Phillies starter Brett Myers was reached for 4 runs in five inings of work featuring two early Cincinnati dingers, including veteran rightfielder Ken Griffey Jr’s 594th career homer, a two run shot in the first inning out of the starting blocks.

Reliever Clay Condrey took over for Myers to start the sixth and was downright awful, getting pounded for 4 runs in the inning on 4 hits and two walks as the Reds coasted to an 8-2 win over the Phillies, their fourth loss of the season.  Cincinnati’s record is 4-2.

Besides Griffey Jr’s two hits, shortstop Jeff Keppinger, who went 3 for 5 with 3 RBIs belted Cincinnati’s other homer, a solo shot off of Myers in the third inning.

The Phillies latest offensive slumber continued as only 2nd baseman  Chase Utley and leftfielder Pat Burrell managed 2 hits against Reds pitching.  The Phils only managed single runs in the fifth and eighth innings on an RBI ground out by 2nd baseman Jimmy Rollins and an RBI single by Burrell respectively.

Aside from Utley’s continued hot hitting against the Reds, there were
only two other bright spots in this one.

Myers got himself into and out of a one out, bases loaded jam unscathed in the fifth inning with a strikeout and a line-out.  And in the eighth inning, closer Brad Lidge got his first regular season workout with no pressure on the line.  Lidge tossed 20 pitches, 12 for strikes in setting down the Reds in order.  He recorded one strikeout.

Losing pitcher Myers gave up 4 runs on 8 hits while walking 3 and striking out 4 in his five innings.

The Phils scored but 1 run on 5 hits against Reds starter and winner  Edison Volquez who sported a 3-11 career mark going into the game. Volquez walked two and struck out eight in his 5 innings of work. 

With the exception of the 1 run and 2 hits the Phillies put up in the eighth inning off of reliever Mike Lincoln, the Reds bullpen silenced the red pin-stripers completely. 

For the scores, boxscores and recaps on all of Sunday’s games, click   here.

The Phils hope to win the final on Monday and salvage a series split as star lefthander Cole Hamels opposes Bronson Arroyo.  The Phillies need to pick up a head of steam as they head next to New York for an early season three game showdown and rematch on Tuesday through Thursday with the Mets.

For the scores, boxscores and recaps on Monday’s games, click here.

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This entry was posted on Sunday, April 6th, 2008 at 5:42 pm and is filed under Real-Time Baseball News and Commentary, Phillies and NL East, Analysis, Predictions, etc. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.