A leadoff bunt single was all that the Arizona Diamondbacks would get against Hunter Greene on Monday night. The 22-year-old rookie was brilliant, striking out eight batters in a rain-shortened 7-inning, 7-0 Cincinnati Reds win.
| Final | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona Diamondbacks (26-30) |
0 | 1 | 0 |
| Cincinnati Reds (19-35) | 7 | 12 | 0 |
| W: Greene (3-7) L: Bumgarner (2-5) | |||
| Statcast | Box Score | Game Thread | |||
The Offense
Cincinnati didn’t wait long to get on the board. Brandon Drury hit a solo home run in the bottom of the 1st to put the Reds on top 1-0. They would load the bases later in the inning after a Joey Votto double, Tyler Stephenson walk, and a hit by pitch that sent Kyle Farmer to 1st, but a fly ball would strand all three runners.
Alejo Lopez led off the 2nd inning with a double and he moved up to third base on a ground out. That turned the lineup over and Nick Senzel singled in Lopez to make it a 2-0 lead for the Reds. In the bottom of the 5th inning Cincinnati put together a 2-out rally that started with a Joey Votto walk. Tyler Stephenson followed up with a single to put runners on the corners for left-handed killer Kyle Farmer who came through with a 2-run double to make it a 4-0 game.
Just as the rain started coming down in the bottom of the 7th inning it was once again Tyler Stephenson coming through with a hit in the middle of a rally. With Brandon Drury and Joey Votto on 1st and 2nd, Stephenson doubled to the wall in right-center and both runners scored to extend Cincinnati’s lead to 6-0. Stephenson then would score from second on an Albert Almora Jr. single as they rain began to fall harder and the Reds went up by a touchdown. Alejo Lopez followed with a single, but with Aristides Aquino at the plate the grounds crew sprinted onto the field to try and beat the absolute downpour that was taking place. While it would take just over 43 minutes before the game was officially called as final, anyone who could look at a radar knew the minute the tarp went onto the field that they weren’t resuming play.
The Pitching
A bunt single led off the game for Arizona, but Daulton Varsho and the Diamondbacks got greedy and tried to steal second base. It was a bad idea as the pitch was strike three and Tyler Stephenson fired a laser to the second base bag to send Varsho back to the dugout for a double play.
That was the last time that Arizona had a baserunner in the game. Greene dominated the Arizona lineup for the next 6.1 innings as he walked no one, hit no one, and struck out eight batters. He had thrown just 87 pitches – 54 of which were strikes – but in the bottom of the 7th inning the skies opened up over Great American Ball Park and the game was placed in a rain delay.
With the forecast calling for rain for the next 12 hours it likely didn’t matter that the grounds crew was summoned onto the field too late by the umpires and could not get the tarp onto the field before it was too heavy to get 100% over the infield. Eventually the grounds crew would get a second tarp, and use an advertising banner to cover the infield.
Even the tarp cover is getting used. Another tarp out now. Forget Hunter Greene, this has been the most impressive performance of the night pic.twitter.com/wU1rcOVbpj
— C. Trent Rosecrans (@ctrent) June 7, 2022
Key Moment of the Game
We’re going a little off script here and calling it the moment when Hunter Greene chose to try and let Daulton Varsho’s bunt roll foul instead of trying to field it and make a throw to first base. Had he been able to make the play – something that in no way was guaranteed – he would have tossed a rain-shortened perfect game.
Notes Worth Noting
Joey Votto’s 1st inning double off of Madison Bumgarner was his 800th extra-base hit of his career.
Hunter Greene is the 1st rookie to throw 7 innings while facing the minimum number of batters since Rob Milacki for the Orioles in 1989.
Milacki threw a complete game and gave up 3 hits and 2 walks, but only faced 27 batter thanks to 4 double plays and a caught stealing. pic.twitter.com/84wcH6zN3u
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) June 7, 2022
Hunter Greene tonight: 7 IP, 0 hard-hit batted balls
Presuming he's done:
it's just the 7th time under Statcast tracking (since 2015, in start with all batted balls tracked), that a pitcher had an outing 7+ IP without allowing a hard-hit batted ball (95+ mph exit velocity) pic.twitter.com/HKB59ZFMw4
— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) June 7, 2022
Up Next for the Cincinnati Reds
Arizona Diamondbacks vs Cincinnati Reds
Tuesday June 7th, 6:40pm ET
Tyler Gilbert (0-2, 5.02 ERA) vs Graham Ashcraft (2-0, 1.53 ERA)
This just in, the Greene kid is good.
Yeah, not bad. 😉
I don’t know … I’d like to see a few more seasons like this before I’m ready to pass judgement.
The poise and apparent ability to learn at 22 is incredible.
800 XBH for Votto. Second only to Rose (68). Pretty cool.
Talk about elite company
Just passed Bench (my all time fav Reds player, Morgan 1A) at 794. Votto’s numbers are incredible considering that these are the plate appearances by the top Reds:
Rose: Reds PAs 12,330, 868 XBHs
Votto: 8,282, 800
Bench: 8,673, 794
Larkin: 9,057, 715
Robinson: 6,409, 692 !!!
