CINCINNATI (AP) — Cesar Hernandez opened the Phillies’ season with a homer, Jeremy Hellickson drove in a run with his first career triple and Philadelphia beat the Reds 4-3 in rain Monday.
Hernandez connected on Scott Feldman’s eighth pitch, and the Phillies held on for their first opening day victory in three years. Freddy Galvis — who had a career-high 20 homers last season — added a solo shot in the second. The Reds gave up the most homers in the majors last season.
Hellickson (1-0) pitched into the sixth, allowing a run and six hits, and he also contributed his RBI triple in the sixth. Right fielder Scott Schebler failed to make a diving catch of his two-out liner, letting the ball get by him as Hellickson chugged across an infield turned muddy by several innings of rain.
Hellickson was the first pitcher to triple in an opener since the Giants’ Jack Sanford in 1963, according to ESPN.