Nola's 8 Innings, Kingery's Slam Send Phillies Over Reds 6-1
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Aaron Nola pitched eight stellar innings and Scott Kingery hit a grand slam, leading the Philadelphia Phillies to a 6-1 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday night.
Nola (1-0) gave up three hits while striking out six and walking three as Philadelphia won for the fourth time in five games. The Reds have lost three in a row.
Nola threw 103 pitches, two starts after rookie manager Gabe Kapler's disputed decision to lift the Phillies ace through 68 pitches with a lead in a season-opening loss at Atlanta. The right-hander improved to 9-3 with a 2.04 ERA in his last 12 home starts.
Kingery connected with one out in the eighth off Tanner Rainey, who was making his big league debut. It was the second career homer for Kingery — he helped the Phillies beat the Reds 6-5 on Monday night by going deep.
Reds starter Homer Bailey didn't allow a hit through 5 1/3 innings and pitched through the sixth, giving up one run on two hits with seven strikeouts and no walks.
Cesar Hernandez broke up Bailey's no-hit bid with a solid single to right. Hernandez stole second and scored when Odubel Herrera hit the first of his two doubles.
J.P. Crawford put the Phillies ahead 2-1 in the seventh when singled off Jared Hughes (0-1). Crawford got a hit for just the second time in 26 at-bats this season and drove in Nick Williams, who led off with a double.
The Reds got on the board first in the fifth when Billy Hamilton drew his second two-out walk of the game, stole second base for the second time and scored on Jesse Winker's single.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Phillies: RHP Tommy Hunter (strained right hamstring) will do some fielding drills on Wednesday to test out his injured leg. . C Jorge Alfaro was hit on the left hand by Bailey's pitch in the third inning. He was lifted in the seventh for pinch-hitter Andrew Knapp, who took over catching duties from that point.
UP NEXT
RHP Nick Pivetta (1-0, 2.79) starts for the Phillies against Reds RHP Luis Castillo (0-2, 9.00) in the finale of the three-game series on Wednesday night. Neither has faced the other team. Castillo will be trying to get on track after allowing 10 earned runs on 12 hits in 10 innings thus far.
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