For the first time in about six weeks, the Reds had Joey Votto off of the disabled list and at their disposal. Manager Dusty Baker only considered Votto available to pinch-hit in case of an emergency.
On a tear of late, Jay Bruce made sure his team didn’t need Votto. It was Bruce’s two-run home run in the sixth inning that secured a 2-1 victory over the Phillies for the Reds and starter Mat Latos.
Cincinnati was trailing, 1-0, with two outs in the sixth when Ryan Ludwick singled to right field against Phillies starter Kyle Kendrick. Getting a changeup in a 2-1 count, Bruce followed by lining it quickly into the first few rows of right-field seats.
“He’s been swinging it well, you’ve got to give credit to him,” Kendrick said. “You don’t want to at times, but he put a good swing on the ball. It’s a tough one.”
It was Bruce’s third straight game with a homer and the fourth time out of his last five games. In his five-game hitting streak, he has 10 RBIs — which has accounted for more than half of the Reds’ 19 runs in that span.
“Honestly, I’m just doing what I can. I don’t think about it too much,” Bruce said. “I’m glad I could help. Mat did great tonight. He deserved that [win], so it was good.”
Not thinking a lot has been big in the equation for Bruce. Aug. 10-11 in Chicago, while he was in a slump with his average down to .243, Baker sat Bruce for two games.
“It was a ‘get your head together couple of days,'” Baker said. “You hate to sit guys, especially for two days. But sometimes, one day isn’t enough.”
In 22 games since returning to the lineup, Bruce is batting .345 (29-for-84) with 10 homers and 24 RBIs. Overall, he is batting .261 with 31 homers (one shy of his career high) and 91 RBIs.
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