Homer Bailey shuts down Rockies in Coors Field, Reds win 8-1

The Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game

An attempt to dig through the mentions, suggestions, assertions, and concrete opinions on the permanent dissolution of Homer Bailey’s professional career would require the type of thorough research that would both blow our budget and our collective psyche. Yes, it is quite factual that he struggled in his first two outings of the 2017 season, a season that marked the third consecutive year of rather constant recovery from an elbow injury that has thus far derailed his career.

We’ve seen Homer Bailey a lot, though. And when he’s right, he can often be as right as there is in the game, as one of just 31 pitchers in MLB history who have thrown multiple no-hitters in their careers. On Tuesday, Homer showed us that there still might be a pile of goodness left in his uber-talented right arm, as he shrugged off an early run scored to fire 6 innings of just that - 1 ER ball.

In all, he fanned 3, walked none, and scattered 8 hits on the night, throwing 99 pitches that suggest he just...just...juuuust might help a Cincinnati rotation down the stretch that could desperately use him. Congrats, Homer, and welcome back to the optimistic fold.

Honorable Mentions are due to: Scott Schebler, who homered as part of a 3 for 4 night (that also included a double); Wandy Peralta, who had a perfect inning of relief (including 2 Ks); Jose Peraza, who went 2 for 4 with a dinger and a pair of runs driven in; Scooter Gennett, who poked a pinch-hit 2-run dinger; and Tucker Barnhart, who walked thrice (!) and scored.

Key Plays

• After Hamilton had singled to leadoff the Top of the 1st, Adam Duvall cranked a double to the wall in right-center to bring the Cincinnati CF around to score and put the Reds ahead early, 1-0.
• Colorado got that run back, however, as Raimel Tapia poked a 1-out single into RF in the Bottom of the 1st, and later scored after back to back singles from Nolan Arenado and Carlos Gonzalez. Game tied, 1-1.
• Schebler’s leadoff double began the Top of the 2nd, and after Tucker Barnhart walked, Homer Bailey bunted his catcher into scoring position. That set the table for Billy, who poked a single into LF that drove both runners in and put Cincinnati ahead, 3-1.
• The Reds played add-on in the Top of the 3rd against Kyle Freeland, adding a run after a trio of singles by Eugenio Suarez, Schebler, and Peraza, the last of which scored the Reds 3B. Reds led, 4-1.
• Cincinnati tacked on a 5th run in the Top of the 6th, when Peraza clubbed his 4th homer of the season down the LF line, a solo shot that put Cincinnati ahead, 5-1.
• Schebler struck again in the Top of the 8th, smacking an Adam Ottavino meatball over the CF wall for a 439 ft solo dinger that put the Reds ahead, 6-1. And just when you thought this particular key play was done, Scooter blasted a 2-run dinger later in the inning after Barnhart had drawn a walk in front of him. Reds led, 8-1.
• After that, the Cincinnati bullpen went full lock-down, and the Reds finished on top, 8-1!

Tony Graphanino

Other Notes

• It’s a week before the All Star break, and Scooter Gennett is slugging .608. Six o’ eight. And the Reds front office claimed him for a song. Please keep this in mind when you choose to gripe about all-things-Reds in the coming weeks.
• Joey Votto went 0 for 5, which I swear might happen no more than three more times the rest of our lives.
• Game three of the series in Denver will take place Wednesday, with first pitch set for 8:40 PM ET. On the mound as starters will be Scott Feldman for the Reds, and he’ll be opposed by resident - and now healthy - ace Jon Gray. And I’ll be there, which has my sugars all sorts of up.
• Tunes.