Mike McDade powers new-look Tribe over Reds in Cactus League opener

Goodyear, AZ, United States (4E Sports) – Mike McDade hammered a walk-off, three-run double to carry the new-look Cleveland Indians to an 11-10 victory over the Cincinnati Reds Friday in the Cactus League at Goodyear Ballpark.

McDade delivered the game-winning bases-loaded hit against Reds pitcher Drew Hayes to give Terry Francona his first pre-season win as Indians skipper.

“I just don’t know if everybody knew it was a walk-off,” Francona said after the victory. “Everybody was kind of looking around. Nobody knew how to act. Yeah, today was good. [The starters] got three innings just like we wanted. Everybody got an at-bat or two to kind of shake off the rust a little bit.”

“You add little pieces here or there, man, and the team gets excited, and we pop out seven runs in the first three innings in the first game,” said new acquisition Nick Swisher, who signed a four-year contract worth $56 million in the offseason.

The Reds scored five runs off starter Giovani Sotto in the first inning before Swisher, Michael Brantley and Carlos Santana got the Indians’ offense going by hitting RBI singles to trim the gap to 5-3.

Asdrubal Cabrera hit a RBI groundout in the second while Santana brought Brantley home with a single to tie the game at 5-5 in the bottom part third frame.

Then, Lonnie Chisenhall hit a two-run shot to put Cleveland ahead, 7-5, but Miguel Olivo hit a run-scoring single and Jack Hannahan added an RBI groundout as the Red tied the count at seven.

The Reds wrapped up the fifth inning with an RBI single from Cesar Izturis and a two-run shot from Devin Mesoraco to take a 10-7 lead.

In the seventh, the Indians trimmed the gap to 10-8 behind a solo shot by Ryan Raburn before McDade completed the comeback with a three-run double.

Frank Herrman (1-0) got the win after pitching a scoreless ninth while Carlos Contreras (0-1) suffered the loss.

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