CINCINNATI - The Phillies' slump brought them to a new point of futility 鈥� a scoreless game that gets carried over to the next day.
The Phillies and Cincinnati Reds managed only two singles apiece on Tuesday night, staying scoreless until their game was suspended because of heavy rain in the middle of the ninth inning.
The game will be picked up at the same point on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m., before the teams play the finale of their series no earlier than 7:10 p.m.
"We haven't hit on this road trip," manager Charlie Manuel said. "Right now, we're hanging on a zero. We'll see if we can beat it tomorrow."
The Phillies have scored three or fewer runs in each of their four-plus games on the trip so far, wasting a lot of good pitching. Their starters have thrown at least six innings while allowing two earned runs or less in each of the last seven games.
"It is frustrating," said outfielder Laynce Nix, who made a run-saving catch to snuff out one of the few scoring opportunities. "We've had chances and we have to come through. It's a long season, so there's going to be times when that happens."
Phillies reliever Phillippe Aumont was warming up to start the bottom of the ninth when heavy rain prompted the umpires to call for the tarp. They decided to suspend it after 43 minutes with more rain headed for the area.
Aumont will have to face at least one batter. Shortstop Zack Cozart 鈥� who had one of Cincinnati's two hits 鈥� was due up.
The lack of offence has prevented the Phillies from putting together good streak and wasted a lot of solid starts.
"It's seven quality starts in a row but at the same time, we need to get them some runs," Manuel said. "We've got to get our game together."
Left-hander Aroldis Chapman pitched the top of the ninth and retired the three Phillies he faced. Chapman has allowed only three hits and no runs in his eight appearances. He has fanned 13 in 7 1-3 innings.
Reds manager Dusty Baker declined to say who would follow Chapman to the mound if the game goes extra innings.
"It'll be strange getting the first at-bat at home," Baker said. "I hope we win it before we get there (the 10th inning). It doesn't matter. They've got the heart of their lineup coming up. We're starting off even."
Pitchers dominated on a rainy night. A storm moved through after both teams finished batting practice and delayed the start of the game by 1 hour, 20 minutes. Rain returned intermittently and became steady in the fifth inning, then heavy in the ninth.
Philadelphia's Kyle Kendrick and Cincinnati's Homer Bailey were stingy, allowing a pair of singles apiece before leaving. They got strikeouts and let their infielders do the rest of the work.
It was a virtual day off for the outfielders, with a total of only four fly outs through the first six innings.
Bailey gave up two singles, didn't walk a batter and matched his career high with 10 strikeouts, the fourth time he's reached the number. He also fanned 10 during his 1-0 no-hitter in Pittsburgh on Sept. 28.
Kendrick left after seven innings, having allowed two singles and two walks. Nix made a diving catch of Joey Votto's liner in right field in the third inning with a runner aboard, saving a run.
Phillies centre fielder Ben Revere wore a piece of athletic tape inscribed with "PRAY For Boston" on the back of his glove for a second straight day, honouring those killed or wounded at the marathon on Monday.
NOTES: Philadelphia RF Delmon Young played nine innings and went 1 for 4, including a line-drive single off Yankees LHP Cesar Cabral, in an extended spring training game in Tampa, Fla. Young, who is coming back from an ankle injury, could be nearing the start of a minor league rehab assignment. ... C Carlos Ruiz played seven innings and had a two-run homer and double in five at-bats against the Yankees. Ruiz is suspended for the first 25 games for testing positive for an amphetamine. ... Several hundred dogs were in the stands as part of a pet promotion. ... LH John Lannan starts the series finale for the Phillies against RH Mike Leake.
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