Reds’ Pitcher Homer Bailey Throws No-Hitter

29 Sep, 2012

Homer Bailey, expected to be on the fringe of the Cincinnati Reds’ playoff rotation, thrust himself into the limelight on Friday night when he pitched a no-hitter against the Pittsburgh Pirates, the first for the franchise since Tom Browning’s perfect game in 1988.

Bailey missed a perfect game in the 1-0 victory only because third baseman Scott Rolen committed a third-inning error that enabled Clint Barmes to reach base, and then Bailey walked Andrew McCutchen in the seventh.

“There is a real fine line there in throwing a no-hitter,” Bailey said. “A bloop can fall in the outfield or an infielder can be in the wrong position and there goes your hit. You have to be extremely fortunate to throw a no-hitter and we had luck on our side tonight.”

Otherwise, Bailey was dominant, striking out 10, and firing first-pitch strikes to 19 of 29 batters faced on a night in which his considerable potential finally came together.

“It’s really surreal. You can’t believe it’s happening,” Bailey said.

Bailey, 26, the seventh overall pick in the 2004 draft, has after years of starts and stops put together a consistent season. Friday night, he won his career-best 13th game, crossed the 200-inning barrier for the first time and lowered his ERA to 3.75.

For all this, Bailey figures to be just the fourth starter in the Reds’ playoff rotation, behind Johnny Cueto, Bronson Arroyo and Mat Latos. The National League Central champions tied the Washington Nationals for the league’s best record and won their 95th game.

Friday, Bailey looked like the Reds’ ace, needing very little from the Reds’ defense as he mowed through a Pirates lineup that featured potential National League batting champion McCutchen batting third.

McCutchen was the only one to earn his way on, walking in the seventh, stealing second, but then getting caught trying to steal third.

Bailey didn’t miss a beat after that. In the ninth, he struck out pinch hitter Brock Holt and got another pinch hitter, Michael McKenry, to pop out to left field. Finally, Alex Presley popped up to second baseman Brandon Phillips, and the celebration was on in Pittsburgh.

“I just backed off and said, make this pitch. Try to get a pop out or a ground ball,” he said.

Bailey joined a fraternity that seems to grow less exclusive by the month: He pitched the seventh no-hitter in the major leagues this season, and the 15th since the start of the 2010 season.

He also became the fourth player among the first dozen picks of the 2004 draft to throw a no-hitter, joining Justin Verlander (picked second overall in ’04), Phil Humber (third) and Jered Weaver (12th).

USA today

Mentioned In This Post: