Bryson Stott slugged a two-run homer with two outs in the eighth inning, guiding the Philadelphia Phillies to a 5-4 victory over the visiting Cincinnati Reds on Monday.
In the opener of a three-game set, Alec Bohm (2-for-3) also homered to help Philadelphia improve to 16-4 under interim manager Don Mattingly. The Phillies have won six consecutive series and can make it seven straight by defeating the Reds in either of the next two contests.
Sal Stewart (2-for-4) homered and scored twice for Cincinnati, while Spencer Steer delivered a go-ahead double in the top of the eighth. The Reds have dropped five of their last seven games.
Neither starting pitcher factored into the decision. Philadelphia rookie Andrew Painter gave up two runs and three hits in six innings, while counterpart Nick Lodolo allowed three runs and three hits — and a season-high five walks — in 5 2/3 frames.
Trea Turner doubled and Bryce Harper walked to open the bottom of the first before both advanced on a double-steal. After Lodolo walked Bohm, Philadelphia scored on back-to-back sacrifice flies by Edmundo Sosa and Adolis Garcia.
Cincinnati promptly answered with two runs of its own. Stewart and Nathaniel Lowe began the second with consecutive singles against Painter before Tyler Stephenson’s base hit brought the visitors to within 2-1. TJ Friedl followed with a sacrifice fly to make it 2-2.
In the sixth, Bohm’s homer to center off Lodolo gave the hosts a 3-2 edge. Philadelphia eventually loaded the bases later in the frame before reliever Tejay Antone retired Justin Crawford on an inning-ending grounder.
Stewart tied the game in the seventh with a leadoff homer — his 11th of the season — against Brad Keller. In the following frame, Matt McLain singled with one out against Jose Alvarado and came around to score the go-ahead run on Steer’s double.
Bohm opened the eighth with a single against Graham Ashcraft (1-1), who rebounded to get the next two hitters. However, Stott sent his 0-1 slider over the wall in right field for his fifth homer of the season, all coming this month.
Stott’s blast made a winner of Orion Kerkering (2-0), who recorded the final out of the eighth. Jhoan Duran had no issues in the ninth in picking up his eighth save.
Stewart tied Elly De La Cruz for the Reds’ team lead in home runs.
