First Spring Training Game is here!

[missionhockey21]

Welcome back volzok, it's really nice to see you back bro.

I haven't followed the game much as I got out of class when it was starting (I did hear Marty rip into Dunn and then Dunn gave him something else to talk about, like his first pitch bomb) but it seems like an interesting game thus far. Sounds like the wind was really blowing according to the B Boys (yes, that's what I am calling Marty and Thom this season.)

[Witlon]

Didn't catch any of the game, but I'll comment a little.

- Nice to see Hamilton doing something in game, all the hype that's been around him all these years has been for a reason, and hopefully the shot at a big league team will help him with his personal problems.

- Five homers in the opener for the Reds...I expect more of that this season.

- Seing Torres struggle against a division opponent is pretty scary, I know it's March 1, but you have to worry considering his workload(89 games!) last season.

- Hey, Andrew McCutcheon, probably the second best prospect in the NL Central(behind Homer), 2 for 4 in his spring debut with a homer off a major league starter. Okay, it was Eric Milton, we can forget that.

- Duke was pretty spotless except for the shot by Dunn. But eh, you have to live with that guy killing you every once in a while.

- Luis Matos looking for a job with 2 HR's was nice as well. He probably won't get one in Pittsburgh, but doing things like this may get him a shot with another club.

Anywhoo, good game Reds fans. We'll get you when it counts for real, I hope.

[redsrbetter]

Hey thanks for stopping in Witlon. I like McCutcheon a lot. Is he going to be up with the big club this season? Him and Matos had me freaking out yesterday. Thanks for the good game pat, we should do a game thread in the Pirates forum when we meet up this season. What do you think?

[redsrbetter]

Here is what happened according to mlb.com. Again, I apologize for not being able to make the whole game.

REDS 9, PIRATES 7
at Bradenton, Fla.
Thursday, March 1

Reds at the plate: Second baseman Brandon Phillips had a towering, two-run homer to left-center in the fifth inning, and Mark Bellhorn followed with one of his own three batters later. Left-fielder Adam Dunn tied the score at 1 on an 0-1 pitch in the first with a homer that cleared the scoreboard in left-center field, and Josh Hamilton bested that with a two-run, straightaway home run that cleared the two-story wall beyond the 400-foot sign. Infielder Jeff Keppinger went deep as well.
Pirates at the plate: Center fielder Luis Matos homered in each of his first two at-bats of the game, both of them solo shots. Left fielder Andrew McCutchen hit a 1-1 pitch out of the park in the first inning, doubled in the second, and finished the day 2-for-4.
Reds on the mound: Starter Eric Milton scattered six hits in two innings but surrendered just two runs, each of them homers. Kirk Saarloos pitched two perfect innings.
Pirates on the mound: Starter Zach Duke threw two innings and allowed just one hit, a home run, while fanning two. Solomon Torres surrendered four runs in the fifth inning on four hits and a walk.
Grapefruit League records: Reds 1-0; Pirates 0-1. Up next: Cincinnati will play the Twins in a 7 p.m. ET game Friday at Hammond Stadium in Fort Myers. Reds righty Kyle Lohse will take the mound against Minnesota right-hander Ramon Ortiz. The Pirates travel to Kissimmee on Friday for a 1:05 p.m. ET game against the Braves at Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex. Right-hander Ian Snell will start for Pittsburgh against Braves righty John Smoltz.

Listening to the radio this morning, I learned that Hamilton likely impressed everyone the most yesterday. He hit the ball very hard all 4 times he stepped up to the plate and was one of the many HR hitters yesterday. This guy impresses me every day.