Votto’s 3 Homers Power Reds
By Matt Veasey
6. 11. 61. Final. 2
Cincinnati Reds 1st baseman Joey Votto continued his strong comeback season, blasting 3 homers on Tuesday night to power the hosts to an 11-2 thrashing of the Phillies at Great American Ballpark.
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Two of Votto’s hat trick blasts were among 4 longballs that the Reds ripped off Phils’ starter Aaron Harang, who was quite obviously left out by manager Ryne Sandberg to eat up innings and save the bullpen when the game got out of hand early. Harang (4-7) allowed 7 earned runs on 7 hits and 2 walks across 6 innings pitched.
Zach Cozart had blasted the first homer off the Phils’ righty to cap a 4-run Reds outburst in the bottom of the 1st inning. In the top of the 2nd, Carlos Ruiz singled to score Maikel Franco, who had led off the frame with a double, pulling the Phillies back within 4-1.
In the bottom of the 3rd, Votto led off with the first of this three homers, and was immediately followed by one off the bat of Todd Frazier to make it 6-1. Votto’s 2nd of the game in the bottom of the 5th, a blast to center field that was reviewed and upheld, extended that lead out to 7-1.
After the Phils got another back in the top of the 7th, Votto crushed his 3rd of the night, his 13th on the season, in the bottom of the inning. That 2-run shot was part of a 3-run frame against Phils’ reliever Dustin McGowan, extending the Cincy lead out to 10-2. They would add one more in the bottom of the 8th to make the 11-2 final.
On the mound for the Reds, Anthony DeSclafani (5-4) was roped around for 10 hits by the Phils bats. But he was able to scatter those and was still effective, striking out 7 and walking 1 batter, allowing the 2 earned runs.
The loss was the Phillies 5th in 6 games, and going back to the end of that 6-game winning streak a month ago, the club has now lost 15 of its last 20. At 22-38, they now have the worst record in Major League Baseball.
The two teams will wrap the series with a 12:35pm matinée on Wednesday afternoon. Jerome Williams (3-5, 5.68 ERA) will take the mound for the Phillies, with Jon Moscot getting his 2nd career start for Cincinnati.