Saturday, March 31, 2012
Associated Press
GOODYEAR, ARIZ.
Todd Frazier, Juan Francisco and Ryan LaMarre homered in a five-run eighth inning off reliever Dan Wheeler and the Cincinnati Reds rallied for a 6-5 win over the Cleveland Indians on Friday.
With one out, Frazier and Francisco homered. Willie Harris singled and scored on Ryan Ludwick’s double. LaMarre’s two-run homer capped the rally.
Carlos Santana and Asdrubal Cabrera homered off Reds opening day starter Johnny Cueto. Cueto went six innings, allowing two runs and four hits in his last start before opening day.
Jeanmar Gomez left the game with a mildly strained hip after 32/3 innings.
The Cleveland pitcher stretched for a return throw from shortstop Cabrera to complete a double play in the bottom of the fourth inning.
Gomez is the third Indians pitcher to get hurt in two days. Derek Lowe left his start Thursday with a sore back and David Huff injured his hamstring later in that game.
Huff and Gomez were in the mix for the fifth starter job.
Rays 3, Pirates 3, tie
BRADENTON, Fla.
Matt Hague is forcing the Pirates to make a difficult decision near the end of spring training.
Trying to win the final spot on the Pirates’ bench, Hague had two hits, including a two-run homer, against Tampa Bay on Friday.
Hague also doubled and is batting .383 this spring. He has 13 hits in his past 31 at-bats and leads the team with five homers.
The Pirates have not yet decided whether to carry seven or eight relievers when they break camp. Because of days off, the team will not need a fifth starter until April 15.
Instead of a starting pitcher, the Pirates used five relievers in the game. Brad Lincoln, who has a chance to make the team as a long reliever, worked two innings and gave up Jose Molina’s three-run double.
Left-hander Matt Moore, who appears to have won a spot in the Rays’ starting rotation, worked six innings and allowed one run and three hits.