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  Tuesday, Aug. 22 7:35pm ET
Bichette's error lets in deciding run
 
  RECAP | BOX SCORE | GAME LOG

CINCINNATI (AP) -- With the game on the line, Dante Bichette and Ken Griffey Jr. were double trouble for the Cincinnati Reds.

Bichette's fielding error let in Philadelphia's go-ahead run in the top of the ninth and Griffey was doubled up at first base on Bichette's foul pop for the final out of the Phillies' 5-4 victory Tuesday night.

"We got a break and we came out with a victory," said first baseman Travis Lee, who caught the foul ball that started the last of the Phillies' season-high four double plays.

Bobby Abreu and Scott Rolen hit two-run homers as the Phillies overcame Alex Ochoa's first-inning grand slam, the record-setting 142nd in the majors this season.

The Reds' sloppy play in the ninth let the Phillies pull out only their second victory in nine games.

"Games like that shouldn't get away," Reds manager Jack McKeon said. "We've gotten too many leads and not held them. We have to hold them."

Larry Luebbers (0-2) put the Phillies in position to win it by giving up Pat Burrell's single leading off the ninth. Marlon Anderson was safe at first on a sacrifice attempt when third baseman Chris Stynes double-clutched and threw too late to get him.

After a sacrifice by Tomas Perez, a hard-charging Bichette dropped Kevin Jordan's shallow fly to right, letting in an unearned run. Bichette also hit into three of Cincinnati's four double plays.

"I don't think I ever had it in my glove, and I juggled it a little bit," said Bichette, who also let in Pittsburgh's game-turning run with an eighth-inning error Friday. "I ran as hard as I could after it, but I just couldn't haul it in."

Vicente Padilla (3-3) pitched two perfect innings and Jeff Brantley got three outs for his 19th save in 23 chances -- with an assist from Griffey.

Griffey, who wasn't feeling well, slept in the trainer's room during batting practice, but was in the lineup and went 2-for-4, extending his hitting streak to eight games.

The second hit was a one-out single in the ninth that brought up Bichette. Griffey was running on a full-count pitch that Bichette hit softly into foul territory near the Reds' dugout.

Lee caught it and heard teammates yelling. He looked and saw Griffey still far from first, then lobbed the ball over for a game-ending double play.

"He didn't get a huge jump at all," Lee said. "He must not have looked in (to see where the ball was hit)."

Maybe Griffey was taken in by Perez, the shortstop who acted like it was a hit to confuse him and keep him from reversing course.

"I tried to fake something, like it was a base hit," Perez said. "I don't know if he saw me."

Griffey left the clubhouse as soon as it opened to reporters, leaving without explanation.

The Reds went up 4-0 in the first on their second grand slam in two games.

Griffey singled with two outs to start the rally. Bruce Chen then walked Bichette and Dmitri Young, who hit an upper-deck homer in the third inning Monday night.

Ochoa, hitless in his last 14 at-bats, connected on an 0-2 pitch for his first career grand slam. The Reds hadn't hit slams in consecutive games since May 4-5, 1996, when Eric Davis had a pair in San Francisco.

Ochoa was unaware his slam set the record.

"That was my first grand slam so that's special, and that makes it even more special," Ochoa said. "But losing takes the fun out of it."

The Phillies tied it with a pair of homers in the third, Rob Bell's only bad inning out of seven.

Perez singled with one out for Philadelphia's first hit and Abreu hit his 18th homer with two outs. Doug Glanville followed with a double that extended his hitting streak to nine games, and Rolen hit the first pitch for his 22nd homer, tying it at 4.

Bell gave up six hits in seven innings, four of them in the one big inning. Chen lasted six innings, giving up only three more hits after the Reds' four-run first.

The Phillies' four double plays gave them seven in two games. As a result of the double plays, the Reds got six hits but didn't leave a runner on base.

Rolen made four nice plays at third, including the game's best in the second innings. He dove toward the line to grab Juan Castro's grounder in the second and threw to first from his right knee, making a one-hop through to get the out.

Game notes
Abreu batted leadoff for the third consecutive game and went 1-for-4. Abreu, who had never batted first in his career, is 4-for-10 with six walks atop the order. ... The Phillies have turned a double play in 11 of their last 12 games. ... Kasey McKeon, son of the Reds manager, was promoted from scout/cross checker to director of scouting. ... The Reds have five grand slams this season -- two by Griffey, one each by Dante Bichette, Young and Ochoa. ... Reliever Mark Wohlers, bothered by a sore stomach, had tests at a hospital Tuesday that came back normal. ... RHP Osvaldo Fernandez will have an MRI on his sore right shoulder Wednesday. The initial diagnosis is tendinitis. ... C Eddie Taubensee, disabled by a bulging disc in his back, will have another injection Wednesday.
 


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