Pair of prospects show stuff for Reds in tie

March 2nd, 2016

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- The Reds rallied for a ninth-inning run to earn a 4-4 tie with the Indians on Wednesday in Cactus League play at Goodyear Ballpark.
Tyler Holt scored on a throwing error to tie the game with no outs in the bottom of the ninth, but Cincinnati couldn't push the winning run across despite having a man on third with one out. 
Competing for the fifth spot in their rotation, Indians starter Cody Anderson retired all six batters in his two-inning spring debut, and striking out one batter.
"Six up, six down," Indians manager Terry Francona said of Anderson. "What'd he have, nine pitches in both innings? Yeah, he was good. His velocity was crisp. He obviously came to camp in really good shape, and he looked really good. He threw a few breaking balls. He was good."
Reds top pitching prospect Robert Stephenson, also vying for a rotation spot, countered with two scoreless innings, but allowed a two-out walk and a two-out triple.
• Stephenson begins quest to make Reds' staff
Against another Reds prospect in competition for a rotation spot, Cody Reed, Cleveland scored two in the top of the fourth. Mike Napoli crossed home on Jesus Aguilar's double to right-center field. Following an error that advanced him to third base, Aguilar scored on a two-out error by second baseman Jose Peraza on a sharp liner hit off his glove by Robbie Grossman.
Reds manager Bryan Price liked what he saw from both Stephenson and Reed.
"Aggressive and around the plate with their stuff. I tend to kind of look at the first game without a great deal of comment, because I know a lot of guys are trying to get used to facing hitters again," Price said. "I don't put a lot of credence in the first one, but I like to see how they evolve over the course of spring. It was a good start. They both had good stuff. They're obviously in good shape. They threw a handful of good fastballs and breaking balls."
In the fifth, Jose Ramirez hit a homer to right field off Reds reliever Jumbo Diaz. In the seventh, against Reds reliever Caleb Cotham, Anthony Recker launched a solo homer to right-center field that made it a 4-1 game.

• Francona wants Ramirez 'to be a weapon'
Cincinnati got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth off Cleveland reliever Jeff Manship when bench candidate Brandon Allen hit a two-out single to center field that scored Eugenio Suarez. Two more Reds runs came home in the bottom of the seventh.
Up next for Reds: Following breaks on Wednesday, lineup fixtures Joey Votto, Jay Bruce and Brandon Phillips are scheduled to play Thursday when the Reds and Indians meet again at 3:05 p.m. ET in Goodyear. Pitcher Anthony DeSclafani is slated to make his spring debut when he starts for Cincinnati.
Up next for Indians: Right-hander Danny Salazar, who projects to be the Tribe's No. 3 starter, is scheduled to start and work two innings vs. Cincinnati. Righty Zach McAllister will log two innings in relief, while regulars Rajai Davis, Yan Gomes, Carlos Santana and Lonnie Chisenhall are expected to be in the lineup.
Watch Thursday's action live on MLB.TV.