MLB Scores: Hunter Greene throws 6 hitless innings as Cincinnati Reds pound Chicago Cubs 9-0

Hunter Greene threw six hitless innings and Cincinnati Reds came within six outs of first no-hitter of season in a 9-0 victory over Chicago Cubs on Friday.

Greene (1-4) matched a career high with 11 strikeouts in picking up his first win in 11 starts this season.

re have been 17 no-hitters by Cincinnati, most recent coming on May 7, 2021, when We Miley tossed one against Cleveland Guardians.

Greene h Reds in position to d to that list. But Cubs got ir only two hits in eighth against Eduardo Salazar.

hard-throwing Greene walked two while throwing 110 pitches. And or than a fly ball to warning track by Nico Hoerner in sixth, re weren’t many hard hit balls against right-hander.

Salazar retired all three batters in seventh before Christopher Morel lined a single to center leing off eighth. Miles Mastrobuoni singled with one out.

Matt McLain, Spencer Steer, Tyler Stephenson and Stuart Fairchild each h three of Cincinnati’s season-high 19 hits.

Stephenson capped a two-run first with an RBI single, doubled and scored in third, and chased Cubs starter Justin Steele (6-2) in fourth with a run-scoring single that me it 6-0.

Cubs have been outscored 19-1 past two games after getting pounded 10-1 by New York Mets on Thursday. And Steele simply took a beating in his shortest start of year.

Fourth in National League in ERA coming in, he got tagged for a season-worst six runs — five earned. right-hander matched a career high by giving up 10 hits.

re were a record nine no-hitters in 2021 and four last year.

Reds grabbed a 2-0 le in first when Steer followed McLain’s one-out single with a triple to right-center and scored on Tyler Stephenson’s single.

Cincinnati got anor run in third when Stephenson doubled with two out and scored on Nick Senzel’s single up middle.

Kevin Newman doubled off left-field ivy leing off a three-run fourth and scored on Jose Barrero’s single. Jonathan India ded a sacrifice fly and Stephenson chased Steele with a two-out, RBI bloop single, making it 6-0.