Wes Helms had a scare on Wednesday night when he was plunked a couple of inches above his left elbow by a Mike Lincoln fastball.
The hit-by-pitch came in the ninth inning, and Helms ended up scoring on Cody Ross' three-run homer that pulled the Marlins even at 6.
Despite scoring six in the ninth inning, Florida fell, 7-6, in 10 innings to the Reds.
While the Marlins were rained out on Thursday, Helms was ready to play. He took a few swings in the cages, and while he experienced some discomfort, it wasn't enough to keep him out of the lineup.
"It hurts," Helms said, taking some cuts in the cages. "But I'm fine. It's not going to alter my swing."
The team has already been shorthanded at first base with Mike Jacobs resting a tight left quadriceps. Jacobs will likely be back in the starting lineup, if not on Friday night at home against the Royals, then sometime this weekend, manager Fredi Gonzalez said.
One of the veteran leaders on the team, Helms says the Marlins have to weather their recent three-game slide. The fact that Florida rallied from a 6-0 deficit to force extra innings on Wednesday showed the comeback character of the club.
Helms relayed a quick story on Thursday that the comeback reinforced how the Reds feel about the Marlins' chances to win the National League East.
When Cincinnati's Jerry Hairston Jr. walked in the bottom of the ninth, he turned to Helms and said: "That's why we think you'll win the NL East. You guys never give up."
Helms said Hairston told him the Reds talked about the Marlins' grittiness.
"We can't take you lightly," Hairston told Helms. "Some teams would give up. But you never give up."
Despite the ninth-inning rally, the Marlins became the first team in 60 years to score at least six in the ninth inning to tie it, only to lose. On Sept. 17, 1947, in Game 2 of a doubleheader, the New York Giants trailed 10-4 after eight innings.
After rallying for six in the ninth, the Giants gave up a two-run homer to the Cubs' Bill Nicholson in the bottom of the inning.
The three straight losses in Cincinnati reminded the Marlins that they have to finish off games.
"It's tough, because we had been playing well," Helms said. "Cody hit the home run in the ninth and we had the momentum there.
"The first day we were in here, Luis Gonzalez said, 'Hey, we're doing unbelievable, but don't get relaxed.'"
Joe Frisaro is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
