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Dateline: Goodyear, Arizona
With the help of manager Terry Francona and pitching coach Derek Johnson, Andrew Abbott was able to flush frustration and spin the game against the Chicago White Sox on Saturday (032126).
Abbott threw 84 pitches with 52 strikes and declared himself ready for his start on opening day against the other Sox, the Boston Red Sox.
"I thought it was the best I have in spring training, a lot of soft contact, one hard hit ball, in the zone with all pitches, a lot of swing and miss in the zone, only walked one guy. I just felt very competitive. The mechanics that I've been working on were good. The cutter was great, the change up was good other than the one Pereira hit out," Abbott said.
Pereira homered with a man on in the second inning with two outs and a man on.
"It was the only mistake I made. It was actually out of the zone. he put a good swing on it. The only gripe I had was that it was up."
Abbott rebounded from an outing in which he allowed eight runs in two innings. Against the White Sox, Abbott allowed five runs but three were unearned. Two scored after he left the game in mid inning in the fourth. An error by Sal Stewart had the bases loaded with two outs. Jimmy Ramano gave up a single with the bases loaded resulting in the two runs.
Abbott returned in the fifth and gave up a leadoff double and the run scored on two ground outs. He completed the inning with 4 2/3 innings allowing five runs, three earned on four hits and a walk.
"Tito said, hey you're not going to throw well every game. Just get it out of your head. DJ was right behind him and said. Let's be external. Whatever happens, let it go. Don't dwell on it and let's keep making pitches. I think that message kind of hit home. I haven't been myself and been more frustrated than I probably should," Abbott said.
TJ Friedl had two hits, including a bunt single that started a five-run rally. Matt McLain singled Friedl to third. Elly De La Cruz tripled over the head of right fielder Everson Pereira. De La Cruz was caught in a rundown on a bouncer back to the pitcher by Sal Stewart. He was out lunging for home but Stewart made it to third and scored on a wild pitch by Sean Newcomb. Jose Trevino hit a two run home run following a walk to Eugenio Suarez.
Will Benson homered off left hander Sean Newcomb. Sal Stewart hit an RBI single in the first inning.
McLain is hitting .529 going into the last Cactus League game. Stewart is hitting .357.
Pierce Johnson, Tony Santillan and Connor Phillips put up zeroes during their stints.
Sam Moll, who was informed he made the team this afternoon, allowed two runs on three hits in his inning.
Terry Francona assigned Mike Napoli to manage the last four innings for the Reds after the minor leaguers came in.
"I want to be a manager someday, so Terry told me to take over when the minor leaguers came in. We've been letting Neboa coach first so he told me to go ahead and manage," Napoli said.
He is undefeated as manager the Reds rallied for four runs in the bottom of the ninth with the game tied 7-7.
Facing Frankeli Arias, Nathaniel Lowe, who won a roster spot as a non-roster player, singled to open the ninth. Napoli put in Yeycol Soriano to pinch run. Rueben Ibarra walked. Napoli pinch ran Naibel Mariano. Napoli put on the sacrifice and Esmith Pineda executed a good sac bunt. Will Banfield struck out. Austin Hendricks was hit by a pitch to load the bases. PJ Higgins took a 3-2 pitch and lined it into the right field pavilion for a walk-off grand slam home run and an 11-7 win.
"You get guys on and move them to scoring position," Napoli explained.
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