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PHILADELPHIA — Bryce Harper homered for his first three hits of the season, including a grand slam, and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Cincinnati Reds 9-4 on Tuesday night.

Brandon Marsh also connected for Philadelphia, which bounced back nicely after dropping the series opener Monday. Spencer Turnbull struck out seven in five effective innings.

“It felt good going up there and hitting three homers,” Harper said. “It was really cool. But obviously I thought Spencer threw the ball really well. … It was just really good from the pitching side.”

Harper went 0-for-11 with a walk while playing in three of the Phillies’ first four games, but he broke out in a big way against the Reds.

The two-time National League MVP hit a solo shot in the first and fourth innings against Graham Ashcraft. He capped Philadelphia’s five-run seventh against Brent Suter with his seventh career grand slam, a 422-foot drive to right-center.

It was Harper’s second career three-homer game and his 26th multihomer game overall. He finished with a career-best six RBIs.

“He had a great night that’s for sure,” Reds manager David Bell said. “That’s the story. It’s never about just one player, but he had a great game. He absolutely beat us tonight.”

It was the first time a Phillies player hit three home runs in a game at Citizens Bank Park since Jayson Werth on May 16, 2008, against Toronto.

“He had a really good day,” said Turnbull, who made his Phillies debut. “It was awesome to see. It’s really fun to see guys get hot — especially like that. I’m sure I’ll always remember that part.”

Playing in cold and rainy conditions, the teams combined for five errors, including two by Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz. Cincinnati also had a wild pitch, and the Phillies had a passed ball.

Ashcraft (0-1) was charged with three runs, two earned, and four hits in his first start of the season.

Spencer Steer had three hits for the Reds, including an RBI single in the ninth. He hit a grand slam in the 10th inning of Cincinnati’s 6-3 victory Monday night.

Turnbull (1-0) allowed an unearned run and three hits. The right-hander was thrust into the rotation when Taijuan Walker was placed on the injured list with a shoulder injury at the end of spring training.

Ricardo Pinto pitched four innings for his first career save in his first big league appearance since 2019. He allowed three runs, two earned, and five hits.

Pinto was added to the roster when the Phillies designated right-hander Connor Brogdon for assignment before the win. Brogdon was a key piece of the team’s bullpen when it made to the 2022 World Series, but he allowed six runs in his first three appearances this year.

Pinto didn’t arrive at the ballpark until the fourth inning. The Phillies couldn’t get him a flight from Rochester, where he was with Triple-A Lehigh Valley, so he had to make an eight-hour drive.

“He got stuck in traffic,” manager Rob Thomson said. “But that’s a baseball player. It’s like American Legion.”

Pinto, 30, said he always knew he’d make it back to the major leagues one day because he’s more mature now than he was five years ago.

“I never gave up on this,” Pinto said through an interpreter. “I feel that I’m mentally in a better position than I was before. I did not have that maturity on the mound.”

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2025 MLB All-Star Game: Everything you need to know

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2025 MLB All-Star Game: Everything you need to know

For the first time since the turn of the century, MLB’s All-Star Game will be held in Atlanta — the first ever at Truist Park since its opening in 2017.

All-Star festivities begin July 11 and culminate in the Midsummer Classic on July 15, as the National League looks to gain just its second win since 2013 while the American League aims to extend its dominance.

Following the first phase of All-Star voting, we know the top overall vote-getters in each league — Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani — automatically earned the starting spot at their positions, outfield and designated hitter, respectively. Now, the starting lineups have been revealed, with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Detroit Tigers leading the way each with three starters, followed by the Chicago Cubs with two. Four players named as starters — Cal Raleigh, Jacob Wilson, Ryan O’Hearn and Pete Crow-Armstrong — are first-time All-Stars.

Stay tuned, as we’ll have everything you need to navigate All-Star Week — from event schedules and full rosters to All-Star Game analysis.

Vote for the All-Star starters: All-Star Ballot 2025

Latest news and analysis

How does MLB All-Star voting work?

2025 MLB All-Star roster predictions, biggest debates

Which slugger will win the HR Derby? Breaking down the field

All-Star schedule

(All times ET)

July 2: MLB All-Star starters reveal at 7 p.m. on ESPN

July 6: MLB All-Star full rosters announced at 5 p.m. on ESPN

July 11: HBCU Swingman Classic at 8 p.m. on MLB Network

July 13: MLB Draft at 6 p.m. on ESPN and MLB Network

July 14: MLB All-Star Celebrity Softball Game at 1 p.m. on MLB Network

July 14: MLB Home Run Derby at 8 p.m. on ESPN

July 15: All-Star Red Carpet Show at 2 p.m. on MLB Network

July 15: MLB All-Star Game at 7 p.m. on FOX

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Rangers activate Burger from IL, demote Jung

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Rangers activate Burger from IL, demote Jung

The Texas Rangers reinstated first baseman Jake Burger from the 10-day injured list before Wednesday night’s series finale against the visiting Baltimore Orioles.

Burger, 29, missed the Rangers’ past 10 games with a left oblique strain. He is batting .220 with 10 homers and 29 RBIs in 65 games this season, his first with Texas.

Burger is a career .246 hitter with 82 home runs and 214 RBIs in 409 games with the Chicago White Sox (2021-23), Miami Marlins (2023-24) and Rangers.

The Rangers optioned All-Star third baseman Josh Jung to Triple-A Round Rock in a corresponding move. Jung, 27, is batting .237 with eight homers and 35 RBIs in 75 games this season.

Jung is hitting .152 with one homer, eight RBIs and 13 strikeouts in his last 11 games.

Drafted No. 8 overall by Texas in 2019, Jung made the American League All-Star team in 2023 and is a career .252 hitter with 43 home runs and 135 RBIs in 269 games.

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Outfielder Pillar retires after 13-year career

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Outfielder Pillar retires after 13-year career

Kevin Pillar, an outfielder who spent the majority of his 13-year major league career with the Toronto Blue Jays, announced his retirement on Wednesday.

Pillar confirmed his decision during an appearance on the Foul Territory podcast, about a month after he was released by the Texas Rangers. After rehabilitating from offseason thumb surgery, Pillar played in 20 games for the Rangers – his 10th major league team – with nine hits in 43 at-bats.

Pillar, 36, was drafted by the Blue Jays in the 32nd round in 2011 and made his debut in 2013. He was traded to the San Francisco Giants early in the 2019 season, which was his best in the big leagues. He batted .264 with 21 home runs, 87 RBI and 14 steals for the Giants that year, before signing with the Boston Red Sox in 2020.

“You will always be our Superman,” the Blue Jays said in a congratulatory social media post.

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