TJ Friedl helps Reds beat Rays 8-1 after Greene injury
CINCINNATI, OHIO - APRIL 17: Randy Arozarena #56 of the Tampa Bay Rays leaps over a ground ball as Jonathan India #6 of the Cincinnati Reds prepares to field a ground ball in the eighth inning at Great American Ball Park on April 17, 2023 in Cincinna
CINCINNATI - TJ Friedl drove in four runs, and Cincinnati beat the Tampa Bay Rays 8-1 on Monday night after Reds right-hander Hunter Greene departed with a leg injury.
Kevin Newman homered for Cincinnati, and Nick Senzel scored two runs. The Reds won the opener of the three-game interleague series after losing 14-3 to Philadelphia on Sunday.
Tampa Bay lost for the third time in four games since its 13-0 start. Josh Lowe homered for the Rays, and Randy Arozarena and Harold Ramírez each had two hits.
Greene surrendered a leadoff double in the third before he was struck by Yandy Díaz's comebacker. The 23-year-old right-hander stayed in after he was evaluated by a trainer and tossed a few warmup pitches.
But Greene, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2017 amateur draft, departed after the inning. He averaged 96.8 mph for 21 fastballs, down from a season average of 99.5 mph.
Greene, who started on opening day, was diagnosed with a right tibia contusion. X-rays were negative.
After Greene departed, Buck Farmer, Alex Young, Ian Gibaut (1-0) and Kevin Herget combined for six innings of five-hit ball. Lowe homered in the ninth against Herget for Tampa Bay's only run.
With starters Zach Eflin and Jeffrey Springs sidelined by injuries, the Rays used Jalen Beeks (0-1) as an opener. Beeks pitched three innings of one-run ball, surrendering Newman's second homer in the second.
Friedl's three-run double off Kevin Kelly made it 4-0 in the fourth, and Tyler Stephenson and Newman tacked on run-scoring singles in the seventh.
TRAINERS ROOM
Rays: OF Jose Siri (strained right hamstring) will likely need some at-bats in the minors before being activated, according to manager Kevin Cash. He’s eligible to come off the IL on Wed. ... Eflin is expected to be activated on Sunday when he is eligible.
Reds: INF Spencer Steer left Sunday’s game with right knee soreness but an MRI did not show any damage. He is day to day. ... RHP Lucas Sims (lower back) pitched back-to-back days for Triple-A Louisville and could be activated on Wednesday when eligible.
UP NEXT
LHP Nick Lodolo (2-0, 2.12 ERA) starts for the Reds on Tuesday. The Rays haven’t announced their starter, but rookie RHP Taj Bradley could get the call.