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Home , Anthony DeSclafani, Carlos Ruiz (baseball), Chris Michalak, Dominic Leone, Matt Tracy, Rawly Eastwick

Press Clippings June 5, 2015

THIS DAY IN REDS HISTORY 1969-Two key pieces of the 1975 and 1976 world championship clubs are drafted. Rawly Eastwick, is selected in the third round of the amateur draft and Ken Griffey, Sr., in the 29th round.

CINCINNATI ENQUIRER Reds avoid sweep, beat Phillies By C. Trent Rosecrans / Cincinnati Enquirer / [email protected] / @ctrent

PHILADELPHIA — There was no danger for Aroldis Chapman this time.

The night after blowing his first lead of the season, Chapman struck out the side and the Reds held on to a 6-4 victory over the Phillies.

The Reds blew leads of at least three runs in each of the first two games of the series at Citizens Bank Park, only to see a four-run lead erode on Thursday.

The Phillies scored two in the eighth against starter Anthony DeSclafani and reliever Tony Cingrani to cut the Reds' four-run lead in half, but there was no comeback for Philadelphia against Chapman, who dominated the three batters he faced.

"Over the course of this series, three innings got away from us and unfortunately cost us the first two (games)," Reds manager Bryan Price said. "We do have to tend to dwell on this game and stay in the present and enjoy this game and use it as something that feels good. We're going to get in early Friday morning and it's nice coming to the ballpark after a win."

DeSclafani gave up two runs in the first and two runs in the eighth, but he allowed just two hits and a walk in between, which was enough for his fourth win of the season – and the Reds' first road win since May 9th against the White Sox.

"I thought I threw the ball OK. I don't think I threw it great," DeSclafani said. "I was attacking hitters, (and the) defense played awesome. I definitely owe it all to the defense tonight. It was a great team win. At the end of the day, it's all about winning. I'm glad we won tonight."

Close to home, Reds Anthony DeSclafani talks about his outing against the Phillies. The Enquirer/C. Trent Rosecrans

DeSclafani had thrown 90 pitches through seven innings but was sent to the plate in the top of the eighth, and then out to the mound for the bottom half of the inning.

And like the night before in the 9th, the Reds' starter allowed the first two runners to reach base before manager Bryan Price came out to get him, this time on a hit by Carlos Ruiz and a nine-pitch walk to pinch-hitter Cesar Hernandez.

Leadoff man Ben Revere hit a slicing liner past Todd Frazier at third into left field for an RBI double, making it 6-3 and bringing the tying run to the plate. Cingrani struck out Jeff Francoeur and then gave up a sacrifice fly to to make it 6-4.

With Revere on third, Cingrani struck out to end the inning and turn the game over to Chapman, who has had his share of nightmare outings in this stadium, including Wednesday when he gave up a three-run to Maikel Franco, coincidentally the first batter he faced in the ninth on Thursday.

Chapman struck out Franco. And then Cody Asche. And then Freddy Galvis to secure the win.

"That's as good as he's looked, I don't know if he's looked better all year," Price said. "That's not just coming off of a tough game yesterday, it's that he's ahead. When it's strike one with him – the at-bat's not necessarily over with him, but the statistics have to be overwhelmingly in his favor. When he works ahead, it's a whole different ballgame. Today he came in there pounding the zone, he was sharp, he had the slider working, which he didn't have yesterday. He was a completely different guy tonight."

The Reds got on the board early when Brandon Phillips led off the game with a single. He scored on Frazier's first hit of the series, an RBI double.

The Phillies answered in the bottom of the first, as Revere led off the game with a triple off the glove of a diving Jay Bruce. He scored on Francoeur's groundout. After Utley doubled, Franco doubled him in to take the lead back.

After tying the game at 2 on a Phillips RBI single off of former Red Aaron Harang in the fifth, the Phillies chose to load the bases by intentionally walking Joey Votto.

Frazier grounded a ball to shortstop Galvis, who fired home. Despite only having to step on the plate for the out, Phillies Carlos Ruiz tagged out the sliding DeSclafani.

Reds manager Bryan Price jumped out of the dugout to challenge the call, claiming Ruiz blocked home plate in violation of Rule 7.13, the rule banning collisions at home plate.

However, last season Major League sent out a clarification of the rule that said Rule 7.13 didn't apply in the case of a force out. That clarification came last June after the Reds benefitted from Rule 7.13 on a similar play in Pittsburgh. That time, Devin Mesoraco was initially called out at the plate before it was overturned and he was ruled safe. Days later, sent out the clarification.

Thursday night, the replay officials in New York took four minutes and 35 seconds to decide, finally calling DeSclafani safe. The ruling was that Ruiz never attempted to touch home plate with the ball, so he was in violation of the rule.

