Reds at Phillies
Philadelphia's pitchers are dominating the Cincinnati Reds through the first two games of their three-game series, and the host Phillies will turn to their ace when they aim for the sweep Sunday afternoon. Behind Nick Pivetta's first career complete game, Philadelphia coasted to a 4-1 triumph Saturday afternoon after taking the series opener 4-2.
Aaron Nola, who is 23-7 over the last two seasons, will try to follow suit and pitch the Phillies to their season-high fifth straight win when he gets the nod in the series finale. Jay Bruce stayed hot with a two-run single that gave Philadelphia all the runs it would need in Saturday's victory, improving to 8-for-18 with 11 RBIs in five games since being traded from Seattle. He and his teammates will take aim at veteran righty Sonny Gray on Sunday. Gray hopes for a little more support from an offense that has produced a total of 11 runs during the Reds' current 1-5 slide.
TV: 1:05 p.m. ET, FS Ohio (Cincinnati), NBCS Philadelphia
PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds RH Sonny Gray (2-5, 3.54 ERA) vs. Phillies RH Aaron Nola (6-1, 4.63)
Gray allowed three runs in 17 innings over his last three starts, going 2-1 in that span. The one-time All-Star has held Phillies slugger Bryce Harper hitless with four strikeouts in seven at-bats. Gray will be making his first career appearance against Philadelphia.
Nola had been on a bit of a roll before giving up a season high-tying six runs in 5 1/3 innings at San Diego on Monday to suffer his first loss. He has held opponents to exactly one run in four of his last five home starts and owns a 3.13 ERA in 54 career starts at Citizens Bank Park. The LSU product is 2-1 with a 2.57 ERA in four career matchups with the Reds while holding star first baseman Joey Votto hitless in 11 at-bats.
WALK-OFFS
1. Philadelphia placed CF Adam Haseley (groin) on the 10-day injured list and recalled OF Nick Williams from Triple-A Lehigh Valley.
2. Votto had two hits Saturday to move into a tie with Edd Roush (1,784) for seventh on the team's all-time list.
3. Harper, who drew 130 walks last year in Washington, received a free pass Saturday for the first time in a span of 12 games.