KSReds: Cincinnati Reds Win Series in Philadelphia
After starting the week long road trip with three losses, the Cincinnati Reds responded by winning three of their last four games including winning the weekend series against the Phillies. Sunday afternoon’s 7-4 victory clinched the series and kept the Reds from losing ground in the wild card. Despite the tough opponents this week, Cincy is still just 2.5 games behind the Padres.
The goal of this week was always just to survive. Playing two very good teams in the Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies, the Reds just needed to not lose ground. That is exactly what they accomplished with Sunday’s win. Bouncing back from a rough start to the week was critical.
Now sitting at 64-55, the Reds with return to Great American Ball Park for the week with a three game series against the Cubs followed by a four game set with the Marlins. Take care of business against two teams well below .500 and this wild card race could get very, very interesting. The Padres will take on the Rockies and then return to San Diego for three games against the Phillies.
Long Ball Leads to Reds Victory
Facing National League Cy Young candidate Zack Wheeler on Friday night, the Cincinnati Reds offense stepped up to the challenge. It was Joey Votto who struck first with a three-run home run in the top of the fourth inning. Votto’s blast was his team-leading 26th of the season. He also leads the Reds with 75 runs batted in.
Nick Castellanos connected on a round tripper of his own in the sixth inning before Eugenio Suarez capped off the scoring with a two-run shot in the ninth. All six of the Reds runs came via home runs on Friday evening in Philadelphia.
Despite going against Wheeler, Cincinnati’s Tyler Mahle out-dueled the Cy Young candidate by turning in his second straight phenomenal start. Mahle tossed seven shutout innings allowing just three hits and striking out seven. In his last two starts the 26 year old rising star has struck out 17 batters without walking anyone in 14 innings. Mahle is now 10-3 on the year with a 3.58 earned run average.
The Phillies would get a run in the bottom of the ninth from a Didi Gregorious to avoid the shutout, but the Reds would come away with a 6-1 victory.
Reds Avoid No-Hitter, Lose 6-1 to Even Series
It is hard to win when you don’t hit and that is what the Cincinnati Reds ran into on Saturday evening. Left-hander Matt Moore was absolutely dealing striking out eight batters in six no-hit innings of work. The Phillies would take the no-hit bid into the eighth inning before Tyler Stephenson broke up the no-no, and the shutout, with a home run.
Stephenson’s blast made it 3-1, but Philadelphia answered in the bottom half of the eighth inning by beating up on Sean Doolittle. Bryce Harper tripled to score a run and then scored on a throwing error to make it 5-1 Phillies. Then, Andrew McCutcheon went deep to set the eventual final score of 6-1.
Despite the lopsided score and the Reds bats just not showing up, it was another pretty solid start from Luis Castillo. The hard-throwing righty went 6 2/3 innings on the mound giving up three runs on five hits while striking out eight. He absolutely gave his team a chance to win the game which is all you can ask. Unfortunately, the run support just wasn’t there on Saturday as the Phillies evened the series at one game a piece.
Rookies Go Deep, Win Rubber Match
Go ahead and send the National League Rookie of the Year trophy to Cincinnati. By the end of the season, we will decide whether it gets to go home with Jonathan India or Tyler Stephenson.
India began Sunday afternoon’s series deciding game with a leadoff home run to spot the Reds an early 1-0 lead. The 381-foot shot was the second baseman’s 15th of the season and his 50th RBI. India is now batting .280 with a .395 on-base percentage after his 3-5 day at the plate.
The Reds would add two more runs in the third inning when Shogo Akiyama came through with a big two out double down the left field line. India and Sonny Gray scored on Akiyama’s big hit. A bases loaded walk drawn by Tyler Naquin later on in the fifth made it a 4-1 ball game.
In the bottom half of the fifth Sonny Gray started to really labor on the mound. He allowed a bases loaded walk of his own to Bryce Harper and then a sacrifice fly to pull the Phillies within one run at 4-3. Gray would exit the game after just 4 2/3 innings having allowed three runs on four hits plus three free passes. The former All-Star has only gone beyond five innings one time in his last six starts.
Cincinnati came through with two outs once again in the eighth inning to provide some insurance on the scoreboard. Tucker Barnhart turned on a pitch and lined it into the corner in right field to bring in Kyle Farmer to make it 5-3. Then, fellow catcher Tyler Stephenson came to the plate in a pinch-hitting situation and belted one into the left field seats for two-run home run to provide a little more breathing room. Stephenson’s ninth home run put Cincinnati on top 7-3. He is batting .291 on the season now with 38 runs batted in.
Bullpen Steps Up to Clinch Series
Overall, it was a very good performance by the Reds bullpen to cover the final 16 outs of the game following Gray’s short start. Lucas Sims stranded two inherited runners in the fifth and would throw 1 1/3 perfect innings. Michael Lorenzen allowed a couple of walks, but escaped the seventh inning unscathed. Luis Cessa was called upon in the eighth and gave up a run on three hits. Mychael Givens would get the final out of the inning via strikeout to limit the damage.
Givens remained in the game and shut the door in the ninth inning to earn the four out save. Since being acquired from the Rockies, Givens has been excellent for the Reds. The 31 year old hasn’t allowed a run in 8 1/3 innings while surrendering just two hits. That back-of-the-bullpen execution has been a key to the team’s recent success.
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