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Hunter homers in first at-bat after four-year absence

CINCINNATI - Cedric Hunter was 18 when he walked into an Atlanta area tattoo parlor and ordered them to etch a Major League Baseball logo onto his left arm. He was a high school baseball star with aspirations to reach the majors.

CINCINNATI - Cedric Hunter was 18 when he walked into an Atlanta area tattoo parlor and ordered them to etch a Major League Baseball logo onto his left arm. He was a high school baseball star with aspirations to reach the majors.

"I got a lot of stuff for it," Hunter said. "But it's something that I loved to do since I was 12."

Hunter wore the tattoo when he was a top prospect with San Diego, when he looked like the ink would spend its summers in major-league ballparks. He reached the majors in 2011, but the tattoo's time there was short lived. Hunter had just one hit in four at-bats. The ball from his first hit was lost before he could keep it as a memento.

Hunter spent the last four seasons in the minors before latching on this winter with the Phillies. A strong spring training earned him a roster spot, and he started in left field on Monday's opening day. Hunter, with his MLB tattoo tucked under the sleeve of his Phillies jersey, crushed a homer in the fourth inning of Thursday's 10-6 loss to the Reds.

It was his first hit in five years and two days. It was the longest stretch between hits by a non-pitcher since Gregorio Petit had a hit in 2014 for the first time in five years and 51 days.

"I was just kind of just in the moment, kind of in awe," Hunter said. "Running around the bases and once you reach home plate realizing what you just did."

A Reds fan caught Hunter's homer and tossed it back onto the field. A security guard fetched it and went to toss it into the stands before Phillies first base coach Mickey Morandini intervened. The ball was thrown back to the Phillies dugout. Hunter said afterward that he has yet to receive it. But he likely will not let another memento slip away.

"Because we lost and we got swept, it's not really cherishing the moment like I wish I could," Hunter said. "But it's great to get the first hit out of the way. And for it to be a home run, it's just a blessing."

A scare for Franco

Maikel Franco was hit near the elbow by a fastball in the ninth inning but remained in the game. He was checked out by the team's medical staff before the team flew to New York, and Franco pressed an ice pack just below his elbow.

"I'm fine. I'll be good," Franco said. "We'll see how it's going tomorrow, but I'll be fine."

Gomez to close?

Pete Mackanin did not have the luxury of calling on a closer on Thursday, but if the manager did he would have called on Jeanmar Gomez. The righthander, who has just one save in his career, has pitched a scoreless inning this season. Gomez found less success last season when used in the late innings but said the inning does not matter as long as a pitcher can get outs.

"I think every pitcher has the capacity to throw any inning," Gomez said. "We've prepared in spring training to help the team win in any situation, any inning where the manager wants to put us. So I think all of the bullpen has the capacity for that role."