Press Clippings May 29, 2017 THIS DAY IN REDS HISTORY 1879-Following a loss, 20-6, to Troy the day before, Will White shaves off his mustache for good luck, then leads the Reds to a victory, 4-2, over the same team MLB.COM Reds 5 homers, win series against Phillies By Todd Zolecki and Mark Sheldon / MLB.com | May 28th, 2017 + 138 COMMENTS

PHILADELPHIA -- One streak ended and another continued Sunday afternoon at .

The Reds powered their way to an 8-4 victory over the Phillies with five home runs: two from Adam Duvall, two from Patrick Kivlehan and one from Scott Schebler. It was the first multi-homer game of Kivlehan's career. The victory snapped Cincinnati's 0-9- 1 series winless streak in Philadelphia that dated to Aug. 11-13, 2006. Chris Michalak and Bill Bray got the wins in that long-ago series against the Phillies.

"Today was definitely one of those days where everyone was clicking," Kivlehan said. "We've been swinging it well lately. To get the win today and the series win was huge."

Reds right-hander allowed four runs in five , but the Reds bullpen threw four scoreless innings to preserve the win.

The Phillies have lost nine consecutive series. It is their longest series losing streak since 1997, when they lost 10 consecutive series.

"I know that I can pitch at this level," said Phillies right-hander , who allowed four home runs and was optioned to Triple- A after the game. "There are some things I can work on and I know that I'll come back stronger."

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED

The Reds answered: Phillies hit a three-run to center field in the second -- projected by Statcast™ to travel 434 feet from home plate, making it the Phillies' longest homer of the season -- as they scored four runs to take a 4-2 lead. But the Reds answered in the third when Duvall hit a two-run homer to left field to tie the game. Duvall added insurance runs in the fifth when he hit a two-run homer on a 0-2 fastball from Eflin, who allowed nine hits and seven runs in five innings.

"They were both fastballs. One was down and in and one was kind of up and in. I put good swings on them," said Duvall, who has 13 homers and 43 RBIs this season.

Big Red outs: The Phillies had a runner on third with one out in the fifth, but Odubel Herrera and struck out swinging to end the inning. Herrera missed badly at a breaking ball out of the strike zone. They had runners on first and second with no outs in the sixth, but grounded into a double play and Knapp struck out swinging to end the inning. Herrera is hitting .132 with a .309 OPS in 68 plate appearances since May 9. Franco is hitting .185 with a .494 OPS in 69 plate appearances since May 4. Both could see reduced playing time with expected to be activated Monday.

"I plan on giving him a day off here and there because obviously he's not swinging the bat well," Phillies said about Herrera.

QUOTABLE

"We've had a couple of stretches where we didn't win many games and there was never, ever a point where things just shut down in the dugout, where the at-bats didn't matter, where the defense didn't matter, where the baserunning or pitching didn't matter. That's a great sign because there are times, or maybe a stretch, where you feel flat. And we haven't had a stretch like that. It's a credit to the guys and how much they enjoy playing together and what our expectations are, which are to exceed everyone else's expectations." -- Reds manager , on his 24-25 club.

"He's not giving us consistent at-bats. He's searching both physically and mentally. It's not easy for him. I can tell he's down on himself." -- Mackanin, on Franco's struggles.

SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS

Kivlehan's second homer snapped the Phillies bullpen's scoreless streak at 22 2/3 innings. It was the bullpen's longest scoreless streak since Sept. 1-11, 2004, when they went 28 innings without allowing a run.

WHAT'S NEXT

Reds: Toronto native Joey Votto and the Reds will visit Rogers Centre for the first time since 2009 when the road trip continues against the Blue Jays on Monday at 7:07 p.m. ET. Lisalverto Bonilla (0-2, 6.17) will make the start for Cincinnati.

