Dateline: Cincinnati
For 87 games the Reds tried to tread water until they could get Hunter Greene, the anointed ace to the mound.
The hole has gotten deep but the 40-47 Reds must start a turnaround today against the Baltimore Orioles, if they have any hopes of making the playoffs. The hole deepened with an 8-5 defeat as the Orioles clinched the series.
The Orioles greeted him rudely. Gunnar Henderson hit Green's first pitch up the middle for a single. Pete Alonso walked and Samuel Basallo hit his 14th home run and second in a many days to put the Orioles up 3-0.
Sal Stewart hit a ground rule double off Brandon Young and scored on Eugenio Suarez single to center. TJ Friedl tripled to tie the game. Elly De La Cruz put the Reds ahead.
The Orioles scored five runs against Greene in the fourth, aided by two walks and All-Star Adley Rutschman's second double. Pete Alonso, who reached base in all five plate appearances singled to deliver Rutschman.
"I just didn't do a good job channeling the adrenaline," Greene said. "I failed on the execution part, not trying to do too much. I was constantly behind. "
Greene lasted 3 1/3 innings, allowing eight runs to tie his career high, on seven hits and four walks. He struck out seven.
"It was a lack of command," Terry Francona said. "It didn't seem like he could throw his fastball where he wanted to. There were some deep counts. They fouled off a number of two strike fastballs."
The Reds scored a run off Grant Wolfram, who relieved Brandon Young with two on and no outs in the sixth. Wolfram induced the Orioles second double play to escape the sixth but walked De La Cruz to begin the seventh. Stewart forced him at second and he scored on an infield hit by Suarez to conclude the scoring.
Sam Moll pitched 2/3 and inning and turned the game over to Julien Garcia, who pitched two perfect innings.
Rhett Lowder, who is temporarily, moved to the bullpen with Greene's entry to the rotation, pitched three scoreless innings.
"We were kind of up against it in our bullpen right now," Francona said. "It was uncomfortable. He was on short rest. He was outstanding. I will say that."
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