CINCINNATI _ Cesar Hernandez turned himself around Friday night trying to locate where exactly the ball went after it skipped past his glove in the sixth inning of a 6-2 loss to the Reds, rocketed off the dirt and soared in the air.
Hernandez soon located the ball after it landed in the shallow right-field grass. But it was too late. The Reds had scored a run and would tack on another when Maikel Franco fielded a ground ball at third and threw to second instead of home. The Phillies did almost nothing right in the sixth and the game was as lost as the baseball that flew over Hernandez' head.
Tommy Hunter threw just 12 pitches, but he allowed two runs. He has allowed runs in four of his last nine outings. The Reds scored twice more in the eighth off Austin Davis.
Rhys Hoskins homered in the fourth for his 21st home run of the season and his seventh homer in eight games. The Phillies had just three more hits as they finished with four hits. They've combined for 11 hits in their last two games, both losses, after racking up 18 on Thursday night.
The Phillies built a rally in the eighth but it ended quickly when Hoskins hit a sharp line drive that bounced at the back of the infield dirt but in front of shortstop Jose Peraza, who was able to turn a double play. It was a tough break.
Asdrubal Cabrera, who the Phillies received Friday in a trade with the Mets, joined the team just a few hours before first pitch and went 0-for-3. He started at shortstop for the first time this season and did not see any action before he was lifted for Scott Kingery in the seventh inning as a defensive replacement.
"I haven't played short for a little while but I'm going to come here and work hard and do my best no matter what position they put me at," Cabrera said before the game. "I just come here to help the team. I'm going to do my best at shortstop to help them."
Vince Velasquez, just three days after he pitched an inning of relief early on Wednesday morning, allowed two runs in five innings. He struck out four, walked five, and allowed six hits. The Reds reached a runner in scoring position in all five innings as Velasquez constantly faced trouble.
He loaded the bases in the fifth with just one out by walking Tucker Barnhart on four pitches. Velasquez looked ready to crumble and the Reds appeared set to break the game open. Pitching coach Rick Kranitz visited the mound, giving Velasquez a chance to get composed.
He struck out the next two batters as they both chased 96-mph fastball. It was a perfect escape. Velasquez pumped his fist as he walked off the mound. The Phillies were still alive. But not for long.
