Two of the Philadelphia Phillies’ youngest players continue to provide clutch hits.
And wins.
Bryson Stott ripped a pinch-hit, RBI double in the bottom of the ninth inning Tuesday, and Nick Maton ended the game with an RBI single, giving Philadelphia a come-from-behind, 7-6 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.
The Phillies will look for a third straight win over the Reds on Wednesday night. The four-game series will conclude on Thursday.
“The young guys are bringing the energy for the veterans,” Maton said in a postgame interview on NBC Sports Philadelphia. “It helps a lot. It helps them, too.”
J.T. Realmuto hit a two-run triple for the Phillies on Tuesday, and Matt Vierling hit a solo home run. Nick Castellanos added an RBI single and extended his hitting streak to 13 games.
Stott, a rookie, provided the key blow after Jean Segura walked to open the ninth.
“I just think he’s a confident guy. He’s a good player,” Phillies interim manager Rob Thomson said of Stott. “He has a slow heartbeat, he continues to come through. All those guys — Vierling, Maton, Stott.”
With reigning National League Most Valuable Player Bryce Harper returning soon — by the weekend possibly — the Phillies keep finding ways to win. Harper homered twice for Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Tuesday in his first rehab appearance.
“They continue to fight,” Thomson said of his players. “When you have come-from-behind wins, you have a feeling you can do this. You can get it done.”
The Phillies will hand the ball to Cristopher Sanchez (1-1, 3.80 ERA) on Wednesday. The rookie left-hander has never faced the Reds.
Both teams made transactions on Tuesday.
Cincinnati recalled T.J. Zeuch (0-2, 13.50) from Triple-A Louisville, and he will start in place of fellow right-hander Graham Ashcraft on Wednesday. Ashcraft was placed on the injured list due to right-biceps soreness.
“Not in a huge area of concern. Definitely looking to have him back quick,” Cincinnati manager David Bell said of Ashcraft. “We want him to continue the season he’s having and be able to finish strong. Certainly, enough there to kind of let it settle down and make sure he’s fine.”
Zeuch opposed the Phillies for the first time in his career on Aug. 16, when he allowed six runs on 11 hits in four-plus innings. He was sent back to the minors on Sunday before being brought back on Tuesday.
The Reds also called up catcher Chuckie Robinson and outfielder Stuart Fairchild from Louisville, and catcher Michael Papierski was shipped to the minors. Matt Reynolds (hip) was placed on the injured list.
When Robinson makes his debut with the Reds, he will be the 58th player to appear in a game this season. That would set a franchise record.
The Phillies’ latest move was calling up Yairo Munoz from Lehigh Valley to replace Darick Hall, who was optioned to the minors following the Tuesday game. Munoz started in right field on Wednesday and went 0-for-3.
The Reds grabbed a short-lived 6-5 lead in the ninth inning on Tuesday when TJ Friedl hit a two-run triple. Cincinnati got a single, a double and an RBI from Mike Moustakas before he left with a calf injury in the eighth. Donovan Solano had three hits, and Aristides Aquino added two hits and two RBIs.
“It was a great game, and it’s hard to say that when you lose,” Bell said. “So many good things happened. … It didn’t end going our way. It’s very disappointing for our team.”
–Field Level Media
