Cincinnati, OH (Sports Network) – Former Phillie Scott Rolen paced the Reds’ offense with a two-run homer and three RBI, while Johnny Cueto tossed eight solid innings on the mound, as Cincinnati handled Philadelphia, 7-3, in the opener of a three-game set at Great American Ball Park.
Orlando Cabrera and Joey Votto each had three hits and an RBI for the Reds, who have won six of their last seven. Ramon Hernandez knocked in a run and scored once for the victors.
Cueto (8-2) allowed just one run on six hits to pick up his first career victory against the Phillies. He was 0-2 with a 15.26 earned run average in two previous starts versus Philadelphia.
Raul Ibanez belted a two-run homer and drove in three runs for the Phillies, who had won five of six coming in. Ryan Howard had two hits and scored a run in defeat.
Kyle Kendrick (4-3) gave up six runs — five earned — on eight hits in a 6 1/3-inning start to take the loss. Kendrick, who also struck out four and walked no batters, fell to 3-1 lifetime against the Reds.
The Phillies, who stranded a runner on second in the first and third frames, wasted a great scoring opportunity in the fourth. Chase Utley led off with a single to center, but was thrown out while trying to stretch it into a double. Howard doubled and Jayson Werth walked to put men on first and second. However, Ibanez grounded into a double play to end the threat.
Kendrick retired the first 10 batters he faced before giving up a one-out double to Cabrera in the home fourth. Cabrera, though, was caught trying to steal third. Votto followed with a two-bagger of his own. Rolen stepped to the plate and blasted a 2-0 cutter off the left-field foul pole for a 2-0 lead.
Cincinnati added two more runs in the sixth to make it 4-0. Cueto reached first on second baseman Utley’s fielding error, Brandon Phillips singled, and Cabrera singled to load the bases with nobody out. Votto then hit a run-scoring base hit in front of Rolen’s sacrifice fly. Jonny Gomes and Jay Bruce both fouled out to end the frame.
Cueto retired seven straight batters before Howard led off the seventh with a triple off the wall in center. Howard crossed the plate two batters later when Ibanez reached first on an infield single.
The Reds responded with two runs in the home seventh on Hernandez’s RBI double and Cabrera’s run-scoring single.
Pinch-hitter Chris Heisey hit a sacrifice fly in the eighth to make it 7-1.
Ibanez hit a two-run homer off Bill Bray in the ninth to account for the final margin.
Game Notes
The Phillies took five of seven from the Reds last season and have won nine of the last 13 meetings overall…It was Kendrick’s first loss since May 22 against the Red Sox…Rolen, who played the first six-plus years of his career with the Phillies, hit his 300th career homer…Votto has reached base safely in a career-high 36 straight games…Philadelphia was without third baseman Placido Polanco (left elbow).