ANAHEIM — With his feet on steady ground, Hunter Greene was back to throwing gas Tuesday.
The Reds had to scramble late for a 6-4 victory over the Angels on Tuesday after Greene pitched into the seventh inning while tying a season-high with 12 strikeouts.
The bullpen coughed up the lead late before TJ Friedl delivered a go-ahead sacrifice fly in the ninth inning and Gavin Lux tacked on a run with a single as the Reds extended their winning streak to 10 games over the Angels dating back to 2019.
Greene did his part while wearing a pair of Mike Trout Nike cleats, which he has done each of the past two seasons. Trout had a double and a run scored off Greene in the first inning and had a single in the third. Greene battled back with a strikeout in the sixth.
The Los Angeles-area native, who spent more time in his youth watching games at Dodger Stadium than Angel Stadium, still was on sensory overload while pitching a short drive away from where he was raised. He said at least 15 immediate family members were on hand.
“I have a ton of respect for [Trout], but I’m also doing my thing in the big leagues,” Greene said of his first matchup with the Angels’ star. “He’s a fantastic person and player. … I think he looked down [at my cleats] and that’s why he got a couple of hits tonight. It was fun.”
There were 17 Greene pitches that topped the century mark Tuesday and 39 that flashed past the radar gun at least 99 mph.
The Reds appeared to be in control until Greene gave up a mammoth home run to Jo Adell that led off the seventh as the Angels got within 4-2. After a one-out double from Travis d’Arnaud ended Greene’s day, the Angels pulled within a run on a Zach Neto single with Graham Ashcraft on the mound.
Pitching for the second consecutive day, right-hander Luis Mey gave up Adell’s second home run in two innings for a 4-4 tie. The Reds went ahead in the ninth against Angels closer Kenley Jansen. Tony Santillan pitched the ninth for his fourth save with Emilio Pagan down for a second consecutive game.
Greene’s second start since returning from a right groin strain was about as impressive as the first when he went six scoreless innings at home against the Phillies last Wednesday.
“Hunter, again he was good, really good,” manager Terry Francona said. “He gave up the solo homer late that I’m sure he wished he had back, but it’s good having him back. And he got out close to 100 [pitches], which I also thought was good.”
While his recovery from his groin injury lasted more than two months, the upside is that Greene said he is recharged for the stretch drive.
“I feel like my process is solid, and obviously our team has given a lot,” Greene said. “I don’t nearly have the amount of innings that I’ve had in the past, so there is a lot that I do owe this team and I feel that, and I know that, and I embrace it.
“So, every time I’m going out, I’m trying to be out there as long as possible. Not that the bullpen can’t handle it, but those guys have been grinding all year, and I care about that and I’m considerate about that.”
After a bumpy ride in the first inning, when Trout doubled and scored, Greene recorded four strikeouts over the next two innings then struck out the side in the fifth. Trout was one of two Greene strikeouts in the sixth.
“I knew they were going to be aggressive, and they took some good swings early on, but my mindset was strong, so I was able to flip that switch and get it going for the rest of the game,” Greene said.
Reaching the seventh inning for the first time since April, Greene threw 98 pitches, tied for his third most this season and his most since a 114-pitch outing on May 2.
“I think any pitcher that gets up to about 98 [pitches] is going to get a little tired but he was making good pitches,” Francona said. “I think he was OK.”
Also feeling good was Elly De La Cruz, who did not claim to be completely over a quad injury that slowed him in recent weeks, but did score from first base twice, including on a single to right field by Miguel Andujar in the fifth inning.
“We’re getting better,” De La Cruz said when asked if his leg was 100 percent healthy. “… We have to find a way to win every day. Every day we play together and we find ways to win.”
