LOS ANGELES — On a chilly evening in Southern California, Cincinnati Reds rookie Hunter Greene set the record-breaking heat.
After five stunning innings, the Los Angeles Dodgers finally caught up.
Trea Turner launched a two-run homer to earn a goalless tie in the sixth, and the Dodgers defeated the slithering Reds 5-2 on Saturday night for their fifth straight win.
On his much-anticipated homecoming, Greene threw a staggering 39 pitches at 100 mph or faster — the most in a single game since pitch-chasing began in 2008. The previous mark was 33 by New York Mets ace Jacob deGrom im last June.
In his second major league start, the 22-year-old right-hander, who attended high school in nearby Sherman Oaks, also shot 13 pitches at at least 101 mph — another record for a starter.
The Moment finally hit Greene in the third inning, but only emotionally. He said he got tears in his eyes at the enormity of the event on the bench and was choked up after exiting the mound in the sixth.
“I wish we’d won, but it was a really, really fun time,” said Greene. “It was an incredible feeling and experience to compete against this line-up. Freddie [Freeman] gave me some love, kind of a top of the cap, so that was cool. I was happy to be able to do this and to have family here.”
But with Greene’s speed collapsing a little later in his outing, it was a 99-mph fastball for Turner who landed in the left-field seats.
“We still had to be ready for 99 with a pretty good slider and a decent changeup,” Turner said. “He’s tough no matter how hard he throws, whether it’s a 99 or a 101, but I think we did a good job in the fight.”
Turner finished with three hits, including an infield single in the first. The speedy shortstop has scored in all eight games this season, and in 27 straight games dating back to last year. It is the third-longest winning streak in the team’s history in Los Angeles.
Dodgers starter Julio Urías, whose speed faltered in the spring and during his first outing of the season, managed to surpass Greene by giving up a hit in five shutout innings.
The Reds didn’t score their first hit until Tyler Stephenson ripped a single behind second baseman Max Muncy in the fifth. An inning later, the Dodgers finally broke through.
Austin Barnes led sixth place against Greene with a single. Turner followed with a 1-1 fastball halfway up the stands in left field for his first home run of the season.
Freeman followed with a strikeout but made first base on Stephenson’s passed ball. Justin Turner showed up and Reds manager David Bell replaced Greene with right-hander Buck Farmer.
The Dodgers added two more runs, one of which was billed to Greene when Chris Taylor hit a two-run, two-out single.
“He didn’t really want to give us anything, so we had to earn it,” Turner said. “He held us down for the first 5 1/2 innings and we finally caught up with him. But he’s really good and I’m glad we won.”
Greene (1-1) gave up three runs (two earned) on five hits in 5 1/3 innings, no walks and six strikeouts. He threw 80 pitches.
The Reds lost their fifth straight game – their last win came last Sunday when Greene made his major league debut in Atlanta.
First, Greene said he cried on the bench in the third inning.
“I wasn’t crying, that was just poor choice of words,” he said, laughing. “I just cried a little.
“I was sitting on the bench and it happened to me. I think I looked up and could hear the roar and the feel of it. … It’s a completely different atmosphere up here. And being here at Dodger Stadium as a kid, I think all of those factors contributed to that moment.”
The big stage didn’t shake him on the field. Turner’s home run also came on a pitch on the edge of the box.
“It usually takes a little longer for a young player to find that (calmness),” Bell said. “He’ll have his moments, but the experience he’s had accelerates that development.”
Freeman added a sacrifice fly to make it 5-0 in the seventh.
Urías went one and struck five. He was in the 92 mph range with his fastball after sitting at 91 in his season debut. In his 20-win season in 2021, he’s still below his average speed of 94 mph.
The Reds came on the scoreboard in ninth with an RBI groundout from Taylor Naquin and an RBI single from Reliever Mitch White’s Tommy Pham.
Daniel Hudson made two outs for his first save of the season.
Evan Phillips (1-1) secured the win with a scoreless sixth inning.
DEAL MAKER
The Reds sent right-hander Riley O’Brien to Seattle to name a player or cash. O’Brien was selected for action on Wednesday to make room on the 40-man list for left-hander Nick Lodolo.
TRAINING ROOM
Reds: INF/OF Nick Senzel was placed on the COVID-19 injured list on Friday, although Bell said Senzel did not test positive. Senzel started feeling ill ahead of Friday’s game. RHP Daniel Duarte recalled by Triple-A Louisville. … While hamstring strain continues to improve for 2B Jonathan India, the Reds will wait until Sunday to decide if an IL switch is needed.
Dodgers: RHP Tommy Kahnle, who has only one major league appearance since 2019 following Tommy John’s surgery, played his third straight scoreless rehab appearance at Class A Rancho Cucamonga on Friday.
NEXT
Reds: RHP Tyler Mahle (1-0, 1.00 ERA) makes his third start of the season in Sunday’s series finale. He’s 2-1 in four starts against the Dodgers with a 2.05 ERA.
Dodgers: LHP Andrew Heaney (0-0, 0.00) will serve for the first time with his new team at home after throwing 4 1/3 innings scoreless in Minnesota on Tuesday.