Brandon Williamson made his second pitching appearance of the season for the Cincinnati Reds Wednesday in a Cactus League game the Reds eventually won 10-9 in Peoria, Ariz.
The Martin County West graduate got through 1 ⅔ innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on two hits, walking two and striking out one. A high pitch count prevented him from finishing a scheduled second inning.
“Today, I had to work a little bit more,” Williamson told the Cincinnati Enquirer. “I felt fine, but I fell behind in some counts. My arm felt good. I just got in bad counts. It was a sheer execution of throwing the pitch where I wanted it to.”
Williamson added that he felt like he didn't use his fastball enough.
The left-hander is in what appears to be a seven-man competition for the final two spots in Cincinnati’s rotation.
Williamson’s spring training has mostly been a success so far. He added velocity to his fastball and is showing positive results from a new routine he developed to strengthen his left shoulder.
“He had to work harder than he’d like to see,” manager David Bell said. “He still showed good stuff. We’re going to need everybody. Brandon is absolutely in the mix to help our team.”