Bailey Debut Nets a Win

You can’t help but be impressed with Homer Bailey‘s 2011 debut. For short spurts, he did appear to struggle a tad with his control. Very short spurts. Over the 6 innings he worked, Bailey allowed only 4 hits and 1 run. He also added 7 strikeouts while only issuing one walk. Bailey threw 95 pitches with 62 for strikes. The end result was a 10-4 win for the good guys.

You couldn’t ask for anything better from Bailey considering it was his first outing of the season. He was rarely under duress and, for the most part, had good command of all his pitches. It’s one start, but a start the Reds sorely needed to see.

But there was a moment…

Top of the 7th and Logan Ondrusek entered the game. After alternating out-hit-out-hit to the 4 batters he faced, Aroldis Chapman was summoned. And the “fun” began.

Chapman proceeded to walk both Michael Bourn (to load the bases) and Jason Bourgeois (to force in a run). Hunter Pence followed with a two-run single to close the gap to 6-4. Chapman was yanked and Bill Bray (and his rockin’ socks) took care of the 7th inning. Nick Masset was Nick Masset were used to seeing and retired the Astros in order in the 8th with 2 strikeouts…on 95 mph pitches.

The Reds scored 4 in the bottom of the 8th to put the game out of reach. And they didn’t even see Brandon Lyon who coughed up yesterday’s game. He was sent back to Houston with a possible shoulder issue.

The bats were alive for most of the game. Ryan Hanigan had three hits and 3 RBI. Jay Bruce may have got it going with 3 hits (one a HR), and RBI, and scored 3 runs. But here’s what I like seeing: 5-for-10 RISP and only 5 LOB. I will take that…often.

Off to Wrigley Field to play three against the Cubs…and three more day games. FOX Sports Ohio has the games tomorrow and Sunday. Saturday’s game is a FOX national broadcast. I pray for no Joe Buck.

Other Notes:
– To make room for Bailey on the 25-man roster, Jordan Smith was optioned to Louisville.
– Fred Lewis made his bat heard with a pinch-hit HR in the 6th. Despite what you may have seen on Twitter, this was NOT his 1st AB as a Red. He struck out in a PH role yesterday. Lewis may get the start tomorrow with the Cubs sending Matt Garza to the mound. Lewis saw him a time or two last season as a member of the Blue Jays and Garza was on the Tampa Bay Rays roster..
– Don’t know if you saw the Pepto-Bismol commercial with Chapman. It was for Cinco de Mayo. Am I the only one puzzled by this? Cinco de Mayo is celebrated in the US for Mexican heritage and pride. The casting director needs a new job. Anyway, here it is.