The Cincinnati Reds could not get much going on offense on Sunday and they needed quite a bit of it after the Los Angeles Dodgers put up a 5-run 5th inning to pull away in an 8-1 victory.
| Final | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Dodgers (9-4-3) | 8 | 15 | 0 |
| Cincinnati Reds (8-9-1) | 1 | 5 | 0 |
| W: May L: Ashcraft |
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| Box Score | Game Thread | |||
The Highlights
Graham Ashcraft was absolutely cruising through the first two innings of the game and recording five strikeouts while doing it. But Jonny DeLuca jumped all over a cutter to lead off the 3rd inning with a solo home run to put the Dodgers ahead 1-0. Jason Heyward followed up with a single, then Ashcraft hit a batter, and Steven Dugger blooped a single into center that saw Will Benson dive for and come up just short on, loading the bases. But on his first pitch to the next batter his calf cramped up and he had to exit the game.
Randy Wynne came out of the bullpen to try and finish out the inning with giving up any more damage. He induced a pop up from James Outman that wasn’t caught, but the infield fly rule was called for the second out of the inning. Wynne then struck out Michael Busch to strand the bases loaded and keep it a 1-0 game. He would return to the mound for the 4th inning and work around a 1-out double to finish his outing with 1.2 shutout innings.
Casey Legumina took over in the top of the 5th inning and things went south with a quickness. He would give up four hits – including two home runs – and a walk while being charged with five earned runs before he was pulled with two outs in the inning. Manuel Cachutt entered the game from the bullpen with the Reds trailing 6-0. Cachutt got a lazy fly ball to center, but Will Benson lost it in the sun and it fell in for a double to extend the inning. The young righty would then hit the next batter to put two men on before striking out Bradley Zimmer on three pitches to end the inning. Legumina, who threw 25 pitches before being removed in the 5th, returned in the 6th inning because in spring training rules don’t matter (except for the pitch clock). Things didn’t go well in this inning, either, as he hit a batter and allowed a 2-out single before being replaced on the mound by Kevin Herget with Cincinnati still trailing 6-0. He’d induce a ground out to second base to strand both runners.
Herget returned for the 7th and would give up two runs on two doubles and a single before getting out of the inning with the Reds now down 8-0. In the bottom of the inning Cincinnati would get on the board with a 1-out home run off the bat of Austin Romine – his first of the spring – to make it 8-1.
Jared Solomon came out for the top of the 8th and worked around a single and a walk to hold the score where it was when he entered. Brooks Crawford took over in the top of the 9th and worked a quick 1-2-3 inning to give the Reds offense one more opportunity to put together a big rally to try and come back from a 7-run deficit. It didn’t get started as the home squad went down in order to put an end to the day.
Joey Votto struck out in his first trip to the plate. He followed up with a ground out in his second plate appearance. Those were the only two plate appearances he would get in his first game back on the field.
Monday’s Game
The Cincinnati Reds hit the road on Monday afternoon to take off against Corbin Burnes and the Milwaukee Brewers in a 4:05pm ET contest.
Should see Senzel tomorrow correct? Interested in what positions they work him at in his first week back
Bell said earlier this week that “early next week” was when we would see him. Whether that meant Monday or not is a question I don’t have the answer for.
I saw on Twitter today that as of Saturday Senzel was batting during intrasquad games along with Votto; but; he was not running bases or playing in the field (Votto did both on Saturday to get clearance to play today in the MLB game).
Things sometimes change on a dime. However, it seems unlikely that a guy who needs to move around to play infield, outfield, or run bases isn’t going to play in MLB games until he has done all 3 elsewhere under controlled circumstances.
…especially since he doesn’t exactly have a reputation for be durable anyway.
Overall not a good day for hitting, pitching, or fielding. The Arizona sun came into play today with the no clouds high sky. Would have been nice to see what CES could do with that Dodger pitching.
I haven’t been able to watch too many of the games, but I have seen Benson reach twice on infield hits that only happened because he can fly down the line. One thing that convences me is the absence of BB’s, considering that that’s a big part of his game. Maybe it’s just his approach for spring.
Ashcraft is looking good. I’m excited to see his next outing.
Good to see Austin Romine get his first HR of spring training. Not much offense today.
Glad Ashcraft is okay – or at least hope that’s true. Good to see Votto’s name in the lineup again. Here’s hoping he’s on track to 100% healthy. And though he got rocked, kind of cool that Legumina got pulled in two consecutive innings. Baseball is weird and wonderful.
So now a 39 year old 1st baseman is going to play 1st and bat 2nd or 3rd every day he can on a rebuilding team. He will be given every opportunity to succeed this year, when it is now clear younger players need those at bats for the good of the rebuild. Wonderful.
They aren’t running Scott Hatteberg out there.
Funny.
No, they are not running Hatteberg out there.
Although Hatteberg arguably had a better slash line in his last 3 years with the Reds than Votto’s last 3 years…
Hatteberg 299 / 391 / 453
Votto 237 / 353 / 475
Suppose Scott is available?
The biggest thing blocking the young player you so covet is Stephenson being the back up, whatever timeshare, sorta firstbaseman. But still classified as a catcher by his own word. If CES is in AAA to start the year, so be it. He can also get ABs there and clean up his possibly questionable defense
I’m not Just talking about CES. A 39 year old should not get regular at bats on a rebuilding team if there is anyone younger, trying to build a career, who needs them. If that player doesn’t exist, then fine, let JV play and bat 8th.
It’s counterproductive.
Friendly reminder to those making too much out of less than 20 ABs in spring training: Aramis Garcia hit 5 home runs last year in spring training. Read into these small sample sizes what you want, but making a big decision as an organization on spring training sample sizes is not a good way to operate as a whole.
Sample size only matters secondarily to whether one likes a player or not. Last year it was Barrero needed to be given a chance despite 50 ABs of absolute offensive futility. After all, it was a small sample size, doncha know. This year it is CES should be the starting first baseman on the basis of 25-35 ABs of absolutely eye popping hitting, mostly against AA and AAA pitching. Rarely a mention of sample size. Its like wearing one brown shoe and one black shoe, with a brown sock on the black shoe foot and a black sock on the brown shoe foot. It just doesn’t make sense.
Yep, everyone is making their judgment on CES based solely on 20 ABs in spring training. :rollseyes:
It couldn’t be he led the entire organization in HR last year, or was a top prospect who has performed as a top prospect should. It’s definitely only what he’s done in spring training.
Cute girly eye roll.
I meant in general across the board, not specifically CES. But if we are talking about CES, it was universally agreed that he would need AAA prior to start of ST, so we are still making a decision off of 20 great ABs if he is promoted to split time in the Bigs.
Since last year I wonder if Randy Wynne reached his career ceiling at AAA or he could get called up eventually this year to have a chance in major league team. IMO He has performed acceptable in the minors and has good outings in this ST…
Most aging players start having trouble with the inside heat. We saw if with the likes of a 40-year old Willie Mays an older Mickey Mantle and Johnny Bench.Watching Yesterday on the Dodgers broadcast it looked like Joe was vulnerable to that pitch especially on the ground ball to third. Not sure whether it is older reflexes, the surgery or a combination of both. Either way he still has a lot of work to do.
The thing that concerns me most this spring is the bullpen, especially the older veterans the Reds are using. They’re getting rocked as usual. If the bullpen is going to continue to go in this direction, I’d rather see them throw the rookies, or younger pitchers in the fire. These older guys are going to continue to get hammered, may as well let guys like Wynne, Stockton, etc, see what they can do, and gain experience along the way.