Reds' Greene leaves game against Braves with groin injury

ATLANTA (AP) — Cincinnati right-hander Hunter Greene has been scheduled for tests on Thursday to determine the severity of a right groin injury that forced him to leave Wednesday night's 4-3 win over the Atlanta Braves after only three innings.

Greene struck out six batters and allowed only two hits before he was unable to complete his warmup on the mound in the fourth inning. Greene threw only two warmup pitches, including a last pitch that hit the dirt, before stopping his routine.

“I felt fantastic tonight,” Greene said. “It sucks because the momentum was great and all my stuff felt good. In the top of the fourth, my first two warmup pitches I felt my groin grab so I just didn’t feel like I would be at my best or really honestly keep my team in it continuing to throw if I stayed in. So that was the decision.”

Greene said he hopes he doesn't have to miss a start but said this is his first groin injury and he couldn't predict what Thursday's tests will show.

“I’m looking forward to going back out this week or so, however long it takes to get back out on the mound,” Greene said. “I’m going to put my best foot forward, making sure I put myself in the best position to get back out there. Hopefully I don’t miss any starts but I don’t know what the future holds on this.”

Greene immediately attracted a crowd on the mound that included the Reds infielders, a trainer and manager Terry Francona. Following a brief meeting, Greene was escorted off the field with the Reds leading 4-0.

Greene was coming off a season-high 12 strikeouts, the second-highest total of his big league career, in a 6-1 win over Washington on Friday night. He threw 114 pitches in the game, the most for any pitcher in the major leagues this season.

Greene said he didn't believe the high pitch count in his last start contributed to the injury.

“I don’t think so,” he said. “I felt fantastic all the way up to that last pitch. The recovery was great this past week going into tonight. I’d be really surprised if that had any correlation to tonight. I don’t think it did.”

Francona noted Greene said he felt a grab, not a pop, in the groin.

“I don’t think anything happening to him is a good thing, but I don’t think it’s bad,” Francona said.

Greene was sharp again against the Braves. The 25-year-old right-hander struck out the side in the second. Alex Verdugo whiffed on Greene’s 101-mph fastball in the third inning to give the right-hander six strikeouts.

Left-hander Brent Suter replaced Greene on the mound.

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