Reds wrap up spring with split squad wins
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Billy Hamilton finished spring with a 3-for-4 performance against the Diamondbacks on Thursday. (AP)[/caption]
The Cincinnati Reds wrapped up their Spring Training with two split-squad victories against the Milwaukee Brewers and Arizona Diamondbacks on Thursday afternoon.
One team, highlighted by Billy Hamilton and Brandon Phillips, stayed in Goodyear and played host to the D-backs, ultimately defeating them 9–1.
Hamilton completed his impressive spring season with a 3-for-4 performance that included two triples and a RBI.
Reds pitcher Tony Cingrani, who was told he is the club’s №2 starter on Thursday morning, pitched seven solid innings and allowed one run on five hits to go along with two walks and six strikeouts.
Pitchers Chien-Ming Wang and Lee Hyde each pitched an inning of scoreless baseball.
The club racked up 16 hits and potential Bats players Ray Chang and Mike Wilson each recorded two hits and two RBI on the afternoon.
The D-backs lone run came on first baseman Nick Evan’s fourth-inning home run, his first of the spring.
The second split-squad team traveled across town to Phoenix to play the Brewers at Maryvale Baseball Park and came away with an 8–2 win.
Milwaukee got on the board in the first inning on a Ryan Braun RBI double off Reds pitcher J.J. Hoover. However, they were then held scoreless for six innings with their second and final run of the game coming on former Auburn Tiger Hunter Morris’ eighth inning home run — sorry, I had to.
The Reds lit up the scoreboard with 14 hits and were led by Jason Bourgeois’ 2-for-3 performance including a home run and RBI. Prospects Yorman Rodriguez and Juan Silverio also recorded two hits apiece and Juan Duran added a two-run home run, his first of the spring.
Reds pitcher Michael Lorenzen pitched four innings of scoreless baseball and earned the win.
Opposite Lorenzen, Brewers pitcher Kyle Loshe allowed two runs on five hits in five innings and got the loss.
Cincinnati completed its Cactus League season with a 14–17 record after getting off to a 4–12 start. The club complete the spring with a .269 batting average and 4.82 ERA, good for fifth and 10th respectively among National League teams.
The players traveled east following yesterday’s games for an exhibition game against the Double-A Blue Wahoos on Friday evening. Mike Leake will make the start. After tonight’s game, they will board another plane and travel north to Louisville for Saturday’s exhibition game against the Triple-A Bats scheduled for 4 p.m. at Louisville Slugger Field. Homer Bailey will take the mound for the Reds.
The Reds will then have an off day on Sunday before opening the 2014 regular season in a 4:10 p.m. game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Great American Ball Park on Monday. Johnny Cueto will get his third consecutive Opening Day start for the Reds.
