Chris Paddack allows two runs as bulk pitcher

Greene couldn’t have asked for a much better outing in this one. After a disastrous first start of the season his last time out, the hard-throwing righty held the Cubs in check all night, allowing just three hits over seven scoreless frames. Greene was lights out for the Reds on Friday, needing just 93 pitches to get through this outing while limiting himself to just one walk. He’ll get some time off with the All-Star Break just around the corner, but hopefully this start signals a strong second-half of the season for him.

Imanaga was locked in a pitcher’s duel with Hunter Greene, as both pitchers tossed four scoreless innings to begin the game. Imanaga was the first to fold on the night when he allowed a solo homer to Elly De La Cruz in the fifth inning to give the Reds a 1-0 lead. It would be the only run Imanaga would allow on the night, as the righty did his part to hold the Reds in check but received no run support from his offense. Imanaga enters the All-Star Break with a 5-8 record and a 4.17 ERA.

DeLauter opened the scoring in the ballgame with his 430-foot (106.4-mph EV) two-run shot off of Marlins’ right-hander Sandy Alcantara in the fourth inning. He also singled in the contest. With his two-hit attack, the 24-year-old rookie sensation is now slashing .282/.347/.447 with 10 homers, 45 RBI and three stolen bases in 323 plate appearances on the season.

Hedges singled in the fifth inning and ultimately came around to score on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Travis Bazzana. The 33-year-old backstop has been unexpectedly productive at the plate this season, slashing a healthy .289/.348/.414 with three homers, 14 RBI and a stolen base in 145 plate appearances.

Young put the Mariners on the board in the top of the fifth inning when he blasted his 11th homer of the season off of Nick Martinez to cut the Rays’ lead to 2-1. Young has now homered twice this month but is slashing just .154/.214/.423 in July with a few games to go before the All-Star Break.

Smith didn’t mess around in this one, needing just nine pitches (seven strikes) to retire the side in order — getting Liam Hicks on a fly ball to right, Griffin Conine on a pop out to second base and Jakob Marsee on a fly ball to left field to end it. The 27-year-old closer now boasts a 2.70 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and a 61/11 K/BB ratio over 43 1/3 innings while converting 28 of his first 31 save chances.

Castillo escaped a bases-loaded jam in the first inning when he induced Victor Mesa Jr. to pop out, ending the threat. The Rays would score their first run of the night off Castillo in the third inning when Chandler Simpson singled to drive home Junior Caminero, and Richie Palacios would homer in the next inning to put the Rays up 2-0. Castillo would surrender two more solo homers in the fifth inning before being pulled to start the sixth, tying a career-high with three homers allowed in this one. Its been a forgettable season thus far for Castillo, who enters the All-Star Break with a 3-8 record and a 4.93 ERA.

Messick also issued four walks on the evening while striking out one. He carried a no-hit bid into the sixth inning where Heriberto Hernández tagged him for a solo home run. That would be the only hit that he would allow. He generated eight swings and misses on 91 pitches on the night, registering a CSW of 23 percent. The 25-year-old southpaw wraps up a brilliant first half with an 8-5 record, 2.73 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and a 110/36 K/BB ratio over 112 innings through his first 19 starts.

After taking a brief four-day hiatus from hitting homers, Caminero has now homered in back-to-back games. The slugger belted his 28th homer of the season in the bottom of the seventh inning to put the Rays up 6-2, as he continues to tear the cover off the ball. He’ll look to homer in his third-straight game when the two teams face off on Saturday.

Hernández got the Marlins’ first hit in the ballgame with his 380-foot (99.6-mph EV) solo shot off of Parker Messick in the sixth inning. The 26-year-old outfielder also drew a walk in the contest. He has provided solid power production for the Marlins this season, slashing .236/.318/.482 with 13 homers and 36 RBI in 220 plate appearances.