Inside The Park Home Run Downs Reds Sal Romano Looking For Cincinnati

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An inside the park home run by Mike Marjama was the difference for the Seattle Mariners in a 5-2 win over the Reds

Devin Mesoraco got the Reds started with a two-run home run off Ariel Miranda in the first inning.  Joey Votto walked in front of him.

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It marred a really nice outing by Reds' starting pitcher Sal Romano gave up a double to Mike Ford against the shift that would have been a routine out without it.  Guillermo Heredia walked but Romano struck out Mike Marjama and Mesoraco threw Heredia out stealing.

Romano was the first pitcher to finish four innings.  One of the top four trying to earn the fifth spot in the Reds' rotation, Romano has three good outings in his four starts.

"My only goal this spring was to walk into the office on the last day to have them tell me I'm going to Cincinnati," Romano said.  "I will be ready for whatever they have in mind for me.  I'm just going to go out and keep pitching."

Romano was so efficient that he went to the bullpen to throw some pitches to build arm strength.

"He had a really nice approach.  He stayed ahead of the hitters," Bryan Price said.  "He got seven punch outs, a lot of them on the breaking ball below the strike zone after getting ahead."



Raisel Iglesias pitched a scoreless inning in relief of Romano.

The Mariners tied the game in the sixth with three runs off David Hernandez, who was signed to provide experience and depth to the bullpen.

"Hernandez has a good feel for pitching," Bryan Price.  "He's getting in game shape.  He had a little bit of a stiff shoulder, so we gave him an extra day. It is normal for him in spring training  I'm not concerned about him.  He will be ready to answer the bell."

Dee Gordon singled with one out.  Hernandez struck out Mitch Haniger.  Gordon stole second. Kyle Seager walked.  Ford hit his second double to tie the game.  Wandy Peralta relieved Hernandez.  Peralta walked Andrew Aplin.  Marjama hit a long drive over the head of rightfielder Phillip Ervin.  The ball bounced high off the wall and bounded past centerfielder Mason Williams.  Marjama circled the bases as Williams chased the ball rolling toward leftfield and easily beat the relay from secondbaseman Phil Gosselin.

That turned out to be the winning hit.  Both bullpens locked it down from there.