Cincinnati Reds swept by Yankees, Hunter Greene remains winless on season
Hunter Greene, facing the New York Yankees on a national TV broadcast, completed seven innings for the first time this season and he matched his season high with 10 strikeouts.
There was a lot to like about Greene’s outing Sunday, except he remains winless on the season.
Greene surrendered a pair of home runs in the Reds’ 4-1 loss at Great American Ball Park in front of 33,828 fans, which completed the Yankees’ three-game sweep. It was the third time the Reds were swept by the Yankees in their last five interleague series against each other.
The Yankees, who were playing without Aaron Judge in the lineup, broke through against Greene in the fifth inning. Willie Calhoun drew a leadoff six-pitch walk before Harrison Bader crushed a two-run homer to left field on a changeup Greene left over the plate in a 1-2 count.
Gleyber Torres added a solo homer to right field in the sixth inning, an opposite-field line drive on a 97-mph fastball, and Anthony Volpe hit an RBI double on a ground ball through the left side of the infield in the seventh inning.
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Greene, the Reds’ Opening Day starter who signed a six-year contract extension in April, avoided the 30-pitch inning that has plagued him in many of his starts, but he’s permitted seven homers in four starts this month.
The Reds scored a run in the bottom of the first inning against Yankees righthander Luis Severino, who made his season debut after he was sidelined with a lat strain, but it wasn’t without an ejection. Spencer Steer, batting with two outs and a runner on first base, hit a ball down the right field line that was initially ruled foul by first-base umpire Nestor Ceja.
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A replay review overturned the call – the ball was fair when Yankees right fielder Jake Bauers attempted to make a sliding catch – and gave Steer an RBI double. Yankees Manager Aaron Boone argued with the umpiring crew after the call was overturned and was ejected for the third time this season.
Following Steer’s double, the Reds totaled only three more singles against Severino in 4 2/3 innings. One of the baserunners, Stuart Fairchild, was erased after a successful pickoff move.
Takeaways from the Reds’ series finale vs. the Yankees
1. Greene reached a double-digit strikeout total for the fifth time in his career. The Reds have a 1-4 record in those games, scoring more than two runs in only one instance. Greene located his fastball well, throwing his fastest pitch (100.3 mph) to strike out his last batter, and his slider drew 11 whiffs in 21 swings.
He gave up only one hit and one walk through his first four innings, but both home runs were on pitches that ended up in the middle of the strike zone.
2. Reds Manager David Bell was ejected in the eighth inning, coming out of the dugout to argue with home-plate umpire Emil Jimenez during Luke Maile’s at-bat. It’s possible he objected to a quick pitch from Yankees reliever Wandy Peralta, which isn’t permissible before hitters are ready due to the pitch clock.
It was the second time Bell was tossed out of a game this weekend and the 23rd time in his career.
3. The Reds pride themselves on running the bases well and manufacturing runs, but it’s difficult to win games at Great American Ball Park when they aren’t hitting homers. Maile’s two-run homer Saturday was their only long ball across their three games against the Yankees.
Following the run in the first inning Sunday, the Reds didn’t have another baserunner touch third base. Maile provided their only hit between the second inning – a single to right field – and the ninth inning.
Injury report
Reds reliever Fernando Cruz began a rehab assignment at Triple-A Louisville on Sunday and outfielder TJ Friedl could be activated from the 10-day injured list as early as Tuesday. Friedl is scheduled to take live batting practice Monday to evaluate whether he’s ready for games.
Joey Votto took live batting practice in Louisville on Sunday and will be reevaluated Monday. It’s possible he could be nearing another rehab assignment.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Hunter Greene remains winless, Cincinnati Reds swept by Yankees
