CINCINNATI (AP) — Paul Goldschmidt and the St. Louis Cardinals slowed down rookie fireballer Hunter Greene, and the Cincinnati Reds stretched their skid to 10 games — the franchise’s worst string of losses in six years.
Greene might perchance well no longer uncover the zip on his fastball that generated so worthy buzz over his first two immense league begins, Steven Matz (2-1) pitched one-traipse ball over 5 innings and the Cardinals beat the Reds 4-2.
The moral-hander threw 39 fastballs on the least 100 mph in his previous launch against the Dodgers, essentially the most in a game since pitch tracking started in 2008. The 22-year-feeble topped out at 97.2 mph Friday.
“You might perchance well presumably narrate early,” St. Louis manager Oliver Marmol acknowledged of the rookie’s off evening. “That’s a staunch arm there. He’s going to attain in actual fact neatly on this league.”
Goldschmidt and the Cardinals took advantage. The favored-or-garden slugger had three hits and two RBIs. Both runs were charged to Greene (1-2), who walked four and allowed three runs over 3 1/3 innings.
Greene acknowledged it was moral “regarded as one of those days.” Manager David Bell acknowledged he wasn’t vastly concerned.
Matz (2-1) and the bullpen made the lead stick, with the moral-hander striking out six and permitting seven hits earlier than leaving with out a outs and a man on in the sixth.
Decimated by free agent departures, trades and accidents, the Reds be pleased their worst skid since shedding 11 straight in 2016. Brandon Drury’s RBI single in the fifth snapped a scoring drought of 16 innings.
Cincinnati scored one other in the ninth on a fielder’s prefer groundout by Kyle Farmer, nevertheless Drury flied out to center as Giovanny Gallegos closed out his fourth set.
The Reds were outscored 63-20 for the duration of essentially the most trendy scramble.
Greene had been regarded as one of the indispensable few gleaming spots for the duration of Cincinnati’s 2-12 launch, nevertheless the zip was missing from his fastball in his home debut. He labored out of a bases-loaded jam in the first after the Cardinals pushed a traipse across on lend a hand-to-lend a hand hits by Dylan Carlson and Goldschmidt and an error by left fielder Tommy Pham.
St. Louis loaded the bases all as soon as more with one out in the fourth. Greene was pulled in prefer of Jeff Hoffman, who gave up a two-traipse single to Goldschmidt.
The Cardinals took the opener of the weekend sequence after a success 2 of 3 against the Miami Marlins this week.
CHANGING UP
Matz acknowledged the principle was his changeup, which he threw to Farmer to regain a double-play ball when the Reds got two runners to launch the fifth.
“That’s in actual fact my perfect pitch,” he acknowledged. “I got just a few groundballs on the present time with it and double play balls. I’m dedicated to it now. I felt in actual fact contented with it.”
WHAT CAN YOU SAY?
The Reds’ rash of accidents and diseases has included 2d baseman Jonathan India, third baseman Mike Moustakas, catcher Tyler Stephenson and outfielder Tyler Naquin. Many of the different hitters are slumping.
“I feel it’s a combination of quite just a few different components,” Bell acknowledged. “, we no doubt steal as a team and we lose as a team.
“From my standpoint, there are issues that I regain to witness on every day foundation that are encouraging. I do know results topic. I’m additionally very pleased with the truth that our players continue to work, they continue to play inviting, they continue to head out and there’s there’s no excuses.”
MOVES
Cardinals: Made their first roster transfer since opening day, inserting RHP Drew VerHagen (moral hip impingement) on the 10-day injured list and recalling LHP Packy Naughton from Triple-A Memphis.
Reds: Activated RHP Lucas Sims from the injured list. RHP Ryan Hendrix was sent to Triple-A.
UP NEXT
The Playing cards ship RHP Dakota Hudson (0-1, 7.71) against Reds RHP Tyler Mahle (1-1, 7.82) on Saturday.
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