Bullpen Day Buries Reds

The Reds bullpen night didn't work out in a 6-2 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies.

Alex Wood had back injuries flair up and Lucas Sims was the Reds' starter.  Sims made his third start but with a full bullpen with September roster expansion, the right-hander, who has not been stretched out, pitched 2-2/3 innings.  He gave up the Phillies first run to tie the game.

"Lucas pitched two days ago.  He was going to go between three and four innings," David Bell said. "We just didn't get enough runs.  I change the lineup quite a bit, trying to find matchups.  So I'm not going to pull names out of a hat or anything.  I still believe in our guys."

Sims has worked out of the Reds bullpen over the last few weeks.

"It is like riding a bicycle as they say.  I've been starting games all my life," Sims said.

Josh VanMeter singled off Phillie's starter Vince Velasquez to open the game.  Joey Votto drew a walk.  One out later the reigning Player and Rookie of the Month, Aristides Aquino singled to score VanMeter.

Adam Haseley doubled against Sims to open the third for Philadelphia.   Velasquez bunted him to third.  J.T. Realmuto, who had five hits in six at bats against Sims, flied deep to right to knot the game at one.

Amir Garrett struck out Bryce Harper to end the inning.  Garrett and Harper played with and against each other as youngsters in Las Vegas.

"I would have liked to face him but it was fun watching Amir strike him out," Sims said.

The Phillies took the lead in the fourth.  Jean Segura doubled to start the inning.  Cesar Hernandez singled past Freddie Galvis to score Segura.

Philadelphia scored two runs off R.J. Alaniz in the fifth.  He walked Corey Dickerson and Realmuto to open the inning.  Harper drove in his 100th run of the season with a hard single to right.  Rhys Hoskins hit a deep fly to right to score Realmuto, who went to third on Harper's single.

Singles by Curt Casali and Tucker Barnhart singled to put runners on second and third when for some unknown reason, Harper threw to third base with a three run lead, bad enough but missed the cutoff man besides to allow Barnhart to advance.  Alex Blandino drove in his first run of the season with a sacrifice fly.  Blake Parker was charged with the run.

The Reds used six pitchers, including Sal Romano, Matt Bowman and Wandy Peralta, who gave up Scott Kingery's 17th home run of the season.

The Phillies also took advantage of the expanded bullpen using six pitchers.  Starter Velasquez pitched three innings.  Nick Vincent, Ranger Suarez, Mike Morin, Jose Alvarez, Parker and Hector Neris.

Eugenio Suarez missed his second game and is day-to-day after being hit on the hand Sunday night in St. Louis.

"He took batting practice today but we're not going to push it," Bell said.

The Reds fell to 64-75.  They have to go 17-6 the rest of the way to finish at .500.

"It is frustrating.  I want to win.  The guys want to win," Bell said.  "We have no choice but to get better in all phases of the game; me included."