Reds 9, Red Sox 7

FORT MYERS, Fla. --Aaron Harang made a quick recovery from a shoulder ailment and Edwin Encarnacion hit his sixth home run of the spring as the Cincinnati Reds beat the Boston Red Sox 9-7 Tuesday.

Harang, a candidate to start on opening day, pitched two scoreless innings. He was scratched last Thursday against Pittsburgh because of inflammation in his right shoulder.

Harang was the third Reds starting pitcher to miss time this spring. He said the injury was caused by recent changes in his delivery.

"It was nice just to see him out there on the mound and pitch well," Reds manager Jerry Narron said. "He missed his last start so we only wanted to give him two innings. He did a good job. He threw a little bit in the 'pen after that. He said he felt fine."

Red Sox starter Bronson Arroyo gave up five runs in three innings, leaving him with a 17.55 ERA after three straight poor outings.

The Reds' first five hitters in the game all scored. Felipe Lopez hit a two-run single and Scott Hatteberg had a three-run homer.

"I guess I was missing the location," Arroyo said. "I was taking it as serious, as a real game. I just didn't get it done."

Arroyo settled down after Hatteberg's homer and retired nine of his final 10 batters.

"He doesn't need to change things," Boston manager Terry Francona said. "He just needs to tighten up the breaking ball, start locating his fastball and Bronson will be just fine."

Andy Abad and Brian Buchanan also homered for the Reds. Dustan Mohr and Jeff Bailey homered for the Red Sox in their fourth straight loss.

After Harang left, Boston scored four runs in the third off Michael Gosling on a two-run single by Trot Nixon, an RBI single by Manny Ramirez and a bases-loaded walk to J.T. Snow.

Notes:@ Boston CF Coco Crisp went 2-for-3 and increased his batting average to .455. ... Cincinnati 2B Ryan Freel went 1-for-3 after entering the game with one hit in 27 at-bats.