Hunter Greene returned to form and struck out six batters without allowing an earned run before the bullpen took over in the middle of the 6th inning. The offense did just enough before Christian Encarnacion-Strand’s 2-run homer in the 8th inning capped off the day for the Reds as Cincinnati avoided being swept with a 4-1 win over the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday afternoon.
| Final | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati Reds (69-66) |
4 | 11 | 2 |
| San Francisco Giants (69-64) |
1 | 4 | 2 |
| W: Greene (3-6) L: Webb (9-11) SV: Diaz (35) | |||
| Statcast | Box Score | Game Thread | |||
After both teams went down in order in the 1st inning, the Reds put some pressure on in the 2nd inning. Christian Encarnacion-Strand singled with one out, but he was swapped out on a force play that put Nick Senzel at first. He would take off for second on a pick off attempt, but LaMonte Wade Jr. threw the ball into the outfield trying to get Senzel at second, and he would pick up third base on the play. He would be stranded there after a strikeout ended the inning.
Hunter Greene was cruising through the Giants lineup until Casey Schmitt broke up his no-hitter with two outs in the 3rd inning with a double. Greene would strand him there with a strikeout for the third out.
Cincinnati would get back to applying pressure in the 4th after Nick Martini singled and Christian Encarnacion-Strand doubled with two outs to put two runners into scoring position. This time around it was a ground ball that ended the inning and stranded everyone.
Hunter Greene would walk the leadoff batter on a questionable ball four in the 5th inning, but one pitch later he got a ground ball that turned into a double play to make up for it. A strikeout would follow to end the inning.
The Reds got their leadoff hitter on to begin the 6th when Spencer Steer lined a single into right field. Elly De La Cruz then followed up with a single into right of his own, sending Steer to third in the process. With Christian Encarnacion-Strand at the plate, Elly De La Cruz stole second base, and when the throw went to second it led to Steer taking off for the plate and he slid in head first just around the tag on the relay throw to put Cincinnati up 1-0. Encarnacion-Strand would then line a single into left field to bring in De La Cruz and extend the lead to 2-0.
Casey Schmitt seemed to have Hunter Greene’s number on the day, leading off the bottom of the 6th with a double – giving him both hits that Greene allowed to that point. After a fly out, Thairo Estrada hit a little flare into center to put runners on the corners. That was the last batter that Greene would face as the Reds called on Ian Gibaut. Before he threw a pitch he tried to pick off Estrada at first base, but he threw the ball past everyone and both runners advanced and that made it a 2-1 ballgame. He’d get a pop out for the second out of the inning but would then fall behind Joc Pederson and wind up intentionally walking him. Patrick Bailey followed up with a hard grounder that seemed destined into right field, but Spencer Steer made a diving stop and came up with the throw to first to end the inning and strand both runners.
Fernando Cruz took over for Cincinnati in the 7th and walked the leadoff hitter. After a fly out he got a comebacker, but his throw to second base pulled Elly De La Cruz off of the bag and there were two runners on with just one out. Cruz locked in after that and got a strikeout and a fly out to end the inning and hold onto the Reds 2-1 lead.
In the top of the 8th inning Elly De La Cruz picked up a 1-out double. Later in the inning it was Christian Encarnacion-Strand picking up his 4th hit of the day, a wall scraper home run to dead center to make it a 4-1 lead for the Reds. Lucas Sims would work around a 1-out single in the bottom of the 8th to hold the 3-run lead.
Alexis Diaz entered the game for Cincinnati in the bottom of the 9th and he walked leadoff hitter Patrick Bailey on four pitches. He’d get a fly out from Mike Yastrzemski before getting a highlight reel play from Elly De La Cruz who ranged far to his right and into the outfield grass to make a play on a grounder and turn and fire to second to get a force out. Diaz then struck out Wade Meckler to seal the win and avoid the sweep.
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— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) August 30, 2023
Key Moment of the Game
Christian Encarnacion-Strand’s 2-run homer in the 8th inning that gave the club a little more breathing room by turning a 1-run game into a 3-run game.
Notes worth noting
With the win the team pulled to within a game of a playoff spot.
Christian Encarnacion-Strand had as many hits in the game as the Giants did as a team – four. Not only was today the first 4-hit day for the infielder, he had never had three hits in a game at the big league level before today (this was his 40th career game).
The Reds finished their west coast trip with a 5-5 record.
Cincinnati is off on Thursday. They’ll return to the field on Friday and play a doubleheader against the Cubs.
Up Next for the Cincinnati Reds
Chicago Cubs vs Cincinnati Reds
Friday September 1st, 1:10pm ET/6:40pm ET (doubleheader)
Graham Ashcraft (7-8, 4.73 ERA) & TBA vs TBA & TBA
