Rangers recap: Texas belts spring-high 18 hits to rip Reds 11-5

The Texas Rangers’ hit parade this spring continued against the Reds Wednesday afternoon. The Rangers had spring highs in hits (18), extra-base hits (7) and home runs (3) to rout Cincinnati 11-5. Texas had a shutout until the Reds scored five in the ninth.

Pitching: Starter Chi Chi Gonzalez induced six groundball outs, including two double plays and two comebackers in three scoreless innings. Gonzalez allowed three singles and two walks but was content with the action on his pitches, especially his sinker. Cesar Ramos was even more effective, holding the Reds to one hit (a double) in three scoreless innings. He struck out two and walked none. Jose Leclerc and Sam Freeman each pitched scoreless frames, although Freeman was forced to work out of a self-made jam. After two quick outs, he walked the bases loaded before getting Jay Bruce to fly out to center field to end the eighth. Steve Johnson allowed five runs on four hits in the ninth before Adam Parks replaced him.

Hitting: Mitch Moreland, Ian Desmond and Drew Stubbs each homered for the first time this spring. Moreland and Desmond hit solos in the third and fifth innings. Stubbs had a two-run shot in the seventh. Desmond, Ryan Cordell, Ron Guzman, Ryan Rua, and James Jones had two hits apiece. Cordell, Guzman, Jerard Hoying and Chris Gimenez each doubled in the final two innings.

Notable: Texas has won three consecutive games and is now 6-1-1 in Cactus League play, the team’s best start since moving to Surprise in 2003 ... Texas had baserunners in every inning ... The Rangers increased their MLB-leading team batting average to .368 ... Rua’s two hits raise his average to .500 (8-16) average with 1.279 OPS in A games ... Joey Gallo singled and walked twice to increase his team-lead to six walks.

This story was originally published March 9, 2016 at 6:14 PM with the headline "Rangers recap: Texas belts spring-high 18 hits to rip Reds 11-5."