Dodgers Drown Reds With 8 Run 8th

Tanner Roark pitched five innings of scoreless, one hit baseball against the Los Angeles Dodgers who rallied with eight runs in the eighth inning off Anthony Bass and Brandon Finnegan.  The result was an 8-1 Dodger win.

Last time out Roark breezed through three innings, then got hit in a three-run fourth.

On Friday, Roark put that aside and faced the minimum of 15 batters.  Brad Miller led off the second inning with a single but the Reds' double play combination of Jose Peraza, Kyle Farmer and Joey Votto erased Miller.  That's right Kyle Farmer, the catcher, third base man, shortstop, beer vendor made the pivot flawlessly.

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"That's why we go through spring training," said Roark of pitching past the wall that bit him last outing.  "I'm doing the same thing, throwing strikes, getting ahead and making the hitters uncomfortable.  I'm working on the back door slider.  I know my four seam will come into the lefties but I am gaining confidence in throwing the slider back door. (A pitch that appears off the outside part of the plate but breaks enough to catch the corner).  When (catcher Curt) Casali calls it I know we're on the same page.  That gives me more confidence in it."

"He was locked in.  He threw the ball where he wanted too," David Bell said.  "He's had a great spring."

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The Reds scored when Yasiel Puig, who got a big ovation from the mostly Dodger fans at Goodyear Ballpark, doubled.  He was halfway between second and third going for a triple when it became clear the throw from center field would beat him.  He safely retreated to second base.  Jose Peraza's single drove him in.

Cody Reed walked two batters but turned in a scoreless inning.

"He wasn't as good as his last time, but he made pitches to get out of it," Bell said.

Bass struck out two in a scoreless seventh but didn't survive the eighth.  Ezequiel Carrera bunted for a hit when third baseman, Mitch Nay fumbled the ball.  With the Reds playing four outfielders, Bass struck out Edwin Rios.  Cody Asche and Cristian Santana walked to score one run,  Alex Verdugo singled to score two runs. Bell brought Brandon Finnegan into the game.  Jeter Down, who went to LA in the Kemp, Puig, Wood, Farmer deal singled to score a run. Josh Thole walked to load the bases.  Errol Robinson walked to force in a run.  Finnegan struck out pitcher Ryan Mosley.  Paulo Orlando hit a long grand slam home run.

"That was a bad inning all the way around.  Finney will have to bounce back," Bell said.