I guess Frank Robinson was pretty darn good as well. Just a touch before my time.
Good stuff Melvin.
Frank Robinson was before my time too. He was really good though evidently. Hahaha I wonder what it would have happened on here, had it existed back then, after the Frank Robinson trade. lol 🙂
Frank Robinson had a 21 year career with OPS+ 159 (average).
His 1966 Triple Crown year with the Orioles was his most famous but his 1962 numbers with the Reds were similar (and even better in some cases).
In 10 years with the Reds, he averaged 32 HR and 101 RBI yet made the All-Star team only six of those years.
Fun one to watch. Hitting on nearly all cylinders tonight. I’m almost thinking we could have played through the downpour and still kept on rolling.
That’s one in the books for this 4-game series. Feels good after the last one.
Doug, did I just hear you ask Hunter Greene a question in the post-game???
Larkin made a comment about Ashcraft pushing the rest of the staff to up their game. Hunter’s game was definitely up.
Drury quietly on pace for 30 dingers and 84 rbis.
He’s had a couple of rough starts followed by outings like this one – dominant. With his lack of minor league innings, his maturity is still propelling him forward.
I also think he and Ashcraft are pushing each other and that’s another awesome aspect.
It’s hard not to get excited with the starting pitching talent that’s developing. I never thought I’d make that statement about the Reds.
As a lifetime Red’s fan I’m fascinated to follow the development of the starting pitching. Since the days of Crosley Field, until now, the Red’s franchise has always been offensive oriented. The development of pitching bodes well for the future.
In the days of Crosley Field, the Reds developed Jim Maloney, Jim O’Toole, and Gary Nolan.
Although others reaped the benefits, Mike Cuellar and Claude Osteen were Reds P prospects then also.
In the days of Riverfront Stadium, the Reds developed Don Gullett, Mario Soto, and Tom Browning.
Reds P back then was better than many people remember it.
B Larks was talking about the Ashcraft factor. Bringing in another rookie pitcher that’s performing exceptionally well has probably been a factor with Greene. The most dominate case I ever remember seeing was Johnson / Schilling, but you can talk about the Nasty Boys, the Bash Brothers, etc. This new young rookie group will hopefully bring that level of competition to each other.
Rotations: Late 60s Mets, 1990s Braves (the most dominant pitching staff that I ever saw), early 70s Orioles, late 80s Mets, early 70s As …
I’m with you on the 90 Braves, 60’s and 70’s are a bit before my time. My earliest baseball event I can clearly remember is Pete Rose chasing Ty Cobb’s hit record. Also I remember thinking when Marty said David Parker hit that one out of the park, he meant it left the stadium.
The Reds SP in early 1960s were a pretty good group.
Maloney, O’Toole, Jay, Purkey, Nuxhall then.
1971 Orioles. Cuellar,Palmer,Dobson and McNally. All 20 game winners with ERAS 3.08 and lower. 70 I repeat 70 complete games.
Pitching every 4th day…instead of 5
Kind of sad. If the Reds would extend Castillo, they’d be competitive pretty much right now and only get better.
Castillo is 29 years old, and should be well into his prime years. he has yet to prove to be that consistent stopper, that a team’s ace is expected to be. Giving big money to a pitcher going into their 30 year old season next year would be a little silly, especially for the Reds..
Hunter Greene is special and I don’t think you’ll see him going 12-10 with a 3.60 era 3-4 years from now and still rolling with 2.5 pitches like Castillo. The kid gets it.
Didn’t see 1 pitch tonight, but heard the Drury HR on the WLW highlights. Absolutely no more pull happy guys like Moose going forward. To take full advantage of Gabp you have to lift pitches away semi-regularly and the ball will reach the seats. Like Todd Frazier that one year with 20 of 29 in Gabp if I’m not mistaken.
2 Oh by the ways:
1. I hope Senzel keeps it rolling, but if Barrero is going to be on the 5 year plan too then we might want to keep Farmer around. He’ll be 32 in August so he’s not a dinosaur quite yet and he shows up and grinds it out!
2. Ben Lively at Louisville? He always had some arm talent and he’s still only 30. Last 3 starts 16.1, 7 hits, 2 er, 8 walks, 25 Ks. Walks are high, but he’s been dealing.
Wouldn’t mind seeing him for the Reds because they’ll need some depth if they deal Castillo and/or Mahle.
Man there was a time where you couldn’t stand Farmer. The guy is a great utility player that can play anywhere in the infield.
do you take a risk and try to package Greene and Castillo for a few good position player prospects? we would still have a ton of young pitching and would really strengthen our core of every eight guys?
They are not trading Greene period. He is as close to untouchable as it gets.
.
Not when your GM is named Nick Krall. I get what you are saying though, It would bring back a haul. Given the fact that Hunter has already had TJ surgery, it might not be as far fetched as it sounds. But the Reds won’t don’t that, they are too conservative, too risk adverse, they will play it safe, they will trade him to the Dodgers in three years and get pennies on the dollars.
