"I like hanging Pirates. It's fun." Reds win, 4-3.

Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game

Homer Bailey.  If there's one thing that we as Reds fans could look forward to after a terrible road trip, it was Homer Bailey facing the Pirates, a team he has dominated like none other in his career.  And our boy delivered.  He pitched seven innings, struck out nine, walked none, and gave up only five hits.  One of those hits was a home run that somehow snuck over the wall for the only run Homer allowed.  Honorable mentions go to Jose Tabata, Chan Ho Park, and Jonny Gomes.

Key Plays

• Homer Bailey's only mistake came with one out in the third inning.  He hung a curveball to Chris Snyder, who was able to flick it out over the left field fence with a one handed swing.  Pirates lead, 1-0.
• The Reds quickly made up that deficit by batting around in the bottom of the third.  With one out, Chris Heisey was hit by a pitch.  Joey Votto struck out, one of three times he did in the game, but Scott Rolen doubled.  It was enough to score Heisey.  Jonny Gomes drew a walk, and Drew Stubbs singled.  Rolen scored and the Reds had the lead.  Paul Janish hit a soft single to bring in Gomes.  Paul Maholm intentionally walked Ryan Hanigan to load the bases, but Homer Bailey struck out swinging.  Reds lead, 3-1.
• That score would hold up until the ninth inning.  Francisco Cordero came in, making his first appearance since Sept. 4.  Right away, Andrew McCutchen singled, and then stole second base when Cordero made no effort to hold him.  It's one thing to ignore the runner if you can focus on the batter and get him out, but Jose Tabata singled, and McCutchen was able to cruise home.  Then Neil Walker singled to put runners on first and second - the go-ahead run on the bases.  Cordero again paid no attention to the runners, and Tabata stole third base.  When Pedro Alvarez hit a soft liner to left field, Tabata was able to easily score instead of only making it to third.  With the game tied, Dusty brought in Arthur Rhodes.  The Colossus induced two fly balls to right field to end the inning.
• Outside of the third inning, the Reds offense struggled all game.  Finally in the twelfth inning, they were able to get something going.  Chris Heisey led off the inning with a dandy bunt down the third base line, and Joey Votto was hit by a pitch for the second time in the game, this time by Wilfredo Ledezma.  Joel Hanrahan came into the game, and Scott Rolen ripped a single to left field.  Normal third base coach Mark Berry had missed the game, and Chris Speier held Heisey at third base.  It was the correct call, as Jose Tabata's throw was perfect and would have nailed the runner at the plate.  Instead, Jonny Gomes hit a grounder to shortstop, but Chris Snyder couldn't handle the throw home.  Heisey scored, and the Reds won for the first time in six games.  Reds win, 4-3.

via www.fangraphs.com

Other Notes

• The Reds struck out 15 times tonight, including three by Joey Votto and three by Drew Stubbs.  Stubbs set a new team record with 147 strikeouts, the most in a season by a Reds right-handed batter.
• Homer Bailey also set a career high for strikeouts, fanning 9 batters in one game.
• The Reds won their 80th game, the first time they've won that many since 2006.
• The Reds are 19-6 in their last 25 games against the Pirates.  That includes a three game sweep the Pirates had against them in April.
• With the Braves beating the Cardinals, the Reds climbed back to a six game lead in the NL Central, finally capitalizing on St. Louis's own inneptness.  Their magic number is now 17.