Categories: 2023 Postgame Recaps

Phillies continue to look lackluster in series-opening loss to Reds

Bailey Falter and the Phillies lost Thursday. (Dustin Bradford/Icon Sportswire)

Final Score: Reds 6, Phillies 2

Five days ago at Citizens Bank Park, Reds’ left-hander Nick Lodolo dominated the Phillies lineup. Lodolo pitched seven shutout innings with 12 strikeouts in South Philly last Saturday, while only allowing three hits. Bailey Falter was also on the mound in that game. Falter’s outing wasn’t as strong as Lodolo’s, but it was still effective. He pitched five innings, surrendering just one run on four hits, and retiring the final 12 batters he faced.

Tonight was a rematch between the two young southpaws in Cincinnati. The 25-year-old Lodolo wasn’t as dominant this time around, as he tossed five innings with six strikeouts, while allowing two earned runs on eight hits. Falter was not nearly as effective, either. He pitched 4 2/3 innings, gave up eight hits, and was charged with five earned runs.

Nick Castellanos opened the scoring early in the top of the first inning. After a Trea Turner single and Kyle Schwarber walk, Castellanos lined a first pitch fastball from Lodolo into center field to score Turner from second.

The Reds then answered quickly in the home half of the first. Jonathan India led off the inning with a double. India then stole third base and scored as J.T. Realmuto’s throw ended up at the left field wall after getting by third baseman Edmundo Sosa:

Cincinnati would go on to score three more runs in the bottom of the third inning. With two outs, the Reds hit four consecutive singles. Three of those four base hits had an RBI attached to them. Wil Myers’ single to left field split Turner and Sosa to give the Reds a 4-1 lead:

An inning-and-a half later, Scwharber — who went to high school 35 miles north of Cincinnati in Middletown, Ohio — led off the top of the fifth with a solo home run to make it a 4-2 ball game:

Philadelphia eventually fell behind 6-2, and for the second straight game, couldn’t muster any offense against their opponent’s bullpen. In four innings of work, Reds relievers only allowed two base runners tonight.

The Phillies were also 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position and left nine men on base.

Rob Thomson’s squad is now 4-9 on the season and will send Taijuan Walker to the mound tomorrow with the hopes of ending their current three-game losing streak.

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Notes

Alec Bohm’s third-inning single extended his hitting streak to seven games.
Seven of the eight hits Falter gave up tonight were singles.
McKinley Moore picked up his first big league strikeout tonight. However, he struggled with his command again, and in his lone inning of work, the right-hander hit two batters, walked another and gave up one run.
With a two-out bunt single in the ninth, Bryson Stott extended his hitting streak to 13 games.

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