Frankie Montas pitches Cincinnati Reds to series win; Jeimer Candelario exits with injury

PHILADELPHIA – If this is what the Cincinnati Reds are going to get from a refreshed and healed-up Frankie Montas this year, consider their playoff hopes fully intact even if their roster isn’t.

Montas out-dueled Philadelphia Phillies right-hander Zack Wheeler – their $126 million ace – on another cold, windy, rainy night in Philadelphia to get the Reds out of town with a 4-1 victory and a series win.

But they didn’t escape without another key player leaving the game with an apparent injury, third baseman Jeimer Candelario hurting his right elbow on an eighth-inning swing – just ahead of a double to right. Santiago Espinal replaced him defensively in the bottom of the inning.

"It's already better," Candelario said in the clubhouse, demonstrating by bending the elbow and touching his shoulder. "I couldn't do this. It was hurting. But now it's better because I had a heat pad (on it)."

Candelario said he thinks the cold conditions contributed to the pain he experienced on the swing immediately before the double, prompting the trainer to check on him before he got back in the box.

Manager David Bell said it appeared to be a slight hyper-extension and that he's optimistic Candelario will be ready to return to the lineup after Thursday's off day.

More: How going small added a big weapon for Elly De La Cruz, playoff-minded Cincinnati Reds

The Reds already are without second baseman Matt McLain for possibly the season after shoulder surgery and center fielder TJ Friedl for at least the next several weeks because of a wrist fracture.

"Hopefully it's nothing serious. We don't think it is," Bell said. "We were just being cautious with him and having him go back out and throw.

"Not a lot of concern from our trainer," Bell added. "Hopefully, we won't even talk any more about it. But we'll obviously check it out on Friday."

The Reds and Phillies waited out a 3-hour, 55-minute rain delay just to be able to play in the blustery, bitter conditions, after the start time already had been pushed back three hours by the Phillies on Tuesday because of the forecast.

"Waiting many, many hours here in this clubhouse, that's what we needed," Candelario said of getting the win that gave the Reds their second series win in as many series to open the season.

"Man, we got ballplayers here. We keep getting better every single day," Candelario said. "In tough weather like this we still compete. And against good pitching we still compete and we can do some damage."

Montas (2-0) finished one out shy of a second quality start in as many outings since signing a one-year deal over the winter with the Reds, getting the first two outs of the sixth before allowing a single and pair of walks.

Justin Wilson took over and got the final out.

Montas, allowed just one run, his only run allowed in the two starts (0.77).

But he said he doesn't want to compare how he feels to where he was before a shoulder injury that required surgery last year.

Montas missed almost all of last season recovering and rehabbing the shoulder, making just one relief appearance the final weekend of last season.

He also doesn't want to think about his stats right now, he said – except maybe the innings-pitched number on this night.

"I was a little pissed off," he said, "because I want to go out there and go six, seven, as long as I can. I was pissed off because I walked two guys in a row, and I take pride in the amount of strikes I throw."

He had walked only one batter in the two starts before those two in the sixth.

"As a competitor, I was pissed off at that," he said, but added that the victory against the high-rolling, All-Star Phillies was "huge."

"Anytime you get to take a series against a good team and a good pitcher like Wheeler - he's one of the best pitchers in the league – it's huge," he said. "That means the team is ready to compete no matter who's on the mound for the opposite team."

Through six games the Reds rotation, the team's Achilles heel last year, has allowed 10 earned runs in 32 2/3 innings (2.76 ERA), the Reds winning a pair of series along the way to open the season.

"We believe Frankie can be a big part of that," Bell said. "We do think our starting pitching can be a real strength for us. Not only the guys here, but just the depth we have with some of our younger pitchers who are in Triple-A right now and beyond that."

They have a chance to be even stronger next Wednesday, when left-hander Nick Lodolo is expected to rejoin the rotation after being sidelined nearly a year recovering from a leg injury and building back up.

"We understand the importance of starting pitching," Bell said. "Talking about the guys here, we feel really good about the way all of our guys are throwing. And they're healthy and they get along and support one another. It's nice having Frankie out there leading the way a little bit for us."

Alexis Diaz earned his first save of the season Wednesday with a scoreless ninth.

Up Next

The Reds take Thursday off before opening a seven-game homestand Friday at 6:40 p.m. against the New York Mets. RHP Hunter Greene (0-0, 3.86) starts the opener of the three-game Mets series for the Reds. The Mets, who play the Detroit Tigers in a makeup doubleheader Thursday, have not yet declared a starter for Friday.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati Reds beat Phillies behind Frankie Montas; Candelario hurt