Homer Bailey Getting Work In Amir Garrett Looking to Push For Starter Job

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Homer Bailey allowed two home runs in his three innings of work against the San Francisco Giants on Friday but Amir Garrett, led a dominate performance by the bullpen to allow the Reds to come back for a 3-2 win.

Kyle Jensen and Steve Duggar hit home runs off Bailey to take a 2-0 lead.  That's all the Giants had to show for the afternoon.

"I got by three innings in. I'm disappointed in the walk," Bailey said.  "The homers are going to happen, on one of them I think I was asking for new ball before he even hit it,  they happen in the regular season.  I pitch what the catcher puts down. I'm not trying to be fancy and hit corners. I'm trying to make the defense work."

Garrett pitched three hitless innings and struck out the first six batters he faced.

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For Garrett is was more than getting work in.  It was about showing he is still the top of the rotation pitcher they thought he was out of spring training last year.

“I’m on a mission right now. Nobody’s going to stop that,” Garrett said after his performance, in which he struck out the first six batters in the game to go with striking out the last two in his other appearance.

“I’m going out there every outing to prove something,” Garrett said.  “I want to earn back what was mine.  I’m out there having fun but handling business as well.”

Garrett, to borrow a phrase from Frank Sinatra, was riding high in April, shot down in May. His first three outings including his Major League debut on April 7.  He pitched six scoreless innings against the St. Louis Cardinals, giving up two hits.  Garrett had five quality appearances in six starts before two really bad outings.

The Reds optioned Garrett to Louisville on May 7.  The Reds called him back up on May 18 and the made starts against the Cubs on May 18 and the Indians on May 23.  He was 0-1 with a 13.00 ERA.  Garrett landed on the disabled list with inflammation in his right hip.  He made three starts after returning and was optioned to Louisville until their season ended.

The game wasn’t fun for Garrett after April.

“That’s on thing I lost last year,” Garrett said.  “I wasn’t having fun that much.  When I go out there and have fun and don’t think, good things happen.  When I go out there and try to be too serious, things don’t go well.  It’s a different mentality for me. Ever since I played basketball my freshman year (St. John’s University), I like to joke around, that’s me.  I can’t come in here, not talk to anybody, put my headphones on, that’s just not my thing. I’m locked in but just in my own way.”

Joking around and being himself hasn’t stopped Garrett from honing his craft.
“My slider has been really good.  I’m working on stuff still, location of pitches.  As you can see it’s working better for me,” Garrett said.  “I’m changing grips on some stuff and able to get guys out.”

The work and more importantly the results from the work, has Garrett pushing Michael Lorenzen, Tyler Mahle, Robert Stephenson and Sal Romano for that last prize in the Reds’ rotation.

“His arm slot is where it needs to be.  It’s repeatable. He’s throwing three quality pitches at this point in time,” Price said..  “Early in this part of the season to be this sharp, has put him out in front of the pack.”

Raisell Iglesias, Kevin Schakelford and Zach Weiss, who was impressive before an injury sidelined him last season.

The Reds scored two runs in the sixth long after Madison Bumgarner pitched three innings, allowing nothing and striking out four.

The Reds scored two runs off Roberto Gomez.  Jose Peraza walked and scored on a double by Jesse Winker, who in turn scored on a single by Devin Mesoraco.

Phillip Ervin singled in Darnell Sweeney with the winning run.  Sweeney hit a ground rule double with two outs in the ninth.

Weiss nailed down the win.