Phillies beat Reds 9-4, Harper breaks out

PHILADELPHIA. PA - The Phillies took down the Cincinnati Reds 9-4 Tuesday night at CBP.

It seemed for a while that the Phillies may not be playing a game tonight or even for a couple of days for that matter as some inclement weather rolled through the region. Nonetheless, the show went on in South Philadelphia as the showman himself (Bryce Harper) conducted.

It was clear from the gate that Harper had found his stroke. The Phillies first baseman had not found a hit through his first four games but it didn’t take long tonight as he launched his first home run on the season in the bottom of the first inning to make it 1-0 Phillies.

Through the next few innings, it was the Phillies number five starter, Spencer Turnbull who kept the club afloat. In the absence of Taijuan Walker who is dealing with a nagging injury out of the spring training, Turnbull has taken the job as the fifth starter and did well in the inaugural appearance for the Phillies going 5.0 innings and allowing only a run. 

That run came in the top of the third as Will Benson doubled and scored Tyler Stephenson, tying the game up at one apiece. 

In the bottom of the fourth, however, it was Harper who homered for the second time in his second at-bat to make it 2-1 Phillies.

In the bottom of the 6th Bryson Stott would reach on a throwing error by Elly De La Cruz and score Trea Turner, making it 3-1 Phillies.

In the bottom of the 7th, the Fightins really began to pour it on. Kyle Schwarber began by knocking in an RBI single which scored Brandon Marsh.

Then it was Bryce Harper, who came up for the third time and sent a 422-foot grand slam into right-center field to make it 8-1 Phillies in a hurry.

In the top of the eight, Jonathan India came home after an error by Alec Bohm forced a ground rule double. Bringing the score to 8-2 Phillies.

In the bottom of the eighth, it was Brandon Marsh who extended the Phillies lead to 9-2 with his second home run of the season.

In the top of the ninth, it was Spencer Steer who singled to score Jake Fraley. Then Nick Martini helped Elly De La Cruz to score on a sacrifice fly, bringing the score to 9-4.

With the win, the Phillies move to 2-3 on the season and will attempt to win the series tomorrow afternoon at the Bank as they take on the Reds one last time for a 4:05 PM EDT first pitch. You can see the game on NBCSP and 94.1 WIP.