The Cincinnati Reds couldn't overcome a rocky start from Brady Singer, falling 7-4 to the Miami Marlins on Wednesday. Despite the loss, the Reds still hold a 2-1 series lead heading into Thursday afternoon's finale.

The story of the game was Singer's early struggle. The veteran right-hander, who has been battling a blister issue, never found his footing, surrendering six runs on ten hits in just 2.2 innings of work. This outing ballooned his ERA to 7.71 across his first three starts of the 2026 campaign.

Postgame, Reds manager Terry Francona offered a candid assessment. "He had a hard time obviously putting away hitters," Francona admitted. "There were some balls that weren't hit hard, there were some balls that were hit hard... Lot of base runners, a lot of hits."

Despite the recent struggles, the Reds' faith in Singer isn't wavering. He's a proven innings-eater who has made at least 27 appearances every season since 2021. Just last year, he posted a solid 4.03 ERA over 32 starts, providing the kind of steady, reliable presence every rotation needs. The club knows his track record and expects him to bounce back, though they'll need him to find his rhythm sooner rather than later as the season progresses.

While the pitching faltered Wednesday, the offense showed promising flashes—a welcome sign for a team where scoring has been a question mark. Sal Stewart launched a home run as part of a two-hit day, Eugenio Suarez added two hits of his own, and TJ Friedl was a sparkplug at the top of the order, going 3-for-5.

One loss doesn't derail a strong start. The Reds' 8-4 record still has them tied with the Milwaukee Brewers for first place in the highly competitive NL Central. They'll look to secure the series win Thursday and continue building momentum as they navigate the long MLB grind.