Cingrani runs out of gas in fifth inning of start

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Reds left-handed starter Tony Cingrani was cruising during his fourth start of spring on Sunday against the A's. After a two-run first inning, Cingrani retired 10 in a row.

It came apart during a three-run fifth for Oakland. Cingrani walked his first two batters, gave up a single, was charged with a balk that forced home a run and a wild pitch on a strikeout.

"In the fifth, my arm was dead. I haven't pitched that long since last year," said Cingrani, who was lifted after the wild pitch to Billy Burns as he reached his pitch limit.

Overall, Cingrani gave up five runs (three earned) and three hits over four-plus innings. He walked three and struck out four. The two unearned runs came in the first inning after Devin Mesoraco and Joey Votto dropped a foul ball by Derek Norris with two outs. Norris followed with a two-run double to the center-field fence.

"That happens. What are you going to do? You try to keep getting outs," Cingrani said. "The first inning, I was still overstriding like the last couple of outings, and then I found my mechanics in the second."

In his four spring starts, Cingrani has a 6.39 ERA with nine earned runs and 12 hits allowed over 12 2/3 innings. Most of the damage was done in his previous outing vs. the Giants when he gave up six runs and eight hits in 3 2/3 innings.

Reds manager Bryan Price felt it was understandable for Cingrani to get worn down during the game.

"Guys are starting to get stretched out, and going out and getting that up and down for the fifth inning," Price said. "He wasn't real sharp, so he had to throw more pitches than he typically does per inning, and he's going to tire himself out that way."