Mike Leake and Reds Crush, Sweep and Own Phillies

The Reds limped home from Pittsburgh to gloom and doom. They faced the Phillies, who have been very tough on the Reds in recent years.

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This time the Reds completed a three game sweep of the Phillies to the tune of an 11-2 whoopin.

The Reds completed a suspended game with no outs in the bottom of the ninth to win 1-0 and didn't stop there.

They scored a run in the first off John Lannan.  They added five in the second, three in the third and topped it off with two in the fifth.

Meanwhile, Reds starters held sway over the Phillies bats.  Leake pitched seven innings allowing just three hits and no runs.

Leake matched each hit he allowed with one of his own.  He tripled in the second and singled in the third and fifth, scoring three times.

Derrick Robinson had a single and walked twice.

Zack Cozart doubled, singled and homered in five trips. It was his fourth home run.  His double had to be reviewed because it was close to going out.

Joey Votto was hit by a pitch to extend his on-base streak to 15 games.

Brandon Phillips drove in three runs with two singles.

Jay Bruce singled home two runs and singled again in four at-bats.

Todd Frazier hit his fourth home run.

Chris Heisey doubled and scored.

Devin Mesoraco hit two doubles and scored twice.

Then Leake gave the team some offense.

The Reds' starters allowed two earned runs during the series both coming on Chase Utely's two-run home run against Arroyo on Monday in the eighth inning.

"Leake had his control," Dusty Baker said. "He had everything going.  Granted Philadelphia is a little cold right now."

It was the first time the Reds have swept the Phillies since the 1996 season when they swept four games in Cincinnati in June and again in Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia in July.

Leake had never beaten the Phillies.  In July 2010, Leake had a 7-0 lead against the Phillies going into the ninth.  Philadelphia ended up tying the game and winning in 10 innings.  In six starts against them, Leake had an 0-3 record with a 9.33 ERA.  His seven scoreless innings with seven strikeouts dropped his ERA to 7.41 against the Phillies.

"It does feel good to finish an outing against them," Leake said.  "Sometimes it is easier to pitch in a close game.  You don't get lazy."

The Reds took Leake out after seven.

Justin Freeman, who is likely to be sent down to make room for Tony Cingrani, made his major league debut.  He gave up a double to John Mayberry Jr. and a home run to Freddy Galvis.

The Phillies managed just four runs in the series both scoring on home runs late in the game.