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Philadelphia Phillies' Bryson Stott (center) points to the crowd after hitting a solo home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds, Sunday, April 16, 2023, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel)
The Philadelphia Phillies bounced back from one of their worst losses of the season to quickly take control on the way to a 14-3 drubbing of the Cincinnati Reds and earn a split of their four-game series on Sunday.
Bryson Stott hit a lead-off home run, Brandon Marsh had four hits, Trea Turner and Alec Bohm each had three hits for the Phillies. Jake Cave tied his career high with four runs batted in as the hot-and-cold Phillies reached double figures in runs for the second time in less than a week. They beat Miami 15-3 on Monday.
“Any time you score nine runs in the first inning, that’s a good sign,” Stott said.
The defending National League champions piled up a season-high 23 hits and have won two of their last three games after dropping four of five.
Aaron Nola (1-2) gave up five hits and three runs, two earned, with three walks and four strikeouts in six innings. He had started a game with such a large lead.
“I’ve had a couple of big ones, but not that big,” the right-hander said.
“I thought he was good,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said of Nola. “I think those long innings affect him a little bit, but in the last two innings, he was really good.”
Nola allowed one hit, but with the help of a double play, faced the minimum six batters over his final two innings.
After being crushed 13-0 on Saturday, the Phillies posted nine runs against Luis Cessa in the first inning – their biggest inning since scoring 10 in the first inning of a 14-3 win over the Mets on the same date in 2019. They had a season-high eight hits in the inning.
Every Phillies’ starter had at least one hit after three innings, led by Turner’s three singles. Turner, who signed an 11-year contract with Philadelphia in December, scored three runs in three innings.
“We have a good lineup,” Stott said. “It was only a matter of time before we had one of those games.”
Philadelphia needed only two pitches to avoid a second straight shutout. Stott hit Luis Cessa’s second pitch of the game 378 feet into the right field seats. Cave drove in three runs with a bases-loaded double and five other Phillies each had an RBI during the outburst.
“Obviously the first guy hits a home run into the first row,” Reds catcher Luke Maile said. “The pitch was up, but it was just one thing after another. Anything that could go wrong did. I was really proud of the way he handled it.”
Cessa (0-2) allowed a career-high 14 hits and 11 runs with three walks and no strikeouts in a season-low three innings.
“Cess looked like his stuff was down — definitely not his best stuff,” manager David Bell said. “To his credit he hung in there and gave us a few more innings which may not sound like a big deal, but in the big picture it really is. We have a long stretch of consecutive games here. It’s not easy, but he did it for us to help save our bullpen for the next few days.”
Thirteen Phillies batted in the first inning as the Reds gave up the most runs in one inning this season. The Reds had allowed more than nine runs in a game just once in 2023.
Stott’s home run extended his season-opening hit streak to 16 games, tying Willie “Puddin’ Head” Jones for the longest season-opening streak in franchise history since 1900.
The start of the game was delayed 44 minutes by rain.
Cincinnati’s Jason Vosler moved from first base in the ninth inning to make his first career pitching appearance. Curt Casali moved from first base to make his first career appearance at third base after Spencer Steer left the game with an undisclosed injury
Phillies: INF Edmundo Sosa did not start after leaving Saturday’s game with a tight back.
Reds: INF Joey Votto (left shoulder and biceps surgery) is continuing his rehab in Cincinnati after being recalled Saturday from a rehab assignment with Triple-A Louisville.
Phillies: RHP Zack Wheeler (0-1) is the scheduled starter for the opener of a three-game series against the White Sox in Chicago on Monday.
Reds: RHP Hunter Greene (0-0) is the scheduled starter for the opener of a three-game series against Tampa Bay in Cincinnati.