"The thing I thought was unusual was that it took so long. I thought it was very clear-cut," Price said. "I don't know necessarily if Ruiz was expecting that throw to the plate because it looked like the only play may be at first. Galvis made a tremendous play on that ball, I thought. He was excellent this series at short. But it was very clear that he immediately put himself between the plate and the baseline."

Harang, unsurprisingly, didn't agree.

"Ultimately, it's one of those rules that just, who knows what's going on with it? Nobody does," Harang said. "I mean the guy's out by 10 feet, and they claim the catcher's blocking the plate. Well, if they look, the bat was blocking the plate, and the catcher is behind the bat. It didn't matter where he slid. It ended up getting changed. There's so much gray area with that rule. I mean it's kind of crap."

That inning started when Harang walked Skip Schumaker and then DeSclafani laid down a sacrifice bunt so good that it went between Harang and first baseman Howard, while Utley initially went toward the ball instead of the first-base bag, allowing DeSclafani to reach on a bunt single. Billy Hamilton then bunted the runners over and Phillips followed with a ball off the wall in left that Philadelphia's Asche nearly caught, freezing DeSclafani at second, preventing him from scoring on the play.

After the walk and the play at the plate, Jay Bruce grounded into a double play to end that rally.

The Reds added two more runs in the sixth when Harang walked Zack Cozart and Schumaker in back-to-back at-bats with one out. After DeSclafani sacrificed the pair over, Hamilton singled in both to make it 5-2. Phillips followed with an RBI single to make it 6- 2.

"It's fun to watch, him hitting the ball the other way. It's crazy," Frazier said of Phillips, who had his fourth consecutive multi-hit game and second three-hit game in a row. "He's hitting that first pitch a lot. The last probably six to 10 at-bats, he has five or six hits on the first pitch. They're going to throw it over, and he's ready to go. That's good to see from our leadoff guy, getting on base so me and Joey and Bruce and everybody can start attacking as well."

Reds to try Devin Mesoraco in left field By C. Trent Rosecrans / Cincinnati Enquirer / [email protected] / @ctrent

PHILADELPHIA — The Reds have not given up on Devin Mesoraco returning in 2015, even if it won't be behind the plate. Mesoraco, suffering from a left hip impingement, will explore playing left field this year, Reds manager Bryan Price said on Thursday.

Mesoraco, who is not with the Reds in Philadelphia, is progressing in his rehab, Price said. He will first work to get back to hitting and then he will work with the Reds' coaching staff on playing left field. If all goes well, he would have a rehab assignment and play in the outfield in the minors before returning to the big league club.

Mesoraco hasn't played in the field since April 12. He appeared in 13 games as a pinch-hitter and four as a designated hitter since the injury was announced. Mesoraco aggravated the injury late last month when he initiated catching drills and was then put on the disabled list for the first time this season on May 25.

May 12: Mesoraco feeling better, feeling out outfield

He will not return this season in solely a pinch-hitting role, Price said.

"We're going to continue to prepare him to hit and potentially work with him in the outfield a little bit and see if that's an option moving forward, to see if we can extract some value from him before we write off his season," Price said. "If he can't catch and he can only be a pinch-hitter, his value is so limited that it wouldn't make sense to take up that roster spot if that's all he can do. If he can play the outfield a bit capably, it's a way to get him in the lineup every now and again and let his bat do some influence for our club."

Mesoraco has met with a doctor in New York in addition to team medical director Dr. Timothy Kremchek, Price said. Price has been assured if Mesoraco does need surgery, he could have it after the 2015 season and still be ready for Opening Day of 2016.

"He's on board. He's a huge part of it and I do believe that he's seen a guy in New York as well that did a followup on his MRI results and test results," Price said of Mesoraco. "So we're trying to make sure all the bases are covered that if we're going to do something like this, that we're doing it with enough time to make sure he's ready to go on Opening Day 2016 behind the plate."

The plan, even if Mesoraco does work out in the outfield, is to have him catching long-term, Price said. This would not be a permanent move.

"I also don't know how quickly we'll be able to assess if this is reasonable to do with Devin," Price said. "What we're doing is looking at it. We're not committing to the fact he's going to be a left fielder. But we're going to look at it before we start talking about 2016 for Devin. We'd like to keep 2015 on the table as an option."

BAR: Citizens Bank Park a house of horrors for Reds By C. Trent Rosecrans / Cincinnati Enquirer / [email protected] / @ctrent

The Blog Above Replacement is Reds beat writer C. Trent Rosecrans' daily look at the Reds, their minor leagues and whatever else is on his mind.

PHILADELPHIA — The Reds' struggles in St. Louis have been talked about ad nauseam, but their 13-28 record at Citizens Bank Park is the team's worst record in any current Park.

And it's not just the .317 winning percentage there. There have been some terribly memorable losses in this ballpark.

