PHILADELPHIA — Spencer Steer hit a home run with the bases loaded in the 10th inning, leading the Cincinnati Reds to a 6-3 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday night.
Steer hammered a 2-1, 91 mph fastball from Connor Brogdon (0-1).
“I feel great,” Steer said. “It's nice to contribute positively to the team. I enjoy being in those situations. It was a really special moment. I was pleased to come through for the team.”
Bryce Harper did not get any hits in his return to Philadelphia’s lineup after a day off. He was in his usual position, batting third and playing first base, after sitting out in Sunday’s 5-4 win over the Atlanta Braves. He went 0 for 5 with two strikeouts, bringing his total to 0 for 11 with five strikeouts in three games.
“It’s always about timing with him,” Philadelphia manager Rob Thomson said. “He'll figure it out.”
Harper came to bat as the potential tying run in the 10th and was struck out by Tejay Antone (1-0) with runners on second and third.
Reds manager David Bell chose not to intentionally walk Harper and put the go-ahead run at the plate.
“Definitely,” Bell answered when asked if he considered walking him. “He's a terrific hitter. At some point, you have to have faith in your players. You never want him to come to bat, but tonight we were able to get it done.”
With pinch-runner Bubba Thompson starting on second base in the 10th, Brogdon walked Will Benson and Jonathan India. He began pitching to Steer with two balls before a called strike brought the count to 2-1. Steer hit the next pitch over the wall in left-center field.
“You can’t leave a pitch there to a major league hitter,” Brogdon said.
The game was played on a chilly, drizzly night that felt colder than the game-time temperature of 52 degrees. The weather is expected to be even colder and wetter on Tuesday night in the second game of the planned three-game series.
Thomson said he didn’t consider resting Harper on Monday but made no promises for Tuesday.
The 31-year-old Harper is in his first full season playing first base after reconstructive elbow surgery forced him to move from right field. The two-time NL MVP was fooled and swung through a breaking ball in the first. He flied out to medium center in the third, lined out hard to the pitcher in the sixth and popped out to short center in the eighth with runners on first and second and no outs before striking out in the 10th.
“I think it was just a really good approach against him,” said Reds starter Andrew Abbott, who allowed two runs on three hits in 5 1/3 innings. “We had a really good plan about keeping him off-balance as much as possible. When you’re able to execute, it kind of plays into your favor.”
Philadelphia starter Cristopher Sánchez retired 11 straight Reds, striking out eight of them, before a walk to India and double by Steer to lead off the sixth ended the lefty’s night. India and Steer scored on RBI singles by Christian Encarnacion-Strand and Jeimer Candelario that tied it at 2.
Bohm’s two-run double off the end of the bat in the first gave the Phillies a 2-0 lead.
Alexis Diaz (1-1) got the win for the Reds.
TIGERS 5, METS 0
In New York, Carson Kelly hit a three-run home run in the 10th inning, helping the Detroit Tigers win against the New York Mets, who are 0-4 for the first time since 2005.
During the first nine innings, both teams had very few scoring opportunities, but the Tigers managed to break the tie in the 10th inning.
Spencer Torkelson and Parker Meadows scored runs before Carson Kelly hit a home run against Michael Tonkin (0-1) to secure the victory for the Tigers.
Jason Foley (1-0) struck out two in the ninth, and Shelby Miller pitched a perfect 10th inning for the Tigers, who are off to a 4-0 start for the first time since 2015.
The Mets were unable to get a hit in 19 plate appearances with a runner on base, marking their first five-game losing streak in 19 years.
Sean Manaea pitched 5 2/3 no-hit innings at the beginning of the game before allowing a hit. Carson Kelly, who walked in the game, was thrown out trying to score on a hit.
Manaea walked two batters and struck out eight.
Edwin Díaz struck out two in the ninth inning for the Mets in his second appearance since recovering from an injury. He entered the game to the song “Narco” and a synchronized light display at Citi Field, where the Mets played their first night game since updating the lighting system.
Tigers starter Reese Olson pitched 5 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing three hits and striking out three.
CUBS 5, ROCKIES 0
In Chicago, Shota Imanaga had an impressive debut in the major leagues, and the Chicago Cubs capitalized on a defensive error by Nolan Jones to defeat the Colorado Rockies.
