Marquis goes 6 innings for Reds in 6-6 tie with Rangers

SURPRISE, Ariz. (AP) Jason Marquis pitched six effective innings for the Cincinnati Reds, and Ryan Rua drove in four runs for the Texas Rangers as the teams played to a 6-all tie in 10 innings Monday night.

Marquis, who did not pitch in the majors last season after 2013 elbow surgery, allowed two runs and six hits.

''Feeling good and feeling loose throughout six innings was a big step for getting ready for the season,'' Marquis said. ''That was a good sign. I'm just trying to be a little more comfortable out of the stretch. I made pitches when I needed, which is part of the game.''

Devin Mesoraco and Chris Dominguez each hit a two-run homer for the Reds.

Rua had an RBI double in the second inning and a bases-loaded triple in the eighth. He is batting .438 during his five-game hitting streak and leads the Rangers with eight RBIs.

Mesoraco, who led major league catchers with 25 home runs last season, connected off Texas starter Alex Gonzalez with Marlon Byrd aboard. Byrd tripled leading off the fourth.

Dominguez launched a prodigious shot over the Reds' bullpen in the sixth on an 0-2 pitch from Jamey Wright, who failed to retire any of the seven Milwaukee hitters he faced in his previous outing.

This time, Wright gave up singles to Byrd and Todd Frazier to start the sixth before getting an out.

Gonzalez allowed two runs and four hits in five innings. He struck out six.

''I got out of some tough situations,'' Gonzalez said. ''(Pitching coach Mike Maddux) had to tell me again that I'm a groundball pitcher, get the groundball on the first two pitches instead of getting a full count.''

TRAINER'S ROOM

Reds: RHP Homer Bailey, recovering from September surgery to repair his right forearm flexor tendon, will make his Cactus League debut Friday against the Brewers.

Rangers: RF Shin-Soo Choo, who has left triceps soreness, had three hits in five at-bats against Mariners RHP Hisashi Iwakuma as the DH in a minor league game. Choo probably won't play the outfield until next week.

STARTING TIME

Reds: Marquis had allowed just three hits and one run in his first three March outings, but he's had to work more in the past two, giving up 10 hits in 11 innings. ''I was not as crisp as my early outings, but sometime it's a battle and you've got to find a way to get it done,'' Marquis said. ''You don't want to put yourself in a hole too often, but I'm excited the way I feel physically and mentally.''

Rangers: Gonzalez struck out 2010 NL MVP Joey Votto to end the third and fifth, stranding three runners. ''I had two big strikeouts against him,'' Gonzalez said. ''Maddux told me, `He's kind of good, huh?'''

BEIMEL RELEASED

The Rangers signed LHP Joe Beimel on March 6, but Monday he was released after compiling a 33.00 ERA in four relief appearances. In other moves: RHP Spencer Patton and C Tomas Telis were optioned to Triple-A Round Rock; C Jorge Alfaro was optioned to Double-A Frisco; and 3B Joey Gallo, OF Jared Hoying, 1B Kyle Blanks and RHP David Martinez were assigned to minor league camp.

REDS ROSTER MOVES

LHP Jose Mijares, a non-roster invitee who has pitched in the majors with the Twins, Royals and Giants, was released. The Reds optioned C Tucker Barnhart, OF Donald Lutz and INF Eugenio Suarez to Triple-A Louisville. They assigned INF Jose Satin and C Chad Wallach to minor league camp. They also sent INF Neftali Soto to the Chicago White Sox for cash.

UP NEXT

Reds: Cincinnati is off Tuesday before RHP Anthony DeSclafani starts Wednesday against the Rangers.

Rangers: RHP Nick Tepesch starts Tuesday against the Angels.