Phillies: The Phillies head to Miami for a three-game road trip beginning at 7:10 p.m. ET Monday against the Marlins at Marlins Park. Right-hander Jeremy Hellickson (5-2, 4.28) hopes to finish May on a high note after struggling much of the month. Hellickson had a 1.80 ERA in five starts in April but has a 7.30 ERA in five starts in May.

Todd Zolecki has covered the Phillies since 2003, and for MLB.com since 2009. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook and listen to his podcast. Mark Sheldon has covered the Reds for MLB.com since 2006, and previously covered the Twins from 2001-05. Follow him on Twitter @m_sheldon and Facebook and listen to his podcast. This story was not subject to the approval of or its clubs.

#ASGWorthy Duvall has two-homer game Left fielder, Reds have been leaving the yard more frequently By Mark Sheldon / MLB.com | @m_sheldon | May 28th, 2017 + 2 COMMENTS

PHILADELPHIA -- The home runs are starting to come in a nice bunch for Adam Duvall and the Reds.

The Cincinnati left fielder slugged two more home runs and tied a career high with five RBIs during Sunday's 8-4 win over the Phillies. After he went 15 games without a long ball until Wednesday, he's hit four over his last four games and has 13 homers and 43 RBIs for the season.

"I feel like I've been swinging the bat pretty well," said Duvall, who is batting .299 for the month of May. "I feel like everybody's been swinging it pretty well. It's kind of contagious, hitting is."

Duvall drove in the first run of the game with a first-inning RBI single, and his first homer of the game was a big one. Reds starter Scott Feldman had just given away a 2-0 lead when he allowed four runs in the bottom of the second inning. With one out following a Joey Votto single in the third, Duvall slugged a 1-0 fastball to left-center field that carried 437 feet for the game-tying two-run homer. According to Statcast™, it was the fourth-longest by a Reds hitter this season.

In the top of the fifth with one out, Duvall attacked a 0-2 fastball for a two-run homer to left field to make it 7-4.

"I wanted it up and away and it came up and in. He put a good swing on it," said Phillies Zach Eflin, who gave up both of Duvall's homers and four of the Reds' five overall. "I didn't think it was possible for him to hit that ball out. But it was pretty impressive."

Duvall broke out for the Reds in 2016 with 33 homers and 103 RBIs and became a first-time All-Star. He's backing it up this year with more solid production, batting .274/.317/.548.

"This game has a lot of cycles to it and he's in a really good cycle," Reds manager Bryan Price said. "I just think the way he goes about his business that the really good cycles are going to be longer in duration, and the struggles are going to be shorter. That's where he is as a professional."

Cincinnati has hit 17 homers over the last eight games. The club has won five of those games to get back to within a game of .500 at 24-25.

"We all try to push ourselves," Duvall said. "We try to make it fun. We play a lot of games throughout the year. Just to keep it from getting monotonous and just mix it up a little bit and have fun."

Duvall is a major component to a lineup that Price was speaking optimistically about from the first day of . The group has backed it up, especially lately, with 69 runs over the last 12 games -- an average of 5.75 runs per game.

"As optimistic as we all were coming out of Spring Training, players still have to go out there and do it," Price said.

Mark Sheldon has covered the Reds for MLB.com since 2006, and previously covered the Twins from 2001-05. Follow him on Twitter @m_sheldon and Facebook and listen to his podcast. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Peraza making steady progress with bat By Mark Sheldon / MLB.com | @m_sheldon | May 28th, 2017 + 3 COMMENTS

PHILADELPHIA -- For all but three of the games during his career-high 13-game hitting streak, Reds Jose Peraza, has gotten one hit per day. With 12 of his last 16 hits being singles, it's not the stuff of legend but Peraza is making progress after a slow start to 2017.

Peraza, 23, burst on to the scene for Cincinnati once he got regular time in the lineup in August and batted .324 with a .352 on-base percentage. This season, he entered Sunday batting .254 with only a .290 OBP.

