Reds Outslug Phillies on the 4th
There were a lot of fireworks on Friday afternoon at Citizens Bank Park, but it was the Cincinnati Reds, who provided the more booms, as they defeated the Phillies, 9-6, in the first game of a weekend series.
The Phillies jumped all over Reds starter, Andrew Abbott, in the bottom of the first. Trea Turner got a leadoff single, then with one out, on a hit-and-run, Bryce Harper singled to left, advancing Turner to third. Alec Bohm hit a sacrifice fly to left, that scored Turner, and making it 1-0. The next batter, Nick Castellanos, took a curve ball, and hit it over the left field wall. Castellanos’ 11th of the year, and his 4thcareer home run on July 4th, gave the Phillies a 3-0 lead after the first inning.
Cincinnati cut the deficit to 3-1, as after Luzardo loaded the bases, Reds right fielder, Rece Hinds, hit a grounder to Luzardo, which he threw home out to get the force, but J.T. Realmuto’s throw to first hit Hinds, and his error scored Tyler Stephenson.
The Reds came back in the top of the third. T.J. Friedl singled, Matt McLain walked, then Elly De La Cruz lined an RBI single to right, making it 3-2. Then, former Phillie, Austin Hays, hit a double to right over Castellanos head, that scored McLain, and tying the game at 3-3. The next batter, Spencer Steer, lined a double down the left field line, which scored two more Reds, and gave Cincinnati, a 5-3 lead. Luzardo gave up five hits in the third, and he was pulled from the game. Cincinnati tacked on another run, courtesy of a Noelvi Marte sacrifice fly.
Philadelphia cut the deficit in the bottom half, to 6-4, however the Reds made it 7-4, in the top of the 4thinning, thanks to another RBI single by De La Cruz.
In the fifth inning, Steer led off with a single off of Phillies reliever, Joe Ross. After Stephenson walked, and with one out, pinch hitter, Will Benson, grounded a single to right that scored Steer, and making it, 8-4 for the Reds. They added another one, thanks to Espinal force out, although it should have been a single, but Benson misread the ball, and was forced out at second.
Kyle Schwarber made it 9-6, as he hit a 2-run double that nearly was a home run, in the bottom of the sixth, but Bryce Harper ended the rally with a strike out. Philadelphia had another chance to do damage in the eighth, and with the bases loaded, but Bohm looked at a called third strike.
Luzardo had a brutal start for the Phillies, as he only went two innings in the loss, as he allowed six hits, six runs, five of those earned, and walked three batters.
Cincinnati batters 3-6 today were 7-13 with 6 runs scored and 5 RBI’s. The Reds were 6-12 with RISP, while Philadelphia was 3-13, and left 10 runners on base.
Up next for Phillies
The Phillies will have Ranger Suarez on the mound going for win #8, and he will face Cincinnati’s Nick Lodolo, who will be going for his 5th win of the year. First pitch is schedule for 4:05 p.m.
-David Weightman/ Olde City Sports Network