By Gary Schatz
Enquirer contributor

Two years ago, Jose Acevedo pitched in the Reds' final spring training game at Chattanooga's BellSouth Park - a game he'd like to forget.

But on Saturday, in another spring finale in Chattanooga, it was a different story for the right-hander.

Acevedo improved to 3-0 by pitching four strong innings to help the Reds defeat the Baltimore Orioles 5-3.

The Reds finished the spring 18-16-1, their first winning preseason since 1997.

"That game against Minnesota was a nightmare," Acevedo remembered from his outing two years ago.

That game dropped Acevedo out of favor with the Reds' front office and then-manager Bob Boone, who criticized the young pitcher's pitch selection afterward.

"That's in the past," said Acevedo, now part of the Reds' rotation. "I am not going to let that happen again. It is a different day."

Acevedo held the Orioles to two runs, one earned, in four innings Saturday, and the Reds scored five runs off Matt Riley and Rodney Ormand.

Acevedo walked just five batters this spring in 29 2/3 innings. He faced 119 batters in seven starts and issued walks in just two of them. He finished the spring with a 3.34 ERA.

THE REAL FREEL: Ryan Freel is eagerly awaiting a "real Opening Day." He is one of manager Dave Miley's options to start at third base in place of the injured Brandon Larson.

Miley said he won't make the decision until today.

Freel recalled the only other time in his nine-year pro career that he started the season on a major-league roster, in 2001 when he made the Blue Jays out of spring training because Homer Bush was injured.

He knew then it was temporary.

"I didn't feel like part of the team then," said Freel. "This year I do."

He's happy to deal with the Opening Day holiday atmosphere.

"This game sold out in 16 minutes. That's awesome," he said. "I am really excited."

WELCOME BACK: Miley celebrated his 42nd birthday in a place where he is popular and had great success. He managed the Chattanooga Lookouts in 1992 and 1995, and won the Southern League and Double-A manager of the year awards in '95 after his team had an 83-60 record.

The team showed a salute to Miley on the video scoreboard.

BALTIMORE					CINCINNATI
	ab	r	h	bi		ab	r	h	bi
Roberts 2b	3	1	1	1	Jimenez 2b	3	1	1	0
Hmmnd 2b	2	1	1	0	Cstro 2b-3b	1	0	0	0
Mora 3B	2	0	2	1	Larkin ss	1	1	1	0
Btsta pr-3b	1	0	1	1	Olmdo pr-ss	3	0	1	1
Leon ph	1	0	0	0	Casey dh	3	1	2	1
Tejada ss	3	0	1	0	Wilson pr-dh	2	0	0	0
LLopez ss	1	0	1	0	Kearns rf	3	0	1	0
Fahey ph	1	0	0	0	Hill ph-rf	1	0	1	0
Palmeiro 1b	2	0	0	0	Dunn lf	2	0	0	1
Surhoff 1b	1	0	1	0	Beattie 2b	2	0	1	0
Mendez ph	1	0	0	0	LaRue c	2	0	0	0
JLopez c	2	0	1	0	Miller c	1	0	0	0
Osik c	2	0	0	0	Freel 3b-cf	5	1	2	0
Gibbons rf	2	0	0	0	Valentin 1b	4	0	1	0
Cust rf	1	0	1	0	Pena cf-lf	4	1	0	0
Segui dh	4	0	1	0
Bigbie lf	2	0	1	0
McDonald lf	2	0	0	0
Matos cf	2	1	0	0
Majewski cf	2	0	1	0
Totals	37	3	13	3	Totals	37	5	11	3

Baltimore	002	000	100-3
Cincinnati	200	300	00x-5

E-Tejada, Palmeiro. DP-Cincinnati 3. LOB-Baltimore 10, Cincinnati 14. 2B-Roberts, Hammond, Mora, Bautista, Beattie, Freel. 3B-Bigbie. SB-Jimenez.

	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO
Baltimore
Riley	3	2	2	1	3	4
Ormand L, 0-1	1 2-3	6	3	2	0	1
Rodriguez	1 1-3	1	0	0	1	1
Rakers	1	0	0	0	1	1
Cubillan	1	2	0	0	0	2
Cincinnati
Acevedo W, 3-0	4	6	2	1	1	0
Wagner	1	0	0	0	1	1
Norton	1	0	0	0	0	3
Reith	1	4	1	1	0	1
Jones	1	3	0	0	0	0
Graves S,2	1	0	0	0	0	0

HBP-by Ormand (Miller, Cork). PB-Lopez.

T-3:01. A-6,486.