Reds at Phillies
The Cincinnati Reds have snapped out of their slump with three wins in five games, but must buck history to keep it going when they visit the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday night for the opener of a three-game series. The Reds have not won a series at Philadelphia since 2006, going 0-9-1 in the last 10 sets with just 10 victories in 35 games overall in that span at Citizens Bank Park.
Cincinnati, which lost seven straight contests between May 12-19, won two of three against Cleveland earlier this week before Thursday’s finale of the home-and-home Ohio Cup series was postponed by rain. Zack Cozart looks to extend his hitting streak to nine games for the Reds, who will send Tim Adleman to the mound against Philadelphia’s Aaron Nola in the first game of the series. The Phillies ended their five-game slide on Thursday when first baseman Tommy Joseph singled in the winning run in the 11th inning for a 2-1 triumph against Colorado for just their fifth victory in the last 25 contests. Joseph also homered to tie the game in the seventh inning for his sixth blast in May after launching just one in April.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, FSN Ohio (Cincinnati), CSN Philadelphia
PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds RH Tim Adleman (2-2, 6.19 ERA) vs. Phillies RH Aaron Nola (2-1, 3.52)
Adleman was knocked around by Colorado last time out, giving up six runs and seven hits over 4 2/3 innings, coming on the heels of a one-inning stint at San Francisco due to a neck strain. The 29-year-old Georgetown product posted back-to-back wins to start May, holding the New York Yankees and Pittsburgh to five runs over 11 innings combined. Adleman lost his only start against the Phillies in 2016, allowing three runs over five frames.
Nola was solid in his first start in a month after dealing with back issues, permitting just one run and four hits in seven innings of a 1-0 loss to Pittsburgh. The 23-year-old LSU product gave up eight runs and 20 hits over 16 innings in his three starts during April when he went 2-0. Joey Votto is 0-for-5 and Scott Schebler 0-for-3 with three strikeouts versus Nola, who is 1-0 with a 1.29 ERA in two career starts against Cincinnati.
WALK-OFFS
1. Philadelphia 3B Maikel Franco, who leads the team with 28 RBIs, returned to the lineup Thursday after being rested two straight days and went 1-for-5.
2. The Reds claimed RHP Jake Buchanan off waivers from the Chicago Cubs Thursday and placed LHP Amir Garrett (hip) on the 10-day disabled list.
3. Cincinnati INF Jose Peraza is 13-for-40 with four extra-base hits during a career-high, 11-game hitting streak.