For Ohtani, Trout, or Tatis Jr. Either one. Yes. I’d even throw in Moose. I know that would be giving up waaaay tooooo much then. 🙂
Woah there fella. You know I like a good popup to the infield. Moose is untouchable.
Sorry. Lost my head there for a second.
Absolutely not. Nick Krall would find a way to royally screw that up.
Don’t give Krall any ideas.
We must give Krall credit for the minor league contracts of Drury, Almora, Reynolds and Overton. In the minors, Santana, Motter, Querecuto, Dawson, Lively and Dowdy have been doing well so far. Of course, he’s missed on some, but it seems that this year, the signings have been much better than in the past. Many don’t have options remaining, so it looks to be a very interesting next 2 months to see what trades and transactions will be made. Drury, Almora and Overton look like keepers for the 2023 Reds. Possibly, Santana, Lively and Dowdy too.
Remember Greene was signed out of high school Ashcraft and lodolo pitched in college. They are ahead of Greene experience wise. Also if not for bullpen Greene may have 1 more win and 1 less loss. Greene gets it and has the “it” factor. We may just have a rotation to take us to World Series in time.
These young core pitchers should get them into the playoffs multiple times! Justin Dunn and Antone might be able to help eventually? They need offense that can travel and some seasons with minimal injuries. These last few years have been insane with the IL?
I’m hoping for atleast a shot at .500 next year and to be able to stay in the wildcard hunt towards the fall. They have guys like Pham and Minor on 1 year deals this year and then Joey/Moose free up $40 mil for 2024. Spend some money on the pen and they could be dangerous moving forward.
Agree 100%
yes, yes,yes
A week ago many folks were on here commenting how Greene didn’t belong in the majors and needed to go back to AAA.
What happened to all of those folks who like to go after him every time the rookie has a rough outing?
If they think he doesn’t belong in the majors, they shouldn’t let a 7 inning 1-hit shutout deter them from voicing their opinion. They should stand by their convictions, right?
@AMDG just the nature of a sports blog. We are all smarter then the manager, players and ownership with less then half the data needed to make decisions.
All of us as fans want the Reds to win and right now.Knowing we won”t causes all of us from time to time to anoint players or throw them under the bus sometimes daily.Reds must continue to find out what the young guys can do.Yes they will show inconsistency on the mound and at the plate and look like young players do.The Reds don’ Seem to have the patience to do that because IMO they want to win 72 games with vets playing that are on the decline rather then 68 games playing younger guys that may just be as good or even better.Lets face it Reds should always be in this mode in order to trade at peak value before guys get to expensive.Only way this changes is Bob opens the cash box or new ownership does
Roger certainly agree we are a franchise that needs to use the farm system. That said, there is a fine line. Older Vet’s who are productive can’t just be tossed aside to make way for a prospect who may or not be more productive in the future. That said the other side of the coin is you get older players hanging on to collect a contract that there production will not justify. Examples Votto and Moose. As a manager it is quite difficult to navigate your way through rebuilding years and keep a positive clubhouse. Again much of this is made more difficult by ownerships willingness to spend, managing team controlled years for the youngsters and the ability of the older vet to earn his next contract. Bell’s job is much more challenging then making out the line up.
Not “many” folks were saying that. One, maybe two, weren’t seeing the light.
Greene is now leading the Reds pitching staff in W as he reached his 3rd victory.. He leads in Ks too…
Madbum is still good but no longer the dominant pitcher he once was with the Giants. He was nearly unhittable for a few years. Not anymore.
Speaking of unhittable, HG put on a show. Remind yourself its his first full season plus he’s only 22. Amazing talent.
Greene has flirted with 2 no no’s this year–at such a young age. I think he’s not only going to get one (this year), he’s going to destroy the record books over his career (that is, if he stays healthy)
Great job by Greene
He has the tools and makeup and stuff.
Just needs to pitch and 3 steps forward last night.
Per Baseball Savant he threw 7 change-ups- so basically 1 per inning.
Perhaps he’s drilling down on his 4 seamer and slider and then adding back his changeup once he’s fine tuned the FB/slider.
There were a few counts (1-1, 1-2) vs. lefties where Greene was playing with house money and could’ve mixed in more changeups but they weren’t called. You don’t get many moments like that in a game and they were missed.
Larkin noted that Greene was doing much better last night using location as a tactic. He was moving the ball both up and down along with in and out to change eye level and make the hitters move their feet.
Larkin also mentioned something about it looked like Greene was mixing in different looks on some of the pitches which appeared to be sliders. If I understood him correctly, in addition to using the slider with both a front door and back door approach, Larkin thought some of them were at varying speeds and moving differently on their breaking action.
If this is something Greene can control and repeat with finger positioning and pressure, it essentially could work as a “different” third (or fourth) pitch.
Stay tuned…which is why watching Greene’s development is the biggest storyline of the season and well worth watching. Now if Ashcraft keeps up his power pitching and groundballs and Lodolo comes back and takes 2-3 steps forward then 2022 isnt a waste of a year. It was mentioned over the weekend that Lodolo is getting back on track and wasn’t going to pitch a full year anyway due to innings limits so now that s not an issue going forward with him missing a month.