The Cleveland Guardians rolled to a 8-6 victory over the Cincinnati Reds at Goodyear Ballpark on Wednesday in spring training action. Rhys Hoskins paced the offense, going 1-for-3 with a home run and an RBI, giving the coaching staff plenty to be encouraged about as the exhibition schedule continues. On the mound, Kolby Allard turned in a solid outing, working 3.0 innings of 1-run ball with five strikeouts. Both clubs finished with 7 hits apiece in a closely contested battle. The victory gives the Guardians positive momentum heading into the final stretch of spring training. The coaching staff will look to build on the strong showing in the games ahead.
Key Performers
Rhys Hoskins was the key contributor at the plate, going 1-for-3 with a home run and an RBI. His ability to drive the ball out of the park was the highlight of the afternoon. Performances like this give the Guardians confidence that the lineup is rounding into form.
Reiner Herrera chipped in, going 1-for-2 with a triple and two RBI, Travis Bazzana added to the attack, going 1-for-3 with a double and two RBI, and Nolan Jones provided support, going 1-for-1 with an RBI. The depth of production throughout the lineup was encouraging to see.
On the other side of the diamond, Noelvi Marte led the Reds offense with a 1-for-2 with a home run and two RBI day. Alfredo Alcantara also contributed, going 1-for-1 with a home run and an RBI. Elly De La Cruz added a 1-for-3 with two RBI effort as well. Despite those contributions, the Guardians pitching staff did enough to limit the damage and secure the victory.
On the Mound
Kolby Allard got the start, putting together a workmanlike effort, working 3.0 innings while allowing 1 earned run on 1 hit with five strikeouts. He threw 49 pitches in the outing. It was a useful learning experience as the Guardians evaluate their pitching depth heading into the regular season.
The bullpen combined for 4.6 innings of work, allowing 2 earned runs while striking out nine. Spring training gives the coaching staff a chance to evaluate bullpen depth, and today was an encouraging showing from the relievers. Each reliever is auditioning for a roster spot, and innings like these factor into those decisions. Magnus Ellerts recorded the save to close out the game.
Among the relievers, Shawn Armstrong stood out with 1.2 innings of scoreless work, striking out three. His performance was one of the day's bright spots from the bullpen.
How It Happened
Reds got on the board first with two runs in the second inning. The Guardians answered with a run in the fourth. The Guardians tacked on two runs in the fifth. Reds countered with two runs in the fifth. Reds plated a run in the sixth. The Guardians answered with five runs in the eighth. Reds responded with a run in the ninth. The Guardians spread their scoring across three different innings, applying consistent pressure throughout the game. Both teams finished with 7 hits apiece, with 4 errors committed between the two clubs. A crowd of 5,203 was on hand to take in the action.
Looking Ahead
As the exhibition schedule nears its conclusion, the Guardians can point to this game as a step in the right direction. The combination of solid pitching and timely hitting is exactly what the coaching staff hopes to see at this stage of the spring. The focus now shifts to maintaining this level of play with the regular season just around the corner.
