Reed gets confidence-booster with strong start

CINCINNATI — As he endured one rough start after the next, Reds rookie pitcher Cody Reed kept getting encouragement from veteran teammates and backing from manager Bryan Price. They all told him he had stuff that played in the Major Leagues.

During his no-decision from a 5-4 Reds loss to the Braves in 11 innings, Reed finally showed it. But he just had to slow down first for it to happen.

“The first two innings, I was going real quick,” Reed said. “I was trying to get out there and rushing a little bit.”

Reed finished with his first quality start — completing six innings with two unearned runs, five hits, two walks and five strikeouts. He retired six of his last seven batters, including three strikeouts.

The outing didn’t begin in promising fashion, however. In the second inning, Reed gave up a four-pitch walk and the Reds made two fielding errors that led to runs.

“The first time through the order with the first nine hitters, I had him for five balls on the barrel — they just put on the barrel. And from that point on … one ball they hit really hard, and that’s a great sign,” Price …

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