Hunter Greene gave up a pair of long balls that turned an other wise good performance into a losing the first game of the three-game series to the Chicago White Sox, 5-4.
The Reds jumped on Lance Lynn for three runs in the third and fourth innings. Kevin Newman opened the third with a single. TJ Friedl lined his second hit of the game down the right field line with two outs. He reached third base ahead of a throw by Gavin Sheets but came off the base. Originally ruled safe by third base umpire Todd Tichenor, Friedl was ruled out on appeal as he came off the bag.
Lynn came into the game, 0-4 and the Sox lost all six of his starts. He improved to 12-4 against the Reds during his career which included six seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals.
The Reds opened the fourth with three straight singles by Spencer Steer, Tyler Stephenson and Jake Fraley. One out later, Nick Senzel singled and the Reds led 3-0.
Greene handled the White Sox through four innings, striking out seven with only blemishes an infield single by Luis Robert and a walk to Elvis Andrus.
That changed in the fifth.
Robert singled and Yasmani Grandal singled. Hanser Alberto forced Robert at third. Andrus lifted a 2-2 pitch into the first row of the left field stands to tie the game. It was Andrus first home run of the season.
"It was a weird frustrating night," Greene said. "My fastball even though the velocity was there. It didn't have the same life in the last two innings. When I came out it didn't have the same jump to it. Maybe my slot dropped a little bit."
"It is part of the game. Every pitcher trying to go six or seven innings who expects every pitch to be the best he's ever thrown. It isn't going to happen."
Jonathan India hit a home run to straight away center field to put the Reds back in the lead.
Friedl temporarily preserved the lead, robbing Andrew Vaughn of a home run, leaping over the fence to pull in a drive to right center. Eloy Jimenez singled. Sheets flied out but Robert hit his seventh home run that Friedl couldn't reach. Robert's third hit of the game and seventh home run of the season put Chicago in the lead for the first time.
Greene didn't finish the sixth. David Bell brought in Lucas Sims to end the inning. Greene's line was 5 2/3 innings, seven hits, one walk, seven strike outs with two home runs allowed, leading to five earned runs.
Lynn was relieved in the seventh. With two outs Luke Maile popped up in the infield near home plate, veteran and former Reds' number one draft pick, dropped it for an error. Joe Kelly took over.
Kelly balked to send Maile to second. Stuart Fairchild came on as a pinch runner. Kelly caught India looking.
Reynaldo Lopez began the ninth for the White Sox. Fraley walked to open the ninth but was thrown out after Robert caught Henry Ramos' line out. Senzel struck out to end the game to give Lopez his fourth save.
"I haven't talked to Jake," Bell said. "He was just a little over aggressive. I guess he thought it had a chance to fall and didn't see it in time."
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