LOS ANGELES – On a cool Southern California evening, Cincinnati Reds rookie Greene Hunter has yielded some record-setting heat.
After five overwhelming rounds, Los Angeles Dodgers finally catching up.
Trea Turner hit the homer two runs to claim a goalless draw on Friday and the Dodgers beat the skating Reds 5-2 on Saturday night to claim their fifth straight win.
In his much-anticipated home comeback, Greene threw an incredible 39 pitches at 100 mph or faster — the most in a single game since field tracking began in 2008. The previous score was 33 by New York Mets ace Jacob deGrom June last year.
Starting his second major tournament, the 22-year-old right-winger, who attended high school in nearby Sherman Oaks, also launched 13 throws of at least 101 mph – another record for a beginner .
The final moment touched Greene in the third inning, but only emotionally. He said he was in tears on the bench amid the enormity of the event, and was choked up after stepping off the mound in game Friday.
Greene said: “I wish we would go out with a win, but it was a really fun time. “It’s an unbelievable feeling and experience playing against that squad. Freddie [Freeman] gave me some love, kind of a cap one end, so that’s great. I’m happy to be able to do it here and have my family here. “
But with Greene’s velocity dropping slightly later in his game, it was a fast 99 mph ball against Turner last in the left seat.
“We still have to get ready for version 99 with a pretty decent slider and good modding capabilities,” says Turner. “He was tough no matter how hard he threw, whether it was 99 or 101, but I think we fought really well.”
Turner ended with three hits, including a domestic single in the first. The speedy header has been successful in all eight games this season, and in 27 straight back-to-back last year. This is the third-longest fight streak in the Los Angeles team’s history.
Beginner Dodgers Julio UriasHis velocity dropped throughout the spring and through the first game of the season, overtook Greene by dropping a shot in five innings.
The Red Devils don’t get their first attack until Tyler Stephenson rip off a last second baseman Max Muncy in Thursday. One round later, the Dodgers finally made it through.
Austin Barnes led the sixth game against Greene with a single game. This was followed by Turner hitting the ball fast 1-1 in the left half of the field in his first home game of the season.
Freeman followed with an attack but went to base first after Stephenson’s pass. Justin Turner appeared and Reds manager David Bell replaced Greene with a right-hander Buck Farmer.
The Dodgers added two more runs, once counted for Greene, when Chris Taylor hit a run twice with two excellent runs.
“He wasn’t really going to give us anything, so we had to earn it,” Turner said. “He kept us in the first five and a half innings and in the end we beat him. But he was really good and I’m glad we won.”
Greene (1-1) dropped three runs (two earned) with five hits in 5⅓ rounds, no walking and six hits. He threw 80 pitches.
The Reds have lost a fifth game in a row – their final victory came last Sunday when Greene made his major league debut in Atlanta.
First, Greene said he cried on the bench in the third inning.
“I’m not crying, it’s just a poor choice of words,” he said with a laugh. “I just broke a little bit.
“I was sitting on the bench and it randomly hit me. I think I looked up and could hear the roar and the feel of it. … Here, it’s a complete atmosphere. And here at Dodger Stadium as a kid, I think all of those factors contributed to that moment.”
The big stage didn’t shake him off the field. Even Turner’s home game was launched at the lowest level.
“Normally it takes a little longer to find [composure] for a young player,” Bell said. He’s going to have his moments, but for the experience he has, he’s accelerating that growth. “
Freeman added a sacrificial fly in the seventh game to make it 5-0.
Urías takes one and hits out five. He was in the 92 mph range with his fast ball after sitting at 91 on his debut of the season. He’s still down from the 94 mph average in his 20-win 2021 season.
The Reds were on the scoreboard at number nine with an RBI by Taylor Naquin and an RBI single by Tommy Pham turn off the medicine White Mitch.
Daniel Hudson made two excellent saves for his first of the season.
Evan Phillips (1-1) won with a goalless sixth inning.
TRADE STAFF ONLY
The Reds have sent right-hand man Riley O’Brien to Seattle to name a player or cash. O’Brien was assigned Wednesday’s assignment to make room on the 40-man list for lefties Nick Lodolo.
ROOM OF TRAINER
Red: INF / OF Nick Senzel was placed on the COVID-19 injured list on Friday, although Bell said Senzel did not test positive. Senzel started feeling ill before Friday’s game. RHP Daniel Duarte has been recalled from Triple-A Louisville. … While straining hamstrings for 2B Jonathan India continue to improve, the Reds will wait until Sunday to decide if an IL move is necessary.
Dodgers: RHP Tommy Kahnlewho just had a major league debut since 2019 after Tommy John surgery, made his third consecutive rehab appearance without scoring at Class A Rancho Cucamonga on Friday.
NEXT
Red: RHP Tyler Mahle (1-0, 1.00 ERA) third start of the season in Sunday’s series finale. He is 2-1 in four starts against the Dodgers with a 2.05 ERA.
Dodgers: Film Festival Andrew Heaney (0-0, 0.00) will make his first home appearance with his new team after throwing 4⅓ innings goalless in Minnesota on Tuesday.
