Phillies Swept Out of Cincy
By Matt Veasey
The Philadelphia Phillies dropped a 10-6 decision on Thursday afternoon to the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ballpark.
In a matinée contest, the host Reds erupted for eight runs in the 4th inning, cruising to victory over the Phils and a sweep of their season opening series.
Cincy ripped Phillies’ pitching for a dozen hits, five of those off starter Charlie Morton, who only lasted 3.2 innings in his Phils’ debut. Morton allowed a half-dozen earned runs while striking out three and walking two batters.
This was a tight contest through the early innings, and it appeared for a while that the Phillies would be receiving a third consecutive strong starting pitching effort here at the opening of the season.
Into the bottom of the 4th, the Phils held a 2-1 lead, but blew a chance for it to be more. Morton and Freddy Galvis led off the top of the 3rd with singles, but were nearly stranded when Odubel Herrera struck out and Maikel Franco popped to 3rd. But Ryan Howard came through with an RBI single to salvage something, putting the Phillies up 1-0.
The Reds got that run right back in the home half of the inning. Morton walked Tucker Barnhart with one out, then yielded a two-out RBI double to Scott Schebler to tie the game at 1-1.
The Phillies went back on top in the top of the 4th when Cedric Hunter, the feel good story of the spring thus far for the Phillies, drove his first career home run out on a line to right field off Cincy rookie starter Robert Stephenson. The lead again wouldn’t last long.
More from That Balls Outta Here
- Does Bailey Falter have a future in Phillies’ rotation?
- Prospect Andrew Baker could help Phillies bullpen in 2023
- Bryce Harper’s absence should lead to Phillies lineup tinkering
- Phillies rumors: Club targets Seth Lugo for possible bullpen role
- Pirates’ bizarre Vince Velasquez hype video will make Phillies fans laugh
In the bottom of the 4th, the hosts blew the game open, scoring eight runs on six hits and four walks. Two of the hits were home runs, a 2-run shot by Jay Bruce off Morton, and a grand slam from shortstop Eugenio Suarez off reliever Daniel Stumpf.
By the time the dust cleared, the Reds had a 9-2 lead and the game was effectively over. The Phillies got two back in the top of the 5th when Howard blasted his first homer of the season out to center field. But in the bottom of the 7th, Bruce homered for the 2nd time in the game, a solo shot to lead off the frame and make it a 10-4 lead.
Carlos Ruiz cranked a two-run homer in the top of the 8th inning to pull the Phillies within 10-6, but it would prove the closest they would get. So the club leaves the Queen City with an 0-3 start to the season, and now has to head to the Big Apple for the home opener of the defending NL champion New York Mets.