Tyler Mahle's Five Innings Skunks Cleveland

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Tyler Mahle is the first Reds' pitcher to complete five innings.

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The rookie, who is making a strong case to start the season in the Reds' starting rotation, allowed two hits in five scoreless innings in the Reds' 10-6 win over the Cleveland Indians.

Mahle gave up a slicing double to Jason Kipnis in the first inning that hit inches fair and bounded out of play.  Yan Gomes hit an opposite field single in the second with one out.  Mahle retired the last 10 batters he faced.

"I was able to be pretty efficient and get five in.  It was pretty nice," Mahle said.  "It was good to know that I was able to pitch five without breaking down or getting real tired. I was the first guy through the rotation, so the other guys are going to get through four or five."

Mahle started camp with the idea of improving his slider and change up.

"My fastball and change up were working for me; definitely my change up," Mahle said.  "I threw a lot of those on both sides of the plate and got early contact with it.  My slider wasn't that great.  We didn't really throw it in the last three innings.  I always go out and I want to hit my spots, make good pitches.  I want to do that every start, even in the season.  If you go out and do that you're line is going to look pretty good."

Mahle has been one of the most impressive pitchers in camp this spring.

"He was sensational," Bryan Price said.  "He was missing with his change up early but made some good adjustments.  Mack (Jenkins) and Tyler have been working really hard on the change up, slider. He's made some really good strides.  He's done exactly what we asked him to do.  We challenged him to be better in those areas.  He's been very impressive."

The Reds took advantage of Evan Marshall, who replaced an ill Mike Clevenger,

Joey Votto dumped a line drive over shortstop Francisco Lindor's head with two outs in the first.  Scott Schebler singled to left center.  Votto, who is working on going first to third more, kept running.  Lindor's relay from Rajai Davis ended up in the Reds' dugout, sending Votto home.

It got worse for Cleveland's Nick Goody after Marshall left the game.

Cliff Pennington, Billy Hamilton, Eugenio Suarez and Votto singled to start the inning, scoring Pennington and loading the bases.  Schebler doubled down the rightfield line to clear the bases.  Adam Duvall's double put the Reds up 6-0.

Jeff Bliveau and Preston Claiborne walked the bases loaded in the Reds' sixth.  Suarez hit a sacrifice fly to increase the Reds' lead to 7-0.

The Indians got to Austin Brice, who relieved Mahle, allowed three runs in the sixth.

Lindor's fourth homer of the season was off Brice with a man on.  Kipnis and Edwin Encarnacion singled.  Eric Haase walked to load the bases.  Eric Stamets running for Kipnis scored on a wild pitch.

Dilson Herrera tripled in the seventh and scored on Alex Blandino's single in the seventh.

Darnell Sweeney singled against Cam Hill and Patrick Kivlehan hit his first home run to put the Reds ahead 10-3.

Oliver Perez, who the Reds want to be their left-handed specialist put two runners on base.  Haase hit an inside-the-park home run to make the score 10-6 after eight.

Wandy Peralta allowed a two-out infield single with two outs,  Nick Senzel, the Reds' top pick in 2016 made a nice sliding stop in the hole but couldn't get Stamets.   Gio Urshella hit a ground rule double but Peralta struck out Yandy Diaz swinging to end the game.