In an Opening Week series that featured World Series festivities front and center, the Braves couldn’t seal a series win and allowed Reds starter Hunter Greene, making his major-league debut, to be the story Sunday.
Right-hander Ian Anderson gave up five earned runs in 2 ⅔ innings and the Braves’ offense couldn’t overcome an early deficit, falling 6-3 to the Reds and finishing the series back at .500.
“It felt like I was battling myself all day,” Anderson said. “I was able to get out of a couple jams early on; I had good fortune with that. The pitch counts got erratic and caught up to me in the third inning.”
Sunday’s matinee at Truist Park matched the 22-year-old Greene, the second overall pick in the 2017 MLB draft, against the 23-year-old Anderson, the third pick in 2016. Greene delivered on his promise early, opening with six strikeouts in three no-hit innings and regularly topping 100 mph with his fastball. Anderson battled through early adversity but kept the Reds off the scoreboard.
After two quiet innings, Cincinnati’s offense loaded the bases against Anderson in the top of the third. Outfielder Nick Senzel’s grounder up the middle of the infield offered the Braves a prime chance to end the inning with just a 1-0 deficit.
Instead, what initially appeared to be an inning-ending double play culminated with Senzel safe at first. Replay review upheld the call, extending the inning and doubling Cincinnati’s lead. Third baseman Colin Moran added to the damage with an RBI single to finish Anderson’s day, before shortstop Kyle Farmer hit another single to drive in two more runners.
The Reds took control with a 5-0 lead, an advantage they wouldn’t surrender.
The Braves’ lineup started to solve Greene in its second time through the order. First baseman Matt Olson ended Greene’s hitless start with a single to left field, and third baseman Austin Riley responded with a double to move both into scoring position before Marcell Ozuna’s sacrifice fly scored Olson. An inning later, catcher Travis d’Arnaud and Olson homered to cut the deficit to 6-3.
The Reds rookie right-hander finished with seven strikeouts and three earned runs in five innings to notch his first career win. While the Braves’ lineup had its way with Greene in the middle innings, his velocity carried throughout his start, peaking with a 101.6 mph fastball in the fourth inning and pairing with an effective slider. On the Braves’ side, Anderson exited in the third inning with five walks and five earned runs, leaving the bullpen to take the bulk of the workload.
“That’s where I feel like I am at, trying to get back to feeling comfortable in a big-league game again,” Anderson said. “As the season goes on, I’ll be fine and settle in, but for now, I’m trying to get my feet back under me.”
Once Greene left the mound, the Braves struggled against the Reds’ bullpen and did not move any runners into scoring position in the final innings. Olson finished 3-for-4 with a home run and finished his first series in Atlanta with a .571 batting average, but the Braves never threatened Cincinnati’s lead.
“They have some good arms on that team,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “We hit some balls really well over the whole series that couldn’t find the grass.”
The Braves continue their homestand Monday night against the Nationals. Right-hander Huascar Ynoa is slated to make his season debut after finishing last season with a 4-6 record and 4.05 ERA.