The worst, of course, was 's no-hitter in Game 1 of the 2010 National League Division Series. Game 2 of that series featured the Reds with a lead and Jay Bruce lost a ball in the lights, as the Phillies rallied to win 7-4.

Earlier that year, lefty took a perfect game against the Phillies into the ninth inning, only to see the Reds lose the game 1-0 in 11 innings.

But that's not all. Two years ago, Chapman gave up back-to-back homers to lose 3-2. Later, a Phillies Spanish-language broadcaster claimed Chapman ate 18 pastelitos de guayaba before the game, leading to the blown . Chapman later denied the claim.

In 2011, Phillies Wilson Valdez picked up the win after pitching in the 19th inning. That game lasted six hours, 11 minutes.

The Reds have won just one series at Citizens Bank Park, which opened in 2004. In 2006, the Reds dropped the first game of the series in 14 innings (and Aaron Harang came in to pitch an inning of relief in the 13th), before winning the next two nights. Elizardo Ramirez was the loser in that game, giving up a walk-off single to Ryan Howard and recording just one out — and then he started the next day, going 1 1/3 innings before 35-year-old lefty Chris Michalak came in and allowed just one run on three hits over 6 1/3 innings to pick up the win.

"Games are tough here for us," Mike Leake said after Wednesday's loss. "It's kind of one of those places, you can't explain why."

MINOR-LEAGUE ROUNDUP

• Triple-A: Louisville 4, Syracuse 2: The Bats scored two in the top of the ninth to break a tie on a bases-loaded walk by LF Jose Constanza — and after Syracuse pitcher Mitch Lively was ejected by the home plate umpire — the Chiefs' reliever hit 2B Jermaine Curtis to drive in another. 3B Josh Satin was 3-for-4, including a double in the ninth that helped start the rally.

• Double-A: Mobile 6, Pensacola 0, 7 innings: In a game ended early by rain, the Blue Wahoos managed just three hits, and starter Timothy Adleman lasted just 2 1/3 innings.

• High-A: Brevard County 5, Daytona 2: The Tortugas committed five errors — including three by 3B Taylor Sparks, who hit his fourth homer of the season. Starter Nick Travieso allowed four runs — none earned — on six hits and two walks over 4 2/3 innings. He struck out six. None of the five runs the Tortugas allowed were earned.

• Low-A: Dayton 8, Clinton 2: Tyler Mahle allowed just two hits over seven scoreless innings with eight and a walk. 3B Gavin LaValley was 4-for-4, and LF Narciso Crook hit his second homer of the season.

MLB.COM Phillips a catalyst for Reds in leadoff spot By Mark Sheldon / MLB.com / [email protected] / @m_sheldon

PHILADELPHIA -- The Reds certainly didn't have the series they wanted in Philadelphia by dropping the first two games with walk-off losses after blowing leads. But a big reason they left town in a better mood on Thursday night was the strong night and great series from second baseman Brandon Phillips.

In a 6-4 Reds victory over the Phillies, Phillips was 3-for-5 with two RBIs. He began the game with a single to right field and scored the first run; hit a game-tying RBI double off the left-field wall in the fifth inning and added an opposite-field single to right field in the sixth.

That provided what would be key insurance for Cincinnati to hold off Philadelphia late.

Over the three-game series, Phillips was 8-for-15 with three doubles, four RBIs, four runs scored and two stolen bases. He has four consecutive multi-hit games.

"He's been great," Reds manager Bryan Price said. "He's had a really good start to the season. It hasn't gone unnoticed that he's just done a great job not just swinging the bat and defensively, but also getting on base."

After he snapped a 0-for-18 stretch on Sunday, Phillips has four straight multi-hit games that has raised his average to .311 with three home runs and 25 RBIs.

"It was nice. Phillips had an outstanding [series]," said Reds starter Anthony DeSclafani, who earned the victory by pitching into the eighth inning. "Even his outs were hard outs. It's good to see he was swinging the bat well."

The Reds snapped a nine-game road losing streak with the win, the last victory away from Cincinnati came on May 9. However, Phillips has been a road warrior of sorts this season, batting .385 (40-for-104).

"It's fun to watch, him hitting the ball the other way. It's crazy," third baseman Todd Frazier said. "He's hitting that first pitch a lot. They're going to throw it over and he's ready to go. That's good to see from our leadoff guy getting on base so me and [Joey Votto] and [Jay Bruce] and everybody can start attacking as well."

Amid his strong hitting, Phillips has spent the past several weeks dealing with a nagging turf toe injury on his left foot. It caused him to miss a few games, including three starts in a row from May 26-29.

Price has used Phillips more lately from the leadoff spot, with Billy Hamilton batting ninth. He believes it's helped the team offensively.