"This is my first full year in the big leagues. Last year maybe the didn't know me as well as they know me right now," Peraza said via translator Julio Morillo. "I think they know how to pitch me right now. I've been making the adjustments at the plate. Everything is going to work out for me. It's coming."

Peraza has been putting in the time off the field to make improvements.

"I feel good," Peraza said in English. "I'm working every day in the cage with [hitting coaches] Tony [Jaramillo] and Don [Long]. Sometimes, things don't go the way that you want, but it's part of the game."

Injury report

• Pitcher , who is working his way back from right elbow surgery that removed bone chips in February, will next pitch two innings in simulated game action at extended spring camp in Arizona. Bailey pitched one inning with 20 pitches on Wednesday.

"He's been doing great and bouncing back well," Reds manager Bryan Price said on Sunday. "To be responsible, he's going to need to be there until he gets maybe that four-inning outing. You have that 30-day [rehab assignment] window, and you don't want to feel like you're rushing him."

• Pitcher Sal Romano, who is on the Triple-A Louisville disabled list with a right shoulder injury, pitched three innings at extended spring camp on Friday.

"It was very, very effective. The reviews were very strong," Price said. "He's getting much closer. It bodes well for him, and it bodes well for us because he can certainly help us at some point."

• The news was not positive for right-hander Rookie Davis at Louisville. Davis, who last pitched three innings on May 19, was placed on the seven-day DL with an upper back strain.

Mark Sheldon has covered the Reds for MLB.com since 2006, and previously covered the Twins from 2001-05. Follow him on Twitter @m_sheldon and Facebook and listen to his podcast. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

A homecoming for Votto as Reds visit Blue Jays By Mark Sheldon / MLB.com | May 28th, 2017 + 0 COMMENTS

Toronto native and Reds first baseman Joey Votto is likely to be warmly welcomed as his club begins a three-game series against the Blue Jays on Monday.

The Reds last visited Rogers Centre in 2009, and before that, '08. Toronto took two out of three in both series. When the two clubs last met in 2014 at Great American Ball Park, the Reds took two of three games.

Marcus Stroman (5-2, 3.30 ERA) will make the start for the Blue Jays against Cincinnati's Lisalverto Bonilla (0-2, 6.17 ERA). Stroman has won his last two starts.

Things to know about this game

• Votto, a 2002 graduate of Richview Collegiate Institute, grew up in nearby Etobicoke, Ontario. He will catch a ceremonial first pitch on Monday from his senior team baseball coach, Steve "Whitey" Breitner, who is being honored pregame by the Blue Jays.

• Stroman has six quality starts in his 10 games this season. When he's pitching, his lineup has averaged 5.6 runs per game.

Mark Sheldon has covered the Reds for MLB.com since 2006, and previously covered the Twins from 2001-05. Follow him on Twitter @m_sheldon and Facebook and listen to his podcast. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs. CINCINNATI ENQUIRER Reds acquire minor-leaguer for future considerations Zach Buchanan , [email protected] 6:07 p.m. ET May 28, 2017

The Cincinnati Reds on Sunday acquired minor-league infielder Darnell Sweeney from the , in exchange for future considerations. The 26-year-old Sweeney had been playing for the Dodgers' Triple-A affiliate.

Sweeney was a former 13th-round draft pick by the Dodgers in 2012, and has spent the last three years at the Triple-A level. This is the second time the Dodgers have traded him away.

The Reds had an opening on their Triple-A roster after losing Peter O'Brien to waivers. Sweeney hasn't hit much in his career, but has played five different defensive positions this season.

Patrick Kivlehan, Adam Duvall power Cincinnati Reds over Zach Buchanan , [email protected] Published 5:51 p.m. ET May 28, 2017 | Updated 16 hours ago

PHILADELPHIA – For a period leading up to Sunday’s series finale against the Philadelphia Phillies, bench Patrick Kivlehan had been using a bat lent to him by outfielder Scott Schebler. It hadn’t done him much good.

