Cincinnati Reds allow no hits and still lose to the Pittsburgh Pirates — only the 6th time since 1901 that has happened

PITTSBURGH — Cincinnati Reds starter Hunter Greene and reliever Art Warren combined to allow zero hits in a complete game, but it didn’t count as a no-hitter — or even a win — because the Pittsburgh Pirates eked out a run in the bottom of the eighth inning for a 1-0 victory Sunday at PNC Park.

Ke’Bryan Hayes’ RBI grounder helped the Pirates become the sixth team since 1901 to win despite not getting any hits. It last happened in 2008, when Jered Weaver and Jose Arredondo of the Los Angeles Angels held the Los Angeles Dodgers hitless in a loss.

By Major League Baseball’s record-keeping rules, the Reds’ accomplishment isn’t an official no-hitter because their pitchers didn’t go at least nine innings. And in a season in which almost everything has gone wrong for the Reds, this surely had to be the topper.

Greene (1-6), the prized Reds rookie, struck out nine and was pulled after one-out walks in the eighth to Rodolfo Castro and Michael Perez. Greene threw 118 pitches, the most by a pitcher in the majors this year. Seven of his heaters reached 100 mph.

Warren relieved and walked Ben Gamel to load the bases. Hayes followed with a grounder to second baseman Alejo Lopez, who bobbled the ball before throwing to shortstop Matt Reynolds for one out. Reynolds’ relay was a fraction late to get the speedy Hayes at first base.

Reds batters went down in order in the ninth, and that was it — no celebration for the Reds, who have the worst record in the majors.

“I mean, to not even get a hit in a game and to get a win, I’m sure that hasn’t happened a lot since baseball’s been going on,” Hayes said.

There have been two no-hitters in the majors this season. Angels rookie Reid Detmers pitched one last Tuesday against the Tampa Bay Rays, and five New York Mets pitchers combined to hold the Philadelphia Phillies hitless on April 29.

Rays pitchers combined to hold the Boston Red Sox hitless into the 10th inning last month and wound up winning 3-2. That wasn’t an official no-hitter, either, because the Rays didn’t throw a complete game without giving up a hit.

The second pick in the 2017 amateur draft, Greene suffered an injury in 2018 that required Tommy John surgery in 2019. After the COVID-19 pandemic, he didn’t return to minor-league play until 2021. He made the Reds roster for the first time coming out of spring training this year.

In his second start of the season, he set an MLB record with 39 pitches over 100 mph, but he carried a 7.62 ERA into Sunday’s game thanks in part to allowing a major-league-high 11 home runs this season. He also has 15 walks in 26 innings.

Pirates starter José Quintana held the Reds scoreless through seven innings, giving up three hits while striking out five.

Chris Stratton (2-1) pitched around a two-on, one-out jam in the eighth. David Bednar worked a clean ninth for his seventh save.