May 23
Phillips drove in three runs with a pair of homers off Brandon Beachy on Tuesday night, leading Cincinnati to a 4-3 victory over the Atlanta Braves in another game of all-or-nothing that got the Reds second baseman back in the flow.
Advice: He hadn't homered since April 24, an indication something was wrong with his swing. He pulled his left hamstring in the fourth game of the season and had to adjust his stance, standing more upright. Now that the hamstring is healed, he's back into his usual crouch at the plate.
May 23
2B Brandon Phillips made a great play in the seventh inning Wednesday. He knocked down Michael Bourn's shot, bobbled the ball and then shoveled it to SS Zack Cozart for the force at second. "I just flipped it to second any way I could," he said. "I didn't really have it in my palm. I'm just glad it got to second."
May 22
Phillips homered twice, scoring two runs and notching three RBI Tuesday against the Braves.
Recommendation: Phillips was struggling in the power department coming in, with just two home runs and a .356 SLG. Let this serve as a reminder of how quickly things can change even in mid-May -- Phillips's slugging percentage rose 45 points to .403 with the performance.
