On the first day of the 2023 season, as the Cincinnati Reds attempt to turn the chapter from last year’s 100-loss season, they have a 0-1 record after they beat themselves Thursday.
Reds pitchers issued nine walks to Pittsburgh Pirates hitters. With the score tied in the eighth inning, reliever Buck Farmer issued a leadoff walk to second baseman Ji Hwan Bae. That turned into Bae stealing second base, moving to third on a sacrifice bunt and scoring on a sacrifice fly.
Hunter Greene and Fernando Cruz combined to walk four consecutive batters in a three-run fourth inning, which played a huge part in the Reds’ 5-4 loss in front of a sold-out crowd of 44,063 at Great American Ball Park.