Dateline: Cincinnati
The Reds hit four home runs in a five run fourth inning to allow All-Star Chase Burns margin for his 11th win of the season 11-5 over the Philadelphia Phillies.
The Phillies got to Reds' All-Star hurler, Chase Burns in the second inning. Garbial Rincones doubled with one out. Justin Crawford followed with a triple into the right field corner. Crawford scored on a pitch that got away from catcher Jose Trevino. There was a play at the plate but Crawford dived home safely.
The Reds bounced back against the Phillies opener, Alan Rangel. Elly De La Cruz doubled to the right center field gap. Rookie All-Star Sal Stewart belted his 18th home run onto the netting above the Phillies' bullpen in right field to tie the game. Stewart has driven in 63 runs this season. Stewart is tied for eighth in Major League Baseball and he leads rookies. He is third in home runs among rookies.
Stewart challenged a 3-1 pitch that was called a ball before he hit the home run.
"I just had to reset," Stewart said. "I challenged and I was wrong. I had to get back in the count. They are a really good offensive team. It felt good to win like that."
Noelvi Marte led off the bottom of the fourth inning with his sixth home run. Tanner Banks replaced Rangel. Edwin Arroyo doubled down the right field line and took third on an error by Rincones, It was later changed to a triple. TJ Friedl was thrown out on a bunt attempt by Banks. De La Cruz hit his 14th home run into the right field seats to stake the Reds to a 5-2 lead. Stewart hit his 15th home run and second in the game to send the lead to 6-2. JJ Bleday hit his 14th and three batters in a row homered off Banks.
"It was a fun inning," Terry Francona said. "You guys have heard me say it a million times. It is great win someone hits the ball hard the other way and get rewarded. De La Cruz and both of Stewart's home runs were to right field as right handed batters. "When they started to come back, like they can. It's good to have some more room."
The two home runs by Stewart gave him 19 on the season. Frank Robinson has the Reds' record for home runs by a rookie at 38. He hit 18 by the All-Star break in 1956. However, the 2026 season started a week earlier than past seasons. This was Stewart's 91st game of the season. Robinson hit 23 by his 91st game in 1956.
"It feels good being in the company of someone with that stature," Stewart said.
Burns struggled through the fourth and fifth innings. He walked five within a span of seven batters before he retired Alec Bohm on a fly to center.
"I was starting to panic," Francona said. "You could tell he was leaving a lot of fastballs way up. I really want him to get through that inning but I wasn't going to let him go much more."
Brock Burke made his 45th appearance of the season.
Burns was able to get through five innings. He allowed three runs on three hits but walked a career-high six.
"I didn't have my best stuff but you got to get through. It was just bearing down mentally. I wasn't throwing my best. I had to go one pitch at a time," Burns said. "Looking back I can see how much I've grown. I'm thankful for that. There were some good defensive plays too that were very much appreciated."
JT Realmuto hit his seventh home run of the season with two outs in the sixth inning. Burke struck out Kyle Schwarber as the tying run after a single by Edmundo Sosa and walk to Bryce Harper.
The Reds added breathing room against Jose Alvarado in the bottom of the inning. Friedl and De La Cruz walked. With one out Bleday singled to score Friedl. Suarez struck out with De La Cruz on third but Spencer Steer walked. Marte cleared the bases with a double into the left field corner to give him four RBI for the game.
Schwarber hit his 32nd home run in the ninth inning to extend his Major League Lead. Rhett Lowder finished the last two innings.
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