Reds Rally to Tie Rangers in 9th

The Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game

The Cincinnati Reds rallied from a 3-2 deficit in the bottom of the ninth inning to tie the Rangers 3-3. In about two weeks that kind of thing would lead to some exciting extra-inning baseball. Today, it meant the game was over.

Despite the odd result, the Reds can feel pretty good about how this one ended. Sal Romano earned the Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game award thanks to 4.2 innings of relief, allowing just one run on three hits. Romano is making a push to be included in the starting rotation when the team breaks camps in couple of weeks. He entered the game in the fourth inning and didn’t come out until the top of the eighth. Given the current state of Cincinnati’s starting rotation it was the best news they could’ve received.

Honorable Mentions are due to: Bronson Arroyo’s face. Arroyo’s face showed remarkable resilience after getting struck by a Devon Mesoraco throw to second base. The good news is that Devin Mesoraco played some baseball, the bad news is that Arroyo left the game with a ‘nasty’ bruise. All reports indicate he should be fine. Alejandro Chacin, who relieved Arroyo with 1.1 scoreless innings. Chacin has now appeared in five games, pitching 4.1 innings, allowing just one hit and no earned runs.

Key Plays

• That powerful Texas offense didn’t take long to strike. Joey Gallo hit a two-run homer off of Bronson Arroyo in the top of the first, giving the Rangers an early 2-0 lead.
• Cincinnati managed to get a run in back in the bottom of the second without recording a hit. Ryan Raburn walked to begin the inning, Zack Cozart was hit by a Yu Darvish pitch, and then Hernan Iribarren reached base on a throwing error by Andy Ibanez. Raburn came around to score on the error, cutting the lead to 2-1.
• Mesoraco was replaced at catcher by Stuart Turner in the top of the fifth inning, and Turner promptly committed a throwing error on a steal attempt by Ibanez. Ibanez would eventually score on a Carlos Gomez single to push the lead to 3-1.
• The Reds scored their second run in bottom of the inning thanks to a Billy Hamilton single that scored Tony Renda. Yet again, the Reds reached base and advanced thanks to some gifts from Texas. Renda was walked to lead off the inning and then reached third on a throwing error by catcher Brett Hayes.
• Arismendy Alcantara reached second base on another throwing error with one out in the bottom of the ninth. Chad Wallach advanced him to third with a groundout, and then Alcantara came in to tie the game when Phil Ervin reached base on — you guessed it! — yet another throwing error.
• Befitting such an odd game, it ended when Ervin was picked off and then throw out trying to steal second. Game over, 3-3 tie.

Other Notes

• The Reds only had three hits in the entire game, but reached base an additional 10 times thanks to five errors, three walks, and two HBP’s.
• The bullpen of Chacin, Romano, Austin Orewiler, and Louis Coleman combined for 7.1 innings, allowing just one run and three hits — all by Romano.
• Votto went 0-3 and is now 1-17 in his past seven games. He’s yet to homer this spring, and has knocked in just one run.
• Next up for the Reds is a Sunday afternoon matchup with the San Diego Padres. Amir Garrett gets the start opposite Jarred Cosart for San Diego. It’s a 4:10 start at Peoria Stadium. Garrett has dazzled so far this spring. In his last start he pitched 4 hitless innings against the Oakland A’s to pick up his second win of the pre-season.

Movie Recommendation