Phillies Struggles Continue In 4-1 Loss To Reds
CINCINNATI (AP) — Phillies rookie David Buchanan had one bad innning and it cost him.
The Reds scored all four of their runs in the fifth inning to beat Buchanan and Philadelphia 4-1 on Sunday.
"Buchanan had a pretty good fastball and slider," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said. "There were a couple pitches he'd like to have back both in the same inning."
It was just two bad pitches that cost Buchanan (1-3), who was making his fourth career start since being called up by Philadelphia on May 24.
Trailing 1-0 in the fifth, Todd Frazier led off with a bloop single to center field and went to third on Zack Cozart's opposite-field double down the right-field line. Against a drawn-in Phillies infield, Reds pitcher Homer Bailey grounded a two-run single up the middle, just out of reach of diving shortstop Jimmy Rollins.
Billy Hamilton, hitless in his previous 12 at bats, followed with his second home run of the season, a 348-foot drive into the right-field seats on a full count.
"I got the ground ball on Bailey but it found a hole," Buchanan said. "I left a change up, up to Hamilton. I had conviction with the pitch, if I put it down and away, he doesn't hit it."
Bailey (7-3) allowed just six hits and one run with three walks and seven strikeouts over eight innings. He picked uphis first career win in five decisions over 10 games against Philadelphia. He threw a season-high 121 pitches, four short of tying his career high.
The Phillies had at least one runner on base in six of those innings, but they couldn't capitalize enough to avoid their eighth loss in nine games.
"Every run is big for us," Sandberg said.
Aroldis Chapman struck out the side in the ninth for his ninth save.
Buchanan allowed six hits and four runs with six strikeouts in six innings. He also hit a batter while losing his third consecutive start.
Philadelphia took a 1-0 lead in the third. Ben Revere and Jimmy Rollins singled with one out. Revere stole third and scored on Chase Utley's sacrifice fly.
The Phillies, who saw two innings end with runners thrown out at the plate on Saturday, lost another runner at home in the fourth inning on Sunday. Domonic Brown was on third base with Carlos Ruiz on first and one out when Cesar Hernandez hit a chopper to third baseman Todd Frazier, who easily threw out Brown at the plate. Buchanan followed with an inning-ending fielder's-choice grounder.
"That's the way its been going for us," Sanberg said. "We need to see execution going forward. It's about everybody chipping in."
The Phillies completed a stretch in which they played 20 games in 20 days. They are off on Monday.
"I don't think it's about tiredness," Sanberg said. "I see potential everyday. We just need to be consistent. We haven't had a hot streak yet. I believe there is a hot streak in there."
Notes: Jimmy Rollins needs five hits to pass Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt for the Phillies' career record after going 1-for-3 on Sunday. ... Cincinnati's Devin Mesoraco struck out three times while extending his career-long hitless streak to 17 at bats. ... Philadelphia wrapped up a stretch of 20 games in 20 days with a 6-14 record. After a day off on Monday, the Phillies open a stretch of 21 games in 20 days with the first of a three-game home series against San Diego. ... The Reds are scheduled to continue their 10-game home stand, their second-longest of the season, on Monday with the first of four games against the Dodgers.
(© Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)