Louisville came to the rescue this week.
Ivan De Jesus Jr. hit another big home run and Jon Moscot pitched six solid innings to prod the Reds to a 5-2 win, matching its season-high fourth straight victory.
Both players were in Derby City last week.
De Jesus Jr, made his first start on Monday and hit his first career home run off Cole Hamels that sent the Reds to a win. He started in leftfield Monday and Tuesday but a groin injury to Brandon Phillips necessitated a move to secondbase, a more familiar position.
"You are only as good as your depth," Bryan Price said.
De Jesus hit a three-run, two-out home run off Jerome Williams in the first inning to stake the Reds to a 4-0 early lead.
Zack Cozart had to leave the game with an apparent knee injury after his ground out to short in the bottom of the firrst inning.. Boesch replaced Negron, who moved to shortstop from center.
"It was heartbreaking to see him carried off the field," Price said. "To see him struggle last year, then to have an All-Star calibre year with Gold Glove defense, it's a collective blow to out team."
Moscot allowed a single and a walk in the second inning. With two outs, Cameron Rupp delivered Ryan Howard, who singled with the first Phillies' run. A single by Cesar Hernandez and a double by Rupp in the fourth cut the Reds' lead in half at 4-2.
Moscot finished with six innings. He allowed two runs on six hits and two walks. Moscot struck out two.
"It was terrific," Price said. "The Phillies have been swinging the bats well. There were a lot of runners on base for him to manage. I'm excited about it."
The Reds bats went feeble against Williams after the first. Bryan Pena, who singled in the first, added three more singles, for a his second career four-hit day. His last was on April 12, 2012 for Kansas City against Cleveland.
"I have been working hard. To be honest I want to stay here (Cincinnati). I am comfortable here," Pena said. "I don';t care what my role is. I just want to stay here. I want to do well to help us win and to show Bryan (Price) that he can trust me. I have been more selective this year and working hard to swing at strikes."
Negron, Boesch and Moscot added infield hits. It was Moscot's first career hit.
"It felt awesome," said Moscot, who celebrated his first win. "I was able to settle in early I was using all my focus to throw strikes. The win feels good, but it's as important to show the team that I am someone they can count on."
Ryan Mattheus relieved Moscot and ran into two-out trouble. Ben Revere singled to short. Odubel Herrera followed with a solid single to left. Bryan Price summoned left-hander Tony Cingrani to face left-handed hitter Chase Utley.
The last time Cingrani was placed in that scenario, Yonder Alonso hit a grand slam home run off him. This time he retired the veteran Utley on a routine fly to left.
The Reds added to the lead in the seventh against Elvis Araujo. Todd Frazier narrowly missed his 18th home run with a double high off the wall in left. Pena's fourth hit of the game scored Frazier.
J.J. Hoover pitched a scoreless eighth, his eighth straight scoreless outing.
Aroldis Chapman pitched the ninth to earn his 12th save.
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