Reds 3, Phillies 0: Alfredo Simon worked into the eighth inning and Devin Mesoraco homered in his return from the disabled list as visiting Cincinnati took the opener of its weekend set with Philadelphia.

Simon (5-2) gave up five hits and a walk with eight strikeouts before exiting with two outs in the eighth. Mesoraco, who was activated from the 15-day DL prior to the game, accounted for the Reds' offense with a three-run shot in the first inning against Kyle Kendrick (0-4), who has not won in his last 15 starts dating to last season.

The Philadelphia right-hander worked seven innings, giving up three runs and four hits - three of which came in the opening frame. Chase Utley had two hits to raise his average to .347 and Cody Asche went 3-for-4 but their teammates combined to go 1-for-25 as the Phillies lost for the eighth time in 10 games.

Billy Hamilton led off the first inning with a single to right and Skip Schumaker followed with a base hit to left before Kendrick retired the next two hitters. Mesoraco followed by hooking a 2-1 cutter over the left-field fence into the first row of seats for his fourth homer.

The Phillies threatened a couple of times thereafter, including the third inning when they put runners on first and second with one out before Simon recovered to strike out Utley and Ryan Howard. Philadelphia wasted Asche's leadoff double in the fifth and was unable to take advantage of a two-out single in both the seventh and eighth innings before getting a pair of two-out baserunners in the ninth against Aroldis Chapman, who struck out Cesar Hernandez to preserve his second save.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Mesoraco, who had not homered since April 14, actually has hit safely in 13 of the 14 games he has played this season around two stints on the disabled list. ... Reds 3B Todd Frazier went 0-for-4 as his 14-game hitting streak came to an end. ... The Phillies have lost five straight home games and are 6-12 at Citizens Bank Park this season.