The Cleveland Indians used three doubles to blow up a 2-2 tie in a seven-run sixth inning to hang the 10th loss of the season on Homer Bailey in a 10-3 rout. They have now split the first four games with two remaining.
The Indians pummeled the Reds, 19-4 in their last meeting before the All-Star break, although the Reds took the first two games of that series.
Tucker Barnhart hit a video reviewed home run off Mike Clevinger in the second inning. Barnhart's eighth home run was confirmed after a brief review showed in glanced off the top of the fence and went into the stands. A fan tried to make a catch but missed the ball.
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Bailey, who is 1-9 on the season coming into the game, surrendered Jose Ramirez' 35th home run the second of three two out hits in the third inning to give the Indians a 2-1 lead.The Reds are 1-15 in Bailey's starts. His lone win came in a five inning, 10-hit outing three months ago on May 12 against the Los Angeles. Bailey has given up seven or more hits in 10 starts and 10 or more in five of them coming into the game against Cleveland.
The Reds loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the third but third base umpire, Chad Whitson, ruled that Mason Williams went too far on a two-strike pitch.
The Reds survived a hit, an error, a strange balk and a walk. Bailey induced and inning ending ground out from Michael Brantley in the fourth inning.
The Reds loaded the bases again in the fourth inning with a leadoff single by Phillip Ervin and a pair of two-out walks to Jose Peraza and Joey Votto, bringing the second leading run producer in the National League, Eugenio Suarez. Suarez was one behind the League leader Javier Baez with 88 RBI. Clevinger escaped with a one hop comebacker that he dived to snare.
"We had our chances. Clevinger made the necessary pitches when he had to get out of trouble. It was closer than it looked but its a loss non the less," Jim Riggleman said.
Scooter Gennett's 18th home run of the season off Clevinger tied the game, leading off the Red's half of the fifth inning.
Yandy Diaz hit a pinch hit double, the 10th hit off Bailey to give the Indians their second lead of the game. Greg Allen singled with one out and stole second. Diaz after staying alive on a foul tip, doubled to the wall in left center. The blow ended the night for Bailey, who gave way to Amir Garrett. The Reds walked Francisco Lindor and Michael Brantley greeted Garrett with a double. Ramirez was intentionally passed to load the bases. Garrett struck out former Reds' number one pick Yonder Alonso with a 3-2 pitch but Melky Cabrera laced a two-run single up the middle. Jason Kipnis doubled over the head of Williams for two more runs. Yan Gomes beat Garrett with a solid single to left, scoring Kipnis to cap the seven-run inning.
"I thought Homer battled through a lot of adversity," Riggleman said. "We made him throw a lot of extra pitches. It is too bad he got charged with some extra runs there. He threw the ball good."
Ramirez drove in his third run of the game with with a single in the seventh inning to go with his 35th home run which is second in the American League
"The last inning really got me. The ball came out of my hand bad," Bailey said. "The 3-2 counts the home run. I had him swinging over the top of that pitch early in the at bat. How he kept the ball fair, I don't know. It's a little short down the line but he's having a great season. When you're having a season like that those things happen."
Andrew Miller and Oliver Perez, who was cut by the Reds this spring, pitched in relief of Clevinger.
Curt Casali hit his third home run of the season against Neil Ramirez in the eighth.
The Reds pulled a novelty move in the ninth inning. Brandon Dixon became the fourth Reds' position player to pitch. Michael Lorenzen a pitcher was used in right field. Previously the Reds have used Ervin, Cliff Pennington and Alex Blandino on the mound.
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Riggleman didn't want to use Hughes, Hernandez or Iglesias in a blow out game.
"I did not want to use them," Riggleman said. "Lorenzen threw yesterday. He could have thrown today but that might have made him questionable for tomorrow. Wandy (Peralta) and Amir (Garrett) threw enough pitches that they would be available tomorrow. I could have let Reed go two but he wouldn't have been available for tomorrow. If it had been 10-5, I would have used Lorenzen but when it stayed 10-3, we made that decision."
Lorenzen singled in his at bat in the ninth. Riggleman didn't think it was worth getting Billy Hamilton warmed up in a 10-3 game so Lorenzen was placed in right to finish the game. Nothing was hit to him.
"I'd rather just give Billy the day off Riggleman said.
The Reds position players have combined for 1 1/3 innings and allowed one run on two hits, while striking out four. They have a 2.70 ERA which would be fourth lowest on the team after Jared Hughes, David Hernandez and Raisel Iglesias.
"The last time I pitched was probably my freshman year in high school," Dixon said. "It was fun. They came up to me in the eighth and told me it was a possibility. After I hit in the eighth, the told me I would pitch. I threw as slow as I could, cutters and trying to get over the plate. You don't want that to happen. You don't want a big leagues game to get out of hand like that but to go in the moment. It was a pretty cool experience. I wasn't sure what I was going to do. I just wanted to throw some strikes."
Dixon wasn't facing substitutes at the tail end of a game. He was facing Lindor, who has 29 home runs. Brantley hitting .300 with 13 home runs and Ramirez hitting .301 with 35 home runs.
"I just tried to drop down and throw it a little slower to Ramirez," Dixon said. "I know I had two strikes. He swung pretty hard. It was pretty cool."
The Reds scored runs at a very high rate until the All-Star break. Now runs have become hard to come by.
"It's been tough to put together a lot of offense lately. Sometimes it is hard to tell whether it's pitching or a slump. Everybody in baseball has injuries. Everybody goes through it but a couple guys that compliment our lineup nicely have been down."
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