PHILADELPHIA — Jayson Werth is making a late bid for All-Star consideration.
Werth homered for the fourth straight game, Chase Utley hit an inside-the-park homer and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Cincinnati Reds 9-6 on Thursday night.
Werth went deep in the sixth for his seventh homer in 12 games. The Phillies became the second team in major league history to have four players hit 20 homers before the All-Star break. Raul Ibanez leads the team with 22, Ryan Howard has 21 and Utley and Werth have 20. The Toronto Blue Jays did it in 2000.
Ibanez, Howard and Utley are heading to the Midsummer Classic next week in St. Louis. Teammate Shane Victorino is joining them after winning the final roster spot through internet voting. But Werth still has an outside chance to make it as an injury replacement for Mets center fielder Carlos Beltran.
“His stats are definitely up there with the other guys,” said Phillies manager Charlie Manuel, who will have a say because he will lead the NL squad. “He’s been swinging the bat really good lately. He plays a good right field, has a strong arm. He’s a talented kid.”
Werth is batting .268 with 54 RBIs, and has 12 steals.
“I continue to work hard, try to get good at-bats and I’ve been striking the ball pretty good,” Werth said. “Hopefully it keeps going.”
Jamie Moyer (8-6) allowed six runs and eight hits in five innings, but Philadelphia’s offense bailed him out again. The Phillies have averaged 8.1 runs in Moyer’s wins.
Utley circled the bases in the third after hitting a high drive that took an odd carom off the center-field wall.
Brandon Phillips hit a two-run homer and Edwin Encarnacion drove in three runs with a homer and triple for Cincinnati. Reds starter Micah Owings (6-9) gave up seven runs and eight hits in 4 1-3 innings.
“It was a frustrating night any way you look at it,” Owings said.
The NL East-leading Phillies took three of four from the Reds to win just their fourth series at home. The defending World Series champions are 6-1 on their homestand, improving to 19-23 at Citizens Bank Park.
Before the game, rumors swirled that the Phillies were on the verge of signing Pedro Martinez to help their injury-depleted rotation. Martinez, a three-time AL Cy Young Award winner, said his agent is negotiating with Philadelphia. General manager Ruben Amaro Jr. denied a deal was done, but confirmed interest in the eight-time All-Star.
The Phillies have already used nine starters this season after needing only seven all last year.
Moyer leads the staff in wins, but has a 5.99 ERA. The 46-year-old left-hander has allowed more than three runs in 10 of his 17 starts.
Chan Ho Park pitched three hitless innings in relief and Brad Lidge finished for his 17th save in 23 chances.
The Phillies went ahead 8-6 with four runs in the fifth. Pedro Feliz’s RBI single chased Owings. Josh Roenicke came in and walked pinch-hitter Matt Stairs to load the bases.
Pinch-hitter Paul Bako then hit a sharp grounder to first baseman Joey Votto and barely beat the relay throw from second, allowing the tying run to score.
Jimmy Rollins followed with an RBI single off Daniel Ray Herrera to give the Phillies their first lead. After Victorino walked to reload the bases, Bako scored on a wild pitch to make it 8-6.
Phillips put the Reds ahead 6-4 when he connected with two outs in the fifth. Victorino’s two-run single off second baseman Phillips’ glove tied it at 4 in the fourth.
NOTES: Ibanez was 1 for 3 with a double and two walks in a rehab start for Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Thursday night. Ibanez, out with a groin injury since mid-June, could rejoin the Phillies on Friday. … Phillies RHP Rodrigo Lopez expects to make his next start after leaving Wednesday night’s game with inflammation in his shoulder. “It’s nothing major,” Lopez said. “I feel much better.” Lopez isn’t needed until July 20 because of the All-Star break. … Votto extended his career-high hitting streak to 12 games.
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