Reds 1, Marlins 0: Burns Beats Alcantara on One Swing

August 14, 2026 - Cincinnati - Sandy Alcantara had not allowed a run in 25 2/3 innings. Then Tyler Stephenson reached on a fielder's choice in the sixth, and Eugenio Suárez doubled him home from first. That was the game. The Cincinnati Reds beat the Miami Marlins 1-0 because Chase Burns made one run feel like ten.

Burns went seven innings, four hits, no walks, eight strikeouts. One Marlin reached second. He improved to 14-2. Great American Ball Park did not need a slugfest. It needed a pitcher who would not blink.

Alcantara's streak, then Suárez

Alcantara held Cincinnati hitless into the fourth, when Michael Toglia doubled with two outs. He did not strike anyone out until the seventh, when he fanned two. Four walks. Three hits. One run. Seven innings. He fell to 13-7.

The scoreless streak dated to July 28 and was a career high, longer than his 25-inning run in 2022. It ended on Suárez's double to left-center. Stephenson scored from first. 1-0. The Reds loaded the bases in the eighth against Josh Ekness and left them that way. They did not need the extra run. They also did not get it.

Miami was shut out for the seventh time this season. Burns never let the lineup settle.

131 innings, then the eighth and ninth

Burns has thrown 131 innings this season. Last year he threw 43 1/3 in the majors. The year before that, 66 in the minors. The last time he cleared 100 innings in a season, he was at Wake Forest. The innings total is the story as much as the eight strikeouts. Cincinnati is riding him, and Friday he paid it back with a shutout look.

Brock Burke struck out the side in the eighth. Emilio Pagán had been dealing with hand soreness and was cleared to pitch. He retired Miami in order in the ninth for his 15th save.

Line: Reds 1 run, 6 hits; Marlins 0 runs, 4 hits; no errors.

A 1-0 game at Great American is usually a homer. This one was a double from first and a starter who would not walk anybody. Burns's only traffic never reached third. Alcantara's four walks never became a second Cincinnati run. That is why the eighth, bases loaded against Ekness, felt louder than it scored. The Reds left them on and still shook hands. Miami's seventh shutout of the year looked like the other six: contact, no finishing swing.

A 1-0 that still moves the week

Cincinnati is 59-62. Miami is 62-61. Neither club is running away from August. A night like this still tells you who the Reds are when Burns starts: short offense, long pitching, and a bullpen that can finish a one-run game if you hand it to them clean.

Saturday: Ryan Gusto (0-3, 4.78) for Miami, Brady Singer (5-11, 4.66) for Cincinnati.

I would not crown Cincinnati after one Friday. I would not bury Alcantara either. He was a double away from another zero. Burns was the difference because he never issued a walk and never let a runner to third.

AthX Engine angle

Burns scored 29 AthX Engine pitching fantasy points, second on the Friday board behind only Brandon Pfaadt's 30. Burke added 11 pitching fantasy points after striking out the side in the eighth. Pagán had 8 for the save. Alcantara still scored 14 pitching fantasy points in a loss. The Reds finished with 5 team fantasy points. The Marlins finished at -2.

A 1-0 game does not light up a team board. It can still lead a pitcher board. That is AthX Engine (our projection and scoring system) doing what it is supposed to do: grade the line.

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*Sources: ESPN recap, MLB.com gameday, AthX Engine daily scoring for August 14, 2026. AthX Engine fantasy scoring is for information only and is not financial advice.*