PHILADELPHIA (Interstat) — Bryson Stott launched a two-run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning to lift the Philadelphia Phillies to a 5-4 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Monday night at Citizens Bank Park in front of 40,065 spectators.

The game lasted 2 hours, 31 minutes.

Stott’s blast capped a back-and-forth affair that saw the Phillies strike first, the Reds answer, and both teams trade blows through the middle innings. The victory improved Philadelphia’s record to 25-23, while Cincinnati fell to 24-24.

The Phillies opened the scoring in the first inning against Reds starter Nick Lodolo. Trea Turner led off with a double, Bryce Harper walked and Alec Bohm walked to load the bases. Edmundo Sosa then lifted a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Turner. Adolis García followed with another sacrifice fly to right, bringing home Harper and giving Philadelphia a 2-0 lead.

Cincinnati responded in the second inning against Phillies starter Andrew Painter. Sal Stewart singled, Nathaniel Lowe singled and Tyler Stephenson singled to right, scoring Stewart. TJ Friedl then hit a sacrifice fly to center, plating Lowe and tying the game at 2-2. The rally was cut short when Ke’Bryan Hayes grounded into a double play.

The game remained deadlocked until the bottom of the sixth. With two outs, Bohm crushed a solo home run to center field, his fourth of the season, giving the Phillies a 3-2 lead. Lodolo was pulled after 5 2/3 innings, allowing three earned runs on three hits with three strikeouts and four walks.

Cincinnati tied the game in the top of the seventh. Stewart led off with a solo home run to right field, his 11th of the season, off reliever Brad Keller. The Reds then took the lead in the eighth. With one out, Matt McLain singled off Keller. After Elly De La Cruz flied out, Spencer Steer doubled to left, scoring McLain and putting Cincinnati ahead 4-3. Steer’s double came off reliever Orion Kerkering, who was credited with the win.

The Phillies answered immediately in the bottom of the eighth. Bohm led off with a single off Reds reliever Tejay Antone. After Edmundo Sosa reached on a fielder’s choice, Adolis García flied out to center. Stott then stepped to the plate and drove a 1-1 pitch over the right-field wall for his fifth home run of the season, scoring Sosa and giving Philadelphia a 5-4 lead. The homer capped a two-run inning and marked the decisive blow.

Jhoan Duran closed the door in the ninth, striking out two batters and working a perfect inning to earn his eighth save of the season.

Kerkering picked up the win, improving to 2-0. He faced one batter and recorded one out in the eighth. Reds starter Graham Ashcraft took the loss, falling to 1-1. Ashcraft entered in the sixth in relief of Lodolo and allowed two runs—both on Stott’s homer—while recording one out.

Painter was the top performer for Philadelphia. He tossed six innings, allowing two earned runs on three hits with three strikeouts and two walks. It marked a bounce-back outing for Painter, who had allowed eight earned runs in 3 2/3 innings in his previous start against the Athletics on May 7. He also took a loss against Boston on May 13 despite allowing just one earned run in five innings.

Lodolo was effective for Cincinnati, allowing three earned runs on three hits with three strikeouts and four walks over 5 2/3 innings. Stewart led the Reds offensively, going 2 for 4 with a home run and one RBI. McLain had a single and scored a run. Steer doubled and drove in a run.

Bohm went 2 for 3 with a home run and an RBI for the Phillies. Stott finished 1 for 3 with two RBIs. Turner added a double.

The Reds bullpen saw Antone, Brock Burke and Ashcraft combine for 1 1/3 innings of work, allowing two hits and two earned runs while striking out none and walking one. The Phillies bullpen of Keller, Kerkering and Duran combined for 2 1/3 innings, allowing one earned run on two hits with three strikeouts and one walk.

Philadelphia’s defense turned one double play. Cincinnati’s defense turned two.

The game featured two sacrifice flies by the Phillies, both in the first inning.

Cincinnati entered the game having lost three of their previous four contests, including a 10-3 defeat Sunday at Cleveland. The Reds had been a streaky team, alternating wins and losses over the previous two weeks. Philadelphia had won four of their last five, including back-to-back shutouts of Pittsburgh on Saturday and Sunday.

The series continues Tuesday night at Citizens Bank Park, with the Reds again visiting the Phillies. Cincinnati then returns home to host St. Louis for a three-game weekend series starting Friday. Philadelphia remains home to host Cleveland for a three-game set beginning Friday.

For the Reds, the loss extended their road trip, which will include three games in New York against the Mets after the Philadelphia series. For the Phillies, the win kept them above .500 and positioned them for a key homestand against division and interleague opponents.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Philadelphia Phillies 7, Cincinnati Reds 4. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Philadelphia with a 60.80 percent probability to win. Cincinnati had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -1.5.