"Homer threw the ball great," Dusty Baker said. "That's the best game he's thrown all
year, that one curve ball he hung to Victorino. He struck him out
with one before that. It hung up over the middle of the plate and
that's what you're supposed to do with them. He made great pitches
all night."
Victorino's 15th home run snapped a 1-1 tie in the eighth inning.
Both firstbasemen were very lonely until the fourth inning.
Chase Utely was awarded a hit on a play that Brandon Phillips makes on most nights.
Cole Hamels was cruising too.
Phillips lofted a fly ball to deep right. It looked routine but Hunter Pence slipped and fell as the ball landed safely with Phillips motoring to third for a tainted triple. Even then Hamels was stingy. He struck out Dave Sappelt. He won a moral victory, getting Joey Votto to ground out to Utley at secondbase. Phillips scored.
Pence regained his feet and singled off Bailey to lead off the top of the fifth. John Mayberry forced Pence and barely beat a relay by Edgar Renteria to a covering Bailey at first. Carlos Ruiz singled to move Mayberry to third. Valdez hit a fly to left that Sappelt appeared to misplay. The ball hit in front of him and got past him. Mayberry scored and it put runners on second and third with one out. Bailey pitched out of it striking out Hamels, then Victorino with a curveball. A Curveball.
Hamels returning to the rotation after being activated from the disabled list right before the game, was on a pitch count. He exited after the sixth, allowing just two hits, one legitimate hit. He struck out seven in picking up his 14th win.
Bailey retired seven in a row after the Valdez double until Valdez singled to start the eighth.
After pinch hitter Michael Martinez fouled out to Votto at first, Victorino hit the game winning shot.
"We threw the ball pretty well," Bailey said. "The one that Victorino hit was one we
both agreed on. It was a little up but he's a good hitter. You just
have to tip your hat in a situation like that. We struck him out on a
curve ball before. We thought he'd be looking for a fastball in. We
were trying to in on him all night. We tried to get ahead with a
curveball. I guess great minds think alike but he hit it out."
both agreed on. It was a little up but he's a good hitter. You just
have to tip your hat in a situation like that. We struck him out on a
curve ball before. We thought he'd be looking for a fastball in. We
were trying to in on him all night. We tried to get ahead with a
curveball. I guess great minds think alike but he hit it out."
The Reds fought back.
Ryan Hanigan got his second hit of the game one out into the eighth against Michael Stutes. Pinch hitter Fred Lewis struck out but Phillips singled on a 3-2 pitch that allowed Hanigan to take third. Sappelt singled hard off Valdez glove to score Hanigan and put Phillips on third. Votto grounded to second to end the inning.
The Reds had another chance in the ninth against closer Ryan Madson.
Jay Bruce singled to lead off. Alonso struck out for the third time. Drew Stubbs forced Bruce but beat the relay to extend the game. Stubbs stole his 35th base of the season while Renteria got ahead in the count, 2-0. Madson made a great pitch that got Renteria out in front as he topped the ball to Ryan Howard at first.
Alonso's first major league start at thirdbase was uneventful. He had no chances at third.
"He didn't get a play. I didn't think he'd get much action with
Homer. He's not one that guys pull on," Baker said.
Homer. He's not one that guys pull on," Baker said.
Alonso wanted a play even when the Reds shifted him to short with Howard batting.
"I was ready. It is what it is. It was a good day defensively. But
unfortunately, we didn't get the win and I didn't do a good job of
hitting. I was missing a couple of pitches. I missed about three or
four pitches today. That's what you get when you're facing guys like
this. They give you maybe one. Maybe."
"You've been working so you're hoping for a ground ball. They way
Homer pitched. One mistake and it sucks."
"I go from left field to thirdbase to shortstop when Howard was up.
That was pretty funny. I was really hoping for a ground ball there."
unfortunately, we didn't get the win and I didn't do a good job of
hitting. I was missing a couple of pitches. I missed about three or
four pitches today. That's what you get when you're facing guys like
this. They give you maybe one. Maybe."
"You've been working so you're hoping for a ground ball. They way
Homer pitched. One mistake and it sucks."
"I go from left field to thirdbase to shortstop when Howard was up.
That was pretty funny. I was really hoping for a ground ball there."
You’ve heard, I’m sure, about our famous no hit pool. Well, tonight there were two of them. Reds starter Homer Bailey held the Phillies hitless into the fourth inning, and Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels did likewise to the Reds. Fellow blogster Gary Schatz distributed the playing cards for both. He of course, keeps one for himself. So when Chase Utley of the Phillies got a cheap infield hit to break up Bailey’s gem, guess who won the pool. Schatz! Smell a fix? You betcha! And there’s more to come. Brandon Phillips lifted a fly to the wall in right. Just an ordinary fly ball. Phils right fielder Hunter Pence overran the ball, and missed it. An obvious error? Nope! Official scorer Mike Cameron ruled a triple. Who wins again? Schatz! This is a fix! If the call happens to be changed, which it should be, Schatz will have to return the pool money. Except, he collected the cards and has no record of who had what. What’s Schatz do? He goes into the scorer’s booth and tells Cameron not to change it. I am calling Bud Selig tomorrow. Schatz may be getting a lifetime suspension.
ReplyDeleteGary is a friend, and he has denied this. But it’s not for me to decide the punishment. When John Dowd completes his investigation, the commissioner will decide. Knowing Pete Rose isn’t going to help Schatz.