Phillies beat Reds, win 13th one-run game
PHILADELPHIA -- The jury is still out on whether or not the Philadelphia Phillies -- kings of the one-run victory -- are for real. But, in the meantime, they're taking care of the teams they're supposed to.
After taking 2-of-3 from both Miami and Atlanta to finish a long road trip, the Phillies opened up a nine-game homestand Friday night with their major league-leading 13th one-run win, a 3-2 victory over the Cincinnati Reds at Citizens Bank Park.
And they did so, once again, with their typical blueprint: Good starting pitching from Jeremy Hellickson, timely, patient hitting against Reds starter Brandon Finnegan, who allowed five walks in just four innings of work, and shutdown relief innings.
Hellickson tossed seven innings of two-run baseball, allowing four hits and two unearned runs while striking out nine -- one shy of his career high -- against one walk to earn his third win. He provided the winning RBI in the fourth inning, too.
Hellickson gave way to Hector Neris, who pitched a clean eighth inning. Jeanmar Gomez hit Joey Votto with a 1-2 pitch with one out in the ninth, but induced a game-ending double play and earned his MLB-best 14th save.
Cincinnati, after going down in order with three strikeouts in the first inning, struck first in the top of the second inning. After Hellickson retired Brandon Phillips and Jay Bruce to start the inning, a double from Adam Duvall and a single by Tyler Holt put runners at the corners with two away.
Catcher Tucker Barnhart drove a ball down the left field line and Phillies left fielder Tyler Goeddel ranged over. But the ball hit off Goeddel's glove and then fell to the ground, allowing the Reds to plate two runs.
Goeddel would make up for his gaffe later.
With Carlos Ruiz and Tommy Joseph -- who was playing in his first major league game -- on base after being issued walks from Finnegan, Goeddel lined a two-run, one-out triple down the line and into the right field corner. Hellickson, helping his own cause, executed a perfect safety squeeze to score Goeddel from third to put the Phillies ahead, 3-2.
NOTES: The Cincinnati Reds were slapped with a pair of suspensions Friday afternoon. RHP Ross Ohlendorf was suspended three games and manager Bryan Price was suspended one game after each was ejected from Wednesday night's game against Pittsburgh. Each was fined. Price served his suspension Friday night while Ohlendorf will appeal. Bench coach Jim Riggleman managed the Reds Friday night. ... The Phillies selected the contract of 1B Tommy Joseph Friday from Triple-A Lehigh Valley and optioned 1B Darin Ruf to Lehigh Valley. Joseph, 24, who was batting .347 with a .611 slugging percentage at Lehigh Valley, made his major league debut Friday. He batted sixth and played first base. ... The Reds placed CF Billy Hamilton on the bereavement list Friday and recalled prospect Jose Peraza from Triple-A Louisville. The team will be without Hamilton for at least three days (at maximum, seven) to be with his family after a death in the family. ... Phillies OF Cody Asche (strained oblique), who began the season on the 15-day disabled list, started a rehab assignment with Class A Clearwater Friday.