"I asked him to step in and be a leadoff man and he handled that job well, and put Billy in a position where he's done some great things in the nine-hole," Price said. "It gives us a chance for our to bunt and get guys in scoring position for Billy. That's something [Phillips] did very well last year, which was hitting with runners in scoring position."

Violation of collision rule costs Phils vs. Reds By Todd Zolecki / MLB.com

PHILADELPHIA -- Phillies catcher Carlos Ruiz knows the home-plate collision rule. Every catcher in baseball does.

But the rule cost Ruiz and the Phillies dearly Thursday night in a 6-4 loss to the Reds at Citizens Bank Park.

"It was a big momentum play," Phillies manager said.

The Reds had the bases loaded and one out in the fifth inning of a tie game when Todd Frazier hit a ground ball to Phillies shortstop Freddy Galvis. Galvis threw home for the forceout, but instead of stepping on the plate, Ruiz blocked the plate and tagged out Anthony DeSclafani for the second out.

Reds manager Bryan Price asked the umpires to look at instant replay to see if Ruiz violated the home-plate collision rule, which states the catcher must leave a path to the plate for the baserunner. Four minutes, 35 seconds later, the replay official in New York overturned the call. DeSclafani was safe and the Reds had a 3-2 lead.

"Freddy was very heads-up, making an outstanding read on a slow ball," Sandberg said. "It just looked like it caught Chooch a little bit off guard and he was blocking the plate. It was the right call by the umpires, but it was a big momentum swing there."

Asked if Ruiz might have simply forgotten the Reds had the bases loaded, Sandberg said, "I think he was just a little bit caught off guard and surprised that it came to him. He straddled home plate with no lane to the runner."

Ruiz left the clubhouse before it opened to reporters.

"The thing I thought was unusual was that it took so long," Price said. "I thought it was very clear-cut. I don't know necessarily if Ruiz was expecting that throw to the plate because it looked like the only play may be at first. But it was very clear that he immediately put himself between the plate and the baseline."

"I felt like the tempo of the game changed in the fifth," Phillies starter Aaron Harang said. "It changed the pace and feel of everything. The guy's out by 10 feet and they claim the catcher is blocking the plate.

"Well, if they look, the bat is blocking the plate and the catcher is behind the bat and it doesn't matter where he slid."

Phillips' big night gives Reds win over Phillies By Mark Sheldon and Todd Zolecki / MLB.com

PHILADELPHIA -- It seems hard to believe, but the Reds on Thursday night won their first road game in nearly a month in a 6-4 victory over the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park.

Brandon Phillips and Billy Hamilton each had two RBIs, while Anthony DeSclafani allowed six hits and four runs in seven innings to snap Cincinnati's nine-game losing streak on the road. The Reds last won on the road May 9 against the White Sox in Chicago.

"There was really over the course of this series three innings that got away from us and unfortunately cost us the first two [games]," Reds manager Bryan Price said. "We [can't] dwell on this game and [just] stay in the present. Enjoy this game and use it as something that feels good. We're going to get in early in the morning on Friday and it's nice coming to the ballpark after a win."

The Phillies won the first two games of this three-game series with late-inning heroics from Maikel Franco. But there would be no comeback in the finale as Phillies right-hander Aaron Harang suffered his worst start of the season, allowing six runs in 5 2/3 innings. He said an instant replay delay of four minutes, 35 seconds in the fifth inning, which allowed the Reds to score the go- ahead run, made things difficult.

"It changed the pace and feel of everything," he said.

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED

Phillips on fire at plate: Although the Reds lost the series, it was a nice one for Phillips, who was 3-for-5 in the game and 8-for-15 in the three games. Phillips made it a 2-2 score in the fifth when he lined a RBI double off the left-field wall that scored Skip Schumaker. In the three-run sixth, Phillips stretched the lead to four runs with an RBI single to right field that ended Harang's night.

"It was nice. Phillips had an outstanding [series]," DeSclafani said. "Even his outs were hard outs. It's good to see he was swinging the bat well." More >

Harang finally hit: Harang has been one of the Phillies' few bright spots this season. He entered the game with a 2.02 ERA, which ranked fifth in the National League. But Harang struggled against the Reds. He allowed six hits, six runs, five walks and struck out one in 5 2/3 innings, which was his shortest start of the season. More >

DeSclafani rights ship: It was a rocky beginning of the night for DeSclafani, who gave up three extra-base hits and two runs in the bottom of the first. After that, the rookie was mostly smooth and his next two hits allowed -- leadoff singles in the third and sixth innings -- were erased by inning-ending double plays.

"I was glad I was able to put zeros on the board, keep the game close and give the team a chance to win," said DeSclafani, a Freehold, N.J., native who had 25-30 family and friends to watch him pitch.

