OF Patrick Kivlehan started in right field and homered on Saturday in his first start since June 26 at St. Louis. OF Scott Schebler, who went into the game 2-for-24 on the homestand and hitless in his last 12 at bats, started the game on the bench. “Just a day,” manager Bryan Price said. “It’s been a struggle to get Kivlehan and (infielder-outfielder Arismendy Alcantara) into games. I liked the matchup.” Alcantara hasn’t started a game since June 29 against Milwaukee.
RHP Ariel Hernandez was the odd man out when the Reds recalled RHP Robert Stephenson to start on Saturday. Hernandez was optioned to Triple-A Louisville with no record and a 5.28 ERA, which is misleading. It was at 1.88 before Arizona rocked him for four hits, including two home runs, and six runs in the ninth inning of Thursday’s 12-2 loss.
RHP Robert Stephenson, recalled by the Reds on Saturday to join the rotation, was J.T. Realmuto’s victim on both homers, including the tiebreaking shot in the sixth inning on Saturday. Stephenson (0-3) allowed five runs and eight hits with five strikeouts and two walks in 5 1/3 innings. “There were some positives and negatives,” said Stephenson, the Reds’ top pick and the 27th overall selection in the June 2011 draft. “It was really hot. About the sixth inning, I started getting tired. I didn’t feel like myself. In the third, fourth and fifth innings, I felt like I was in a groove, but in the first and sixth, the long ball killed me. I’ve had trouble with that lately.”
RHP Scott Feldman got a second look at his right knee, which confirmed no structural damage, creating promise of a speedy recovery. Feldman went on the 10-day disabled list on Tuesday with inflammation. “At this point, it sounds as if we can go with a treatment-only approach, strengthen his quad, which will support and take some pressure off of his knee, and getting the pain under control,” Reds manager Bryan Price said.