There are hard losses. There are also hard losses. The joy you felt a few seconds ago suddenly feels empty.
It's possible that this is how Reds fans felt at the bottom of the eighth.
A game like this isn't heartbreaking. Rookie Hunter GreeneThe much-anticipated prospect with the blazing fastball entered his start with a 7.62 ERA. For the 22-year-old, it had been a tough first five weeks in the majors. He had allowed 11 home runs in his first five weeks. He was there, throwing the best game of his life against the Pirates. He had thrown seven no-hit innings and breezed through the seventh with only two strikeouts, making his total of nine. He had also thrown 103 pitches. His chances of winning the no-hitter were slim. In 2022, 116 pitches were the most pitched by any starter. Three other pitchers had reached 110. Greene had six more outs.
It wasn't just that: The Reds also failed to score so it was a 0-0 match.
Safe and probably smart: Take your child out. He will feel a lot more confident after a good performance.
Reds manager David Bell sent Greene for the bottom eighth.
“He pitched his whole way to having the chance to go nine innings, win and have a no-hitter. Bell stated after the game that “that's what it was” in his book.
You can look at it in two different ways:
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Bell deserves praise for not allowing his pitcher to actually pitch. In the grand scheme of baseball history, and even more recent baseball history 103 pitches are nothing. Greene may throw a no-hitter with just a few innings. The Reds would still have to score in the ninth. There are likely no problems if Greene has an extra day off before his next start.
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This is something that no other manager would do. This is how the game has been managed in recent years, regardless of whether it's your favorite manager. Only two pitchers aged 22 and younger have ever thrown over 118 pitches during the past 10 seasons. Greene's final total was 119. Julio TeheranHad a 123-pitch match in 2013 Jack FlahertyIn 2018, he threw 120.
Bell can be defended if you wish, but this is definitely a questionable call. Greene scored the first out of the eighth inning on two pitches. He then walked Rodolfo CastroHe walked on a slider with a 3-2. Then, he walked. Michael PerezSeven pitches. The hook is the final pitch.
Bell didn’t seem to second-guess his actions after the game. “It would have been very easy for him to go back there for the ninth, but it was possible,” he stated.
However, how probable was that? Greene averaged 14.7 pitches an inning in his first seven innings. Bell should have been forecasting at least 28 more pitches. This would have increased Greene's total to 131. Matt Cain, a pitcher aged 22 and younger, was the last to throw 130 pitches during a game in 2006. Bell allowed Greene to pitch 130 pitches.
No matter what his intentions, Greene left the field. Then came the dog growl. Reliever Art WarrenWalk Ben GamelFour pitches were needed to load the bases. Ke'Bryan Hayes reached second base with a double play ball, but — this is the Reds, after all— Second baseman Alejo LopezHayes won the relay throw to first by double-clutching on his toss at the shortstop. The Reds were defeated in the ninth. The Pirates won the game 1-0. This is only the sixth win for a team without a hit since 1901.
Another way to put it: The Reds were the sixth team that lost without a win. AllowingIt was a hit. We are less than two months into this season. But is it possible that there could be a more sad moment for a team now at 9-26?
Note: This is not an official no hitter. All no-hitters must reach at least nine innings. (The Pirates batted in the ninth.) And that's besides the question of whether combined no hitters should be counted. They shouldn't.
Greene said that it would have been wonderful to see a different outcome, but it is what is.
Let's have some fun, or pain, and compare the Reds' heartbreak with the other five instances.
June 28, 2008: Dodgers 1, Angels 0
In the fifth inning, the Dodgers scored. Jered Weaver threw out Matt Kemp's little tapper as an error. Kemp stole second base and advanced to third due to a throwing error. The sacrifice fly scored him. Weaver, who was a 2012 no-hitter, was lifted in the seventh to serve as a pinch-hitter. Reggie Willits struck out to end the Angels' ninth-inning run.
