Phillies Hold On to Secure Series Victory Over Reds

The Philadelphia Phillies secured another series victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday evening with a 7-5 win. They have now won five of six contests with the Reds this season, with one more game remaining on the schedule.

Cristopher Sánchez, making a spot start to give the rotation some extra rest, turned in his first career quality start. The lefty went six innings and gave up three earned runs. He struck out seven and allowed only six men to reach base.

Sánchez allowed two home runs, but both were solo shots, and Philadelphia's offense provided enough run support that those two long balls hardly mattered.

The Phillies put their first run on the board with some small ball, as Jean Segura reached on an infield single, Nick Maton walked, and Matt Vierling drove in Segura with a ground-ball single to left field.

Kyle Schwarber followed that up with a single of his own, loading the bases for Rhys Hoskins. The first baseman grounded into a fielder's choice that was nearly a double play, but he hustled down the first base lane and beat the throw. Maton scored and the Phillies took a 2-1 lead.

J.T. Realmuto led off the next inning with his 14th homer of the season, putting Philadelphia up 3-1.

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After Realmuto's blast, Bryson Stott walked, Segura hit another infield single, and Vierling walked to load the bases. After a mound visit, Reds starter T.J. Zeuch walked Schwarber to drive in a run, and his evening was done.

Unfortunately, the bullpen was unable to stop the bleeding, as reliever Art Warren walked in a run of his own. With the bases still loaded, he gave up a single to Alec Bohm, and the Phillies went up 6-1.

By the end of the sixth inning, Sánchez had allowed two more runs, but Philadelphia still held a comfortable 6-3 lead. In the seventh, however, after Rob Thomson lifted Sánchez for Nick Nelson, that lead started to feel a little less comfortable.

Nelson gave up a single, a double, and sac fly, allowing Cincinnati to score a fourth run, bringing the game to within two.

Thankfully, the Phillies got that run back in the bottom of the inning, as Vierling tripled and came home to score on a base hit by Hoskins.

It looked like Philadelphia would score another insurance run when Realmuto smacked a double to right field, but Aristides Aquino was able to gun Hoskins down at the plate with an absolutely remarkable throw. Even Hoskins and Realmuto couldn't help but be impressed with what they just witnessed.

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The Reds challenged in the final innings, plating one off of Connor Brogdon in the eighth and nearly scoring again off of Robertson in the ninth (after a terrible dropped catch by Yairo Muñoz in left field), but the Phillies held on.

Thanks to an unexpected quality start from Sánchez, another great game for the red-hot Realmuto, and a couple of bases-loaded walks, Philadelphia defeated Cincinnati 7-5.

The Phillies now hold a two-game lead over the Padres in the Wild Card standings, and a 3.5-game lead over the Brewers, who sit on the outside looking in.

Aaron Nola takes the mound on Thursday at 7:05 p.m. for the final contest between Philadelphia and Cincinnati this season.

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