• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers
• Game Tracker

Phillips, Bruce help Reds slip past Nats

Apr 7, 2013 - 9:12 PM Cincinnati, OH (Sports Network) - Brandon Phillips and Jay Bruce each had an RBI single during a three-run sixth inning, and the Cincinnati Reds topped the Washington Nationals, 6-3, in the rubber match of a three-game series.

Bruce knocked in three runs and Derrick Robinson started the big sixth frame with a pinch-hit single and scored the go-ahead run.

Robinson was hitting for Johnny Cueto (1-0), who gave up seven hits and three runs over six frames. He walked three and had six strikeouts. Aroldis Chapman worked around a one-out double from Kurt Suzuki in the ninth inning to get his second save.

Suzuki belted a three-run homer in the second inning, but the Nationals failed to build on their 7-6 win in 11 innings from Saturday.

Stephen Strasburg (1-1) surrendered nine hits and six runs over 5 1/3 frames. He walked four and had five strikeouts, just six days after throwing seven shutout frames against the Marlins.

"Both sides were scoring early at will. Neither one was sharp. I'm just glad we won the series," Reds manager Dusty Baker said.

Robinson, who was promoted from the minors to replaced the injured Ryan Ludwick on the roster, singled to left field for his first big league hit leading off the sixth. Shin-Soo Choo then singled up the middle on a hit-and- run situation to put runners at the corners.

Xavier Paul then hit a ball to second base, but Danny Espinosa's throw home was wide and Robinson slid home safely.

Following a groundout, Phillips singled to left field to drive in Choo. That ended Strasburg's day on the mound.

"It's about making your pitches. He didn't make as good pitches as he did the first or second inning. It was a tough one," Nationals manager Davey Johnson said.

Ryan Mattheus came in from the bullpen, but Bruce legged out an infield hit to deep short to drive in the inning's third run.

The Nationals were retired in order in the seventh and eighth innings, and Denard Span fanned on a 101 mph fastball to the end game.

Bruce doubled home a pair in the first inning and Phillips scored on Todd Frazier's groundout.

Suzuki's blast in the second to left tied the game.

Game Notes

Strasburg threw 114 pitches, 73 for strikes ... Strasburg's final win before missing more than a season due to "Tommy John" surgery came at Great American Ball Park on July 21, 2010. He is 4-1 in eight career starts against the NL Central ... The Nationals were 1-for-8 with men in scoring position, while the Reds were 4-for-16 and left 13 runners on base.