Turner's homer spoils Greene's homecoming as Dodgers win fifth-straight
Los Angeles native Hunter Greene, Cincinnati Reds rookie and pitching phenom, made his return to L.A. Saturday evening, in hopes of wowing the Los Angeles locals as he often did during his time at Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks.
He did just that, for the better part of five innings, until Trea Turner's two-run shot put an end to his night and saddled him with the loss, his second of the young campaign.
Still, Greene (1-1, 4.35 ERA) has proved to be every bit the player the Reds drafted No. 2 overall back in 2017, after quickly rising through the minor league ranks - despite undergoing Tommy John surgery and missing an entire season in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic - to earn a spot on the big league roster to start the 2022 season.
In those two starts he has 13 strikeouts over 10.1 innings. His first appearance, a win over the World Series reigning Atlanta Braves was the start of what Cincinnati fans hope is just the beginning.
On the other hand, the Dodgers continued their winning ways, thanks largely to Trea Turner, whose torrid start to the season has been a major part of their five-game win streak.
Turner finished the night with three hits, a home run and two RBIs. His batting average is an outstanding .353, as he continued his 27-game hit streak dating back to the 2021 season.
Up until the sixth inning, the Dodgers had only mustered three hits, two of which came from the suddenly hot Cody Bellinger, who is now hitting .280 on the season after starting the year 0-for-8, fresh off the heels of a Spring Training where he had 18 strikeouts in 37 plate appearances.
Austin Barnes led the sixth inning off with a single, and just three pitches later the Dodgers took the lead and never looked back as Trea Turner crushed a 398-foot homer to left, his first of the season.
Greene was pulled a couple of batters later leaving one man on base in Freddie Freeman - who reached on a passed ball after striking out.
He finished the night going 5.1 innings, allowing five hits, three runs (two earned) and striking out six.
The Boys in Blue tacked two more on a few hitters later, when a Chris Taylor single plated Freeman and Edwin Rios who had reached via single.
They added their fifth and final run in the seventh, on a Freddie Freeman sac fly that scored Gavin Lux who had walked earlier in the inning and advanced on Trea Turner's third hit of the inning.
Despite not allowing a run, and giving up just one hit, Dodgers starter Julio Urias (0-1, 3.56 ERA) faced a no decision Saturday evening. Overall though, the game was a successful rebound from a disappointing first appearance in 2022.
He finished the night with five strikeouts while walking one.
Evan Phillips, who earned the victory, David Price and Mitch White combined for the next 3.1 innings, but a ninth inning scare from White led to an easier than normal save for Daniel Hudson, who had to secure just two outs.
White allowed two runs to score in the top of the ninth inning, making it 5-2.
The two teams will face off for the fourth and final game of the series Sunday at 1:10 p.m. with Andrew Heaney (0-0, 0.00 ERA) slated to take the mound against Cincinnati's Tyler Mahle (1-0, 1.00 ERA).