By John Fay
The Cincinnati Enquirer

BRADENTON, Fla. - Seth Etherton pitched in this spring's intrasquad game and also in a minor-league game.

But Friday was different.

There were people in the stands - 2,826 of them - and the guys he was facing were wearing the black jerseys of the Pittsburgh Pirates.

"I had the adrenaline going," Etherton said. "It wasn't like being on the back fields. This was a real baseball game."

Etherton, a 26-year-old right-hander, worked three shutout innings, striking out five, to pick up the win in the Reds' 11-5 afternoon victory over the Pirates.

Friday was a long time coming for Etherton. He has been hurt or rehabbing almost from the time the Reds traded for him in December 2000.

He didn't pitch at all in 2001 after shoulder surgery. Last year, he was limited to 28 innings, all in the minors.

Now, he's in the race for the fifth starting spot.

It's a tough race. Etherton and Jimmy Anderson have pitched well. The Reds like the way Chris Reitsma and Brian Reith are throwing. Pete Harnisch is nearly healthy.

"No one knows what's going to happen," said Etherton, who was 5-1 with the Anaheim Angels in 2000. "You can't worry about that. Right now, I'm having fun. I'm doing what I love to do."

SECRET STUFF: Jimmy Haynes and Ryan Dempster, the projected Nos. 1 and 2 starters, have worked in the Minor-league Accelerated Program games the last two days.

The reason? The Reds have been playing the Pittsburgh Pirates, Central Division rivals.

"I don't want to use them against Pittsburgh, because we'll be seeing them a lot during the season," Reds manager Bob Boone said.

PENA AT THIRD: Wily Mo Pena made his first start at third base Friday afternoon against Pittsburgh.

"He's pretty comfortable there," Boone said.

Pena played third as a youngster before the New York Yankees converted him to the outfield.

Pena made two nice plays in the second inning, snaring a low line drive and fielding a hard grounder.

NEW FACE: William Bergolla, one of the Reds' top prospects, made a start for the big club in the first game of the doubleheader.

Bergolla, a 20-year-old Venezuelan, combined to hit .293 with six home runs, 49 RBI and 29 steals at Billing and Dayton last year.

He started at second base. He got an infield hit in his first at-bat Friday and doubled down the third-base line in his second.

TRANSACTIONS: The Reds returned Jerome Gamble, a Rule 5 selection, to the Boston Red Sox.

Gamble, a 22-year-old right-hander, appeared in one spring training game. He faced three batters - two got hits, the other walked - and allowed three runs.

The Red Sox get Gamble back for $25,000, half what the Reds paid to claim him. Rule 5 players must remain on the major-league roster or be offered back to the team from which they were drafted.

The Reds also signed Russell Branyan to a one-year contract. He was the last unsigned player.

INJURY UPDATE: Scott Sullivan, coming back from a strained middle finger, returned to the mound for a session Friday.

"He was outstanding," Boone said. "He's in such tremendous condition."

Sullivan will probably pitch Sunday in the Reds game against Philadelphia.

Sullivan hasn't pitched since exhibition opener against the New York Yankees.

Elsewhere on injury front:

• Paul Wilson (rib cage muscle) felt no ill effects of his Thursday bullpen session Friday. He'll throw to hitters Sunday.

• Barry Larkin returned to the lineup for the first time since being hit by a pitch on his right elbow Tuesday.

• Brandon Larson (rib cage muscle) took some one-handed swings, but he is still feeling some pain.

• Juan Castro (offseason knee surgery) will make his spring debut tonight against the Boston Red Sox.