DENVER – Pitching at hitter-friendly Coors Field, Cincinnati Reds reliever Lucas Sims threw a fastball that wasn’t overly close to the strike zone, pulled too far inside to a lefthanded batter, and he still gave up two runs on it.
Sims paid the price for an elevated 94-mph fastball Colorado Rockies infielder Harold Castro hooked down the right field line for a two-run double in the seventh inning. Castro’s go-ahead hit in the seventh inning was enough to hand the Reds a 9-8 loss in Monday’s series opener.
It turned into a battle of the bullpens once both starting pitchers gave up six runs and the Rockies narrowly held off the Reds after closer Pierce Johnson gave up a run in the ninth inning. Reds reliever Ben Lively retired seven of the eight batters he faced with a comebacker that deflected off his leg for an infield single as the lone exception. Sims replaced Lively in the middle of the seventh inning and walked a batter before Castro's two-run double, the first earned run Sims allowed this season.
Hunter Greene, making his second career start at Coors Field, surrendered a season-high six runs and nine hits across four innings with eight strikeouts and one walk. Most of the damage came in a four-run, five-hit second inning, which started with a leadoff homer from Mike Moustakas, who launched an elevated fastball to the second deck in right field.
The Reds released Moustakas with $22 million left in his contract in December. The Rockies are paying him the major league minimum $720,000 with the Reds on the hook for the rest of his contract.
With two runners on base and two outs int eh second inning, Greene gave up an RBI double to Brenton Doyle, the No. 9 hitter, and a two-run triple to Charlie Blackmon in a 1-2 count. Doyle, a rookie, hit a two-run homer off Greene in the fourth inning and a solo homer off Farmer in the eighth inning.
The Reds scored six runs (four earned) against Rockies righty Connor Seabold in 4 1/3 innings. They erased a two-run deficit in the fifth inning after back-to-back doubles from Spencer Steer and Tyler Stephenson. Stephenson scored the game-tying run on a wild pitch.
Takeaways from the Reds’ series opener vs. the Rockies
1. Matt McLain, batting second in his major league debut, showed off his speed in the third inning. His first career hit was a hustle double to center field, a line drive that left his bat at 107 mph and remained in front of the center fielder. McLain had double on his mind as soon as he exited the batter’s box and beat a throw from Doyle, drawing cheers from his parents in the crowd.
The next batter, Jake Fraley, hit a single to left field and McLain scored from second base, again beating a close throw with his speed. McLain’s bat is what carried him to the majors, but he’ll help on the basepaths. McLain added a run in the ninth inning after he drew a leadoff walk.
2. If anyone wants to take a silver lining from Greene’s outing, he had one of his better days with his changeup. He struck out two batters with it – Moustakas in the third inning and Kris Bryant in the fourth inning – and drew four whiffs in seven swings.
Greene used his changeup for 3.9% of his pitches entering Monday, according to Statcast, and then went to his changeup for 13 of his 96 pitches against the Rockies (13.5%). In the big picture, the development of a reliable third pitch should help Greene take another step forward.
3. Wil Myers was a Rockies killer when he was with the San Diego Padres, entering Monday with .333 batting average, 27 homers and 80 RBI in 110 career games against his former division rival. He had more homers (14) and doubles (17) at Coors Field than any other ballpark outside of his former home at Petco Park.
Despite all that, a return to a familiar place wasn’t enough to help Myers break out of his slump. Dropped to eighth in the Reds’ lineup after hitting .135 with two extra-base hits in his last 52 at-bats, Myers went 0 for 2 with a sacrifice fly, a sacrifice bunt and two strikeouts.
Give Myers credit for contributing with the sacrifice fly and sacrifice bunt in a game when he whiffed on four of his five swings, but making the choice to bunt with two runners on base and no outs in the fourth inning shows he’s not at his best at the plate.
Stat of the day
McLain is the first position player to reach the majors from the 2021 draft class. He was the No. 17 overall pick.
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