He’d gone 0 for his last 18, with only two walks to break up the monotony. It was time to switch back to his own Old Hickory model. Like a frustrated Target customer, Kivlehan returned the other bat to Schebler, calling it a “wet noodle.”

On Sunday, with his own bat in hand, Kivlehan clubbed two home runs to help the Cincinnati Reds to an 8-4 win over the Phillies, clinching Cincinnati’s first series victory at Citizens Bank Park since 2006. Adam Duvall contributed two homers as well, and Schebler turned in a solo shot.

It was a reaffirming performance for Kivlehan, who went to not-too-distant Rutgers University and estimated that about 80 tickets were bought by people just coming to see him over the course of the three-game series. Making only three starts a month is a hard way to stay fresh, and usually means a higher proportion of failure than many players are used to.

“It’s definitely tough, having never done it before,” said the 27-year-old. “It’s something you kind of learn with experience and time. You’re not going to get it right away and you’re going to have some ups and downs, but you can’t worry too much about it.”

Kivlehan’s first home run was technically the game-winner. The Reds had leapt out to a 2-0 lead midway through the second, but right-hander Scott Feldman hemorrhaged four runs in the bottom of the inning to put them in a hole.

Duvall tied the game in the third with a two-run homer off starter Zach Eflin, and Kivlehan struck to lead off the top of the fourth with a go-ahead homer of his own. Duvall added another two-run bomb in the fifth to give the Reds more cushion, and Kivlehan answered with another leadoff shot in the ninth to make it a four-run lead.

To Price, it was a flash of what Kivlehan could do if there weren’t three capable already entrenched in starting spots ahead of him. He sees Kivlehan as a breakout candidate waiting for his opportunity.

“I don’t think this is necessarily the best role for him, as a bench player,” Price said. “I think that’s yet to be defined if he can be a major league regular. My guess is that he would do very well in the starting spot.”

The Reds had a player like that last year, a seemingly overlooked slugger who turned some heads once he started receiving regular time in the majors. That was Duvall, who clubbed his way to an All-Star Game appearance.

Duvall hasn’t disappointed in his sophomore season. A 15-game homerless streak earlier in the month seemed concerning, but he’s since batted four balls over the outfield wall in his last four games. In the month of May, he’s hitting .299/.340/.546.

He offers no secret recipe for consistency.

“Some days you’re not going to have it, and some days you are,” Duvalll said. “Just hit. I’ve been hitting ever since I was a little kid. Just going up there and hitting.”

Duvall now has 13 home runs, trailing only Schebler’s 15 for the team lead. The Reds have two other players in double digits, with Joey Votto at 12 and Eugenio Suarez at 10. All four play defensive positions where power at the plate is thought to be a necessity.

Add a .350-hitting Zack Cozart, and the Reds have proven to have an offense that can withstand just about any starter’s collapse.

“Top to bottom, we’re getting good production,” Price said. “When we’re in those games and keep it close early, we have a way of staying on even the better relief pitchers to add on runs. That’s been a difference maker so far.”

Reds recap: 5 homers power Cincinnati to series win Zach Buchanan , [email protected] Published 4:41 p.m. ET May 28, 2017 | Updated 16 hours ago

PHILADELPHIA - The Cincinnati Reds claimed a series victory, beating the Philadelphia Phillies 8-4 on Sunday at Citizens Bank Park. Here are the main storylines.

The Reds had a Home Run Derby. The Reds smacked five home runs against the Phillies, all of them from their outfielders. Scott Schebler, playing center, got the action going with a solo shot in the second to straight away center. It was his team-leading 15th of the year. The other outfielders did their best to catch up.

In the third, Adam Duvall clubbed a two-run homer to tie the game at 4-4. Patrick Kivlehan, starting off the bench in right, smacked a solo shot to start the fourth to give the Reds a one-run lead. An inning after that, Duvall extended things with another two-run bomb, his 13th of the year. With that, he leapfrogged Joey Votto for second on the team leaderboards behind Schebler.

