Christian Encarnacion-Strand and Elly De La Cruz hit RBI doubles, and Frankie Montas pitched 5 2/3 innings to lead the Cincinnati Reds to a 4-1 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday night, following a lengthy rain delay.
Originally set for the afternoon, the game was postponed for three hours due to heavy rain. After the delay, another delay of 3 hours and 55 minutes followed, making it the second-longest delay in the history of Citizens Bank Park.
Despite the challenging conditions, Reds manager David Bell praised his team’s readiness and performance. Montas, who earned his second win of the season, pitched effectively, allowing only one run on five hits. Relief pitcher Alexis Diaz secured his first save of the season.
Montas emphasized his focus on efficiency and getting ahead in the count, rather than focusing solely on strikeouts. The Reds capitalized on their opportunities, with six hits, including five for extra bases.
Encarnacion-Strand’s double in the third inning drove in two runs, while Jake Fraley and De La Cruz added back-to-back doubles in the sixth inning to score another run. Nick Martini contributed an RBI single in the ninth inning.
On the Phillies’ side, Zack Wheeler pitched six innings, allowing three runs (one earned) on three hits. Despite striking out 10 batters, Wheeler took the loss. Kyle Schwarber managed to hit a solo home run, extending his hitting streak to five games.
Phillies manager Rob Thomson acknowledged the team’s slow offensive start but expressed confidence in their ability to improve as the season progresses, despite the challenging conditions faced during the game.
