It was 95 degrees as Jesús Luzardo threw the first pitch against Cincinnati Reds second baseman Matt McLain. Though a late-inning rain would cool the temperature at Citizens Bank Park, the Phillies’ offense did not need cooling as they scraped together three hits on the day.
Luzardo took the loss on what was a solid two-run outing as the Phillies lost game two of their three-game set with the Reds 4-1 on Tuesday.
Designated hitter Kyle Schwarber was out of the lineup on Monday having fallen ill. While interim manager Don Mattingly stated the slugger “may have a shot to hit” on Tuesday, the Phillies utilized a different DH on Tuesday: Trea Turner.
Given the night off from his duties at short stop, Turner stepped up to the plate with two outs in the bottom of the third. Seeing a slider from Reds’ starter Chase Burns, Turner slugged it 409 feet into left field. His fifth home run of the season gave the Phillies the early 1-0 lead.
Luzardo, who got himself out of a two-baserunner jam in the third, pitched a strong day for the Phillies. Having just received some run support from Turner, Luzardo could not convert on a shut down inning in the top of the fourth.
Leading off the inning, Elly De La Cruz slapped a liner into left-center field. Justin Crawford, in a full sprint, reached the ball but watched it ricochet off the end of his glove. De La Cruz cruised into third on the play.
Spencer Steer then followed up hitting a swinging bunt. Bryce Harper, shaded in on a bunt play, fielded the ball as Bryson Stott also followed the ball. With no one covering first, Steer reached on an infield single as De La Cruz remained at third. Luzardo then walked Sal Stewart, loading the bases.
Dane Myers hit a sacrifice fly into right field, finally scoring De La Cruz on the first out of the inning. Both runners advanced on the play, allowing JJ Bleday to hit his own sacrifice fly into center field to score Steer, giving the Reds a 2-1 advantage.
While Luzardo would allow five hits and two walks, he kept the Reds to those two runs over six innings of work. He struck out five batters and got out of a few jams with some well-time double play balls.
Tanner Banks took the mound in the top of the seventh. Banks allowed a leadoff double to Bleday before allowing a slow chopper to first from Blake Dunn. Banks went to cover first but the throw from Harper went behind him, allowing both runners to advance into scoring position. Banks then loaded the bases on a walk to Tyler Stephenson.
With no outs, Ke’Bryan Hayes hit a sharp grounder directly to Edmundo Sosa at short. Sosa threw home to cut down Bleday. After a pitching change, bringing in Jonathan Bowlan for Banks, the Phillies had a second play at home as Matt McLain hit a grounder to Harper. Harper threw home on a bounce, seemingly beating Dunn to the plate. After a replay review, however, the call was overturned and Dunn was ruled safe.
Bowlan then allowed a run to score on a walk to De La Cruz before recording the final two outs of the inning on a foul out and a ground out. The Reds increased their lead to 4-1 before the damage was done.
As the bottom of the seventh inning got underway at Citizens Bank Park, rain began to overtake the summer-like May sky. A large portion of the 37,527 fans in attendance retreated to the concourse in search of drier conditions as the Phillies’ offense dried up at the plate. Alec Bohm reached base on a walk but was stranded there.
In the bottom of the ninth with two outs, Bohm was then rung out on a 1-2 pitch. After the call on the field was a ball, the Reds challenged the call, ending the game on a successful ABS challenge strikeout.
As a unit, the Phillies’ offense only had four batters reach base. Turner’s solo home run was the sole run while Alec Bohm reached base twice on a double and walk. Bryson Stott was the Phillies’ sole remaining base runner, tallying a single. Collectively, they ended the day batting 3-for-29 against the Reds.
With the series tied at 1-1, the Phillies and Reds will determine the series victor in a midweek matinee on Wednesday. First pitch is scheduled for 1:05 p.m. as Aaron Nola faces Andrew Abbott.
