Reds Lose To Giants Late Greene Dominated Gibaut Had Tough Outing

 

Dateline: 1,209 Kilometers from the Gulf of Mexico

Wilmer Flores hit a three-run home run to propel the San Francisco Giants to a 6-4 win over the Reds. The home run off Ian Gibaut, who was filling in for the injured, Alexis Diaz.

“He (Gibaut) had some deep counts and the breaking ball caught a little too much of the plate. Gibaut pitched because of how we got there (to the ninth). We used Pagan early. That was our other thought. I thought our bullpen up to that point did a really, really good job,” Francona said.

Reds’ starter Hunter Greene struck out eight Giants hitters.

While Giants’ hitters were whiffing the Reds built a 3-0. In the first inning, Giants’ starter Logan Webb struck out the first two hitters but Elly De La Cruz walked. Gavin Lux in his first Reds’ at bat, also walked, Jeimer Candelario singled to score De La Cruz.

In the third inning, TJ Friedl singled to open the inning. Matt McLain flew out to the center field wall, caught by Jung Hoo Lee. De La Cruz singled to left. Lux hit a ground ball up the middle. Willy Adames fielded it. De La Cruz beat him to second base and Adames' off-balance throw to first was too late to get Lux. Candelario singled to right to drive home two more runs and a 3-0 lead.

Greene walked Lee with one out. Heliot Ramos fouled off five 3-2 pitches before reaching the right field stands for a two-run home run to make it 3-2.

“I didn’t have my secondary pitches so I was trying to pitch. Some games you don’t have your best stuff. I knew in the bullpen, I didn’t have my secondary pitches,” Greene said. “It was a duel. I didn’t have my secondaries. Maybe it would have been better if I just walked him.”

The at bat was more costly than the home run. 

“That long at bat against Hunter cost him the sixth inning,” Francona said.

Scott Barlow relieved Greene in the sixth. Greene finished with five innings, allowing two runs on just three hits and a walk. He struck out eight. Emilio Pagan and Tony Santillan along with Barlow pitched three scoreless innings.

Gibaut struck out Adames to start the inning. Lee walked for the second time in the game. Matt Chapman singled to right, sending Lee to third. Gibaut struck out Ramos but Patrick Bailey shot a ground ball past the diving McLain to tie the score and set up Ramos home run.

“The pitch was right down the middle. I just have to execute better,” Gibaut said. “I told Tracy (bullpen coach Matt) that I wanted it. I didn’t know before the game (pitch the ninth) It’s kind of how it panned out.”

Greene has words of encouragement for Gibaut, who earned a spot in the bullpen as a non-roster player starting spring.

“Ian’s a dawg. That’s what I told him,” Greene said. “I know people might not want to hear that but the last couple years, he’s been in some tight situations. He’s made it look easy. This game is difficult. He’s one of our best pitchers.”

“I could have easily not have done it (talk to Gibaut). I could have been selfish and stayed in my locker but that’s not who I am. It’s not my character. I wanted him to know. I support him. The rest of the team feels that way about him too. I have a great relationship with Ian and it goes beyond baseball. I know how hard he works. I know he wants to represent the city. Sometimes it comes down to one pitch. I know our pitchers are good but the hitters are good too and they work just as hard as we do.”

The opening day loss was painful to the Reds but Francona trusts his players.

“Losing late is hard,” Francona said. “It’s no fun losing any way. If that’s too much for us, I’ve got the wrong read on our guys.”