Chase Utley’s return marks win for Philadelphia Phillies over Cincinnati Reds 10-3 – MLB Update
The team with the second best record in Major League Baseball, the Philadelphia Phillies defeated the Cincinnati Reds 10-3, in the first of the four game series at the Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia on Monday, May 23.
This particular game was highly anticipated by everyone in the Phillies’ line-up and the fans, as it marked the return of their beloved five times All Star, Chase Utley. He missed the first 46 games of the season due to a knee injury and the Phillies’ offence
was visibly lackluster without him.
The seven runs that the Phillies managed to come up with by the time that the third inning rolled around in this match is equivalent to what they have struggled to come up with collectively in their past six games.
Charlie Manuel, Philadelphia’s manager said, "I don't know if it was his presence or not, but somebody did something right so we'll give him credit."
Philadelphia’s Cole Hamels, who has a 1.21 ERA against the Reds, pitched six innings allowing five hits and three runs. Last year, when Hamels went against the Reds in the divisional play-off series, it resulted in a five hit shut-out by him that completed
a sweep of the Reds by the Phillies.
The Reds’ starter Bronson Arroyo, who had his worst start since April 23
of last year, sacrificed ten hits and nine runs in the duration of two innings.
The largest regular season sellout crowd in the eight year history of Citizens Bank Park cheered Utley’s return and watched as the Phillies belted out runs ruthlessly against the already suffering Cincinnati.
Placido Polanco was the first one to put a run on the scoreboard as he hit a home-run that covered a distance of 369 feet in the very first inning. The third inning witnessed the Phillies cashing in on each and every opportunity presented as they smashed
seven runs at Arroyo’s expense.
Raul Ibanez, John Mayberry Jr. and Cole Hamels all singled as Polanco, Ryan Howard and Carlos Ruiz scored off the hits, respectively. Rollins finished off the spectacular inning with a home-run that flew for a good 371 feet as Mayberry and Hamels scored.
The fourth inning was the only inning in which the Reds managed to put up numbers on the scoreboard. Jay Bruce belted out a 360 feet homer as Brandon Phillips and Scott Rolen squeezed in runs.
The Phillies saved the best for the last as they unleashed the most powerful homer of the entire game courtesy of Ibanez which flew for a strong 416 feet.
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