Cincinnati Reds Press Clippings March 27, 2016 THIS DAY IN REDS HISTORY 1989 - Sports Illustrated publishes a story about Cincinnati Reds manager Pete Rose's gambling activities. Rose will eventually agree to a lifetime ban from Major League Baseball as part of an agreement with Commissioner A. Bartlett Giamatti. MLB.COM Hamilton, Reds outslug Frazier, White Sox By Scott Merkin / MLB.com | + 22 COMMENTS GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Camelback Ranch was not kind to either Carlos Rodon or Brandon Finnegan during Saturday afternoon's 9-7 victory for the Reds over the White Sox. Rodon cruised through the first inning on five pitches, and Finnegan struck out the side during the opening frame. But fortunes quickly improved for the hitters. The Reds scored four in the second on five hits, including a three-run home run from Ivan De Jesus Jr. De Jesus finished a triple short of the cycle. But the White Sox broke free for six in the fourth to claim a 7-4 lead. Adam Eaton singled home two, while Jimmy Rollins and Hector Sanchez each delivered an RBI single. Jason Coats walked with the bases loaded to force home another run. That advantage didn't last long, as Adam Duvall lofted a three-run homer to left in the fifth to forge a tie. Rodon was lifted by manager Robin Ventura after De Jesus singled and Jordan Pacheco walked, with the Reds eventually scoring five in the frame, two on Billy Hamilton's double. Todd Frazier knocked two hits for the White Sox playing against his former club, adding a run scored. Finnegan allowed seven runs (six earned) over 3 1/3 innings, giving up six hits and four walks. He struck out six. Rodon yielded 10 hits and nine earned runs in 4 1/3 innings, striking out three and walking two. Sanchez replaced Alex Avila in the top of the fourth, with Avila leaving due to lower back stiffness. Avila is day to day. Up next for White Sox: Mat Latos makes his second Cactus League start, in a rematch from Tuesday against the Giants and starter Jake Peavy. The game begins at 3:05 p.m. CT in Scottsdale. Up next for Reds: Cincinnati has a 4:05 p.m. ET game Sunday against the Dodgers at Camelback Ranch. Alfredo Simon gets his second start of the spring. Simon has been the Reds' best starter since signing as a free agent on March 17, pitching three innings of shutout, no-hit ball and striking out four on Tuesday vs. the Cubs. Scott Merkin is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Merk's Works, follow him on Twitter @scottmerkin, on Facebook and listen to his podcast. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs. Reds rotation still murky after Melville's outing By Barry M. Bloom / MLB.com | 8:30 PM ET + 0 COMMENTS GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Reds rookie right-hander Tim Melville is vying to make the 40-man roster and claim a spot in the starting rotation. And because of trades and injuries, which have damaged the club's pitching staff, the situation seems to be just right for him. "I'm here for whatever they need me to do," Melville said after pitching six innings as the Reds defeated the Indians, 7-4, on Saturday at Goodyear Ballpark. "Starter, relief. It doesn't matter. I'm just trying to go out there and get better every day." If Melville should make the team, the 2008 fourth-round Draft pick of the Royals will make his first regular-season Major League appearance after 141 at every level of the Minor Leagues. Melville allowed seven hits and four runs against the Indians, all of them on a trio of Cleveland homers hit by Yan Gomes, Mike Napoli and Carlos Santana. The latter two were struck back-to-back deep to right field with two outs in the sixth. The Reds signed Melville as a Minor League free agent this past Nov. 25. There's a chalkboard in manager Bryan Price's office replete with the names of all the players still in camp. As a non-roster invitee, Melville's name is etched in orange. The players on the roster are written in black. Price has been trying in vain to determine at least a semblance of a starting rotation and announce his starter for the season opener against the Phillies in Cincinnati on April 4. Nothing that's happened the last few days is making it any easier. "The pitchers haven't been pretty to watch," Price said in perhaps the understatement of the day. "We're giving up a lot of runs. I do think the pitchers are going