Frustrating Outing for Homer Bailey and the Reds in 3-1 Loss to Cleveland

The frustration showed as Brandon Phillips angrily threw his bat toward the Reds dugout.

The Reds were left hanging on the basepaths.  Joe Smith from Amelia High School threw his unorthodox sidearm fastball where Phillips couldn't reach it.

"We're not getting the big hit," Dusty Baker said of his team that left a total of 12 runners on.  "We're trying.  We're getting a lot of opportunities.  Our game isn't in sync.  Today it was leaving too many runners, the other day it was starting pitching.  We'll get it together.  We have talent and we have the desire.  We have three months of baseball left.  We just have to keep swinging and giving ourselves chances.  Somebody will get the big hit.

The Reds need a Hal King moment.  On July 1 of 1973 the Reds were in fourth place, two games over .500 and trailing the first place Los Angeles Dodgers by 11 games and Don Sutton in the first game of a doubleheader.  Trailing by three late in the game with the bases loaded and two outs.  Backup catcher Hal King hit a pinch hit grand slam.  That hit put the Reds on a tear.  They won the NL West over the Dodgers.

They did not get one today.

The reason the Reds were in the hole in the first place was just as frustrating.  For the second straight outing, Homer Bailey, could not overcome a fielding glitch. Last Sunday in Baltimore, Joey Votto couldn't locate a routine fly ball in the infield.  Bailey dived for the ball but the runner reached.  Minutes later he gave up a two-run home run to ruin his day.

"I had the bag with my back foot," Janish said.  "The safe call surprised me.  It usually has to be pretty blatant. I looked at the replay on the computer and I couldn't tell from the angle they had."

Umpire Darryl Cousins was not feeling well to start the game.  There were just two base umpires, rather than the usual three.

"I can't say that he wasn't in any worse position to make the call," Janish said.

This time Lou Marson singled to start the third inning.  Indian's starting pitcher, Fausto Carmona, bunted. Thirdbaseman Scott Rolen fielded in time to get Marson but shortstop Paul Janish couldn't handle the throw.  Carmona stumbled over the first base bag and left the game with a strained right quadricep.  Cynical Indians fans may consider that a blessing in disguise.

Michael Brantley awaited his at bat and Bailey waited to pitch as the Indians trainer tended to Carmona.  Josh Tomlin ran for Carmona.  Bailey fell behind in the count to Brantley, then served up a fat pitch.  Brantley lined it out of the playing area for a three-run home run, a bad recurring dream for Bailey.

Bailey wouldn't blame the delay or the call.

"I have to bear down in that situation," Bailey said.  "It was a fastball that didn't get in.  It is just kind of bad luck.  What can you say?"

The slumping Reds did little with the Indians bullpen until late.

Frank Herrmann, who went 11 days without pitching, threw three innings of one-hit, scoreless baseball.
Rafael Perez threw a scoreless inning.

Smith came on in the seventh and got into a jam.  He walked Jonny Gomes.  Pinch hitter, Fred Lewis had an infield single.  Edgar Renteria batting for Bailey singled to right, Gomes held third to load the bases with one out.  Drew Stubbs hit a one hopper to Lonnie Chisenhall at thirdbase, who forced Gomes at the plate.  Smith fanned an angry Phillips.

Even more frustrating for the home team.  Joey Votto hit a home run to straight away center field off Tony Sipp to start the eighth.  Rolen doubled but Jay Bruce struck out.  Gomes walked for the second straight time.

Chad Durbin relieved Sipp.  Ryan Hanigan flied to center.  Pinch hitter Chris Heisey struck out, stranding the tying runs.

Vinnie Pestano, subbing for closer Chris Perez, sprinted out of the bullpen.  Perez is on bereavement leave until Sunday.

Renteria, Stubbs and Phillips awaited.  Phillips hoping for another chance.

Renteria struck out on a 3-2 pitch.  Stubbs walked.  Phillips struck out swinging.  Leaving Votto as the Reds last hope.  Votto singled through the shift to put the tying runs on with Rolen, who doubled in his last two at bats to the plate.  Rolen ended the threat by missing a two strike pitch.

"We're competing very well," Bailey said.  "We're giving ourselves a chance to win. That's all you can do.  It's going to happen.  Hopefully in September.. Anybody who's been through one of these seasons, I know you guys like to jump the gun a little bit but we're only halfway through.  We have a whole half to go. Things can go way in our favor and you guys won't remember this."

Pestano became the only Cleveland pitcher other than Perez to notch a save.

The loss dropped the Reds to 42-42 the first time at the  .500 mark for the first time since they were 30-30.