Chase Burns hit by Bryce Harper comebacker, strikes out 9 and flashes All-Star form for Reds
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Chase Burns' backside absorbed the brunt of a 108. 8 mph — ouch! — scorching liner off the bat of Bryce Harper that nearly caught the Cincinnati Reds' ace in a more precarious position.
Burns kept his poise, recovered the ball just off the mound, and flipped it to first to retire Harper and end the sixth inning. Burns felt the, well, burn, and hightailed it to the clubhouse for treatment on a smash hit near the upper groin area that will leave nothing more than a bruise. “I'll tell you what," Reds manager Terry Francona said, “that was scary.
The way he ran off the mound, I thought he was OK. Then he got in the dugout, and it looked like he was dead. I asked him, please tell me you have a cup on.
He said, no. I was like, Chase, I don't even watch a game on TV without wearing a cup. ” Burns did at least protect the lead against the streaking Phillies The 23-year-old Burns, the second overall pick in the 2024 amateur draft, was terrific again in the latest start in his first full major league season.
Burns used a filthy slider to set up the 99 mph heaters upstairs and struck out nine over six innings. He lowered his ERA to 1. 83 in the Reds 4-1 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday night.