CINCINNATI (AP) — Rhys Hoskins drove in three runs with two homers and Bryce Harper and Scott Kingery added two-run shots as the Philadelphia Phillies overpowered the Cincinnati Reds 7-1 on Monday.
Harper extended his hitting and scoring streaks to 10 games with a liner into the right-field seats in the eighth inning off Wandy Peralta. Hoskins followed two pitches later with his second homer of the game.
After beating the Mets 5-2 on Sunday night, the Phillies have two straight wins for the first time since Aug. 20-21 at Boston. They began Monday 2 1/2 games behind the Cubs for the second NL wild card.
Philadelphia starter Drew Smyly (3-6) tied his season high with eight strikeouts while earning his first win in six starts since beating San Francisco on July 30. Smyly gave up four hits, one run and three walks in 5 1/3 innings.
Cincinnati's Anthony DeSclafani (9-8) shook off a rough start to last seven innings, giving up three hits and four runs with two walks and eight strikeouts.
The Phillies never trailed after Kingery's shot over the center-field fence in the second, his 16th homer of the season. Hoskins followed one inning later with his 26th homer, a two-out, two-run blast into the Reds' bullpen. He briefly celebrated by raising his right fist for a few steps between first and second base.
Aristides Aquino led off the second with a drive to left field off Smyly that reached the upper deck for his 15th homer of the season. He needed just 122 at bats to collect them, 13 fewer than the record of 135 set last season by Hoskins.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Phillies: Joey Votto's sharp one-hopper glanced off Smyly's foot to third baseman Brad Miller, who threw Votto out in the first inning. Smyly didn't need a visit from trainer.
Reds: X-rays of 3B Eugenio Suárez's left hand were negative. He has a bruise after being hit by a Daniel Ponce de Leon pitch in the fifth inning of Sunday night's 5-3 win in St. Louis.
UP NEXT
Phillies: In his only career start against the Reds, on July 28, 2018, RHP Vince Velasquez (6-7) allowed six hits and five walks in five innings of a 6-2 Reds win in Cincinnati.
Reds: In his last start, LHP Alex Wood (1-3) gave up a career-high three home runs in six innings of a 4-3, 12-inning Cincinnati loss last Thursday at Miami.
