Joey Votto had a big mid-season smile for an exhibition game home run.
Joey Votto hit a two-run homer, an encouraging sign that he's progressing in his recovery from knee surgery that robbed him of his power last season, and the Cincinnati Reds beat the split-squad Milwaukee Brewers 5-2 on Monday.
"What's it been eight months?" said a smiling Votto after leaving the field on Monday. "My swing is getting there. I have a ways to go but my knee feels fine."
Votto didn't homer after June 24 last season. He missed 48 games after tearing cartilage in his knee, and was reduced to hitting mostly singles when he returned because the knee wasn't fully healed.
He connected in the third inning off Robert Wooten. Votto also had an RBI groundout off Tyler Thornburg, a third-round draft pick in 2010 who is trying to win a spot in the Brewers' revamped rotation.
"We got Joey on the board," manager Dusty Baker said. "Our pitchers pitched great.
Armando Galarraga is coming off two bad seasons with Arizona and Houston. He pitched two scoreless innings and is expected to add pitching depth this season. Galarraga lost a perfect game on June 2, 2010, while pitching for Detroit when first base umpire Jim Joyce called Cleveland's Jason Donald safe on what replays showed should have been the final out of the game. Joyce admitted after the game that his call was incorrect..
"Galarraga looked very good," Baker said. "He was keeping the ball down and looks healthy."
Tyler Thornburg, who is trying to win one of three open spots in the Brewers' rotation, allowed two first inning runs. He was brought up from Double-A to make two starts after the Brewers traded Zach Greinke and Randy Wolf.
"Last year I was pretty nervous going into spring training," Thornburg said. "Being around all these guys for the first time but I spent a little bit of time with them last spring training and then a couple of months with them last year in the big leagues. This spring training has been a lot more mind easing for me really."
Jean Segura, who is expected to start at shortstop for the Brewers, had two hits, including a double. Segura, obtained from the Angels in the trade for Greinke, is expected to start in front of veteran Alex Gonzalez.
Right fielder Jay Bruce was scratched from the Reds' lineup after batting practice because of a sore right heel.
"I felt some tightness running sprints," Bruce said. "I'm all right. It's February."
NOTES: Shin-Soo Choo has reached base and scored in the first inning in all three of his starts. The Reds had the lowest on-base-percentage for leadoff hitters in the National League...Armando Galarraga pitched two scoreless innings. Galarraga has made just 13 starts the last two seasons...Jimmy Nelson, the Brewers 2nd pick in the 2010 draft, pitched two scoreless innings...Brewers players John Axford, Nick Bucci and Taylor Green will move to Goodyear Ballpark on March 4 as members of the Candian World Baseball Classic team. The Canadian team will assemble in the visitor's clubhouse. Canada is holding a roster spot for Joey Votto but he has not yet decided if he will participate in the WBC.
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| Professionally edited by ML Schirmer for proof reading services call 513-240-3120 |
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