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Wednesday, Aug. 23 7:35pm ET
Phils get past Graves to complete sweep | |||||
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
CINCINNATI (AP) -- Even when they do exactly what they want, the Cincinnati Reds can't get the result they want. Mike Lieberthal's eighth-inning homer started a three-run rally that swept the Philadelphia Phillies over the Cincinnati Reds 4-3 Wednesday night. The Phillies got consecutive wins for the first time since Aug. 8-9 by overcoming a 3-1 deficit against Scott Sullivan and All-Star closer Danny Graves (10-4), who made good pitches that got bad results. "One inning you think we're right on top of things," Graves said. "Then the next, everything hits the fan. It's just one of those things." Pinch-hitter Benito Santiago's bases-loaded single in the seventh off Robert Person put the Reds up 3-1, but Lieberthal's 15th homer, a drive off Sullivan, started the Phillies' comeback. "He made a mistake and it kind of got things going," said Lieberthal, who broke an 0-for-13 slump with his homer. After Travis Lee singled, Graves came on looking to get a double-play grounder with his sinker. He walked Rob Ducey and then got Marlon Anderson to hit that hoped-for grounder up the middle. It went under Graves' glove and barely eluded diving shortstop Barry Larkin, tying the game at 3. Tomas Perez hit another grounder -- this one too soft for anything but a forceout at second that allowed Ducey to score. "If I could field the ground ball, we'd be all right," said Graves, who blew a save for the fourth time in 25 chances. "I thought I had it. I was down on both knees and had my glove down. I can't explain it. They did exactly what I wanted them to do. They hit it right back at me." Chris Brock (7-6) retired the only batter he faced to close out the seventh and get in line for the win. Vicente Padilla got two outs for his first career save. Cincinnati lost for the seventh time in nine games, extending a month-long slump at home that has squashed its comeback in the NL Central. The Reds are 4-11 at home since July 24. With St. Louis' 5-2 victory over Pittsburgh on Wednesday, the Reds fell 8½ games back, their biggest deficit since July 6. Before the game, Ken Griffey Jr. stopped Hall of Fame broadcaster Marty Brennaman and took issue with his criticism. Brennaman criticized Griffey on the air Sunday for jogging to first base on a hit that could have been stretched to a double. During their heated conversation, Brennaman said he'll continue to point out when Griffey fails to hustle. Griffey went 0-for-4, ending his eight-game hitting streak and dropping his average to .257. Griffey, for the second straight night, did not speak with reporters after the game. The Reds wasted a highly efficient start by Scott Williamson, who threw 70 strikes out of 107 pitches in seven innings. He matched his career high with eight strikeouts and gave up only four hits on a night when it appeared he wouldn't last long. Williamson hurt his lower back when he lost his balance and stumbled off the side of the mound as he threw a pitch to Doug Glanville in the third inning. After the trainer talked to him, Williamson took a few warmup throws and stayed in the game, though he moved slowly between innings. "I jarred it on one of those pitches in the second inning," Williamson said. "(Pitching coach Don Gullett) asked me if I wanted t come out and I said no, I wanted to fight through it." Person gave up three runs -- two earned -- and five hits in 6 2-3 innings. He lost his control in the seventh, letting a 1-all tie slip away. The Reds loaded the bases with two outs on Dmitri Young's double and a pair of walks, and Person went to a 3-1 count on Santiago before giving up a two-run single. Game notesWhen Philadelphia's Omar Daal (3-14) faces Cincinnati's Steve Parris (7-14) in the series finale Thursday, it will mark the first time two starters with at least 14 losses faced each other since Oct. 1, 1992, when Seattle's Erik Hanson (8-17) was matched against Milwaukee's Bill Wegman (12-14). Milwaukee won that game 7-2 in 10 innings as Wegman pitched a complete game. ... Glanville singled in the fifth, extending his hitting streak to 10 games. ... The pine tar-covered bat that Cincinnati's Alex Ochoa used for his first career grand slam is headed to the baseball Hall of Fame. Ochoa's slam Tuesday night was the 142nd in the majors this season, a record. ... Reliever Mark Wohlers had more tests Wednesday that came back normal. Wohlers has been bothered by pain in his lower right side that evidently is the result of a pulled muscle. | ALSO SEE Baseball Scoreboard Philadelphia Clubhouse Cincinnati Clubhouse Broadcaster who criticized Griffey hears about it
RECAPS Boston 3 Anaheim 1
Philadelphia 4
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