Big 5th inning leads Mariners to sweep of Reds

CINCINNATI — A three-run fifth-inning rally lifted the Mariners to a 5-4 win and a series sweep of the Reds in Sunday’s finale at Great American Ball Park.

The Reds opened the game with a three-run first inning off of Mariners’ starter Wade Miley. Zack Cozart led things off with a double, and he came around to score on a two-run double from Brandon Phillips after Billy Hamilton was hit by a pitch and Joey Votto singled to load the bases. Jay Bruce delivered the final run of the inning on a sacrifice fly.

After the rocky first, Miley settled down, allowing just one more run — on an Adam Duvall home run — and five hits over his last five innings. Miley finished the day after six innings, allowing four runs on eight hits with six strikeouts.

The Mariners got to Reds starter Alfredo Simon in the third after a leadoff single from Miley sparked a three-hit, two-run rally. Seattle took the lead in the fifth, which was started by center fielder Leonys Martin’s bunt single and Norichika Aoki’s base hit. After a Robinson Cano sacrifice fly, Kyle Seager delivered an RBI single two at-bats later, and catcher Steve Clevenger knocked in the go-ahead run with a single after Adam Lind was intentionally walked. All five Mariners runs were credited to Simon.

The loss extends the Reds’ losing streak to seven games, their longest of the season, and gives the Mariners, who completed their six-game road trip with a 5-1 record, a fourth consecutive win.

MOMENTS THAT MATTEREDIn a groove: Martin continued what has been the best start to a season in his career by collecting four hits in five plate appearances, including two bunt singles, and scoring once out of the leadoff spot. Sunday’s win was Martin’s eighth multi-hit game of the season. He has hit safely in 13 of his last 17 games and reached base in 16 of those 17 games.

Duvall’s …

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