The Cincinnati Reds got three formidable starting pitching performances against the Texas Rangers, and they still lost the series.
After Cincinnati exploded for a 14-3 win Monday, the Rangers supplied enough solid pitching of their own to essentially silence the Reds bats the rest of the series. After Nathan Eovaldi threw a complete-game, four-hit shutout Tuesday, the Reds managed just three hits in Wednesday's series finale, falling 1-0 to Texas for the second day in a row.
Following the lopsided win Monday in which Reds starter Brady Singer shut the Rangers down, Cincinnati managed just seven hits and one extra-base hit the rest of the series.
Just as Carson Spiers' one-run outing was spoiled for the Reds on Tuesday, Hunter Greene deserved better Wednesday at Great American Ball Park as he went seven innings and allowed just three hits, the lone Rangers run, and notched eight strikeouts against one walk.
In the fourth inning, a Josh Smith double off the base of the left-center field wall drove in Joc Pederson for the game's lone run. The moment proved decisive.
With the loss, the Reds ended their season-opening homestand with a 2-4 record. The Rangers improved to 5-2. Cincinnati will now embark on a seven-game road swing starting in Milwaukee on Thursday and continuing Monday for three games against the San Francisco Giants.
On Wednesday, Rangers starter Jack Leiter was removed from the game after five innings as a precaution due to a blister on his pitching hand, but he still managed to collect the win.
Like Eovaldi during his complete-game shutout less than 18 hours earlier, Leiter carved through the Cincinnati batting order while he was available. Leiter allowed just one hit − a fourth-inning double to Elly De La Cruz, which was the Reds' first extra-base hit since their 14-run explosion Monday against the Rangers.
De La Cruz's double was the Reds' first extra-base hit since their 14-run outburst on Monday, and De La Cruz would then steal third base, but Gavin Lux struck out and left him stranded.
Leiter's line included six strikeouts and no walks.
The Rangers' bullpen held out the rest of the way, stranding Matt McLain in the seventh inning and picking Jake Fraley off on an attempted steal to end the eighth inning.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati Reds drop series to Texas Rangers
