Reds Lose to Pirates Despite Throwing Combined No-Hitter Anchored by Hunter Greene
May 15, 2022
You have to give it to the 2022 Cincinnati Reds. They might be losing a lot of games, but at least they are discovering innovative ways to lose.
Despite Hunter Greene and Art Warren combining to throw a no-hitter, Cincinnati fell 1-0 to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday.
Rodolfo Castro scored the game's only run on a fielder's choice by Ke'Bryan Hayes in the bottom of the eighth.
When it rains it pours, and the Reds have been stuck in a torrential downpour since Opening Day. At 9-26, they're on pace to post the worst record in franchise history, and the circumstances behind Sunday's defeat almost beggar belief.
Greene's nine strikeouts and five walks—he exited in the eighth after walking back-to-back batters—illustrated how he wasn't peerless on the mound. The right-hander nonetheless had some filthy stuff.
You'd expect a typical team to pull through when it has limited its opponent to one earned runs on zero hits. This year's Reds aren't a typical team, though.
rickbozich @rickbozichThe <a href="https://twitter.com/Reds?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Reds</a> throw a no-hitter and lose.<br><br>Pirates 1, <a href="https://twitter.com/Reds?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Reds</a> 0 -- as Hunter Greene and Art Warren combine to no-hit Pittsburgh over 8 innings.<br><br>What's the next barrier this Cincinnati team shatters during this historic season?
Cincinnati doesn't even get to enjoy a recorded no-hitter in the MLB record books since Green and Warren only pitched eight combined innings.
Official designations aside, this isn't an unprecedented situation. Five teams have lost despite no-hitting their opponents. The last occurrence was in 2008.
Harvey Haddix famously threw a perfect game through 12 innings for the Pirates in May 1959 as well. Pittsburgh still lost 1-0 to the Milwaukee Braves in the 13th.
On that day, the Pirates had 12 hits and left eight runners on base. The Reds can take some solace from the fact they didn't squander so many opportunities on offense.
Mike Moustakas singled in the fourth to put runners on first and second with two outs. A wild pitch by Jose Quintana allowed the runners to move up 90 feet, but Albert Almora Jr. struck out to end the threat. In the eighth, Alejo Lopez doubled with one out, only to stay stranded at second.
The Reds are off Monday before starting a two-game set with the Cleveland Guardians. That day off will be helpful to decompress from such a dispiriting loss.