to pitch better when they understand they are on the team and do have even a loosely defined role. That should help in their preparation and performance instead of saying, 'Boy, I hope I don't go in there, screw up and lose a spot on the team.'" The homer has been an epidemic of sorts for Cincinnati pitchers the last few days. They've allowed 10 homers in games against the Rangers, Rockies and Indians, eight of them off starters Anthony DeSclafani, Raisel Iglesias and Melville. Reds manager Bryan Price discusses some of the decisions remaining as his Opening Day lineup and pitching rotation take shape Brandon Finnegan started in a 9-7 split-squad Reds win over the White Sox on Saturday at Camelback Ranch. And though Finnegan didn't give up any homers, he was shellacked for seven runs (six earned) on seven hits in 3 1/3 innings to bring his spring ERA to 10.05. Because of trades last season that dispatched veterans Johnny Cueto and Mike Leake, the Reds have been utilizing their starting rotation as a tryout camp ever since the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline. They set a record by starting a rookie every day from that point to the end of the season, losing 43 times in their final 62 games. "And that was very painful," Price said. This spring, as Homer Bailey is rehabbing from Tommy John surgery last May 8, the Reds have also lost pitchers Michael Lorenzen (sore right elbow) and Jon Moscot (intercostal strain) to injury. To compensate, they've already added free agents Alfredo Simon and Ross Ohlendorf, whom they signed Saturday. Simon will make his second spring start on Sunday against the Dodgers, and Ohlendorf is targeted for the bullpen. Moscot is slated for his first start since March 8 on Monday night. What's a manager to do? The Reds' baseball brain trust seemed no closer to figuring this whole thing out on Saturday than they were at the end of the day on Friday. "Oh, boy, that's a fair assessment," Price said. "We've chopped up that rotation and how to dispense the slots a hundred different ways, and we're still trying to figure out who's going to be healthy enough, stretched out enough to start the season in our rotation. "I'd love to tell you who my five starters are and who's in the bullpen, but I think I'd be reckless to do so because I'm not sure I can stick by my word. There's just been a lot of flies in the ointment. It's been a challenge." Barry M. Bloom is a national reporter for MLB.com and writes an MLBlog, Boomskie on Baseball. Follow @boomskie on Twitter. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs. Cozart's three RBIs help Reds top Indians By Barry M. Bloom / MLB.com | 6:43 PM ET + 12 COMMENTS GGODYEAR, Ariz. -- The Reds prevailed in the Showdown of Ohio on Saturday at Goodyear Ballpark, coming from behind to defeat the Indians, 7-4, offsetting a trio of Cleveland homers. Yan Gomes, Mike Napoli and Carlos Santana all homered off Reds rookie right-hander Tim Melville, making his pitch for both a spot on the 40-man roster and in the starting rotation. Napoli and Santana went back-to-back with two out in the top of the sixth to erase a 3-2 Cincinnati lead. But Zack Cozart doubled home a pair of runs in the seventh off Indians reliever Cody Allen to again give the Reds the edge as they scored four times in the inning. Eugenio Suarez homered and Blake Trahan doubled off Cleveland right-hander Carlos Carrasco, who pitched five innings, allowing three runs on six hits and two wild pitches, one of them allowing a run to score in the fifth inning. Melville worked six innings, pitching in and out of jams, allowing the four runs on seven hits, walking none and striking out five. The homers for Gomes and Napoli were their fourth each of the spring. "I felt strong, throwing strike one and getting ahead," Melville said. "I thought I threw really well." Up next for Indians: Right-hander Cody Anderson is scheduled to take the mound on Sunday, when the Indians host the Brewers in a 4:05 p.m. ET Cactus League clash at Goodyear Ballpark. Cleveland's battle for the fifth spot in the rotation is down to Anderson and righty Josh Tomlin. Relievers Kyle Crockett, Jeff Manship and Joba Chamberlain are also penciled in to pitch for the Tribe. Up next for Reds: Cincinnati has a 4:05 p.m. ET game Sunday against the Dodgers at Camelback Ranch. Alfredo Simon gets his second start of the spring.