Denver, CO – Brandon Phillips fell a single shy of the cycle and Greg Reynolds worked eight strong innings against his former team as the Cincinnati Reds notched an 8-3 victory over the Colorado Rockies on Saturday.
Phillips homered and drove in two to reach 99 RBI on the season, a new career high. Reynolds (1-2) also put forth a career-best performance while sticking it to the team that gave up on him after selecting him No. 2 overall in the 2006 Draft.
"In this ballpark you can't walk people and can't give up home runs after walking people," said Cincinnati manager Dusty Baker. "What he did really well was keep the ball down and that's important in this place."
While enduring his longest major league outing, Reynolds limited the Rockies to seven hits and three runs -- two of which came on a Chris Dickerson blast in the eighth. He didn't walk a batter and also struck out five.
"He did a hell of a job, throwing mostly fastballs," said Rockies manager Walt Weiss about the team's former pitcher. "He did it almost exclusively with variations of the fastball."
Ryan Ludwick and Shin-Soo Choo each had three hits for Cincinnati. Choo scored twice and knocked in a run, Ludwick plated two and so did Joey Votto, helping the Reds claim just their third win in eight games.
Juan Nicasio (8-7) was torched for six runs on seven hits in just 4 1/3 innings. The Rockies can still claim a series win with a victory in Sunday's rubber match.
The Reds got on the board quickly, with Phillips tripling behind Choo's leadoff walk and then scoring on Votto's groundout for a 2-0 lead.
Phillips made it a three-run cushion with his solo blast in the third. Reynolds scattered three singles in the first four frames, then received even more support when Cincinnati put together a three-run fifth.
Choo and Phillips stood at second and third after a single and double, respectively. Jay Bruce was then intentionally walked by Nicasio to load the bases, ending his outing. Wilton Lopez took over and was called for a balk, pushing the runners up and bringing in a run. Ludwick then plated Phillips and Bruce with a single into left for a 6-0 lead.
Jordan Pacheco doubled in Charlie Blackmon in the bottom fifth to put the Rockies on the board, but Reynolds settled in to strike out the side in the seventh.
Choo made it 8-1 with a double in the eighth. Dickerson retaliated in the home half with a deep two-run homer to right.
Game Notes
Phillips' previous career-high RBI total was 98. The last Reds second baseman with 100 RBI was Joe Morgan in 1976 ... The Rockies were 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position.
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