Max Meyer delivered a dominant performance Monday night, striking out a career-high 14 batters over six shutout innings to lead the Miami Marlins to a 6–3 win over the Cincinnati Reds at loanDepot park.
The 25-year-old right-hander was electric from the start, allowing just five hits and no walks while overwhelming Cincinnati hitters with a mix of precise fastballs and devastating off-speed pitches. Meyer (2–2) struck out the side in the sixth inning to cap his outing, walking off the mound to a standing ovation from the Miami crowd. His 14 strikeouts marked the Marlins’ first double-digit strikeout performance since June 1 of last year, and tied him for the third-most strikeouts in a game in franchise history—trailing only Ricky Nolasco’s 16 in 2009 and Liván Hernández’s 15 in the 1997 NLCS.
“It was one of those nights where everything just clicked,” Meyer said after the game. “I felt good in the bullpen, and once we got going, I just tried to stay aggressive.”
The Marlins, coming off a five-game losing streak, have now won two straight. Offensively, they broke through in the second inning with RBI singles from Jesús Sánchez and Ronny Simon—Simon’s first major league hit. Agustín Ramírez also picked up his first MLB hit with an infield single earlier in the frame, eventually scoring on Simon’s liner to center. Ramírez later added a double and his first stolen base following Kyle Stowers’ pinch-hit three-run homer in the seventh.
Stowers’ blast off Reds reliever Emilio Pagán gave Miami a 6–0 cushion and proved to be the game’s decisive blow.
On the mound for Cincinnati, Nick Lodolo (2–2) was solid early but took the loss after allowing three runs on seven hits across 5 2/3 innings. Eric Wagaman’s 407-foot solo homer in the fifth inning—his third of the year—was the Reds’ lone highlight before Gavin Lux added a two-run shot in the eighth off Tyler Phillips to tighten the score.
Jesús Tinoco shut the door with a perfect ninth for his second save of the season.
Meyer’s 14 strikeouts are tied for the third-most in a game in Marlins history. He shattered his previous high of eight strikeouts and lowered his ERA to an impressive 2.10.
Miami will send Edward Cabrera (0–1, 6.52 ERA) to the mound Tuesday for his third start of the season after returning from a blister injury. He’ll face Reds right-hander Nick Martinez (0–3, 6.00 ERA) as the Marlins look to take the series.
