Lack of pop hurting offense
Reds sorely miss injured sluggers Votto, Bruce
PHILADELPHIA — The short-handed Cincinnati Reds could have used power bats yesterday.
Unfortunately for Cincinnati, sluggers Jay Bruce and Joey Votto still are unavailable.
Cody Asche, Jimmy Rollins, Wil Nieves and Marlon Byrd homered for the Phillies, and Philadelphia defeated the Reds 8-3.
Cincinnati’s Devin Mesoraco had a careerhigh four hits, including two doubles and an RBI. The Reds, already without Bruce (knee), again played without Votto, who remained in Cincinnati during the threegame series because of an injured left knee.
Manager Bryan Price said there is no timetable for Votto’s return. The Reds are reluctant to put the four-time All-Star and 2010 MVP on the disabled list in hopes that he will return sooner than the 15 days required for the DL.
“We don’t know exactly how much time it will take for him to be gameready, so we don’t want to make a commitment to a DL,” Price said.
The Reds open a threegame series in Washington tonight, and Price couldn’t say whether Votto even will be there, let alone play.
Bruce, a two-time AllStar, is eligible to come off the DL on Wednesday. Votto and Bruce have combined for 330 home runs.
The Reds certainly could have used some of that production yesterday.
“The elephant in the room is the fact we have Votto and Bruce unavailable,” Price said. “Those are pretty essential pieces.”
The Reds went up 2-0 in the top of the first yesterday on Brandon Phillips’ RBI groundout and Mesoraco’s RBI double, but Rollins hit the 46th leadoff homer of his career. Nieves followed with a solo shot to left to tie the score.
Chase Utley’s fifthinning groundout scored Cliff Lee and put Philadelphia ahead to stay. Byrd opened the sixth with a solo homer to right to push the lead to 4-2.
Reds starter Tony Cingrani (2-3) returned from the disabled list and allowed four runs and seven hits in six innings while striking out seven and walking three.
Cincinnati scored just seven runs in the series as the Phillies took two of three from the Reds. The series win improved the Phillies’ record to 7-0-1 in home series against Cincinnati since 2006.