Phillies secure 22nd win, eighth series victory of season on final play against Reds

By: Matt Rappa, managing editor

Final: Phillies 4, Reds 3 ❖ Attendance: 29,535

PHILADELPHIA — For the first time since June 2-18, 2013, the Philadelphia Phillies (22-15) have won six consecutive games at Citizens Bank Park. Their 4-3 victory against the Cincinnati Reds (14-22) Saturday evening was secured during the final at-bat, as catcher Cameron Rupp held onto the ball in a collision at home plate thanks to a strong throw from Tyler Goeddel in left field.

This was the Phillies' 14th one-run win and eighth series victory of the season. Nine of their last 10 victories have been by one run. The Phillies have won six of seven series for the first time since 2011. They will look for their third series sweep of the season in Sunday's series finale matinee.

With the New York Mets' 7-4 defeat to the Colorado Rockies, the Phillies moved into sole possession of second place in the National League East, trailing the Washington Nationals for the division lead by just one game.

WP: Aaron Nola (3-2, 2.89 ERA) ❖ LP: Tim Adleman (1-1, 3.38 ERA) ❖ SV: David Hernandez (1)

Hub: Game Summary ❖ Starting Pitchers ❖ At the Plate ❖ Bullpen ❖ What's Next

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Game Summary

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
CIN	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	3	7	0
PHI	0	0	0	1	2	0	1	0	X	4	10	1

A 35-minute rain delay prevented play from beginning in the middle of the three-game set until 7:40 p.m. The first three batters Phillies right-hander Aaron Nola faced all reached — two via singles to left field and the other a walk — to load the bases with nobody out.

Batting in the cleanup position, Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips hit a sacrifice fly to first baseman Ryan Howard, giving his team an early 1-0 lead. Nola would escape further damage by striking out right fielder Jay Bruce and a caught stealing at second base by first baseman Joey Votto for the final two outs of the inning.

The score would remain intact until the latter-half of the fourth inning, as the Phillies evened the contest at one. Third baseman Maikel Franco hit a RBI-double down the left field line, and Howard followed with a double of his own — his second of the season — to bring home the tying run.

The Phillies would take the lead an inning later with back-to-back RBI singles.

Following a single and walk by left fielder Tyler Goeddel and Nola, respectively, right fielder Peter Bourjos sacrificed both runners over to put two in scoring position with one out. Batting in the leadoff position, center fielder Odubel Herrera singled up the middle to give the Phillies a 2-1 lead (game-winning run). Second baseman Cesar Hernandez then singled to right field — scoring Nola from third — to increase the Phillies' advantage to two.

Making his third career start, Reds right-hander Tim Adleman allowed three runs on eight hits and two walks spanning five innings of work. He struck out three Phillies batters — Bourjos, Herrera and shortstop Freddy Galvis — and threw 68 total pitches, 48 for strikes.

Nola entered troubled in the seventh, the final inning of his outing. After the first two Reds batters reached — one via throwing error on a a fielder's choice by Phillies catcher Cameron Rupp to put runners on the corners, Nola struck out third baseman Eugenio Suarez for the first out but then allowed a RBI double to left fielder Adam Duvall, which cut the Reds two-run deficit in half.

With two runners in scoring position and just one out, Nola preserved the Phillies' lead with back-to-back strikeouts. His nine strikeouts tonight ties a career high, first set on April 11 in a 4-3 defeat to the San Diego Padres.

In the bottom of the seventh, facing former Phillies right-hander JC Ramirez who came from the Seattle Mariners in the December 2009 trade centered around Cliff Lee, Herrera homered just over the right field wall, his fourth of the season. A fan interfered with the play to necessitate a replay review, however the ruling on the field stood as called.

Phillies right-hander Andrew Bailey threw a scoreless eighth inning, striking out two batters. David Hernandez recorded his first save since July 12, 2013, in the ninth, securing the Phillies their 22nd victory of the season.

The save did not come easy for the right-hander, however. The first two batters — Bruce and Suarez — reached on a walk and single, respectively, to put runners on the corners. Duvall then delivered with his second RBI double of the game to shorten the Reds' deficit to one.

After catcher Tucker Barnhart grounded out to first, Jordan Pacheco entered as a pinch-hitter. He flew out to Goeddel in left field, and tagging from third, Suarez was thrown out at home on a strong throw for the final out of the contest. The Reds challenged the play, arguing that Rupp violated the clear path rule, however the ruling on the field stood as called.

Hernandez is now 1-2 in save opportunities this season.

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