A poor start from Adam Morgan and a lack of clutch hitting worked against the Phillies in a 9-4 loss to the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday afternoon at Citizens Bank Park.
The loss was just the Phillies’ second in the last eight games. They are 22-16 on the season. Cincinnati is 15-22.
The Phillies had 12 hits, but were just 3 for 18 with runners in scoring position and stranded 16, including three in the ninth.
The game took three hours and 52 minutes to play.
The Phillies took two of three from the Reds.
Starting pitching report
Morgan struggled. He allowed eight hits and seven runs over 3 2/3 innings. The big hit against him was a three-run home run in the fourth. Two batters earlier, Morgan walked the opposing pitcher on four pitches. Morgan was not supported by good defense. Nonetheless, he was hit hard as his ERA rose to 6.41 from 3.94.
Morgan, who pitched seven innings of one-run ball in his previous start at Atlanta, is 1-1 in four starts.
Cincinnati right-hander Dan Straily was not sharp, but he managed to pitch five shutout innings despite throwing 109 pitches and allowing 10 base runners. The Phillies were 0 for 10 with runners in scoring position against Straily.
Bullpen report
Brett Oberholtzer pitched 2 1/3 scoreless innings for the Phillies. Elvis Araujo was touched for two runs in the ninth.
The Reds had trouble closing the game out and went to Tony Cingrani for the final two outs. He got both of them with the bases loaded.
At the plate
Maikel Franco doubled home two runs for the Phillies in the sixth inning. That matched his RBI total from the previous seven games. He drove in his third run of the game with a single in the eighth.
Ryan Howard hit a couple of long balls, but one went foul and one was caught at the centerfield wall. David Lough just missed a grand slam in the ninth. His drive to right field hooked foul.
Odubel Herrera walked twice. He has 29 walks in 38 games. Last season, he walked just 28 times in 147 games.
Jay Bruce and Adam Duvall had back-to-back doubles for the Reds in the second inning.
Eugenio Suarez singled in the first and third innings. He belted the three-run homer to center off Morgan in the fourth.
Health check
After making a big play Saturday night, Cameron Rupp was a little banged up. He got the day off (see story)
Up next
The Phillies host the Miami Marlins for three games beginning Monday night. Here are the pitching matchups:
Monday night – RHP Jerad Eickhoff (1-5, 4.43) vs. LHP Adam Conley (2-2, 3.72)
Tuesday night – RHP Vince Velasquez (4-1, 2.70) vs. LHP Wei-Yin Chen (3-1, 4.40)
Wednesday afternoon – RHP Jeremy Hellickson (3-2, 4.12) vs. RHP Tom Koehler (2-3, 5.14)
Facing left-handed pitchers in the first two games of the series will allow the Phillies to use Tommy Joseph at first base.