Imanaga, a Japanese left-hander who signed with the Cubs, pitched six solid innings, striking out nine and allowing only two singles.
Dakota Hudson also had a strong performance in his first start for Colorado, but a pair of errors by Nolan Jones in the sixth inning led to the team's loss.
During a scoreless game in the sixth inning, Christopher Morel hit a single that went under Nolan Jones's glove and resulted in two runs for the Cubs.
The Wrigley Field crowd cheered as Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki scored, and Christopher Morel also scored on a headfirst slide as a result of Nolan Jones's throw getting away.
BRAVES 9, WHITE SOX 0
In Chicago, Austin Riley's three-run home run and Charlie Morton's 5 2/3 scoreless innings led the Braves to a win against the White Sox in a game shortened to eight innings due to rain.
The 40-year-old Morton (1-0) — the oldest starting pitcher this season — allowed three hits, walked two, and struck out six to hand the White Sox their fourth consecutive loss.
Charlie Morton commented on his performance, saying, “I felt fine. We used all the tools today, and anytime you can do that, it’s fun.”
Riley hit a home run against reliever Dominic Leone right after a 44-minute rain delay. He ended the day with four RBIs.
Braves manager Brian Snitker said he didn't know how Riley managed to hit his first home run of the season. He praised the players for their ability to drive in runs effectively.
After the eighth inning, the game was stopped again and called off 20 minutes later.
PIRATES 8, NATIONALS 4
Pittsburgh improved to a 5-0 record for the first time since 1983, defeating Washington.
Former National player Michael A. Taylor got three hits, and Bryan Reynolds, Andrew McCutchen, Alika Williams, and Henry Davis each got two hits. Reynolds extended his consecutive on-base streak to 33 games with a single in the first inning and a two-run double in the ninth.
Pittsburgh was leading 3-1 in the seventh, but Washington's backup catcher Riley Adams tied the game by hitting a two-run homer off reliever Roansy Contreras. Contreras (1-0) got the win.
Pittsburgh's teammates produced a three-run eighth inning against relievers Robert Garcia (0-1) and Matt Barnes. Joe's double to left scored Taylor, who reached on a bunt. Ke'Bryan Hayes and McCutchen also drove in runs.
Aroldis Chapman's first save of the season came after getting Lane Thomas to pop up for the final out with two men on.
ORIOLES 6, ROYALS 4
Baltimore's Jordan Westburg hit a tiebreaking, two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning to lead Baltimore past Kansas City.
Westburg's opposite-field homer off Nick Anderson (0-1) came on an 0-2 pitch after the Royals tied the game in the top of the ninth.
Ryan Mountcastle homered and drove in three runs for the Orioles.
Bobby Witt Jr. and Salvador Perez hit home runs for the Royals for the second straight game.
RANGERS 9, RAYS 3
Dane Dunning pitched well until the seventh inning, and Josh Jung homered and drove in four runs to lead the defending World Series champion Texas to a victory over Tampa Bay.
In a rematch of clubs that met during the Rangers’ postseason run last fall, Dunning limited the Rays to Jose Siri’s third-inning double until Richie Palacios homered with one out in the seventh.
Dunning left the game after allowing a two-run homer and two walks, bringing Tampa Bay's deficit to 6-3.
ANGELS 7, MARLINS 4
Mike Trout hit two solo homers and the Los Angeles Angels rallied from an early four-run deficit to beat the Miami Marlins.
Trout's 473-foot blast in the sixth inning was his second home run and put him at 371 in his career, surpassing Gil Hodges for 81st on the all-time list.
Trout's attempt for a third homer ended when Miami reliever Tanner Scott (0-2) walked him to load the bases in the seventh. Brandon Drury then reached on a fielder's choice, scoring Anthony Rendon from third to break a 4-4 tie.
The Angels increased their lead in the ninth when Jo Adell got a single that brought in a run, and a mistake by reliever Anthony Bender allowed Adell to score from third base. Trout hit the ball to the third baseman and the inning ended.
Adam Cimber (1-0) got a double play against Jake Burger to end the sixth inning and then pitched a scoreless seventh. Matt Moore pitched a perfect ninth, and Carlos Estevez pitched the ninth inning to earn his second save.