An early boom, then silence: Ben Revere tripled, Chase Utley doubled and Franco doubled in the first inning as the Phillies took a 2-1 lead. But the Phillies managed just two more hits until they scored twice in the eighth.

QUOTABLE

"You always know how many options you have left. It just got frustrating." -- Phillies left-hander , who was optioned to Triple-A after the game More >

SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS

Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard had been on a roll until recently. He is hitting .061 (2-for-33) with two doubles, one RBI, one walk and 11 strikeouts in his last nine games, while Phillies shortstop Freddy Galvis is hitless in his last 26 at-bats.

FLASHING THE LEATHER

The Phillies made a highlight reel of nice defensive plays in the first three innings before things fell apart. Franco made a catch over the railing in foul territory in the first. Howard followed with a catch over the railing on the other side of the field in the second. Cody Asche and Utley then made nice catches in the third inning.

INSTANT REPLAY

The Reds had the bases loaded with one out in the fifth inning when Todd Frazier hit a ground ball to Phillies shortstop Freddy Galvis, who threw to home plate for the forceout. But instead of stepping on the plate, Phillies catcher Carlos Ruiz tagged out DeSclafani. The Reds thought Ruiz blocked the plate, which would be a violation of the home-plate collision rule. Four minutes, 35 seconds later, the replay official in New York overturned the call. He ruled that because Ruiz never attempted to touch home plate and instead attempted to tag the runner, he violated the collision rule. It was a costly mistake for Ruiz because it allowed the Reds to take a 3-2 lead.

WHAT'S NEXT

Reds: A six-game homestand begins with the first of three games against the Padres on Friday at 7:10 p.m. ETRaisel Iglesias will make the series-opening start for the Reds against San Diego's Tyson Ross. Iglesias gave up five earned runs over 5 2/3 innings for a no-decision vs. the Nationals on Saturday. He did strike out a season-high eight batters in the outing.

Phillies: Right-hander Jerome Williams opens a three-game series against the Giants on Friday night at 7:05 p.m. ET. Williams hopes June treats him more kindly than May. He went 1-4 with a 6.62 ERA in seven starts last month. He pitched past the fifth inning just once.

Reds to try Mesoraco out in left field By Mark Sheldon / MLB.com / [email protected] / @m_sheldon

PHILADELPHIA -- There is no chance that the Reds will have Devin Mesoraco as their catcher again this season because of his left hip impingement. And they don't want him to come off of the disabled list solely to be a pinch-hitter. But the club has not written off Mesoraco for the rest of 2015.

Hoping he can still contribute, the Reds will see if Mesoraco can play left field.

"If he can play the outfield a bit capably, it's a way to get him in the lineup every now and again. Let his bat have some influence for our club," Reds manager Bryan Price said on Thursday.

Mesoraco has caught only six games this season, with his last being on April 12. Until he went on the 15-day DL on May 25, he had 28 plate appearances as either a pinch-hitter or designated hitter.

Besides being examined by team medical director Dr. Tim Kremchek, Price said that Mesoraco was also seen by a hip specialist in New York recently. While it's still a strong possibility he will need surgery to fix his issue, it's believed that the surgery can be done after the season and still not affect Mesoraco's ability to be ready behind the plate for the 2016 season.

Even if Mesoraco had a flawless experience in left field, there are no plans for the position switch to be a permanent change.

"This is not a transitional time for Devin to become an outfielder," Price said. "It's a way to help the 2015 team with the long-term goal of getting his hip to the point where he can be back catching regularly in 2016. And from my understanding, we can accomplish both within that time frame."

Mesoraco, who did not travel with the club and is currently rehabilitating in Cincinnati, would work with the big league coaching staff to see if he can play in the outfield. He took some fly balls in left field already before he went on the DL.

If Mesoraco is deemed able to play left field, and his hip is still well enough, he would go on a Minor League rehab assignment to get some games at the position.

"I think he has a confidence that he can do it," Price said. "I think that's where this whole idea initiates. It's the fact he believes he can do it. If we were talking about first base or third base, I think there might be more reluctance on his part. I think left field is something he feels he can play, if given the opportunity to practice a little bit. We'll see."

Worth noting

• Reds left fielder Marlon Byrd, who suffered a right wrist fracture when hit by a pitch on Tuesday, will be in a soft brace for seven- to-10 days and then be re-evaluated. An exam in Cincinnati deemed the fracture to be a new one, rather than pre-existing. How long Byrd will be out of action remains unknown.

DAYTON DAILY NEWS The miseries of losing badly in Philly By Hal McCoy / Dayton Daily News

UNSOLICITED OBSERVATIONS from The Man Cave and I’ve figured it out. If you are watching a Cincinnati Reds game on TV and you are a Reds fans, only watch the first six innings. If you are a fan of the team playing the Reds only watch the eighth and ninth innings. That will make everybody happy.

