Reserve infielder Kris Negron is making a name for himself this spring.
Negron hit a two-run single with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth inning Saturday, helping the Cincinnati Reds overcome four homers by two Chicago Cubs' players for a 9-8 victory Saturday in a game between split-squads.
Negron is hitting .545 (6 for 11) this spring.
"I was actually just trying to stay relaxed," Negron said. "My previous at-bat we had a runner in scoring position and I ended up flying out trying to do too much. This time, bases are loaded; (I was) just trying to stay short and see the ball, instead of committing to it too early, and hit it hard somewhere."
Starlin Castro and Scott Moore each hit two home runs for the Cubs. Castro's second two-run homer -- which barely cleared the center-field fence near the 433-foot sign at Cashman Field -- gave the Cubs a 6-5 lead.
The Cubs took an 8-5 lead in the seventh on Tyler Colvin's RBI single and Luis Montanez's sacrifice fly.
The Reds trimmed the Cubs' lead to 8-7 in the seventh on Danny Dorn's solo homer and Chris McMurray's RBI single.
Moore and Colvin led the Cubs with four hits apiece while Castro was next with three hits. Zack Cozart topped the Reds with three hits.
Castro's first homer and Moore's solo shot -- both over the left-field fence -- gave the Cubs a 3-0 lead in the first inning.
The Reds got a run in the first on Juan Francisco's RBI single and three more in the second for a 4-3 lead on Cozart's two-run double and Joey Votto's RBI single.
Moore's second solo homer tied the score for the Cubs 4-all in the fourth. Dorn's RBI double gave the Reds a 5-4 lead in the bottom half.
"I came on this trip last year and the ball seemed to fly pretty well," Negron said. "I found out the ball flies here (because) everybody (sees) it well. But we played hard and pulled out the win at the end. "We all know it is spring training games, but we all like to compete and we all love to win," he added. "And whatever we can do to help the big league team get ready; (for example) come in late and pull out wins for the team. It's always fun to go out there and compete and win."
Updated March 12, 2011
