Phillies at Reds
Rhys Hoskins started to show some signs he was on the verge of breaking out of a long slump late last week, and it didn't take much time to remember how much he enjoyed hitting at Great American Ball Park. The 26-year-old Sacramento State product looks to continue what has been a promising stretch Tuesday when the Philadelphia Phillies visit Cincinnati for the second of four games against the Reds.
Hoskins battled through a brutal 21-game stretch in which he went 7-for-71 with one home run, four RBIs and 23 strikeouts from Aug. 4-27 before enjoying his first multi-hit effort in more than a month in Wednesday's win over Pittsburgh. He had three hits in his next game - including his second homer in as many contests - and matched his home run total for the month of August in Monday's series-opening triumph over the Reds, keeping Philadelphia within 2 1/2 of the Chicago Cubs for the second wild card in the National League. Cincinnati predictably did little offensively in Monday's 7-1 setback after playing back-to-back doubleheaders Saturday and Sunday in St. Louis. Rookie Aristides Aquino had two of the Reds' seven hits in the game and the only extra-base hit - a solo shot to give him a major-league record 15 homers in his first 122 career plate appearances.
TV: 6:40 p.m. ET, NBCS Philadelphia, FS Ohio (Cincinnati)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Phillies RH Vince Velasquez (6-7, 4.86 ERA) vs. Reds RH Lucas Sims (2-1, 4.99)
Velasquez hasn't completed six innings in any of his last four starts, but he improved to 2-1 over that time after limiting Pittsburgh to two runs while striking out five over as many innings Wednesday. While the 27-year-old has fanned 103 batters in 96 1/3 frames in 2019, he has also allowed a career-high 22 home runs after giving up a total of 31 across 218 2/3 innings in his previous two seasons combined. Velasquez has only faced Cincinnati twice in relief this season, throwing 2 1/3 scoreless frames.
Alex Wood was scratched Monday with a reoccurrence of his back issue, leaving Sims to make his third start of the season after throwing 36 pitches in relief Saturday in St. Louis. The former first-round pick gave up two runs to the Cardinals in that outing and hasn't fared particularly well as a starter either in 2019, going 1-1 with a 6.75 ERA. J.T. Realmuto is 4-for-5 with a homer and a double versus Sims, who permitted four runs over 6 1/3 innings in his only career start against Philadelphia in 2017.
WALK-OFFS
1. Phillies OF Bryce Harper has 11 homers and 26 RBIs in his last 20 games.
2. Aquino's blast broke the record held by Hoskins, who hit 15 home runs in his first 135 plate appearances in 2017.
3. Hoskins is 8-for-21 with six runs scored, five homers and eight RBIs in five career games at Great American Ball Park.