Spring Training Recap: Reds 3, White Sox 2 — Early bombs, late drama, and a ninth-inning push that came up short

The Cincinnati Reds did their damage early, the Chicago White Sox spent most of the afternoon chasing it, and the ninth inning delivered just enough drama to make everyone lean forward. When it was over, Cincinnati held on for a 3–2 win that moved the Reds to 2–2 in Cactus League play and dropped the White Sox to 4–2.

The game in one line: Cincinnati struck first (and loud), Chicago answered in pieces

Cincinnati’s scoring came in two bursts: Sal Stewart’s solo shot in the second and JJ Bleday’s two-run blast in the third. Chicago countered with Colson Montgomery’s solo homer in the fourth and one more run in the ninth, but the White Sox never found the one big hit earlier—finishing 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position and leaving six on base.

First inning: Lodolo sets the tone

The bottom of the first belonged to Reds starter Nick Lodolo, who struck out Chase Meidroth, Munetaka Murakami, and Miguel Vargas in order. Lodolo’s outing stayed clean overall—2 scoreless innings with four strikeouts—and it set a tone Chicago spent most of the day trying to crack.

White Sox starter Davis Martin matched him in the top half, inducing three quick outs to keep it scoreless.

Key moment: Sal Stewart goes 440 feet (2nd inning)

Cincinnati broke through in the top of the second, and it took one pitch. Sal Stewart led off the inning by hammering a first-pitch fastball for a 440-foot solo home run to center, making it 1–0.

The Reds had a chance to add on when Nathaniel Lowe walked and moved to second on a wild pitch, but Martin limited the damage and kept it a one-run game.

Chicago threatened immediately in the bottom of the second: Luis Acuña reached on an infield single, then Andrew Benintendi singled to right to put runners on the corners. The White Sox couldn’t cash in—Jarred Kelenic struck out swinging and Korey Lee grounded out to end the inning.

The swing of the day: Bleday’s 464-foot blast (3rd inning)

Chicago went to the bullpen in the third, with Jordan Hicks taking over—and Cincinnati pounced.

Héctor Rodríguez singled to left, moved up on a groundout, and then JJ Bleday unloaded on a pitch and sent it 464 feet to right for a two-run homer. It was the loudest swing of the day—and one of the longest shots of the spring—pushing the Reds in front 3–0.

Bottom of the third: A pickoff wipes away a baserunner

Chicago put a runner on when Murakami singled, but he was picked off first base, snuffing out the inning before it could build.

Fourth inning: Montgomery answers, but Chicago still can’t stack offense

The White Sox finally got on the board in the bottom of the fourth against Lyon Richardson. After a flyout, Colson Montgomery drove a pitch to right-center for a 421-foot solo home run, cutting it to 3–1.

Acuña followed with a single and later stole second, but Chicago couldn’t turn that into another run.

Middle innings: Bullpens take over, and openings vanish

From the fifth through the eighth, the game tightened into a bullpen-and-defense grind.

For Chicago, Jonathan Cannon delivered a key stretch that kept the White Sox within striking distance while Cincinnati’s offense went quiet after the third. The Reds managed only scattered baserunners and never found an insurance run.

Chicago had a small opening in the sixth when Vargas reached on a fielding error by the Reds’ shortstop, but it was erased quickly by a double play—another inning that ended with nothing to show.

Eighth inning: Gilbert strands a runner at third

Cincinnati nearly tacked on a crucial run in the top of the eighth against Tanner Gilbert. Leonardo Balcazar singled, then moved to third on a wild pitch, putting the Reds 90 feet from making it a three-run game again.

Gilbert responded with his best sequence of the day, striking out the next three batters—Tyler Callihan, Cam Collier, and Rece Hinds—to escape the inning and keep it 3–1.

Ninth inning: Chicago makes it tense, but Garcia closes it out

Chicago’s final push started with Nick Antonacci singling to right and advancing to second, putting the tying run in scoring position right away. After Antonacci moved to third with one out, Dustin Harris ripped a double to center to score him and cut it to 3–2.

But Reds reliever J. Garcia slammed the door with strikeouts of Kelenic and Josh Breaux, ending the game with the tying run left in scoring position.

What decided it

• Lodolo’s strong two-inning tune-up(four strikeouts) set the tone early.

• Stewart’s first-pitch leadoff homerput Cincinnati in front.

• Bleday’s 464-foot two-run blastcreated the margin that held up.

• Chicago’s missed chance in the 2nd (runners on the corners) and overall 1-for-9 RISP day kept the comeback from arriving sooner.

• Gilbert’s three-strikeout escape in the eighth prevented Cincinnati from adding insurance.

• The White Sox finally broke through in the ninth, but Garcia’s late strikeouts finished the job.

Final takeaway

In a classic early-spring, low-scoring test, Cincinnati’s two monster swings—and Lodolo’s sharp debut—were enough to edge a White Sox club that kept pressing until the final outs. The rally came, the tying run got close, but the Reds’ early power held up for a 3–2 win.

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