Hunter Greene had the difficult task of facing the same team in back-to-back starts. It was a lesson for the rookie and he pitched much better but the Reds fell to the Brewers, 5-4.
The Reds' modest two-game win streak ended. The Brewers broke a season-high three-game losing streak.
Greene allowed five home runs to the Brewers in his last start on Thursday. The Brewers scored eight runs off Greene in a 10-5 win. This time the rookie kept the game scoreless until the fourth. Luis Urias recorded the first hit off Greene, a home run that just reached the left field seats. "The home run wasn't a bad pitch at all. He can take that into next time and even go deeper into the game," Bell said.
"It was a huge step, finding my rhythm as I went on," Greene said. "You hope you find it on your first pitch but sometimes it doesn't work out that way."
It was a step in his maturation as a pitcher. In the big leagues, throwing 100 miles per hour only gets you so far.
"It was a big test," David Bell said before the game "The whole key to tonight was, what did he learn? How is he able to adjust? They (the Brewers) will be trying to counter act that. It will be good to see how Hunter responds to a quick turnaround against the same team whether to previous outing was a good one or a bad one."
Greene struggled with his control early in the game. He walked the bases loaded in the first inning but struck out Tyrone Taylor to keep the inning scoreless.
The Reds got to Freddy Peralta early. Mike Moustakas came off his one day injured list stay to be the designated hitter. He doubled off Peralta leading off the second inning with a shot just inside third base. Tyler Stephenson hit a double down the right field line to put the Reds on the board.
The Brewers got two singles with two outs but Greene struck out Kolten Wong.
Greene breezed through the fifth and entered the sixth with a chance to be the first Reds' starter to complete six innings this season. Greene retired the first batter in the sixth but Taylor hit a ball back through the middle. Greene got his glove on the ball behind his back but couldn't control it. Taylor reached on the infield hit.
Manager David Bell brought on Tony Santillan to face Jace Peterson. The Brewers third baseman doubled to the gap in left center. Taylor scored the go ahead run. Santillan hit Lorenzo Cain with a pitch and walked Victor Caratini to load the bases with one out. Bell went to the bullpen again. Lucas Sim was picked to keep the score where it was. Wong's fly out to left allowed Peterson to score the third run. Kyle Farmers diving stop and throw retired Willy Adames for the third out of the inning.
The Reds put two runners on base with two outs against Peralta in the sixth. Cincinnati native and Moeller grad Brent Suter came on to fan Colin Moran to end the threat.
Christian Yellich made a diving catch of Matt Reynolds bid to get an extra base hit. The play sent the Brewers into the eighth with a 3-1 lead.
The Brewers added on two runs against Hunter Strickland. Peterson's second double of the game, one out into the eighth, started the problem. Cain's second single put runners at the corners. Caratini hit his second single to score Peterson. Wong beat out an attempted double play ground out and stole second. Adames beat Brandon Drury's throw across the diamond to plate Cain.
The Reds loaded the bases in the bottom of the inning against Devin Williams. Drury and Pham walked with one out. Moustakas singled sharply to center to with Drury held at third. Williams got ahead of Stephenson 0-2 then caught him looking at strike three. Moran walked to send Drury home. On a 3-2 pitch, Tyler Naquin hit a line drive down the line in right. Pinch runner Albert Almora Jr/ was running with the pitch but Taylor cut off the ball before it got to the fence to force Almora to hold third with the tying run. Luis Perdomo came in to face Farmer. Farmer hit a liner up the middle but Urias made a diving catch to keep the lead.
"Their defense was incredible," Bell said. "A couple defensive plays saved it for them but we had some good at bats to get back in it."
Art Warren pitched a scoreless ninth for the Reds, who had to face Brewers closer Josh Hader, who is 11-for-11 in save attempts. Hader walked Reynolds to open the ninth but retired the last three Reds to earn his 12th save.
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