The Sports Xchange
May 28, 2017
PHILADELPHIA -- Adam Duvall and Patrick Kivlehan both had multi-home run games, and the Cincinnati Reds hit five homers in their 8-4 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday afternoon at Citizens Bank Park.
Duvall's homers were both two-run shots, and he also had a run-scoring single in the first inning for a five-RBI game. The homers -- both to left field -- were the 12th and 13th of Duvall's season, and his 2017 RBI total grew to 43. It was the fourth multi-homer game of Duvall's career and first since Sept. 26, 2016.
Kivlehan, making just his seventh start of 2017, hit solo homers in the fourth and ninth for his first career multi-homer game. Scott Schebler also hit a solo homer in the second inning. It was his 15th of the season, which moved him into a tie for the National League lead with Washington's Bryce Harper.
The Reds hit eight home runs in the three-game series against a Phillies pitching staff which has allowed 76 long balls in 48 games.
The eight-run outburst for Cincinnati was enough to give the team the series victory and moved the Reds within one game of .500 at 24-25. Meanwhile, it was the ninth consecutive series loss for the Phillies (17-31), who are 6-22 in their last 28 games.
Philadelphia took an early lead with a four-run second inning. Catcher Andrew Knapp crushed a three-run, 434-foot homer into the Phillies bullpen, his third home run of the season. Starting pitcher Zach Eflin helped his own cause with an RBI single with one out, but the Phillies would not score again despite plenty of chances.
The Phillies, who notched 10 hits, had their leadoff man reach base in the third, fourth, fifth and sixth innings and left him stranded each time.
Scott Feldman (4-4) surrendered eight hits in five innings, but got enough run support to pick up the win.
Eflin (0-3), meanwhile, was hit hard for his start in a row. The right-hander surrendered seven runs in five innings on nine hits -- four of which were homers. Eflin has allowed 22 earned runs and 30 hits in his last three starts (15 innings) and has a 13.50 ERA in that span. The second-year Major Leaguer has also given up seven home runs in his last two outings after allowing only four in his first six starts.
NOTES: Reds OF Adam Duvall hit two home runs on three occasions in 2016, most recently on Sept. 26 against St. Louis. ... The last time the Phillies won a series was against Miami on April 26 and 27. The Phillies face the Marlins for a three-game set in Miami starting Monday. ... For the Reds, the series victory was their first at Citizens Bank Park since August 2006. Cincinnati was 0-9-1 in its last 10 series in Philadelphia coming into the weekend.