Votto continues strong spring despite 3-1 loss
Published 3:11 am Friday, April 1, 2016
GOODYEAR, Ariz. (AP) — Joey Votto reached base twice, wrapping up an impressive spring training, but the Cleveland Indians scored a pair of unearned runs for a 3-1 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday.
Votto walked and singled. The first baseman reached base in 18 of his 20 spring games, hitting safely in 14 of them. Votto finished second to Bryce Harper with a .459 on-base-percentage last season.
Cleveland’s Carlos Carrasco pitched 6 2/3 innings, his longest outing of the spring, and allowed a run on five hits. He struck out six, walked two and hit Devin Mesoraco, who scored.
Francisco Lindor, Yan Gomes and Collin Cowgill doubled off Reds starter Cody Reed, who will start the season in Triple-A Louisville. An error by Eugenio Suarez, who is moving from shortstop to third base, allowed one run. A passed ball by Mesoraco allowed Mike Napoli to score.
Gomes, who battled injuries last season, hit .295 with three doubles and five home runs during spring training.
“Gomes has shown what he can do when he’s healthy,” Indians manager Terry Francona said.
The Indians finished the spring with a 16-12-4 record.
“I think our guys have done a great job of cooperating and doing everything that we asked,” Francona said. “I don’t know that I’ve ever felt different leaving camp. You want guys to be ready to play and they are.”
The Reds won six of their last seven games to finish 15-16-1. They still had 35 players on their roster and need to get to 25 for opening day.
“We have some resolution (on the roster) but not enough,” said Reds manager Bryan Price, who had hoped to have his roster set before leaving Arizona. “We’ll have some final resolution, but how we get to it and share it with the players will probably come out over the course of the next day or two. We are going where we hoped we wouldn’t go to make some final decisions.”
STARTING TIMES
Reds: Carrasco pitched six times in spring training, going 24 2/3 innings while allowing nine earned runs for a 3.28 ERA.
Indians: Reed was sent to minor league camp on March 22. He appeared in five games, allowing five earned runs in 15 2/3 innings for a 2.87 ERA.
“Cody was able to work on his change-up more after he went to minor league camp,” Price said. “It was good to see him challenged today.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Reds: OF Yorman Rodriguez has a pulled left hamstring. He is taking batting practice.
Indians: OF Lonnie Chisenhall (wrist), OF Michael Brantley (shoulder) and RHP Tommy Hunter (hernia) will start the season on the disabled list.
UP NEXT
Reds: The Reds leave Arizona and head to Indianapolis to play the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday. RHP Alfredo Simon will start against RHP Wilfredo Boscan.
Indians: Cleveland is headed to Arlington, Texas, for two games. RHP Cody Anderson will pitch on Friday against RHP Colby Lewis.