel Puig, in his first game back from a two-game suspension, also drove in two runs. Puig, who had been suspended by Major League Baseball for his role in an altercation with the Pittsburgh Pirates, helped the Reds complete a three-game sweep over the Marlins.

Cincinnati held Miami to just one run in the three games. However, the Reds did get some potentially bad news. Reds starting pitcher Sonny Gray pitched four scoreless innings but got a no-decision after he was forced to leave the game due to a left-calf contusion. Gray, hit with a comebacker off the bat of Miguel Rojas, allowed just two singles and issued no walks, striking out six.

Reliever Robert Stephenson (1-0) pitched a scoreless fifth inning to earn the win. Three more relievers -- Zach Duke, David Hernandez and Wandy Peralta -- completed the five-hit shutout. Marlins rookie Pablo Lopez (1-2) took the loss in just his 13th major league appearance. He allowed seven hits and four runs in 4 2/3 innings.

Cincinnati opened the scoring in the fourth. Jesse Winker lofted a soft single to center and advanced to second when Joey Votto's lined an opposite-field single to left -- beating the shift. Winker tagged up and went to third on Puig's long drive to the wall in right-center and scored on Suarez's single on a 3-2 count. Suarez nearly struck out on the previous pitch but was able to check his swing before driving his RBI single between shortstop and third.

Lopez escaped further damage by striking out Matt Kemp and Jose Peraza. The third strike on Peraza was a pitch in the dirt that got by catcher Chad Wallach and hit the wall behind hm. Fortunately for the Marlins, the ball bounced back to Wallach, who threw to first to retire the side. Cincinnati extended its lead to 4-0 in the fifth. Curt Casali singled, Winker drew a two-out walk, and Votto stroked an RBI single on a first-pitch fastball, going the opposite way again. Puig capped the rally with a line-drive, two-run double to left on a 3-2 curveball.

The Reds closed the scoring with Suarez's eighth-inning homer that curved just inside the left-field foul pole. 

(With inputs from agencies.)