CINCINNATI -- While facing the Yankees on Sunday afternoon, Hunter Greene put together one of his best starts of 2023. Greene was pitch efficient as he worked a season-high seven innings, while changing speeds with good command.
But the fly in this well-prepared soup was a pair of home runs surrendered by Greene during Cincinnati's 4-1 loss to New York at Great American Ball Park.
"That was a step in the right direction. [Greene] did his job," said Reds manager David Bell, who was ejected in the eighth inning for arguing that Yankees reliever Wandy Peralta was quick-pitching his hitters before they were set.
The Reds were swept in the three-game series and have dropped six of their last seven. Meanwhile, Greene is still searching for his first victory of the season. He is 0-4 with a 4.68 ERA after 10 starts.
In his seven innings, Greene gave up four runs on four hits and three walks and tied his season high for the third time with 10 strikeouts.
"I’ve been working on a lot of stuff in bullpens and catch play, talking to catchers and pitching guys," Greene said. "It came through today in a lot of ways. I felt good with all my pitches. That was great. The consistency was definitely there more than it has been in the past."
Greene showed pitch efficiency while throwing 106 pitches. By comparison, the right-hander needed 96 pitches over only four innings while allowing six runs in his previous start last Monday at Colorado.
This time against the Yankees, Greene featured his slider the most and got 12 whiffs from 26 swings. He also threw his still-developing changeup more than usual -- 12 times. And his four-seam fastball averaged 98.7 mph.
"I thought he committed to every one of his pitches today," catcher Luke Maile said. "But he made a really noticeable effort to use some of the cues he's been working on, things like that. I thought it was really good."
Greene avoided one of the issues he's endured in previous starts: the tedious 30-plus-pitch inning. One of his best innings was an 11-pitch fourth inning against the top of the order with a Gleyber Torres groundout and strikeouts of Anthony Rizzo and DJ LeMahieu.
"Being able to get early contact is always nice, especially for me," Greene said. "I feel like I’m always [getting] foul tips … and long at-bats. To get first-pitch outs or second-pitch outs is really exciting. I think it’s a good sign of somebody learning more about themselves and becoming a better pitcher."
After giving up one homer over his first six starts, Greene has allowed seven long balls over his last four games. With the Reds leading, 1-0, in the top of the fifth inning, Greene walked leadoff batter Willie Calhoun before a 1-2 changeup over the middle of the plate to Harrison Bader was driven to left field for a two-run homer. It was the only poor changeup he threw in the game.
"That’s a pitch everyone knows I’m working on, and [I] still had a lot of success with it in other situations," Greene said. "That’s part of the game. Overall, I threw really well."
With one out in the Yankees' sixth, Torres sent a first-pitch fastball to right field for a solo homer.
“I thought Hunter Greene was really good watching him from here," said Yankees manager Aaron Boone, who was ejected in the first inning. "He was tough, but we were able to get a couple of mistakes and put them in the seats. Ultimately that was the difference."
Pitching into the seventh inning, Greene notched two quick outs before extending the inning with a walk to Jake Bauers. Anthony Volpe put the game away with an RBI double to left field.
Greene finished his day by striking out Isiah Kiner-Falefa with a 100 mph fastball.
"I was going for the 10th K. Happy I got it," Greene said. "I wanted to keep it within three runs. It was a pitch [to Volpe] that backed up and I didn’t execute. That sucked, seeing it go down the line. Overall, to finish and get through the seventh was nice."
It was the third time in 2023 that Greene pitched at least six innings, but he remains unrewarded. The first time on April 12, at Atlanta, he was foiled from a win by a blown save. On April 23 at Pittsburgh, the Reds were shut out.
Not having a win didn't bother Greene, however.
"There are so many factors to getting a win in this game," he said. "I never focus on that."