DUNEDIN, Fla. -- Johnny Cueto was back on the mound Sunday, albeit in a completely different situation.
Cueto pitched four solid innings in the Cincinnati Reds' 5-4 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays, allowing just one run and four hits. He struck out two and walked one.
It was Cueto's first start since he pitched 4 2/3 shutout innings in the Dominican Republic's only win in the World Baseball Classic. The 23-year-old right-hander said he was "a lot more relaxed. I felt there was a lot of pressure to win (in the WBC). There were a lot of people from the Dominican there."
Brad Mills walked five in four innings for Toronto, allowing two runs and four hits. The left-hander issued three walks in the Reds' two-run fourth, when he threw 28 of his 74 pitches.
"I was kind of fighting it all day," Mills said. "It could've been a lot worse but it was kind of ugly out there."
Curtis Thigpen homered off Carlos Fisher in the 10th inning to give the Blue Jays the win.
Jose Bautista went 3-for-3 and Jason Lane connected for Toronto, which finished with 13 hits.
Notes
The Blue Jays returned LHPs Mike Maroth, Brett Cecil and Ken Takahashi, OF Adam Loewen and INF Brian Dopirak to their minor league camp. Maroth can opt for free agency instead of accepting the assignment. ... Toronto's Dirk Hayhurst allowed one hit struck out the side in the fifth. He has fanned 12 batters in seven scoreless innings without issuing a walk.
