J.T. Realmuto’s long home run leads Phillies to win in home opener
Final Score: Phillies 5, Reds 2
Without Bryce Harper, Rhys Hoskins and Darick Hall, the Philadelphia Phillies are in desperate need of some other star players in their lineup to pick up the slack in terms of run producing.
That’s exactly what happened Friday afternoon , leading the Phillies to a victory over the Cincinnati Reds in their first home game of the season.
Nick Castellanos got the Phillies into the hits column in the bottom of the second inning, leading off with a double against his former team. Greene then preceded to retire Bryson Stott and Alec Bohm, before forcing in a run by walking Jake Cave, Kody Clemens and Brandon Marsh consecutively.
Still, the Phillies only managed to push one run across in the bottom of the third inning. Following Marsh’s RBI walk, Trea Turner worked a 2-0 count. Rather than waiting until Greene proved he could find the strike zone, Turner got the green light on 2-0 and flew out to center field to end the threat.
Castellanos doubled again in the bottom of the third inning, but he and J.T. Realmuto were ultimately stranded in scoring position.
In the top of the fifth inning, the Reds tied the game on a José Barrero single, which plated Spencer Steer. Zack Wheeler was able to strand a runner at third to escape the jam, though, striking out Jonathan India to keep the score tied 1-1.
The tie didn’t last long, as Turner led off the home half of the fifth inning by singling in center field. Moments later, Kyle Schwarber doubled into the right field corner, allowing Turner to use his blazing speed to score from first base (and do so with his signature slide):
To their credit, the Reds once again tied in the game in the top of the sixth inning, with Tyler Stephenson trading places with TJ Friedl on a double that knocked Wheeler out of the game.
Following successful relief appearances by Andrew Bellatti and Gregory Soto, Turner once again led off with a single in the bottom of the seventh inning. This time, Turner didn’t have to use his speed to score, as J.T. Realmuto allowed him to trot home after he hit a 448-foot home run:
The blast was the second longest in Realmuto’s career, with his longest traveling 456 feet in May of 2019 vs. the Chicago Cubs.
After a dominant inning of relief from José Alvarado, Edmundo Sosa led off the bottom of the eighth inning with a pinch hit home run, some insurance for the Phillies in a tight game:
Craig Kimbrel closed out the game in the top of the ninth inning, recording his 395th career save and first in red pinstripes.
With the win, the Phillies improve to 2-5 early on in the 2023 campaign. Meanwhile, the Reds drop to 3-3.
The Phillies will turn to Bailey Falter Saturday as they look to clinch their first series win of the 2023 season.
Shibe Vintage Sports Notes
- Friday marked the first game in the 20th season of play at Citizens Bank Park. The Phillies also hosted the Reds in the first regular game ever played at the stadium, a 4-1 loss on April 12, 2004.
- Wheeler pitched 5 1/3 innings in his second start of the season, allowing five hits and two earned runs. The 32-year-old’s ERA after two starts is 5.59, thanks to a disastrous first outing in Texas.
- Greene struck out five and walked three over 4 2/3 innings pitched, allowing five hits and two earned runs.
- With his two doubles Friday, Castellanos has five early on in the 2023 season. The only player with more doubles in baseball currently is Matt Chapman of the Toronto Blue Jays, who has six.
- The home opener was a sellout, with the Phillies announcing an attendance of 44,365 fans.
Ticket IQ Next Game
- Saturday, April 8 vs. Reds at Citizens Bank Park
- 4:05 p.m. ET
- TV: NBC Sports Philadelphia +
- Radio: SportsRadio 94 WIP
- Spanish Radio: WTTM 1680
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