Heartbreak factor. Two broken hearts out five. Although it was against cross-town rivals of the Angels in front 55,000 Dodger Stadium fans, the Angels won the game. It helped that the Angels were still in first place at the moment — they would win 100 more games.
April 12, 1992: Indians 2, Red Sox 1
Matt Young was a talented lefty, who played in the 1983 All-Star Game for the Mariners as a rookie. Young struggled with control and developed a fear of throwing to first when he was batting. He made nine errors in 1990. Young would pitch eight innings and Cleveland would score with no hits in two frames. Kenny Lofton, who stole second base and walked in the first innings, scored on Luis Rivera throwing error. The third innings saw Young walk the first two batters. Two fielder's choice runs scored. Young was able to complete seven walks and six strikeouts in 120 pitches.
Heartbreak factor: Two broken hearts. Although it was the fourth game in the season, it was a precursor to a terrible season in Boston. Under Butch Hobson, the Red Sox finished last for the first time in 1932 at 73-89. Young pitched 27 more games in that season, going 0-4 and having a 4.58 ERA. He won only one more major league game in 1993.
July 1, 1990: White Sox 4, Yankees 0.
This is perhaps the most iconic of these games. Andy Hawkins played it. tossed eight no-hit innings— and somehow allowed four runs. With two outs, nobody on and nothing in the ninth, all the damage was done. Third baseman Mike Blowers threw a hard grounder to Sammy Sosa who was a young outfielder. FlyingThe line was crossed. It was a play. CouldYou were deemed a hit earlier in the game.
Things got really absurd after that. Sosa took second, and then Ozzie Guillen stole third. Lance Johnson walked to load bases. Robin Ventura flew to left field, and Jim Leyritz drifted back in windy Comiskey Park and dropped the ball for an error. All three runners scored. Ivan Calderon lifted a fly ball to the right field. Jesse Barfield then lost it in the sun, and it was dropped by Ventura for an additional error. Phil Rizzuto, Yankees announcer exclaimed, “Holy cow!” Indeed.
Hawkins' complete game was considered a no-hitter at the time. The rules later allowed only complete games up to nine innings. “I'm stunned. Hawkins stated that he had never imagined Hawkins achieving a no-hitter such as this. “You don't expect to walk away from the field shaking hands and feeling a lot of joy.
Heartbreak factor: Five broken hearts.
April 30, 1967: Tigers 2, Orioles 1
This one lasted nine innings and both Detroit runs were scored in the ninth. Baltimore's starter was Steve Barber. This left-hander who is hard-throwing and wild was able to walk seven batters before the ninth. So it wasn’t exactly a great game. The first two batters of the ninth were walked by Barber — Willie Horton made a sacrifice throw, and Barber was one out. He threw a wild pitch that allowed the tying run and scored. Then he gave his 10th game-ending walk. Orioles reliever Stu Miller was called in to help. He induced a grounder to shortstop, but Orioles second baseman Mark Belanger dropped it, allowing the second run.
Heartbreak factor: Three broken hearts. It was a difficult one, but Barber's control issues did the most damage.
April 23, 1964: Reds 1, Colt .45s 0
In eight innings of scoreless battle, Cincinnati's Joe Nuxhall and Ken Johnson from Houston were tied. Nuxhall was the first to go in the ninth. He then grounded out. Pete Rose attempted to bunt for base hits, but Johnson threw it away. After a groundout Vada pinson grounded to second — but Nellie Fox kicked it to allow Rose score. Johnson finished the no-hitter, but was defeated by Nuxhall.
Heartbreak factor: Five broken hearts. Johnson is the only pitcher to have earned credit for an official No-hitter since 1900 (since he played nine innings and lost the game).
The heartbreak factor is a clear call this year: With the poor start to the Reds' season this could have been a rare moment for joy. Instead, it's five broken hearts. Hunter Greene will be able to have happier memories for many more days. Maybe even a no-hitter. Reds fans can Bark in the Park at Great American Ball Park June 8th. Let's pray the stadium is full happy dogs.
