Baltimore Orioles defeat Cincinnati Reds as Hunter Greene's debut falters

The Baltimore Orioles beat the Cincinnati Reds in two consecutive games in early July 2026. On July 3 the Orioles won 3‑0 behind a two‑run homer by Samuel Basallo and a five‑inning effort from Trevor Rogers, who allowed two hits and struck out four. The next night the Orioles prevailed 8‑5 after Basallo hit a three‑run homer in the first inning, and the Reds' rookie right‑hander Hunter Greene, returning from elbow surgery, surrendered eight runs in 3 1/3 innings – matching a career‑high for earned runs allowed. Greene, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2017 draft, was described by manager Terry Francona as “strong enough…healthy enough, where we’re going to get him back, not just in name only, but in production also.”

The Reds entered the series with a 40‑47 record, trailing in the NL Central, and hoped Greene would solidify a rotation that includes All‑Star Chase Burns. Despite the loss, the Reds’ Elly De La Cruz stole his 150th career base, and rookie Sal Stewart continued his strong offensive contributions. The Orioles improved to 41‑48, moving closer to the AL East wild‑card race.