Michael Martinez lays out to rob Frazier of an RBI single in the sixth.
The Phillies rebounded from yesterday's loss by taking the rubber game in Cincinnati 6 – 2. After being retired on nine pitches in the first, the Phillies offense awoke in the second inning. Three consecutive singles from Ryan Howard, John Mayberry Jr., and Domonic Brown to the left side plated one run. Erik Kratz completed the rally with a three-run shot over the left-center field wall to give the Phils' a 4 -0 lead early.
Utley extended the lead to 6 – 0 in the third with a bomb to straight away center field. After a deep fly ball from Howard and a double off the wall from Mayberry, Leake's day was quickly over after two and a third. Leake again struggled mightly against the red and white pinstripes, never allowing less than four earned runs to the Phils in his career.
Joey Votto, fresh off the disabled list, singled off Halladay in the first. But that was the only hit Doc would allow until the fourth, when Chris Heisey led off the inning with a single through the hole. He eventually scored the Reds first run on an RBI double from Jay Bruce. Halladay went a strong seven and a third innings, and was also the beneficiary of solid defense. Michael Martinez, who got the nod at third base today, made two diving stops to save a pair of runs in the sixth.
The Reds' bullpen only allowed one hit after the Mike Leake implosion – a single to right field off the bat of Roy Halladay. They also retired seventeen straight batters to end the game. Antonio Bastardo recorded a strikeout against Votto in relief of Doc in the eighth. Papelbon entered the ninth inning with a five run lead, but promptly allowed a leadoff solo shot to Jay Bruce. He would eventually close out the game in his first appearance since Sunday's meltdown in Atlanta.
The Phillies return home to face the Rockies on Friday night following an off day tomorrow.
