Halladay solid as Phillies down Reds
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Roy Halladay spun 7 1/3 innings of one-run ball Wednesday, as the Philadelphia Phillies downed the Cincinnati Reds, 6-2, in the finale of a three-game set at Great American Ball Park.
Halladay (9-7) scattered eight hits and walked one with five strikeouts to earn his third consecutive winning decision.
Erik Kratz clubbed a three-run home run and Chase Utley added a two-run blast, as the Phillies wrapped up a six-game road trip at 4-2.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"I feel like the young guys that have come in and play every day have been very good for us and kind of given us a little bit of life," Halladay said. "I feel like our pitching the last month has been a lot better."
Mike Leake (7-9) was tagged for six runs on six hits and one walk over just 2 1/3 innings to absorb the loss.
Jay Bruce finished with three hits, including a solo home run and two RBI for the Reds, who have dropped eight straight season series against Philadelphia.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Joey Votto stroked a pair of base hits as he returned to the Reds lineup for the first time since July 15 while recovering from a pair of surgeries on his left knee.
"I think it went better than I expected," Votto said of his return. "I was very happy to be back in the lineup and playing again. Unfortunately, it came with a loss."
The Phillies struck first as Ryan Howard and John Mayberry stroked back-to- back singles to start the second before Domonic Brown slapped a single into left-center field to score Howard for a 1-0 lead.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Kratz then launched a 2-2 slider into the first row in left field to provide the Phillies with a four-run lead.
The Phils tacked on two more in the third, as Juan Pierre worked a leadoff walk before Utley jumped on a first-pitch sinker and crushed it to straightaway center field, extending the margin to 6-0.
Cincinnati got on the board in the fourth as Bruce clubbed a two-out double into right field to score Chris Heisey, who singled to start the frame.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Halladay stifled the Reds from there, despite allowing a baserunner in each of the next four innings, including a one-out single to Heisey in the eighth.
Antonio Bastardo entered and fanned Votto before flying out Ryan Ludwick to end the eighth.
Jonathan Papelbon served up a leadoff blast to Bruce in the ninth to account for the final margin.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Game Notes
The Phillies won four of the seven matchups against the Reds this season. Cincinnati last won a season series against Philadelphia in 2003 (5-4) ... Leake fell to 0-3 in five career starts against Philadelphia ... Reds shortstop Didi Gregorius made his major league debut. He finished 0-for-4.