Cueto Sharp In Spring Debut in Spite of 2-1 Loss

Johnny Cueto had little trouble with the Los Angeles Angels.

He breezed through the first two innings so fast that the Reds sent him out for the third.

He allowed a pair of hits on 1-2 counts and hit two batters but other wise was sharp.

"I am very happy with my first outing," Cueto said.  "I had good location.  I threw everything.  They hit a double (Brandon Wood) on a change up.  I wouldn't have thrown it during the regular season but I need to have it ready."

Wood's double, preceded Cueto's second hit batter of the game.  Erick Aybar singled Wood home. With Peter Bourjos went to third and scored on Bobby Abreu's sacrifice fly.

"Johnny threw the ball great.  He had those two 1-2 hits and the hit batsmen.  That was the difference in the ball game.  Other than that he three the ball great," Dusty Baker said.

David Sappelt kept hitting.  He singled to leadoff the game and stole secondbase.  Joey Votto singled to drive him home.  The Reds offered little offense after that.

"Sappelt has a good compact swing.  He doesn't over swing.  He reminds me of Bill Madlock and Larvel "Sugar Bear" Blanks.  He has surprising power.  He just has to play.  He needs to work on other parts of his game but he's coming."

The Reds brought a split squad to Tempe and two miles away the other half of the team beat the Oakland Athletics, 7-6.  Jonny Gomes and Yonder Alonso hit two-run home runs.  Devin Mesoraco drove in two runs with two hits.  Mike Leake pitched two innings and allowed a run.  Lakota West's Matt Klinker pitched three innings and gave up five runs on four hits but only three were earned.