MEET THE REDS: Javier Valentin
Position: Catcher
Age: 28
Height/Weight: 5-feet)10/192 pounds
Bats/Throws: Switch/Right
Born/Resides: Manati, Puerto Rico.
How Acquired: Signed a minor-league contract Dec. 26, 2003.
Favorite movie: Austin Powers.
Off the field: "I don't like to do a lot of stuff other than be with my family and watch TV."
Famous relative: Javier's brother Jose is an infielder with the White Sox.
What you might not know about Javier: He and his brother operate a baseball academy in Puerto Rico. "I like to teach kids," Valentin said.
Injury report
Utility player Ryan Freel, who sprained his right ankle Thursday, will play against the Devil Rays today in St. Petersburg. ... Third baseman Brandon Larson (turf toe) is expected to be ready to play by Monday.
GAME REPORT: Rays 7, Reds 5 (10 innings)
The bats: Reds catcher Jason LaRue and left fielder Adam Dunn had two hits each. Dunn drove in two runs with a single in the fourth inning. He has hit safely in five of the past six games (7-for-13). Catcher Javier Valentin tied the game at 4 with a solo home run off Jorge Sosa in the ninth.
The arms: Cory Lidle made his fourth spring start and allowed three earned runs on seven hits over seven innings. ... Relievers Chris Reitsma and Danny Graves each pitched one scoreless inning. ... Reliever John Riedling pitched the 10th inning and allowed three earned runs on four hits for the loss.
The rest: The Reds are 2-1 against the Devil Rays this season. ... Attendance was 4,425.... Temperature at game time was 78 degrees.
Up next: The Reds will play their final split squad today - against the Devil Rays in St. Petersburg and against the Braves in Kissimmee. Jose Acevedo (1-0, 2.45) is scheduled to start against Tampa Bay. Jesus Sanchez (1-0, 0.00) will start against the Atlanta.
Radio: Reds vs. Devil Rays, WLW-AM (700)
| TAMPA BAY | CINCINNATI |
| ab | r | h | bi | | ab | r | h | bi |
| Crawford lf | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | Jimenez 2b | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Lugo ss | 5 | 1 | 3 | 0 | Lopez 2b | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| DCruz ss | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Castro 3b | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Baldelli cf | 5 | 3 | 3 | 0 | Griffey cf | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| McGriff 1b | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Clark cf-lf | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Gipson pr-rf | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Kearns rf | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Laforest ph | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | Pena rf | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Seay p | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Casey 1b | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| JCruz rf | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | JaCruz 1b | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Colome p | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | LaRue c | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| Sosa p | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Miller c | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Perez ph-rf | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | Dunn lf | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Blum 3b | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | Christnsn cf | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Rolls 3b | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | Hummel ph | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Hall c | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Olmedo ss | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Moss p | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Lidle p | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Guzman 1b | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Reitsma p | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sanchez 2b | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | Graves p | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tatis 2b | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Valentin ph | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Abbott p | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Riedling p | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fick ph-c | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | | | | |
| Totals | 41 | 7 | 12 | 7 | Totals | 39 | 5 | 9 | 5 |
| Tampa Bay | 001 | 102 | 000 | 3-7 |
| Cincinnati | 000 | 300 | 001 | 1-5 |
E-Lugo, Castro, Casey. DP-Cincinnati 2. LOB-Tampa Bay 6, Cincinnati 8. 2B-Sanchez 2, Baldelli, Rolls, LaRue, Pena. 3B-Olmedo. HRs-JCruz (3). SB-Baldelli, Clark. CS-Jimenez. SF-Laforest.
| IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO |
| Tampa Bay | | | | | | |
| Abbott | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 |
| Moss | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| Colome | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Sosa W, 2-0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Seay S, 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Cincinnati | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO |
| Lidle | 7 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| Reitsma | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Graves | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Riedling L, 0-1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
WP-Riedling. T-2:44. A-4,425.
Return to Reds front page...