Christian Encarnacion-Strand and Elly De La Cruz drove in runs with doubles as the Cincinnati Reds defeated the host Philadelphia Phillies 4-1 on Wednesday.
Reds starter Frankie Montas (2-0) gave up five hits and one run, with five strikeouts and three walks in 5 2/3 innings.
Alexis Diaz threw a scoreless ninth inning for his first save of the season.
Kyle Schwarber hit a solo home run for the Phillies.
Philadelphia starter Zack Wheeler (0-1) tossed six innings and allowed three hits and three runs (one earned). He recorded 10 strikeouts and one walk.
The game was originally scheduled for 1:05 p.m. ET and was then moved to 4:05 p.m. because of anticipated rain in the area. After a rain delay of about four hours, first pitch wasn’t until 8 p.m.
Jeimer Candelario doubled to right with two outs in the eighth inning for Cincinnati. Pinch hitter Stuart Fairchild then struck out to end the threat.
Spencer Steer tripled with one out in the ninth for the Reds, and Nick Martini followed with an RBI single for a 4-1 lead.
Diaz allowed a two-out single to Whit Merrifield in the ninth. Alec Bohm flied out to the warning track in right to end the game.
Cincinnati had runners at second and third with two outs in the third. Encarnacion-Strand then ripped a two-run double to left for a 2-0 lead.
The Phillies managed only two hits through the first four innings, infield singles by Bryce Harper and Johan Rojas.
Brandon Marsh singled to center with one out in the fifth. Merrifield flied out to right, and Rojas struck out swinging.
Cincinnati’s Jake Fraley doubled with two outs in the sixth, and De La Cruz followed with an RBI double to right for a 3-0 advantage. De La Cruz extended his hitting streak to 11 games dating back to last season.
Schwarber launched his solo homer to right in the bottom of the sixth to cut the deficit to 3-1. The Phillies then loaded the bases with two outs, but Marsh popped out in foul ground near third.
Candelario left the game to start the bottom of the eighth. Reds manager David Bell said the training staff suspects Candelario slightly hyperextended his right elbow, and the third baseman will be re-evaluated on Friday.
–Field Level Media
