By Mike Brandyberry
Wins and losses don’t matter in Spring Training. The Indians and Cincinnati Reds proved this during Saturday’s spring opener, tying 6-6 after nine innings. The game was called when the Reds had used all their scheduled pitchers for the day.
The Tribe started what Manny Acta has identified as his “Starting 7,” with Michael Brantley, Asdrubal Cabrera, Shin-Soo Choo, Carlos Santana, Travis Hafner, Casey Kotchman and Jason Kipnis. Ryan Spilborghs hit eighth in left field and Lonnie Chisenhall hit ninth at third base. Both Spilborghs and Chisenhall are competing for starting positions and roster spots with the team.
The Tribe jumped on top early, scoring in the first three innings. Santana hit a sacrifice fly to score Brantley in the first, Chisenhall singled home Kipnis in the second and Kotchman doubled home Santana and Kipnis hit a sacrifice fly to score Hafner to give the Indians a 4-0 lead after three innings. The starting lineup had done their job.
David Huff pitched two scoreless innings for the Tribe, allowing three hits but not allowing a run. Vinnie Pestano worked a scoreless third inning before Frank Herrmann allowed four runs in the fourth inning. Herrmann allowed five hits in the inning. Both Huff and Herrmann are battling to win roster postions. Huff looked good in his pursuit for the fifth starter’s spot, while Herrmann may have begun to open the door for others.
Robinson Tejeda allowed a home run in the fifth inning, giving the Reds the lead, 5-4. Jeremy Accardo, Nick Hagadone and Corey Kluber each worked scoreless innings for the Tribe.
In the ninth, Juan Diaz singled home Fred Lewis to tie the game at 5-5, before Thomas Neal reached on an error, scoring Jose Lopez. The Tribe took a 6-5 lead to the bottom of the ninth, but Chen Lee allowed a solo home run to Todd Frazier and the game ended in a tie.
Tomorrow Ubaldo Jimenez will make his first start of the spring against the Reds’ Homer Bailey. Game time is 3:05 and the game can be found on WTAM 1100 AM.
Photo: Associated Press
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