Tyler Stephenson hit two home runs and drove in five runs to help Hunter Greene and the Cincinnati Reds defeat the Colorado Rockies 8-1 on Thursday.
Greene, who struck out a season-high 10 batters over six innings, earned his sixth win of the season. The All-Star pitcher allowed just one run and two hits.
“It’s really important to finish strong in the first half of the season,” Greene commented. “The season is long, so maintaining focus is key. The second half will be tougher because we won’t be as fresh.”
This victory marked Greene’s first win since June 14. Despite pitching seven scoreless innings against Detroit recently, the Reds lost that game 5-3 due to bullpen struggles.
With the All-Star Game approaching next Tuesday in Texas, Greene is a potential candidate to pitch for the National League, with Reds manager David Bell on the coaching staff.
“We started strong by establishing the fastball and attacking the strike zone,” Bell noted. “Today, his slider was particularly effective and deceptive, resembling a fastball more.”
Jonathan India and Spencer Steer contributed to the Reds’ offensive effort with three hits each, scoring two runs apiece. The win improved Cincinnati’s homestand record to 3-4 out of 10 games leading up to the All-Star break. They concluded their series against the Rockies with six wins out of seven games this season.
“Jonathan has been consistently excellent,” Bell praised. “He’s been strong defensively, running well, and perfectly fits our leadoff batter role. Besides his batting performance today, he made some impressive defensive plays.”
Stephenson’s offensive contributions included a three-run homer off Austin Gomber in the third inning and a two-run shot off Anthony Molina in the seventh inning. This marked Stephenson’s first multi-home run game of his career, bringing his season total to 10 home runs.
“Things are going well right now,” Stephenson reflected. “Baseball is a tough game, and I’m focused on minimizing the lows. Lately, I’ve been focusing on using my legs more and hitting the ball in the air.”