After what happened to potential free agent pitchers and Mike Leake in Philadelphia this week and what has happened to Cueto all year with lack of run support, they would have every right to say, “Get me out of here right now. me.”

Neither, though, is that type of person and for as long as they remain with the Reds they’ll give every ounce of effort they own in their bodies.

Leake took a no-hitter into the eighth inning and had a 4-0 lead heading into the ninth, a one-hitter.

It put manager Bryan Price in a squirmy situation. Does he send Leake back out or does he bring in Aroldis Chapman. It is a lose-lose situation for the beleaguered manager and he did the right thing.

Leake had a one-hit shutout and his pitch count wasn’t that high. The correct thing to do was to send him back out with a short leash. And that’s what Price did. When the first two batters hit safely, Price went to Chapman.

Those who look at the negative side say, “He should have permitted Leake to stay in.” No, he shouldn’t — not with baseball’s best closer warmed up in the bullpen. Chapman, though had a rare off night and gave up a sacrifice fly, a walk and a three-run home run and the 4-0 lead was a 4-4 tie and Leake’s got nothing more than a few pats on the back, a no-decision and a big ol’ hang with ‘em.

THE BULLPEN has been battered and bruised all year, but prior to the Philadelphia series it had gone six straight games without giving up a run. Amazingly, against one of the poorest offensive teams in the National League, the bullpen relapsed — seven runs over four innings that led to two losses.

Baseball can be such a perplexing game. Take Todd Frazier for example. He was National League Player of the Week last week when he hit .500 with four homers and four doubles. Then in his first two games in Philadelphia this week, with all his New Jersey friends and relatives in the stands, he went 0 for 11 in the first two games and made two errors in one game.

And he stranded enough runners in those two gamess, as former Reds manager Bob Boone used to say, “To populate a small Vietnam village.”

Frazier, though, wasn’t alone. In Wednesday’s game the Reds were, incredibly, 1 for 20 with runners in scoring position. A two-run single by Brandon Phillips was the only hit. The Reds scored their other two runs on Joey Votto’s two-run home run that came with a runner on first.

BOVADO ODDSMAKER in Las Vegas lists the Cincinnati Reds at 66 to 1 odds to win the . That was before the two giveaway games in Philadlephia this week. Wonder what the odds are now?

DID A TALK AND BOOK signing in Fort Recovery Wednesday night and it was fabulous. It was sponsored by the Fort Recovery library and they held it at Fort Recovery middle/elementary school. There were at least 150 people there, most decked out in Reds regalia, and I ran out of books. I sold 55 and when I took that many I thought I’d bring back half of them.

It was a great night and the folks in Fort Recovery are true baseball fans. Also did a post-event radio interview at the venue with Bob Staugler that was extremely enjoyable.

FOXSPORTS.COM RBI Classic coming to Cincinnati By FOX Sports

The seventh annual JR. RBI (Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities) Classic, is coming to Cincinnati July 10-13, according to Reds.com.

"The friendly round-robin tournament, which is for kids ages 11-12 from Jr. RBI playing divisions, will be played July 10-13 on fields throughout Cincinnati, the host of the 86th MLB All-Star Game on July 14," the website notes.

"Major League Baseball is proud to offer the young men and women participating in the Jr. RBI Classic this once-in-a-lifetime experience to be a part MLB All-Star Week," Tony Reagins, senior vice president of youth programs for Major League Baseball, said in a statement to Reds.com. "In addition to having the chance to showcase their skills on the field, Jr. RBI Classic participants will have the invaluable opportunity to meet other kids from across the country, help others in the greater Cincinnati region through community service and experience a college campus -- all while creating lasting memories."

Reds considering a new position for Mesoraco By FOX Sports

A left hip impingement has kept Devin Mesoraco from catching for an extended period of time, but the Reds are still looking for ways to get Mesoraco to contribute.

"We're going to continue to prepare him to hit and potentially work with him in the outfield a little bit and see if that's an option moving forward, to see if we can extract some value from him before we write off his season," Reds manager Bryan Price told the Cincinnati Enquirer. "If he can't catch and he can only be a pinch-hitter, his value is so limited that it wouldn't make sense to take up that roster spot if that's all he can do. If he can play the outfield a bit capably, it's a way to get him in the lineup every now and again and let his bat do some influence for our club."

Mesoraco has served as a pinch-hitter and designated hitter since sustaining the injury, but the Reds know they can't keep that up.

Changing positions is never easy, but it would allow the Reds to use Mesoraco's bat while he's unable to catch and surgery isn't out of the question either.

The Reds are still weighing their options, but the good news is that Mesoraco is on board and ready for whatever is decided.

