Reds beat Phillies to end three-game losing streak
• Hero: Javier Valentin's tiebreaking RBI double in the eighth inning proved the difference in the Reds' victory.
• Going deep: In the pouring rain of the top of the ninth, Cincinnati's Adam Dunn hit his 22nd homer of the season to give the Reds a couple of insurance runs.
• Figure this: Phillies slugger Ryan Howard hit his 100th career homer in his 325th game Wednesday night, becoming the fastest player to reach that total, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. The blast traveled 505 feet and stands as the longest home run in the four-year history of Citizens Bank Park.
• Quotable: "It's his eighth save of more than one inning. He's like Rollie Fingers and Goose Gossage." -- Reds manager
Jerry Narron on Reds reliever David Weathers
-- ESPN.com news services
Reds 9, Phillies 6
PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- David Weathers pitched out of a jam and
through a rain delay to earn an old-school save.
Javier Valentin hit a tiebreaking RBI double in the eighth
inning, Adam Dunn added a two-run homer and Weathers got the final
six outs in Cincinnati's 9-6 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies
on Wednesday night.
"It's his eighth save of more than one inning," Reds manager
Jerry Narron said of Weathers. "He's like Rollie Fingers and Goose
Gossage."
Phillies slugger Ryan Howard hit his 100th career homer in his
325th game, becoming the fastest player to reach that total in
major league history, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
Philadelphia had the tying run on third base after Greg Dobbs
tripled off the top of the right-field wall with two outs in the
eighth inning, before a 42-minute rain delay.
When play resumed, Weathers struck out Howard looking after he
walked Chase Utley. He then pitched a perfect ninth for his 15th
save in 17 chances. Marcus McBeth (2-1) got two outs in the
seventh to earn the win.
"I felt better after the delay," Weathers said. "You have to
keep your thoughts on what you want to do and not just relax in the
clubhouse."
Dunn connected for his 22nd homer off Jose Mesa in the ninth to
give the Reds a three-run lead.
Jamie Moyer didn't allow a hit until Josh Hamilton lined a
single to center with two outs in the sixth. But the 44-year-old
left-hander couldn't get past the seventh. The Reds scored three
runs off Moyer and three more against reliever Geoff Geary to take
a 6-3 lead.
After the Phillies tied it in the bottom half, the Reds answered
in the eighth against Brian Sanches (1-1). Edwin Encarnacion was
hit on an 0-2 pitch leading off the inning and advanced on Alex
Gonzalez's sacrifice. Valentin then ripped a double to right to put
the Reds ahead for good.
Howard's three-run shot off Aaron Harang gave the Phillies a 3-0
lead in the fifth inning. The 505-foot drive was the longest in the
four-year history of Citizens Bank Park. It cleared the tall, brick
batter's eye, going nine feet farther than Howard's shot over the
same wall against Florida's Sergio Mitre last April.
Ralph Kiner had been the fastest player to reach 100 homers,
doing it in 385 games for Pittsburgh in the late 1940s.
"He has all the power in the world," Phillies manager Charlie
Manuel said. "He definitely smoked that ball. The fact he has so
many homers in that short period of time shows the kind of ability
he has."
Moyer allowed three runs and three hits in six-plus innings. He
had a season-high eight strikeouts, but two of the three batters he
walked scored.
Harang gave up five runs and eight hits in six-plus innings.
Moyer left after loading the bases with no outs in the seventh.
Geary entered and nearly allowed a grand slam. Gonzalez's
opposite-field drive hit high off the fence in right-center for a
two-run double.
Pinch-hitter Valentin followed with an RBI single to tie it at
3. Harang sacrificed for the first out and Hamilton was
intentionally walked to load the bases again. Brandon Phillips
singled up the middle to give Cincinnati a 4-3 lead and chase
Geary.
Mike Zagurski came in to face Ken Griffey Jr., who looped a
two-run single to left to put the Reds ahead 6-3.
"I try to stay away from judging how guys are doing," Moyer
said. "I know everybody is giving a good effort. Sometimes it's
enough and sometimes it isn't."
Harang couldn't get an out with a three-run cushion. Jimmy
Rollins singled leading off the bottom of the seventh and scored on
Dobbs' double.
Jon Coutlangus came in, threw a wild pitch to put Dobbs on third
and walked Utley before he struck out Howard for the first out.
McBeth entered to face Aaron Rowand. His first pitch crossed up
catcher Valentin and hit plate umpire Jeff Kellogg before bouncing
away for a passed ball. Dobbs scored and Utley, who was running on
the pitch, went to third.
Rowand then singled past a drawn-in infield to tie it at 6.
Howard appeared to miss the sign for a suicide squeeze when
Abraham Nunez put down a perfect bunt with runners on first and
third in the second inning. Howard stayed at third while Shane
Victorino, who was stealing on the pitch, advanced to second.
Notes
LF Pat Burrell was benched for the sixth time in nine
games. Burrell is the highest-paid player on the Phillies, earning
$13 million this season. But he's batting just .204 with eight
homers and 31 RBIs. Burrell pinch-hit in the ninth and grounded out
to end the game. ... Howard has 43 RBIs in his last 36 games.
Regular Season Series
2022 National League Central Standings
TEAM | W | L | PCT | GB | STRK |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Milwaukee | 29 | 18 | .617 | 0 | L2 |
St. Louis | 26 | 20 | .565 | 2.5 | W2 |
Chicago | 19 | 26 | .422 | 9 | W1 |
Pittsburgh | 18 | 26 | .409 | 9.5 | L1 |
Cincinnati | 16 | 30 | .348 | 12.5 | W4 |
2022 National League East Standings
TEAM | W | L | PCT | GB | STRK |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
New York | 31 | 17 | .646 | 0 | W2 |
Atlanta | 22 | 25 | .468 | 8.5 | L1 |
Philadelphia | 21 | 26 | .447 | 9.5 | L2 |
Miami | 19 | 25 | .432 | 10 | W1 |
Washington | 17 | 31 | .354 | 14 | L1 |
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