De La Cruz leads Reds to an 8-1 victory, halting Phillies’ 7-game winning streak.

Elly De La Cruz smashed a two-run homer, while Christian Encarnacion-Strand had a stellar night, going 3 for 4 with two RBIs, as the Cincinnati Reds put an end to the Philadelphia Phillies’ impressive seven-game winning streak with a decisive 8-1 victory on Tuesday evening.

Adding to Cincinnati’s offensive prowess, Santiago Espinal contributed three hits, including a solo home run in the eighth inning, marking his first since July 29. Fernando Cruz (1-1) made a notable appearance, pitching 2/3 of an inning in relief.

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The Phillies’ seven-game streak stood as one of the franchise’s longest in April, ranking fourth in its history. Notably, the team hasn’t achieved an eight-game winning streak in April since 1953. The absence of Bryce Harper, expected to return from the paternity list on Thursday, was felt by the Phillies.

Reflecting on the game, Phillies manager Rob Thomson acknowledged the team’s overdue need for a challenging performance, citing some unfortunate occurrences. Despite setbacks, he emphasized the importance of moving forward.

Philadelphia’s lone run came in the first inning when J.T. Realmuto and Alec Bohm hit consecutive doubles. However, their offensive output was limited, matching a season-low with only five hits.

The Phillies’ typically reliable starters faced struggles on Tuesday, as Christopher Sánchez (1-3) lasted only three innings, allowing five runs, one of which was earned. Philadelphia’s defense compounded the issue with three errors.

“We definitely didn’t do him any favors on defense,” Thomson remarked. “But throwing 79 pitches in just three innings, that’s a hefty workload. He seemed a bit off compared to his usual sharpness.”

Back on April 1st, Sánchez had a strong outing against the Reds, striking out eight and conceding only two runs over five innings. However, facing the Reds again on Tuesday posed new challenges for him.

“I didn’t execute a lot of pitches today,” Sánchez admitted. “I won’t make excuses. I threw a lot of pitches, and that’s why I got pulled.”

In the fourth inning, Phillies center fielder Johan Rojas made a remarkable catch against the wall, though he collided with the padding. Despite being evaluated by the training staff, Rojas remained in the game.

“He just banged his hip on the padded post out there,” Thomson explained. “It was a hard hit, but he should be fine for tomorrow.”

The Phillies struggled to get hits against Andrew Abbott, managing only two through 4 1/3 innings. They had a promising opportunity in the fifth with the bases loaded and no outs but failed to capitalize as Abbott and Cruz shut down the threat.

De La Cruz’s seventh home run of the season in the fifth inning, sent deep into left-center field, extended Cincinnati’s lead to 7-1, matching the total runs allowed by the Phillies in their previous four games. Additionally, De La Cruz’s stolen base marked his 12th of the season, tying him for the league lead.

He also executed a sliding catch of Rojas’ pop fly in short left field during the seventh inning and initiated an inning-ending double play in the sixth.

“Elly’s contributions are truly remarkable when you take a moment to reflect,” commented Reds manager David Bell. “He’s determined to make every play possible. Perhaps even more impressive was the double play ball he charged. Defense holds immense significance.”

Injury Updates:

Phillies: Right-handed pitcher Taijuan Walker, dealing with right shoulder soreness, completed a bullpen session on Tuesday and is anticipated to make his season debut on Sunday in San Diego.

Reds: Left-handed pitcher Sam Moll, who had been sidelined with a left shoulder impingement, was activated from the 15-day injured list on Tuesday, while right-handed pitcher Casey Legumina was sent down to Triple-A Louisville. Moll delivered a scoreless ninth inning in his return.

Next Up:

Phillies right-hander Spencer Turnbull (2-0, 1.23 ERA), who secured a victory against the Reds on April 2nd, will take the mound. Meanwhile, Reds left-hander Nick Lodolo (2-0, 0.75 ERA), undefeated in two starts since returning from the injured list, will be pitching for Cincinnati.