CINCINNATI - Chase Burns hasn't had to rebound from poor starts often in his brief Major League career, but the young Reds starting pitcher showed he could do it and do it well.
Burns allowed only two hits over six scoreless innings but was unfortunate to be countered by Giants pitcher Landen Roupp's six scoreless innings and one hit as the Reds were handed a 3-0 loss in Wednesday's series finale at Great American Ball Park.
“I know I keep saying he’s learning. But there’s nothing wrong with that because he is. But it gets exciting in a hurry," Reds manager Terry Francona said.
Burns, 23, faced the minimum number of batters over the first five innings. After Willy Adames hit a one-out single in the first inning, he was caught stealing. Following a one-out walk to Drew Gilbert in the third inning, Patrick Bailey grounded to second base for an inning-ending double play. Jung Hoo Lee singled with one out in the fifth inning before Will Brennan grounded to third for another double play.
Overall, Burns threw first-pitch strikes to only seven of his 18 batters (39 percent) but he still was able to take it to San Francisco's hitters with his high-90's four-seam fastball and slider.
“We kind of knew there were a couple of guys taking first pitch. Just kind of get strike one and then pitch from there," said Burns, who walked one and struck out four.
Normally one who displays a lot of fire on the mound, Burns remained calm and collected throughout the start.
“Every time I go out there I’m pretty pumped up to throw. I think that can be a con for my pitching sometimes," he said. "I was just trying to stay smooth out there.”
Burns threw a 1-2-3 sixth inning with Bailey looking at a called third strike for the third out on his 87th pitch. Between Francona and pitching coach Derek Johnson, there was no consideration to give Burns a seventh inning.
“No. We were both on the same page, me and DJ," Francona said. "He was at [87] and I thought he fell behind a couple of hitters. I thought that was enough.”
With lefty reliever Brock Burke taking over for the seventh inning, shortstop Elly De La Cruz flubbed a grounder from first batter Luis Arraez for an error that led to all three of the Giants’ runs scoring unearned.
One day after producing a season-high eight runs to clinch the three-game series over San Francisco, the Reds were stymied for just one hit overall. Roupp allowed no hits through five innings before P.J. Higgins opened the bottom of the sixth with a clean single to left field.
“It was a good series. Obviously today, Roupp was tough," left fielder Spencer Steer said. "We didn’t get the bats going. The first two games I thought we played really well. A .500 homestand, we’ll take that and go on the road and hopefully run off some wins.”
Burns previously pitched for Tony Vitello when the Giants skipper managed him at the Univ. of Tennessee. During his second college season, Burns was demoted from starting to a bullpen role and transferred to Wake Forest after the 2023 season.
The Reds selected Burns out of Wake Forest with the second overall pick in the '24 Draft before he made his big league debut in 2025.
Burns had said hello to Quentin Eberhardt, who is currently the Giants' director of performance and was the strength coach for Burns at Tennessee. He did not encounter Vitello, however.
“No, I don’t talk to him," Burns said.
Was it good to have a strong performance in front of his former college coach?
“Yeah. No thoughts to that really," Burns replied. "It doesn’t really matter. Just go out there and do my job.”