By Chris Bengel and John Russo
Phillies 4, Reds 3 (11 innings)
WP – Raul Valdes (3-2, 3.14)
LP – Alfredo Simon (2-2, 2.49)
PHILADELPHIA — Three times were a charm for the Phillies.
After failing to bring home the winning run in the 9th and 10th innings with runners in scoring positon, the Phillies sealed the deal in the 11th inning. With the bases loaded, John Mayberry Jr. hit a grounder in the gap between short stop and third to win the game for the Phillies, 4-3.
The RBI single finished off four unanswered runs that enabled the Phillies to make the come-from-behind win.
Cincinnati didn’t waste any time getting a run off Phillies starter Cole Hamels. With two outs in the first inning, Todd Frazier hit an RBI groundout to third base which allowed shortstop Zack Cozart to score.
Frazier, the Toms River, NJ product, accounted for all three runs for the Reds. The third baseman went 1-for-4 with three RBIs, including a two-run double in the 6th that made it 3-0.
Despite being down 3-0, the Phillies climbed back into the game.
After surrendering two runs in the top of the sixth inning, Ryan Howard began the bottom half with a walk. Domonic Brown followed with a double to left field. Laynce Nix and Erik Kratz were able to hit sacrifice flies to make it a 3-2 game, scoring both Howard and Brown.
Brown scored on another sacrifice fly to tie the game in the 8th inning. Jimmy Rollins hit a ball to left field that wasn’t too deep but Brown’s speed and head-first slide beat the throw to the plate.
In the 9th, the Phillies had a chance to walk it off. But with the bases loaded and one out, Brown hit into an inning-ending double play to send the game to extras.
In the 10th, bad luck struck the Phillies again.
Kratz hit a one-out single that was followed up by Rollins’ double to put runners on second and third with one out. But pinch-hitter Brian Schneider and Juan Pierre failed to bring home Kratz, ending their second straight scoring threat.
2B: Brown (7), Rollins (28), Utley (8).
TTB 