Votto’s power surge keeps Reds on their ascent
PHILADELPHIA — Joey Votto crushed the latest home run on his power barrage and performed a little fist-bump, hand-slap routine with his teammates at the plate. He looked at the fans on his walk back to the dugout and pointed his thumbs at his shoulders, a worthy flex for a slugger showing plenty of muscle of late.
Votto hit a three-run home run and Tyler Mahle tossed seven shutout innings to lead the Cincinnati Reds to a 6-1 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday night.
Votto has 15 home runs in his last 22 games as he tries to inch the Reds back into the playoff picture.
“He’s so locked in, it’s unbelievable to watch,” Mahle said. “It’s crazy to watch. I don’t know how else to put it.”
Nick Castellanos added a home run and Eugenio Suarez hit a tworun shot for the Reds (63-54), who trail Milwaukee by 71/2 games in the NL Central, even though they have a better record than the Phillies. The Phillies (60-56) started the night in first place in the NL East.
Mahle (10-3) allowed three hits and walked none in his second consecutive win. Michael Lorenzen worked the eighth and Heath Hembree gave up a run in the ninth.
“The pressure’s not on me. I just have to go out and execute pitches and let them make plays,” Mahle said.
Mahle said he wanted to win Friday on his dad’s birthday.
“I’ve seen him get better from Day One in the league,” Votto said. “Now he’s realizing that potential and that work is paying off. We need as much help as possible, and Tyler’s been excellent all year.”
With the Phillies chasing their first postseason appearance since 2011, Zack Wheeler (10-7) stumbled on a steamy night. The ace righthander threw a two-hit shutout in his last start against New York.
Tyler Naquin led off the fourth with a single and Wheeler plunked Castellanos. Votto’s second-half revival continued when his 26th home run of the season landed in the bullpen for a 3-0 lead. Votto moved into second in the NL in home runs and became just the third player 37 years old or older to have at least one 22game span with 15-plus home runs.
DODGERS 6, METS 5 (10) Will Smith hit a two-run home run to start the 10th inning as Los Angeles bounced back after blowing a four-run lead to beat New York.
MARLINS 14, CUBS 10 Bryan De La Cruz hit a grand slam and Alex Jackson added a threerun home run as Miami tied a team record by scoring 11 times in the second inning in a win over Chicago.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
INDIANS 7, TIGERS 4 Cleveland rookie Ernie Clement hit the first two home runs of his career while Miguel Cabrera stayed one drive short of No. 500 as the Indians beat Detroit. Cabrera went 0 for 4, leaving him at 499 career home runs and disappointing a crowd of 22,107.
RED SOX 8, ORIOLES 1 Kyle Schwarber scored twice in his debut for Boston, and his new teammates delivered three home runs to lift the Red Sox over Baltimore. Xander Bogaerts, Bobby Dalbec and Hunter Renfroe each homered for the Red Sox.
ASTROS 4, ANGELS 1 Kyle Tucker hit a grand slam in the fourth inning and Zack Greinke struck out seven in seven inning as Houston defeated Los Angeles.
RAYS 10, TWINS 4 Nelson Cruz homered in his return to Minnesota and Tampa Bay moved to a season-high 26 games over .500 with a victory over the Twins. Cruz made his first appearance in Minnesota since being traded by the Twins to Tampa Bay on July 22.
RANGERS 8, ATHLETICS 6 Yohel Pozo hit a go-ahead, three-run home run in the sixth inning of his major-league debut, fellow rookie DJ Peters had a two-run shot and Texas beat Oakland. Pozo swung at all seven pitches he saw in the game, including one from veteran Sergio Romo that he launched high off the netting of the left field foul pole.
INTERLEAGUE
CARDINALS 6, ROYALS 0 Jack Flaherty pitched six innings of two-hit ball in his return from an oblique injury, and St. Louis beat Kansas City.