Cardinals take advantage of Greene’s off night

CARDINALS 4, REDS 2

CINCINNATI — Paul Goldschmidt and the St. Louis Cardinals slowed down rookie fireballer Hunter Greene, and the Cincinnati Reds stretched their skid to 10 games — the franchise’s worst string of losses in six years.

Greene couldn’t find the zip on his fastball that generated so much buzz over his first two big league starts, Steven Matz (2-1) pitched one-run ball over five innings and the Cardinals beat the Reds 4-2.

The right-hander threw 39 fastballs at least 100 mph in his previous start against the Dodgers, the most in a game since pitch tracking began in 2008. The 22-year-old topped out at 97.2 mph Friday.

“You could tell early,” St. Louis Manager Oliver Marmol said of the rookie’s off night. “That’s a good arm there. He’s going to do really well in this league.”

Goldschmidt and the Cardinals took advantage. The veteran slugger had three hits and two RBI. Both runs were charged to Greene (1-2), who walked 4 and allowed 3 runs over 31/3 innings.

Greene said it was just “one of those days.” Manager David Bell said he wasn’t greatly concerned.

Matz (2-1) and the bullpen made the lead stick, with the right-hander striking out six and allowing seven hits before leaving with no outs and a man on in the sixth.

The Reds have been outscored 63-20 during the current slide.

GIANTS 7, NATIONALS 1 Austin Slater smacked a three-run home run as part of a seven-run second inning against struggling Washington starter Patrick Corbin (0-03), and San Francisco cruised past the Nationals. Slater, hitting .105 coming into the game, lined Corbin’s 2-1 sinker to right center with one out to make it 4-0.

BRAVES 3, MARLINS 0 Kyle Wright had a career-high 11 strikeouts in six dominant innings, Matt Olson doubled in two runs and Atlanta beat Miami. Wright (2-0) allowed four hits with one walk. The right-hander has a 1.06 ERA after three starts. He set a career high in strikeouts for the second consecutive start, topping nine in five innings at San Diego on April 15.

PHILLIES 4, BREWERS 2 Alec Bohm hit a go-ahead, two-run single in the eighth inning, Bryce Harper got two key hits and Philadelphia beat Milwaukee, stopping the Brewers’ four-game winning streak.

PIRATES 4, CUBS 2 Roberto Perez drove in three runs, Michael Chavis broke a tie with a home run in the fourth inning, and Pittsburgh beat Chicago.

AMERICAN LEAGUE

RANGERS 8, ATHLETICS 1 Nate Lowe hit a two-run home run in the second inning and Texas defeated Oakland.

MARINERS 4, ROYALS 1 Julio Rodriquez doubled in two runs in the fourth inning and Jarred Kelenic followed with a two-run triple as Seattle defeated Kansas City.

BLUE JAYS 4, ASTROS 3 Matt Chapman doubled home Vladimir Guerrero Jr. with two outs in the ninth inning and Toronto beat Houston for their its consecutive win.

RED SOX 4, RAYS 3 Xander Bogaerts had three hits and scored twice in the first five innings and Boston beat Tampa Bay. Wander Franco, Tampa Bay’s 21-year-old shortstop, had the first multi-home run game of his career.

YANKEES 4, GUARDIANS 1 Aaron Judge hit a pair of opposite-field home runs and threw out a runner from center field, leading New York over Cleveland. Reliever Michael King helped keep New York ahead by striking out eight in three innings, fanning his last seven batters.

TWINS 2, WHITE SOX 1 White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson and first baseman Jose Abreu each made throwing errors on the same sloppy play, allowing Minnesota to score the goahead run in the eighth inning of a victory over Chicago.

ORIOLES 5, ANGELS 3 Robinson Chirinos drove in three runs and Bruce Zimmermann pitched five-hit ball into the seventh inning of Baltimore’s victory over Los Angeles.