Bruce, Suarez Power Reds Past Phillies

It may be too early for thinking about a wire-to-wire run. But the Reds are playing as if they’re putting in a bid to do just that. Cincinnati completed a three-game sweep of the Philadelphia Phillies, with a 10-6 drubbing at Great American Ballpark. The win keeps the Reds in first place and matches their start from 2015. That year, they took three straight from the Pirates.

On a cold and wet day, the Reds top-pitching prospect was able to cruise along for his first win. Robert Stephenson won his major league debut. A first-round draft pick in 2011, Stephenson was optioned to Triple-A Louisville on March 18 but recalled Opening Day for the start. He had little time to enjoy the victory, before being packed away for further development.

The line on the youngster was decent. He allowed four runs over five innings and gave up six hits with two walks. He tossed two home-run balls, but was never really in trouble.

Stephenson seemed to be in control of his pitches. Cedric Hunter hit the first homer in the fourth and Ryan Howard had a two-run blast in the fifth for Philadelphia. Carlos Ruiz added a two-run shot, in the top of the eighth. By that time, the Reds had put the game away.

“I think it was great to come up here and have this experience,” Stephenson said, after his performance, via the Cincinnati Enquirer. “That way I can come out here and get that first start out of the way and by the next time I come back, I’m ready to come back for round two.”

The Reds continued their early season dominance of the Phillies in grand style. Eugenio Suarez clobbered his first career grand slam and Jay Bruce sent a 3-run shot out of the park, as the Reds scored eight runs in the fourth inning. The Reds sent 13 batters to the plate. Bruce ended the scoring with a run-scoring single.

After having two sub-par seasons, Bruce seems to have rediscovered the swing that makes fans chant his name with glee. Manager Bryan Price can see the difference. He commended Bruce for his spring training work, per ESPN.

“He put a lot of work in to close some holes in his swing. I know he was disappointed in his last two seasons.”

Bruce belted his second home run of the day, in the seventh inning. It was a deep bomb to center field that completed a huge day for the Reds’ right fielder. He went 3-for-4 with five RBIs and scored two runs.

With the two home runs, Bruce tied Ken Griffey, Jr. for seventh place on the Reds’ all-time list. Bruce was low-key about the achievement and didn’t feel as though he was in the same category as Griffey.

“It is an honor to be mentioned in the same sentence as Ken. I saw how he changed the game. He’s a friend of mine. I’m not worthy.”

The Reds are flying high and playing harder than analysts expected. With a makeshift lineup, they were able to sweep Philadelphia and get some momentum going into the weekend. Friday night, the Reds will begin a three-game series with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Cincinnati will need to be at full strength to start the annual war with the Pirates. Brandon Phillips missed Thursday’s game with a bout of the stomach flu. Devin Mesoraco, Billy Hamilton, and Zack Cozart were also out of the lineup to rest for the upcoming series.

The Phillies lost their eighth straight game in Cincinnati. Philadelphia hasn’t suffered a season-opening road sweep since falling to the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2000. They’ll have to pull it together before continuing their road trip against the Mets.

[Photo by Gary Landers/AP]