News
Bailey, Cordero falter, Reds fall in extras
Starter loses four-run lead, closer gives up three in 10th
By Mark Sheldon / MLB.com
08/18/09 11:56 PM ET
CINCINNATI -- For five innings at Great American Ball Park on Tuesday night, the cat chased the dog, paper beat scissors and the Reds had their way with super ace Tim Lincecum. By the time the evening was over, it was Cincinnati that was turned back upside down for its fourth-straight loss in an 8-5 defeat to the Giants in 10 innings. And it was another night in the education of Reds starter Homer Bailey, who couldn't hold a four-run lead by getting one final out in the sixth inning. "It's part of the learning process, definitely," Reds manager Dusty Baker said. The Reds came into the night ranked 30th out of 30 Major League teams with a .241 team batting average. They faced Lincecum, the 2008 National League Cy Young Award winner who entered leading with the Majors with a 2.19 ERA this season. The Giants pitching staff ERA of 3.49 was also tops in the league. Yet it was the Reds that stormed out to a 5-1 lead through five innings. That included a four-run, nine-batter bottom of the second inning off of Lincecum, which tied for the most runs he's allowed in a game all season. He had allowed just four runs over his previous 33 2/3 innings. As the second inning gathered momentum for the Reds, Lincecum intentionally walked Ryan Hanigan to load the bases and face eight-hole hitter Paul Janish. It backfired when he walked Janish on four pitches to force in a run for Janish's fourth RBI of the season. Bailey followed with a two-run single that landed barely inside the right-field foul line and made it 4-0. Lincecum and Giants manager Bruce Bochy disputed the ruling and Bochy was ejected while arguing. "I didn't feel like I had my rhythm, I didn't feel like I had my stuff, I didn't feel like myself," Lincecum said. "It was pretty terrible. I put them in a lot of favorable hitter's counts, even the pitcher, for God's sake." Joey Votto made it a 5-1 game after five innings with his homer against Lincecum. It was Votto's 18th homer of the season, which tied him for the team lead. "We scored five off of Lincecum, which is rare," Baker said. "He didn't have his best stuff tonight. I've never seen him walk in a run like that. His velocity was down some too. It was 89-90 mph and most of the time it's 93-96." San Francisco reciprocated with its own four-run, nine-batter inning in the sixth and chased Bailey. All of the runs scored with two outs. Trouble started with a two-out walk to Bengie Molina. "That inning, I was missing everything by a few inches," Bailey said. "I don't know what to tell you. I was missing spots." With the bases loaded, Randy Winn hit a two-run double into the right-field corner. On a 1-2 count, Ryan Garko followed by slugging a fastball left up and over the plate for the game-tying two-run single that made it 5-5. After Aaron Rowand walked, Bailey was pulled. Baker admitted could have lifted his pitcher earlier than he did. "He's in a process where you can't, or don't want to, rescue him all the time," Baker said. "Because then they never learn. It's a tough way to learn your lessons. Hopefully, he will be better for it." Bailey left after 5 2/3 innings, allowing five runs on seven hits and three walks, striking out four.Bailey was coming off of a start vs. the Cardinals in which he lasted only three batters because he was nailed in the left foot by a first-inning Albert Pujols line drive. Although he had nasty bone bruise from the incident, Bailey said it played no role in Tuesday's game. The heat and humidity was another story.
"I felt like I was underwater out there," said Bailey, who is 2-4 with a 7.53 ERA and without a victory since July 27. "I don't know if it was the fact that in the game against St. Louis, I threw only 12 pitches, I just felt quirky-off. I was saying it even in the bullpen. I didn't feel hot. Things were off just by a minute amount and I couldn't figure out what I was doing wrong. No one had any suggestions, including myself." The Giants' bullpen could do no wrong and retired 12 of 13 batters over the final four scoreless innings. Meanwhile, Reds closer Francisco Cordero, who is often lights out in save situations, has been vulnerable in non-save moments like Tuesday. Called in to begin the 10th, Cordero (1-3) gave up a leadoff single to Pablo Sandoval and a one-out walk to Winn. Garko followed by ripping a double to the wall in left-center field that scored both runners. Juan Uribe added a sacrifice fly. Cordero was not in a chatty mood at his locker afterwards. "No, put whatever you put in St. Louis and San Francisco when I got the save," Cordero said. "Put that in there, too." It had been Cordero's first game action since Friday vs. the Nationals, which was the last time the Reds won a game. "In Coco's defense, we haven't needed to use him much lately so he hasn't been out there at all," Baker said. "He's been great for us the whole year."Mark Sheldon is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
