Welcome Homer, Reds Take Back First 2-0

Homer Bailey returned from a bout with tendinitis to make his first start since May 23, a good one.

Bailey allowed three harmless singles and walked none in his six innings.

Super-sub Miguel Cairo clubbed a two-run home run off Anibal Sanchez in the sixth inning with two outs.  Sanchez walked Jonny Gomes in between strikeouts until Cairo lined one to the seats in leftfield.  Cairo started the game at thirdbase as Scott Rolen rested.

The Reds had five hits off Sanchez the first four came with two outs and no one on.  Cairo's was the exception in that Gomes was aboard.

While the Bailey stifled the Florida Marlins, the Chicago Cubs were kicking the whiny butts of the St. Louis Cardinals in St. Louis.  The Cubs scored six runs off former Red, Kyle Lohse to take an 8-1 lead in the fourth.  Lohse was also returning from an injury.

All of the hits off Bailey were with two outs.  Dan Uggla hit the base of the fence in rightfield with a drive but Jay Bruce held him to a single.

One of the ironies was that Bailey was starting in Johnny Cueto's spot.  Cueto was suspended for seven games for kicking a pair of Cardinals in a fight on Tuesday.   The Reds were not allowed to replace Cueto on the roster.  The team chose to send Juan Francisco to Triple A Louisville to reinstate Bailey.  That move left them short of position players.

To compound the problems for Dusty Baker, who served a two game suspension for his involvement in Tuesday's incident, MVP candidate, Joey Votto was ejected in the first inning.

A called strike irked Votto, who expressed displeasure with the call under his breath.  Home plate umpire, D. J. Reyburn was not in the mood and tossed Votto.  Drew Stubbs completed the at bat and hit a double.

Logan Ondrusek allowed two hits and a walk but no runs.  Nick Masset pitched a scoreless eighth.

Francisco Cordero allowed a leadoff double to Marlins' rookie Mike Stanton to start the ninth.  Cordero got Wes Helms to ground out and fanned Emilio Bonifacio, who robbed Jim Edmonds of a home run in the fourth inning.  Former Red, Cody Ross, who beat Cordero twice in his career with three-run home runs, walked. Donnie Murphy pinch hit as the potential go-ahead run.  He struck out looking to end the drama.