The scoring wasn’t done, though, and Kivlehan struck again with a leadoff homer in the ninth for his first career multi-homer game. He now has three on the season.

Scott Feldman had a terrible inning. Coming off a nine- outing his last start, Feldman managed only five innings and surrendered four runs. All of them came in his terrible, no good, very bad second inning.

The inning began with back-to-back singles by and Michael Saunders. Maikel Franco went down looking, but switch-hitting catcher Andrew Knapp clubbed a 435-foot homer into the home bullpen to give the Phillies a 3-2 lead. The next batter, , doubled and scored on a single by opposing pitcher Zach Eflin to make it 4-2.

Fledman rebounded for three more clean innings, twice erasing a leadoff single with a double play. He was pinch-hit for in the top of the sixth despite being at 83 pitches.

Rookie Davis sent to DL, Sal Romano close to returning Zach Buchanan , [email protected] Published 12:11 p.m. ET May 28, 2017 | Updated 20 hours ago

PHILADELPHIA - The Cincinnati Reds had hoped that right-hander Rookie Davis could avoid landing on the minor-league disabled list with a back/shoulder issue. Those hopes were not rewarded, and Davis was unable to make his scheduled start two days ago after being pushed back several days.

Davis, who has not pitched since May 19 when a muscle knot in his back and shoulder area cropped up, was officially placed on the DL on Sunday.

“I think because it was something they felt they might be able to massage out of there, he’d be able to get pushed back three or four days,” Reds manager Bryan Price said. “They got to that point in time and realized that wasn’t going to happen.”

However, right-hander Sal Romano is progressing toward a return to action. Romano has been out since April 26 with a shoulder issue, but threw three innings in an extended spring training game in Arizona on Friday. His next step could possibly come with a full-season league.

Once Romano returns, the Reds will finally have some Triple-A depth that they’ve lacked for several weeks.

“He’s throwing the ball well,”’ Price said. “That bodes well for him and it bodes well for us, because I think he could certainly help us at some point.”

DAYTON DAILY NEWS Reds acquire minor-league infielder from Dodgers News Staff 8:42 p.m Sunday, May 28, 2017

The Reds on Sunday acquired infielder Darnell Sweeney from the Los Angeles Dodgers for future considerations.

Sweeney, 26, was hitting .227 this season for Oklahoma City, the Dodgers’ Triple-A affiliate in the .

In six minor league seasons, he’s hit .269 with 141 stolen bases.

Sweeney played 37 games in the major leagues in 2015 with the Phillies. ASSOCIATED PRESS Duvall, Kivlehan each hit 2 homers, Reds beat Phils 8-4 By ROB MAADDI Today

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Patrick Kivlehan had the game of his life in front of a large cheering section not far from home.

Kivlehan hit two solo homers, Adam Duvall hit a pair of two-run shots and the Cincinnati Reds beat the Philadelphia Phillies 8-4 on Sunday.

Scott Schebler also homered for the Reds and Scott Feldman (4-4) allowed four runs and eight hits in five innings.

Kivlehan grew up a fan of David Wright and the only 90 minutes away in Lyndhurst, . He said about 25 family and friends were in the stands to watch him get a rare start.

“It was a one of those days I’ll remember forever,” Kivlehan said. “It was definitely a special weekend.”

Kivlehan had two homers in 65 career at-bats entering the game.

He connected off Zach Eflin in the fourth, and then went deep against Jeanmar Gomez in the ninth.

“I couldn’t have been happier for him,” Reds manager Bryan Price said. “He’s a good player. He needed to start here in front of family.”

The Reds took two of three to win a series in Philadelphia for the first time since August 2006.

Andrew Knapp hit a three-run homer for the struggling Phillies, who have lost nine consecutive series. They’re 6-22 in that span.

Eflin (0-3) was roughed up again and was optioned to Triple-A after the game. He allowed seven runs and nine hits, including four homers, in five innings.