"He's on board. He's a huge part of it and I do believe that he's seen a guy in New York as well that did a followup on his MRI results and test results," Price said of Mesoraco. "So we're trying to make sure all the bases are covered that if we're going to do something like this, that we're doing it with enough time to make sure he's ready to go on Opening Day 2016 behind the plate."

ASSOCIATED PRESS Rare blunder by Ruiz costly as Phillies fall to Reds 6-4 By Rob Maaddi / The Associated Press

PHILADELPHIA —

A mental mistake by a veteran catcher cost the a chance for a sweep.

Anthony DeSclafani threw seven effective innings, Brandon Phillips had three hits and two RBIs and the Cincinnati Reds beat the Phillies 6-4 Thursday night to avoid a three-game sweep.

The go-ahead run scored in the fifth when Carlos Ruiz tagged the runner on a force play at the plate, and the call was overturned.

Todd Frazier hit a grounder to shortstop Freddy Galvis with one out and the bases loaded. Galvis threw home for the force, but Ruiz tagged DeSclafani instead of just keeping his foot on the plate. DeSclafani was out by several feet, but Cincinnati manager Bryan Price challenged the call and it was ruled Ruiz blocked the plate illegally.

"He was caught off guard," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said of Ruiz, who wasn't available for comment. "If he does what he normally does on a throw from the outfield, it would have been fine. As the rule stands, it was pretty blatant."

Phillies starter Aaron Harang doesn't agree with the rule.

"It's one of those rules where nobody knows what's going on," Harang said. "The guy could have been out by 10 feet. It's something that has to be figured out."

Harang (4-6) had his worst start with the Phillies, allowing a season-high six runs — five earned — and six hits with five walks in 5 2-3 innings. Harang pitched at least six innings in each of his first 11 starts and gave up more than three earned runs once. His ERA rose from 2.02 to 2.45.

"He was off with his command and up in the zone," Sandberg said.

DeSclafani (4-4) allowed four runs and six hits. He left with two runners on in the eighth and both scored. Aroldis Chapman, whose streak of 29 straight saves ended Wednesday night, tossed a perfect ninth for his 10th save in 11 tries.

The Phillies rallied for walk-off wins Tuesday and Wednesday, but couldn't pull off another comeback.

Phillips lined an RBI double to left to tie it at 2 in the fifth before Ruiz made his miscue. Billy Hamilton hit a two-run single in the sixth to extend the lead to 5-2. Phillips followed with an RBI single to make it 6-2.

Ben Revere hit an RBI double in the eighth and Chase Utley's sacrifice fly got the Phillies to 6-4.

Frazier ripped an RBI double in the first after going hitless in 11 at-bats in the series.

Revere hit his NL-leading fifth triple in the first and scored on Jeff Francoeur's groundout to tie it at 1. Utley hit a double and scored on Maikel Franco's double for a 2-1 lead.

SLUMPING SHORTSTOP

Galvis is 0 for 26 since his last hit on May 26, dropping his average from .313 to .269. He is 7 for 65 (.108) since May 15, when he was batting .355.

DEMOTED

The Phillies sent lefty Jake Diekman to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. He's 0-1 with a 6.75 ERA in 25 appearances. The team will replace him on the roster Friday.

"He has to work on some things," Sandberg said.

UP NEXT

Phillies: RHP Jerome Williams (3-5, 5.49) starts the opener of a three-game series against the World Series champion Giants. Tim Lincecum (5-3, 3.00) goes for San Francisco.

DeSclafani, Phillips lead Reds past Phillies 6-4 By Rob Maaddi / The Associated Press

PHILADELPHIA —

Anthony DeSclafani gave his family and friends a performance to enjoy.

DeSclafani threw seven effective innings, Brandon Phillips had three hits and two RBIs and the Cincinnati Reds beat the Philadelphia Phillies 6-4 Thursday night to avoid a three-game sweep.

DeSclafani (4-4) allowed four runs and six hits to win his second straight start. The righty grew up an hour away in Freehold, New Jersey. He said between 25 and 30 family members and friends came to see him pitch.

"It means a lot," DeSclafani said. "Not everybody gets to pitch in front of family and friends in the big leagues. I'm glad I pitched well."

DeSclafani left with two runners on in the eighth and both scored. Aroldis Chapman, whose streak of 29 straight saves ended Wednesday night, tossed a perfect ninth for his 10th save in 11 tries.

Aaron Harang (4-6) had his worst start with the Phillies, allowing a season-high six runs — five earned — and six hits with five walks in 5 2-3 innings. Harang pitched at least six innings in each of his first 11 starts and gave up more than three earned runs once. His ERA rose from 2.02 to 2.45.

The Phillies rallied for walk-off wins Tuesday and Wednesday, but couldn't pull off another comeback.

Phillips lined an RBI double to left to tie it at 2 in the fifth. The Reds then took a 3-2 lead on a major blunder by catcher Carlos Ruiz.

