Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Reds (2-4)	0	1	0	0	0	6	1	1	5	14	16	2
Diamondbacks (2-3)	3	1	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	6	8	0

Boxscore

The Cincinnati Reds rode two big innings to a win yesterday, but that wasn’t the real story. No, that belonged to Johnny Cueto, who pitched for the first time since straining an oblique in the first game of the playoffs last year.

Cueto’s outing wasn’t awesome, but he reported no pain from his injury. His final line was 2 innings, 4 runs (2 earned), 1 walk, and 1 strikeout. It’s very nice to see him back on the mound again.

The Diamondbacks’ lead vanished quickly in the 6th. The Reds scored a total of 6 runs. Kris Negron hit a triple to drive in a run. Joey Votto singled in a run. Donald Lutz doubled to drive in 2 more. And Henry Rodriguez finished the scoring with the final RBI.

The Reds scored more runs later in the game, putting it further out of reach.

Today the Reds will split up their squad. One group will travel to play against the Colorado Rockies at 3:10 pm, while the other group will stay in Goodyear to host the Diamondbacks. Aroldis Chapman starts against the Rockies, while Mike Leake starts against Arizona.

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Reds	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
Indians	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	0	-	3	8	0

Boxscore

The Reds wrapped up their first spring training series yesterday when they lost to the Indians. In fact, it’s been three losses in a row to the Indians to start off this training season, but yesterday’s was special in that the other two were slugfests in which the Reds just happened to be behind when the innings ran out. Still, with 20 runs scored in the first 3 games, the Reds aren’t looking too bad for offense so far, on average.

Sam LeCure started for the Reds and had a real nice showing in his 2.0 innings of action. He walked a guy, but otherwise didn’t allow a baserunner. Next up was Manny Parra, who had similar results in 2.0 innings of work, only minus the base on balls.

Jose Arredondo took over in the fifth and gave up a hit, which was just what Logan Ondrusek did in the sixth. So far so good.

Josh Ravin was the unlucky one in the seventh, and he took credit for all 3 of the Indians’ runs before he could log the third out in the inning. Drew Hayes came in to finish off the inning before J.J. Hoover closed her down in the eighth. He gave up 2 walks in the process.

Jason Donald notched the Reds’ only hit yesterday when he singled with one on and one out in the top of the sixth. Neftali Soto walked to load them up, but then Xavier Paul and Ryan LaMarre struck out to end the Reds’ threat.

Brandon Phillips, Donald, and Soto each contributed a walk to the team’s OBP, and, never to be outdone in matters of on-baseness, Joey Votto walked twice. Votto has only 3 official at-bats in the first 3 games of spring training and has gotten on base at a .800 clip.

The loss brings the Reds spring training record to 0-3. Today they take on the Brewers. Armando Galarraga faces off against Tyler Thornburg.

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Reds (0-1)	5	0	0	1	4	0	0	0	0	10	13	0
Indians (1-0)	3	1	3	0	0	0	1	0	3	11	14	0

Boxscore

The Cincinnati Reds started off the 2013 Spring Training season with a game against the Cleveland Indians. Although they both share Goodyear Ball Park, the Reds played the visitors this time.

The game was an offensive show, with a combined 21 runs and 27 hits, which isn’t uncommon early in the Spring. For the Reds, who started their expected opening day lineup, things started well.

Newly acquired lead-off hitter Shin-Soo Choo began things with a walk. I hope to see a lot of getting on base from him. The Reds went on to score 5 runs that inning. Joey Votto went 2-3, driving in and scoring one. Miguel Olivo and Devin Mesoraco both hit home runs.

The pitching wasn’t nearly as sharp, though. Tony Cingrani started and struggled. He pitched one inning and allowed 3 runs. With the exception of Clay Hensley, who allowed no runs in his 2 1/3 innings, the relievers weren’t any better.

The game ended on a walk-off, three-run double given up by Carlos Contreras.

The Reds and the Indians play again today at 3:05 p.m. The Reds will start Alfredo Simon, while the Indians will send out Brett Myers.

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Giants (2-2)	1	2	0	0	2	0	3	0	0	8	11	1
Reds (2-2)	1	0	1	0	0	1	0	0	0	3	9	0

Boxscore

Boy, the playoffs got real ugly, real fast. It seems like only yesterday that the Cincinnati Reds were in the driver’s seat of this best-of-five series, holding a 2 games to none lead. And all that without their ace, Johnny Cueto.

The San Francisco Giants are a good team, though. And they’ve roared back, taking the momentum away from the Reds.

After finally making the hard decision yesterday, the Reds removed Cueto from the roster and activated Mike Leake, hoping he could turn in a good start. He couldn’t. The bullpen didn’t help matters, and with the offense failing, it was a long, painful game.

Leake pitched 4 1/3 innings, allowing 5 runs on 6 hits and 2 walks, while striking out 1. You knew things weren’t looking good when the very first batter he faced hit a home run to give the Giants an early lead. Baker probably left Leake in too long for this one.

The bullpen came in after that, and Sam LeCure put up another 1 2/3 innings of scoreless relief. Then Jose Arredondo allowed 3 runs to make it clear that the Reds weren’t going to win. J. J. Hoover and Alfredo Simon kept the Giants off the board after that, but it was too late.

The Reds did have score a few runs, but the offense really failed to drive in runs. The team left 10 runners on base and failed to have a single hit with a runner in scoring position. That is just not good enough.

What could very well be the final game of the year for the Reds is this afternoon. Cincinnati will turn to Mat Latos to see if he has any Giants-killing magic left in his arm. The Giants will counter with their game one starter, Matt Cain.

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	R	H	E
Giants (1-2)	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	2	3	0
Reds (2-1)	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	4	1

Boxscore

The Cincinnati Reds had a chance last night to eliminate the San Francisco Giants from the playoffs and advance to the next round. But before the game, they received news that ace Johnny Cueto had a strained right oblique muscle. If the Reds didn’t win game 3, then a difficult decision about who would start game 4 would have to be made.

The solution? Win game 3.

And the Reds tried, but they were playing under way too much self-imposed pressure. They took an early lead, going up 1-0 in the first inning thanks to a single by Jay Bruce that knocked in Zack Cozart. That was the end of the scoring, and the batters looked to be pressing all night, especially as the innings advanced.

The pitching was awesome, though. Homer Bailey started and was amazing again, showing he was more than up to the task of taking the mound at Great American Ball Park. He lasted 7 innings, allowing 1 run on 1 hit and 1 walk, while striking out a career-high 10. The bullpen picked up where he left off, with Sean Marshall, a sharper Aroldis Chapman, and Jonathan Broxton pitching their asses off.

Unfortunately for the Reds and Broxton, the defense slumped a bit in the top of the 10th. Ryan Hanigan had a passed ball that allowed runners to advance. And with runners on 2nd and 3rd and two outs, Broxton coaxed a ground ball to third baseman Scott Rolen that seemed sure to end the inning. Instead, Rolen bobbled the ball and was late in his throw to first for an error.

The Reds went weakly in the bottom of the 10th, letting another great starting effort slip away. Sweeping a team during the regular season is always difficult, and it’s even harder during the playoffs. Still, the Reds need to relax a bit before tomorrow’s game.

The Reds have 2 more chances to advance. Game 4 is tomorrow at 4:07pm. Barry Zito will start for the Giants, while Mike Leake, Mat Latos, or the bullpen will be starting for the Reds.