PHILADELPHIA -- On a Fourth of July afternoon where All-Star candidate Andrew Abbott was less than effective, Reds hitters were more than enough with run support.
A game that might have gotten away from the Reds earlier this season, especially against a left-handed starter, instead turned into a collective effort to pick up for their own lefty. The big rally was a five-run top of the third inning on Cincinnati's way to a 9-6 victory over the Phillies on Friday at Citizens Bank Park.
“I think they know now if we keep playing, we’ve got a chance. When you’ve got something to show for it, it really helps," manager Terry Francona said
While throwing 31 pitches, Abbott gave up runs in the first inning for the first time this season in his 15 starts and went down, 3-0, after Nick Castellanos’ two-run home run to left field.
The Reds bounced back without a big homer, but still put it all together offensively when they had to.
Against Phillies starter Jesús Luzardo and trailing, 3-1, in the third inning, it began with TJ Friedl's leadoff bunt single to the right side.
“Offense did a great job of just keeping the line moving," said first baseman Spencer Steer, who was 2-for-3 with a walk and two RBIs. "I think we did a good job knowing that [Luzardo] didn’t have his best command. We were patient and made him come to us and we did have some really good at-bats.”
Matt McLain walked and Elly De La Cruz lined an RBI single to right field. Austin Hays tied the game with an RBI double to right field before a Steer's double just inside the left-field line scored two more runs for the lead. Two batters later, Noelvi Marte added a sacrifice fly to center field.
The Reds got Hays back from the injured list one week ago and Marte returned to the lineup on Friday -- adding more length to the lineup and something else.
“Getting Hays back, you have Marte -- I think we have different [lineups] where we don’t have so many lefties in there. We’re more balanced," Francona said.
De La Cruz's one-out RBI single to left field added a Reds run in top of the fourth. Then, the Reds shortstop also made a good defensive play in the bottom of the fourth to throw out Edmundo Sosa trying to score on a fielder's choice to end the inning as Philadelphia was rallying.
“Very big. I don’t know how many guys make that play," Francona said.
Cincinnati plated two more runs in the fifth inning, with Steer hitting a leadoff single and scoring when Will Benson delivered a pinch-hit RBI single to right field.
Steer is batting .408 (22-for-52) with 5 HR and 15 RBIs over his last 14 games. He bounced back well after being scratched from the second game on Wednesday at Boston, after being hit on the right hand by a pitch and suffering a contusion.
“I would say he’s one of the tougher kids I’ve seen," 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 Reds were 6-for-12 with runners in scoring position while winning the opener of their three-game series.
“It’s just understanding that when we go down early, [there’s] a lot of game left," 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.”
After Abbott gave up a run in the bottom of the third inning, he was pulled with one out in the fourth and Cincinnati's bullpen covered the rest of the game. With a 9-4 lead in the sixth, reliever Lyon Richardson allowed a one-out walk and a single. Taylor Rogers let both inherited runs cross on Kyle Schwarber's two-run double off the top of the left-field wall. Tony Santillan escaped a bases-loaded jam of his own making in the eighth.
“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 of his day after he allowed four earned runs and nine hits over 3 1/3 innings. "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.”