CINCINNATI — Trailing 3-0 after the bottom of the first inning, on an afternoon when Andrew Abbott was starting for the Reds and getting heavily knocked around, the outlook appeared bleak considering a left-handed starter was on the mound for the Phillies.
Through 87 games heading into the Fourth of July, the Reds had struggled to put runs on the board and generate rallies against left-handed starting pitchers. Against New York Yankees left-handers Carlos Rodon and Max Fried, back on June 24th and 25th, the Reds managed just a combined one unearned run in 13 innings.
On America’s Birthday in America’s Birthplace, though, the Reds quickly erased their 3-0 deficit and turned it into a 6-3 lead in just the top of the third inning, chasing Phillies left-handed starter Jesus Luzardo out of the game after just two+ innings.
“It’s just understanding that when we go down early, [there’s] a lot of game left,” Reds first baseman Spencer Steer said. “I think offensively, we’re finding our stride. We’re taking good at-bats, putting pressure on defenses, and when we do that I think we’re a tough team to beat.”
Steer’s two-run double is the latest big hit in what’s been a strong stretch for the Reds first baseman. Over his last 14 games, Steer is hitting .408 with five home runs and 14 RBIs. That’s with getting hit on the hand with a pitch Wednesday afternoon in Boston and after overcoming a shoulder injury back in Spring Training.
“I would say he’s one of the tougher kids I’ve seen,” Reds manager Terry Francona said. “He played with that shoulder all of last year and then to start this spring. I know that thing [the hand] didn’t feel great. He just didn’t want to compensate and it sure didn’t look like it.”
The most impressive part of the Reds rally was that they didn’t hit any home runs. Their five run-third inning was produced by Elly De La Cruz’s RBI single and Austin Hays and Steer both producing RBI doubles. Steer’s two-run double landed just fair down the left field line, and it gave the Reds a 5-3 lead. It was a lead they would not relinquish.
Even though Abbott was knocked out of the game after 3 1/3 innings- a season-low in terms of innings pitched for Abbott- and allowing four earned runs on nine hits, the Reds lineup finally flipped the narrative against left-handed starting pitchers to cover for their own Friday afternoon.
“You’re going to have these games, right? You’re just out there trying to compete, trying to get as many outs as you can to help the team,” Abbott said. “[The] bullpen picked me up big time today. The hitters picked everybody up. Giving cushion to those guys makes it a little bit easier. It’s not always like that, but it’s great when it does happen.”
De La Cruz added an RBI single in the top of the fourth, and the Reds plated two more runs in the top of the fifth for a 9-4 lead. It was big enough lead for their bullpen to cover another lengthy part of the game, as Sam Moll, Lyon Richardson, Taylor Rogers, Scott Barlow, Tony Santillan and Emilio Pagan combined to pitch the final 5 2/3 innings with just two earned runs allowed on five hits and two walks.
On a day where the Reds ace was knocked around early and often, the lineup shook off its woes against left-handed starting pitching and covered Abbott so he only got a no decision. It’s another step forward for a team looking to position themselves as contenders with the Pennant Race essentially starting Friday afternoon on the Fouth of July.
“Getting [Austin] Hays back, you have [Noelvi] Marte — I think we have different [lineups] where we don’t have so many lefties in there,” Francona said. “We’re more balanced.”
NOTES
Cincinnati went 6-12 with runners in scoring position and left just five runners on base, while Philadelphia went just 3-13 with runners in scoring position and left 11 runners on base.
TJ Friedl, Elly De La Cruz, Spencer Steer and Tyler Stephenson each had two hits Friday afternoon, while seven Reds hitters had at least one hit.
Sam Moll was the winning pitcher after going 1 1/3 innings and escaping a jam in the bottom of the fourth inning. With runners on the corners and one out, Moll got Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber to ground back to him. Moll threw to De La Cruz at second for the second out, and the Reds shortstop alertly threw home when he saw Phillies second baseman Edmundo Sosa trying to score. De La Cruz’s throw was on line, and Stephenson applied the tag to end the inning. Moll then only needed six total pitches in 1 1/3 innings for his first win of the season.
“Very big, I don’t know how many guys make that play,” Francona said.
Despite losing 9-6, every player in the Phillies starting lineup had at least one hit.
Phillies right fidler Nick Castellanos’s two-run home run in the bottom of the first was the only home run of the game and his 11th of the season.
On Deck
The Reds and Phillies continue their series Saturday afternoon in Philadelphia with another battle of left-handed pitchers. Nick Lodolo (5-5, 3.52 ERA) will start for the Reds against Phillies left-hander Ranger Suarez (7-2, 2.00 ERA).
First pitch is at 4:05 E.T. on FanDuel Sports Network Cincinnati and 700WLW.
