Rays 2 - 1 Reds
Final
  for this game

Price pitches gem as Rays hold on

Apr 12, 2014 - 5:52 AM Cincinnati, OH (SportsNetwork.com) - David Price tossed a gem as the Tampa Bay Rays survived a ninth-inning rally to beat Cincinnati Reds, 2-1, in the opener of a three-game interleague series at Great American Ball Park.

Price (2-0) kept the Reds off the board until Joey Votto hit an opposite-field home run to left with one out in the ninth.

The blast ended Price's outing at 114 pitches and brought in closer Grant Balfour, who made things interesting by walking the bases loaded with two outs before getting pinch-hitter Brayan Pena looking at strike three to end the game.

Price allowed four hits, walked one and struck out 10 in just the Rays' second win in 10 all-time meetings against Cincinnati. Balfour earned his third save.

"I never had a doubt. Balfour is really good, we got him for a reason," Price said.

Reds starter Johnny Cueto (0-2) gave up two runs on five hits, walked four and fanned six in seven innings.

"Got another great start from Johnny. It's unfortunate that we haven't been able to win those games. He's given us three chances to win," said Cincinnati manager Bryan Price.

Cueto, who remains winless despite a 2.14 ERA, issued consecutive one-out walks in the first inning and the early command problems cost him when Evan Longoria put Tampa Bay on the board with an RBI single.

Matt Joyce made it 2-0 with a 452-foot home run to right field leading off the third.

The Reds wasted leadoff doubles in the third and fourth innings.

Game Notes

Tampa Bay has now won a game in all the current ballparks except for Dodger Stadium ... Brandon Phillips had two of the Reds' four hits ... The Rays were 1-for-9 in scoring position, while Cincinnati was 0-for-6 in such situations.






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