Bruce slugs two homers as Philly loses
CINCINNATI >> Jay Bruce and Ken Griffey Jr. are even — at least in one category.
Bruce homered twice and matched a career high with five RBIs, and the Cincinnati Reds made a winner of top pitching prospect Robert Stephenson in his major league debut by beating the Philadelphia Phillies 10-6 on Thursday to complete a season-opening sweep.
With his two home runs, Bruce increased his career total to 210, tying Griffey for seventh place on the franchise list. Of course, the Hall of Fame outfielder also hit 417 for the Seattle Mariners and three more with the Chicago White Sox.
“It is an honor to be mentioned in the same sentence as Ken,” Bruce said. “I saw how he changed the game. He’s a friend of mine. I’m not worthy.”
Eugenio Suarez hit his first career grand slam and Bruce connected for a three-run shot as the Reds scored eight times in the fourth inning, ruining the big league debut of reliever Daniel Stumpf. Bruce capped the 13-batter outburst with an RBI single.
Stephenson (1-0), a firstround draft pick in 2011, was called up from Triple-A Louisville on opening day to fill a temporary hole in Cincinnati’s injury-depleted rotation. The right-hander allowed six hits and four runs — three earned — with two walks and one strikeout in five innings.
Cedric Hunter hit a leadoff homer in the fourth and Ryan Howard had a two-run shot in the fifth for Philadelphia. Carlos Ruiz added a two-run homer in the eighth, but manager Pete Mackanin would prefer to see more consistency on offense.
“It was nice to score six runs, but I’d like to see us string three or four hits together,” Mackanin said. “I don’t think we can rely on Scheler cf-lf41 2 1 Suarez 3b 5 1 2 4 Votto 1b 4 2 1 0 Duvall lf 4 1 1 0 BHmltn cf 0 0 0 0 Bruce rf 4 2 3 5 Pachec 2b 4 0 0 0 DJssJr ss 3 1 0 0 Brnhrt c 3 2 3 0 Stphnsn p 1 0 0 0 Mesorc ph 1 0 0 0 Ju.Diaz p 0 0 0 0 Cingrn p 0 0 0 0 T.Holt ph 1 0 0 0 Sampsn p 0 0 0 0 Ohlndrf p 0 0 0 0
home runs.”
The loss was Philadelphia’s eighth straight in Cincinnati, the team’s longest skid in the Queen City since 1; Philadelphia 8, Cincinnati 6; Franco (1), Ruiz (1), Bourjos (1), Schebler (3); Howard (1), C.Hunter (1), Ruiz (1), Suarez (2), Bruce 2 (2); De Jesus Jr (1); Stephenson. Morton L,0-132/3 Stumpf 0 Oberholtzer31/3 Hinojosa 1 5 1 4 2 3 0 5 1
Stephenson W,1-0 2 1 Ju.Diaz 1 0 0 0 1 Cingrani 1 1 0 0 0 Sampson 1 2 2 2 1 Ohlendorf 1 0 0 0 0 Stumpf pitched to 3 batters in the 4th.
by Ohlendorf (Franco), by Stephenson (A.Blanco).
Home, Brian Knight, First, Todd Tichenor. Second, Bill Miller. Third, Tony Randazzo.
3:04; 10,784 (42,319).
5 6 3 1 0
6 6 3 1 0
4 2 2 1 0
3 1 2 1 1
a nine-game stretch at nowdemolished Riverfront Stadium that spanned 1976-77.
The Phillies are 0-3 for the first time since 2007.