"The first three innings that Aaron Harang pitched this spring were perfect. Nine hitters faced, nine hitters retired.

So when Cincinnati first baseman Yonder Alonso opened the second inning Wednesday afternoon with a single, Harang went to work from the stretch for the first time.

The results were not good. The Reds got five straight hits — and could have had seven straight — as they scored five runs in the second and two more in the third.

That Harang was also facing his old club only made the day worse.

"You always want to do well against your old team," said Harang. "They came out swinging. They know my history. They knew I was going to throw strikes.""