Reds Beat: Playing Your Best Against The Best Reveals True Potential Of These Reds ‘It’s Really What You Want’

CINCINNATI — The hill to the top of the mountain is sometimes taken with small steps.

The Reds entered Thursday’s finale against the Philadelphia Phillies knowing they had already claimed the season series with four wins in the first six games.

They were hoping to make it five of seven but for the second time in four games they couldn’t push across a single run against baseball’s premiere rotation to start the season.

That, and they had to deal with superstar Bryce Harper for the first time in the four-game set.

Harper returned from a three-day paternity leave and belted a two-run homer to lead the visiting Philadelphia Phillies past the Reds, 5-0.

The Phillies are considered among the lead contenders in the National League, along with the Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers.

If the Reds want to consider themselves in that group, they need to show it on the field against the very best. Taking four out of seven is a good step.

“It’s been a great homestand and it would’ve been nice for this one to end up differently,” manager David Bell said of the 5-2 homestand against the Angels and Phillies. “I think it points to the fact that everything matters, every pitch, every game you set to win every game and let everything happen for you. When you do that, things like (winning the season series) are going to matter in the end.”

The Phillies are an organization that won 102 games in 2011, reached the World Series in 2022 and fell in the NLCS last year to Arizona in seven games.

“It’s definitely a sense of accomplishment,” Bell said. “We just have to keep going and keep doing our thing and do what we need to do to continue to have success. Obviously, a very good team. We have a ton of respect for everyone over there and who they are as a team.”

Now it’s onto the defending World Series champion Texas Rangers in Arlington Friday night.

“Of course, it’s really what you want,” Bell told me. “As long as we do the things we need to do to be good, things are going to work out for us. We have respect for all these teams. If you had your choice, you want to play your best and we’re looking forward to the challenge.”

The four games against the Phillies kicked off their toughest stretch of the season that will include three against Texas, three against San Diego, three against Baltimore, three against Arizona, a road trip to San Francisco, Arizona and the LA Dodgers before returning home to face San Diego and the Dodgers.

The upcoming 27 games will tell us a lot about these Reds, who have been remarkably resilient considering the early season injuries and illnesses.

On Thursday, Zack Wheeler (2-3) allowed one hit over six shutout innings to record the win for the Phillies, who earned a split of the four-game series with their second shutout in four days. Wheeler struck out eight and walked four in recording his second straight win.

Wheeler extended his scoreless streak to 13 1/3 innings in posting his second straight scoreless start, and third this season.

Trea Turner had three hits by Bryson Stott also had two hits and drove in two with a two-out, third inning triple that put Philadelphia on top, 2-0.

Cincinnati starter Nick Martinez (0-1) took the loss, allowing five runs on a career-high tying 11 hits over six innings. Martinez returned to the rotation after Frankie Montas went on the injured list with a bruised forearm.

After missing the first three games of the four-game series, Harper picked up where he left off against Cincinnati, drilling a two-run homer in a four-run third inning as the Phillies built a 4-0 lead.

“Just one or two pitches I didn’t execute,” Martinez said. “I’ve just gotta be better with two strikes to the right guys.”

The third-inning blast reached several rows deep up the right field bleachers for his fifth homer of the season, four of which have been at the expense of Cincinnati pitching.

Harper had three homers, including a grand slam, in a 9-4 win on April 2 in Philadelphia.

Harper fouled a ball off the outside of his left knee in the fifth inning and went down to one knee. Two pitches later he lined a grounder to short for his second hit.

The Reds had a big chance in the third when they loaded the bases against Wheeler but couldn’t push across a run.

Following a walk to Jeimer Candelario, Santiago Espinal singled to right for Cincinnati’s first hit. Elly De La Cruz walked to load the bases. Spencer Steer lined a ball down the left field line just foul before flying out to the warning track in right to end the threat.

Jonathan India returned Thursday following a four-game absence due to illness and went 0-for-4 batting sixth as the DH, dropping his average to .164 on the season. India is in the midst of a 2-for-32 slump.

The Reds, who were one-hit in Seattle on April 17, collected just two hits in Monday’s shutout loss and three on Thursday. As a team, the Reds are now batting a collective .222 on the season. Only six teams have lower averages in MLB.

Instinctive Elly, the difference maker:

Like Bryce Harper with the Phillies, when Elly De La Cruz is in the order, the Reds are automatically a far more dynamic team. He showed it in the two wins against the Phillies. Offense, defense and baserunning. All three skillsets were on full display.

“Yeah. I mean, that’s what we want to do,” De La Cruz said before Thursday’s finale. “We want to affect the game or in any way possible. And whether we do that defensively or offensively wherever it is, we’re just trying to make an impact.”

De La Cruz is reaching a new level of defense. He’s playing with more and more instinct. He’s also using that instinct on the bases, with a Major League-leading 15 steals.

“I think the instinct has always been there. This year, we’re just a little more concentrated on that,” De La Cruz said Thursday.

The Reds are just hoping he has the awareness to avoid unnecessary risk. Of course, that’s a fine line with any superstar in any sport. De La Cruz made a running grab of a pop up on Tuesday night where he tracked his pursuit along the left field line and didn’t come close to running into the wall.

“I don’t know if it’s concentration, I think it’s more of just running as fast as you can to catch that ball out there until the left fielder (calls me off) and gives me enough space. So I mean, I’m gonna go out there and make that play.

“I’ve learned a lot of things from last year but the one thing that I realized is that you have to have that routine to have that consistency when you’re going out there. That’s the biggest thing.”