“He needs to work on a few things, keeping the ball down, work on his secondary stuff,” Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. “He just needs to go down there and get back to where he was because we’ve all seen him really good.”

Duvall hit a two-run shot to deep left-center in the third to tie it at 4. After Kivlehan’s homer in the fourth gave the Reds a 5-4 lead, Duvall drove another one out to left-center to make it 7-4.

“He’s in a really good cycle,” Price said of Duvall. “The way he goes about his business, his cycles are going to be longer in duration than his struggles.”

Knapp’s drive to straightaway center gave the Phillies a 3-2 lead in the second and Eflin added an RBI single.

Duvall had an RBI single in the first and Schebler hit one out in the second.

STATS

Reds 2B Jose Peraza extended his career-high hitting streak to 13 games. ... Five homers were a season high for the Reds. ... Schebler leads the Reds with 15 homers, Duvall has 13, Joey Votto has 12 and Eugenio Suarez has 10. ... Philadelphia’s bullpen had a scoreless streak of 22 2/3 innings before Kivlehan homered in the ninth. ... The last time the Phillies lost more than nine straight series was 1997 when they dropped 10 in a row.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Reds: C Stuart Turner (hamstring) was scheduled to begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Louisville on Sunday night. ... LHP Tony Cingrani (oblique) is slated to make a rehab appearance at Single-A Dayton on Monday.

Phillies: INF-OF Howie Kendrick has played four rehab games and is close to returning from an oblique injury that has sidelined him since April 16.

UP NEXT

Reds: RHP Lisalverto Bonilla (0-2, 6.17 ERA) takes the mound at Toronto against RHP (5-2, 3.30 ERA) in the opener of a three-game set.

Phillies: RHP Jeremy Hellickson (5-2, 4.28 ERA) starts the opener of a three-game series at Miami. RHP Edinson Volquez (0-7, 4.82 ERA) goes for the Marlins. TRANSACTIONS 05/29/17 Minnesota Twins optioned Kennys Vargas to . Minnesota Twins placed RHP Justin Haley on the 10-day disabled list. Right shoulder soreness. Philadelphia Phillies optioned RHP Zach Eflin to Lehigh Valley IronPigs.

05/28/17 Houston Astros recalled RHP Jordan Jankowski from Fresno Grizzlies. Cincinnati Reds sent C Stuart Turner on a rehab assignment to . Detroit Tigers designated RF Tyler Collins for assignment. Detroit Tigers selected the contract of OF Alex Presley from . Chicago White Sox optioned RHP Tyler Danish to . sent LHP Francisco Liriano on a rehab assignment to . St. Louis Cardinals selected the contract of 3B Paul DeJong from . St. Louis Cardinals placed 2B Kolten Wong on the 10-day disabled list retroactive to May 27, 2017. Left elbow strain. optioned RHP Tyler Wilson to . Baltimore Orioles recalled RHP Logan Verrett from Norfolk Tides. Houston Astros placed RHP Charlie Morton on the 10-day disabled list. Right lat strain. Detroit Tigers optioned RHP Buck Farmer to Toledo Mud Hens. placed LHP Dario Alvarez on the 10-day disabled list retroactive to May 26, 2017. Left elbow strain. Texas Rangers recalled 3B Drew Robinson from . transferred 2B Marco Hernandez from the 10-day disabled list to the 60-day disabled list. Left shoulder subluxation. selected the contract of RHP Ryne Harper from Tacoma Rainiers. Seattle Mariners optioned RHP Rob Whalen to Tacoma Rainiers. Boston Red Sox selected the contract of RHP Blaine Boyer from . Boston Red Sox optioned LHP to Pawtucket Red Sox. sent RHP Jameson Taillon on a rehab assignment to . Los Angeles Dodgers traded 2B Darnell Sweeney to Cincinnati Reds. Texas Rangers sent RHP Jose Leclerc on a rehab assignment to Frisco RoughRiders.