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Phillips helps Reds top Nationals

Jul 4, 2008 - 4:27 AM By Douglas Tifft PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

CINCINNATI (Ticker) -- Brandon Phillips was the big bat in the Cincinnati Reds' lineup on Thursday.

Phillips had three hits and three RBI to lead the Cincinnati Reds over the Washington Nationals, 5-3.

After the Reds loaded the bases in the seventh inning against Nationals reliever Jesus Colome (2-2), Phillips snapped a 3-3 tie with a two-out single that dropped into right field, plating Corey Patterson and Jerry Hairston Jr.

"I was just trying to come through for my team," Phillips said. "I saw a pitch that I could drive and hit it. I didn't get all of it, but it was just good placement."

The two runs were unearned as Nationals first baseman Dmitri Young was unable to handle a hard-thrown ball from Colome on Patterson's bunt attempt and was charged with an error.

"(Patterson) was bunting for a base hit, so I felt I had to hurry because he is fast," Colome said.

Phillips also sparked a two-run sixth inning when his two-out line drive landed in front of center fielder Roger Bernadina, scoring Hairston. Two batters later, Joey Votto smacked a sharp single up the middle off lefthander John Lannan to plate Phillips and tie the game.

"Two-out hitting was key," Phillips said. "We haven't been doing any of that lately. But that's the time for us to have our best at-bats, with two outs."

Lannan lasted six innings, allowing three runs and five hits while striking out three.

"I had the lead and could not get the job done," Lannan said. "So it's just a little frustrating."

After retiring the first 10 batters he faced, Reds rookie righthander Johnny Cueto (7-8) ran into trouble in the fourth, surrendering an RBI double by Elijah Dukes and a run-scoring base hit by Austin Kearns.

Dukes gave the Nationals their third run of the night two innings later, when he deposited a fastball from Cueto 373 feet over the left field wall for his sixth blast of the season.

Cueto allowed three runs, seven hits and a walk while striking out eight en route to his second straight win.

"I handled the hitting counts and my location was great tonight," Cueto said through an interpreter. "I had a lot of confidence on the mound."

Jared Burton followed Cueto with a scoreless eighth before closer Francisco Cordero hurled a 1-2-3 ninth for his 16th save of the season.