Todd Frazier hit a grounder to shortstop Freddy Galvis with one out and the bases loaded. Galvis threw home for the force, but Ruiz tagged DeSclafani rather than simply touching the plate. Cincinnati manager Bryan Price challenged and it was ruled Ruiz blocked the plate illegally.

"It's a force play, but he was blocking the plate," DeSclafani said. "I was just trying to get there. I'm slow."

Ruiz wasn't available for comment after the game.

"He was just caught off guard," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said.

Billy Hamilton hit a two-run single in the sixth to extend the lead to 5-2. Phillips followed with an RBI single to make it 6-2.

"He's been great," Price said of Phillips, batting leadoff after being a middle-of-the-lineup hitter previously. "He's had a really good start. I asked him to be a leadoff man and he's handled that well. I like the way the lineup is shaping out."

Ben Revere hit an RBI double in the eighth and Chase Utley's sacrifice fly got the Phillies to 6-4.

Frazier ripped an RBI double in the first after going hitless in 11 at-bats in the series.

Revere hit his NL-leading fifth triple in the first and scored on Jeff Francoeur's groundout to tie it at 1. Utley hit a double and scored on Maikel Franco's double for a 2-1 lead.

NEW POSITION

Reds catcher Devin Mesoraco, a 2014 All-Star, will try to learn left field when he comes off the disabled list. He's not expected to catch again this season because of a hip problem.

SLUMPING SHORTSTOP

Galvis is 0 for 26 since his last hit on May 26, dropping his average from .313 to .269. He is 7 for 65 (.108) since May 15, when he was batting .355.

DEMOTED

The Phillies sent lefty Jake Diekman to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. He's 0-1 with a 6.75 ERA in 25 appearances. The team will replace him on the roster Friday.

"He has to work on some things," Sandberg said.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Reds: LF Marlon Byrd, who broke his right wrist when hit by a pitch on Tuesday, will wear a soft brace for up to 10 days. It's uncertain how long he'll be sidelined.

UP NEXT

Reds: RHP Raisel Iglesias (1-1, 5.11 ERA) pitches the opener of a three-game series against San Diego's Tyson Ross (2-5, 3.76). Iglesias has allowed seven runs in 8 2-3 innings in his last two starts.

Phillies: RHP Jerome Williams (3-5, 5.49) starts the opener of a three-game series against the World Series champion Giants. Tim Lincecum (5-3, 3.00) goes for San Francisco.

TRANSACTIONS Date Transaction 06/05/15 Philadelphia Phillies optioned Jake Diekman to Lehigh Valley IronPigs. 06/04/15 activated RHP . activated 3B Anthony Rendon from the 15-day disabled list. activated LHP Vidal Nuno. placed RHP Ricky Nolasco on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to June 1, 2015. Right ankle impingement Arizona Diamondbacks placed RHP Archie Bradley on the 15-day disabled list. right shoulder tendinitis activated LHP Ross Detwiler from the 15-day disabled list. activated LF Alejandro De Aza. Texas Rangers placed LF Josh Hamilton on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to June 1, 2015. strained left hamstring Seattle Mariners activated RF . Arizona Diamondbacks activated C . sent OF Chris Denorfia on a rehab assignment to Tennessee Smokies. sent RHP Vic Black on a rehab assignment to Las Vegas 51s. Tampa Bay Rays sent RHP on a rehab assignment to Charlotte Stone Crabs. Texas Rangers sent OF Ryan Rua on a rehab assignment to Round Rock Express. sent RHP LaTroy Hawkins on a rehab assignment to . sent OF Yasiel Puig on a rehab assignment to Rancho Cucamonga Quakes. sent RHP on a rehab assignment to Frederick Keys. New York Mets sent 2B Dilson Herrera on a rehab assignment to St. Lucie Mets. Boston Red Sox designated LF Carlos Peguero for assignment. Seattle Mariners designated RF Justin Ruggiano for assignment. Boston Red Sox optioned Robbie Ross Jr. to Pawtucket Red Sox. Minnesota Twins optioned Michael Tonkin to Rochester Red Wings. Detroit Tigers optioned Daniel Fields to Toledo Mud Hens. Washington Nationals optioned Wilmer Difo to Harrisburg Senators. Washington Nationals optioned Taylor Jordan to Syracuse Chiefs. sent Elian Herrera outright to Colorado Springs Sky Sox. Los Angeles Angels sent Gary Brown outright to Salt Lake Bees. sent Matt Tracy outright to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders. Washington Nationals recalled A.J. Cole from Syracuse Chiefs. Arizona Diamondbacks recalled Robbie Ray from . Minnesota Twins recalled Tommy Milone from Rochester Red Wings. Seattle Mariners recalled Jesus Sucre from .