Major League Baseball
Cincinnati 6, Philadelphia 2
When: 4:10 PM ET, Monday, April 4, 2016
Where: Great American Ball Park, Cincinnati, Ohio
Temperature: 50°
Umpires: Home - Bill Miller, 1B - Tony Randazzo, 2B - Brian Knight, 3B - Todd Tichenor
Attendance: 43683

CINCINNATI -- Joey Votto's two-run single with the bases loaded highlighted a five-run eighth inning on Monday as the Cincinnati Reds rallied for a 6-2 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Opening Day before 43,683 fans, the largest regular-season crowd in the history of Great American Ball Park.

Shortstop Zack Cozart went 3-for-3 with two doubles and an RBI to become the first Reds player with three hits on Opening Day since Barry Larkin in 2001.

Ross Ohlendorf (1-0) earned the victory.

Freddy Galvis hit a two-run home run and starter Jeremy Hellickson allowed one unearned run in six innings for the Phillies in a losing effort.

Before the Reds erupted in the eight, Monday's game was a well-pitched affair with no walks issued in 12 combined innings by the starters -- Hellickson and Reds right-hander Raisel Iglesias.

In the first inning, Phillies leadoff batter Cesar Hernandez greeted Iglesias with a ground-rule double to center. But Iglesias retired the next three batters.

Cozart, playing his first game since June 10 when he suffered a season-ending knee injury, doubled to right to begin the Reds' half of the first. He scored when Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard mishandled a throw from short.

Philadelphia took the lead 2-1 when Galvis launched a towering two-run homer to right in the second.

It was a positive start for Galvis, who clubbed a career-high seven homers last season.

The Phillies had the leadoff batter aboard in each of the first three innings, but Iglesias was able to minimize the damage, retiring 13 of 16 following Galvis' homer.

Hellickson, meanwhile, retired eight straight in one stretch, four via strikeout.

Cincinnati had the tying run at third in the fifth following Cozart's double. But Votto struck out for the third time in the game to end the inning.

According to STATS, Inc., Hellickson is only the ninth pitcher to fan Votto three times in a game. But Votto came through in the eighth.

The Reds, trailing 2-1, loaded the bases with no outs against David Hernandez, who was lifted in favor of lefty James Russell.

Cozart's sacrifice fly tied the score 2-2.

The bases were loaded again with one out and Votto at the plate.

There would be no strikeout this time for the Reds first baseman, who laced a single to center driving in two run to put Cincinnati ahead 4-2.

Hernandez (0-1) was charged with all three runs. .

Jay Bruce capped off the five-run eighth with a two-run single off Hector Neris, making the score 6-2.

NOTES: The Reds recalled RHP Robert Stephenson from Triple-A Louisville on Monday and announced he'll make his first career start on Thursday afternoon. ... The Phillies entered the season without a designated closer. "There's going to be a mix of a lot of different guys," said manager Pete Mackanin. "It's almost like an audition. Might be any one of five guys. If not, we'll close by committee, even though I don't want to do that." ... Raisel Iglesias was the second Cuban-born pitcher to start Opening Day for the Reds, and the first since Dolf Luque in 1921 and 1928. ... The Phillies and Reds met for the seventh time on Opening Day, first since 1986.
Top Game Performances
Starting Pitchers
Philadelphia   Cincinnati
Jeremy Hellickson Player Raisel Iglesias
No Decision W/L No Decision
6.0 IP 6.0
6 Strikeouts 7
3 Hits 6
0.00 ERA 3.00
Hitting
Philadelphia   Cincinnati
Cesar Hernandez Player Zack Cozart
2 Hits 3
0 RBI 1
0 HR 0
3 TB 5
.500 Avg 1.000
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Hits HR TB Avg LOB K RBI BB SB Errors
Philadelphia 6 1 10 .182 15 10 2 1 0 2
Cincinnati 6 0 9 .214 7 7 5 3 0 0