Rodon struggles, White Sox fall to Reds 9-7
61. 7. 128. Final. 9
GLENDALE, AZ – The Chicago White Sox played their first of two games on slate for Saturday, in a split squad game against the Cincinnati Reds at Camelback Ranch. The White Sox sent Carlos Rodon to the mound to start the game, opposing Rodon was Reds starter Brandon Finnegan.
The game was a slug fest much of the afternoon, as both Carlos Rodon and Brandon Finnegan were roughed up early, and often on Saturday.
The Reds kicked off the scoring in the top of the second inning when Ivan De Jesus Jr. homered to left field, scoring catcher Devin Mesoraco and Adam Duvall, giving the Reds a 3-0 lead. Jermaine Curtis added one more run in the second when he plated Jordan Pacheco on an RBI single to right field extending the lead to 4-0.
The White Sox broke into the scoring with an RBI single by outfielder Jason Coats in the bottom half of the second inning, scoring Avisail Garcia from third base. Coats was thrown out trying to stretch the play into a double ending the inning.
The White Sox poured it on in the bottom of the fourth inning. Jimmy Rollins singled to left field, driving in third-baseman Todd Frazier making it 4-2 Cincinnati at that point. Jason Coats then drew a bases loaded walk plating Avisail Garcia, making it 4-3 until Hector Sanchez tied the game with an RBI single to right field scoring Jimmy Rollins. Adam Eaton then gave the White Sox the lead with a two-RBI single to left field, scoring Sands and Coats. Todd Frazier capped off the scoring in the fourth when he reached on a throwing error by Reds third-baseman Jermaine Curtis, scoring Hector Sanchez, and giving the White Sox a 7-4 lead after four innings.
The Reds answered with five runs of their own in the top of the fifth inning on a three-run home run off of the bat of Adam Duvall, knotting the game up at seven runs a piece. Billy Hamilton broke the tie with a ground rule double over the left-field line, driving in both Ivan De Jesus Jr. and Jordan Pacheco, giving the Reds a 9-7 lead.
Carlos Rodon threw 4.1 innings on the afternoon allowing nine earned runs, on 10 hits to the Reds. Rodon struck out three hitters, while walking two.
While Rodon, and Finnegan were both roughed up early on in the ballgame, the bullpens were lights out for the remainder of the game. Neither bullpen allowed another run as the Reds held on to win the ball game 9-7.
Matt Albers, Zach Duke, David Robertson, and Phillippe Aumont combined to throw 4.2 innings pitched, allowing no runs, on six hits. Zach Duke continued his scoreless Cactus League campaign with another inning unscathed on the afternoon.
The White Sox take on the Los Angeles Dodgers in the second half of the split squad day this evening at Camelback Ranch in Glendale at 9:05 PM (CT), White Sox top prospect Carson Fulmer will get the start for the White Sox. Fulmer will have more than likely his final opportunity to impress this spring as the Cactus League schedule winds down.