By Matt Rappa, Sports Talk Philly editor 
Looking for their fourth straight win and eighth series win at home this season — out of 11 such series overall (7-2-1) — the Philadelphia Phillies (36-27) will take on RHP Tanner Roark and the National League Central-worst Cincinnati Reds (28-34) Saturday afternoon at Citizens Bank Park. Right-hander Nick Pivetta will make his third start since returning from Triple-A — after being sent down to due posting an 8.35 ERA over his first four starts.
Prior to the game, the club placed rookie OF Adam Haseley (left groin strain) on the 10-day injured list and recalled OF Nick Williams from Triple-A Lehigh Valley.
RELATED | Bruce Homers Against Former Club as Phillies Win 3rd Straight
Outfielder Jay Bruce homered in his third consecutive game — and for the fourth time in as many games with the team — helping the Phillies top the Reds, 4-2, in Friday's series opener. Bruce is riding a seven-game hitting streak in which he is slashing .435/.480/1.217 with five home runs, 10 RBI, two walks and just three strikeouts. Since his June 3 Phillies debut, Bruce has slashed .500/.500/1.500 with nine RBI and just one strikeout spanning 14 plate appearances.
The Phillies have won four straight home games against the Reds — scoring no fewer than four runs — dating back to April 9, 2018. Coincidentally, the Phillies offense has logged exactly six hits in each of the wins.
Starting Pitching Matchup:
| Cincinnati Reds (28-34) | Philadelphia Phillies (36-27) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RHP | Tanner Roark | RHP | Nick Pivetta | ||
| (4-4, 3.47 ERA) | (3-1, 6.14 ERA) | ||||
RHP Tanner Roark, Age: 32
- Career vs. PHI: 6-9, 4.29 ERA, 22 G, 20 GS, 115 1/3 IP, 115 H, 58 R, 55 ER, 9 HR, 34 BB, 97 SO, 1.292 WHIP
- Career at Citizens Bank Park: 3-6, 5.30 ERA, 11 G, 10 GS, 56 IP, 64 H, 36 R, 33 ER, 4 HR, 17 BB, 37 SO, 1.446 WHIP
This season, Roark is 3-0 with a 2.88 ERA in five road starts, as opposed to 1-4 with a 3.86 ERA in seven home starts. The seven-year veteran — who played 182 games with the Washington Nationals from 2013 to 2018 — has not allowed a run over his last two road starts (11 innings).
RHP Nick Pivetta, Age: 26
- Career vs. CIN: 0-1, 4.85 ERA, 2 G, 2 GS, 13 IP, 11 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 2 HR, 2 BB, 19 SO, 1.000 WHIP
- Career at Citizens Bank Park: 11-11, 4.94 ERA, 34 G, 33 GS, 175 IP, 177 H, 101 R, 96 ER, 35 HR, 53 BB, 206 SO, 1.314 WHIP
Through two starts since returning to the majors, Pivetta has posted a 2.45 ERA. In his most recent start — last Sunday against the MLB-best Los Angeles Dodgers — Pivetta tossed six scoreless innings while recording nine strikeouts and allowing just three hits and no walks.
Starting Lineups:
| Cincinnati Reds (28-34) | Philadelphia Phillies (36-27) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Player | Bats | Position | Player | Bats | ||
| 1 | CF | Nick Senzel | R | 1 | 2B | Cesar Hernandez | S |
| 2 | 1B | Joey Votto | L | 2 | RF | Bryce Harper | L |
| 3 | 3B | Eugenio Suarez | R | 3 | SS | Jean Segura | R |
| 4 | 2B | Derek Dietrich | L | 4 | 1B | Rhys Hoskins | R |
| 5 | RF | Jesse Winker | L | 5 | C | J.T. Realmuto | R |
| 6 | LF | Josh VanMeter | L | 6 | LF | Jay Bruce | L |
| 7 | SS | Jose Peraza | R | 7 | CF | Scott Kingery | R |
| 8 | C | Tucker Barnhart | S | 8 | 3B | Maikel Franco | R |
| 9 | P | Tanner Roark | R | 9 | P | Nick Pivetta | R |
Broadcast Information:
- First pitch: 4:05 p.m.
- TV: NBCSP
- Radio: SportsRadio 94 WIP
Recent Phillies Transactions:
- Report: Phillies Agree to Minor-League Deal with RHP Fernando Salas
- Recalled OF Nick Williams from Triple-A Lehigh Valley.
- Placed OF Adam Haseley (left groin strain) on the 10-day injured list.
- Activated RHP Zach Eflin (mid-back tightness) from the 10-day injured list.
- Recalled LHP Ranger Suarez from Triple-A Lehigh Valley.
- Placed RHP Seranthony Dominguez on 10-day injured list with ulnar collateral ligament damage in his right elbow. Tommy John surgery is possible; Dominguez will seek a second opinion.
- Optioned RHP Yacksel Rios to Triple-A Lehigh Valley.
Game Notes:
- According to Elias Sports, Bruce is the first Phillies player who debuted with the team in the modern era to hit four home runs in his first four games with the team.
- The last Phillies player to hit for the cycle, David Bell in 2004 against the Montreal Expos, returned to Citizens Bank Park — as the manager of the opposing Reds. Last night, the Phillies showed a video of the cycle on the scoreboard between innings; every Reds fielder stopped to watch, the Enquirer's Bobby Nightengale notes.
- Reds slugger Joey Votto hit his first home run since May 14 in the first inning of the Reds' series-opener loss to the Phillies.
- Through 29 career at-bats against Roark, Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto has slashed .448/.467/.517 with 11 singles, two doubles, six RBI, one walk and no strikeouts (click to expand).
What's Next:
- Sunday, June 9, 2019: vs. Cincinnati Reds, 1:05 p.m.
- Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, Pa.
- RHP Sonny Gray (2-5, 3.54 ERA) vs. RHP Aaron Nola (6-1, 4.63 ERA)
- TV: NBCSP; Radio: SportsRadio 94 WIP
