It’s still a little early to be worried about the standings. But when the best team in baseball is a National League Central rival, it certainly doesn’t hurt to put a dent into its sizable lead.
The Reds needed an all-around solid effort Thursday night against the Brewers, and that’s what they got during an 8-3 victory. Homer Bailey pitched a season-high eight innings and received plenty of help with three home runs, including pinch-hitter Brayan Pena’s two-run shot in a five-run eighth.
At 13-15, the Reds improved to 6 1/2 games behind the 20-9 Brewers.
“They’ve picked me up all year so far. I’m just glad I was able to do something for them,” said Bailey, who gave up three runs and eight hits with one walk and four strikeouts.
Bailey retired a stretch of 12 of 13 batters and had a 3-1 lead before two-out trouble came in the seventh. Jean Segura hit a single on the ground into right field before pinch-hitter Rickie Weeks hit a comebacker off of Bailey’s leg for a single. Next came Carlos Gomez, who ripped a first-pitch fastball to the left-field wall for a two-run double that made it a 3-3 game.
Overall, Reds manager Bryan Price was pleased by Bailey’s performance after he had allowed four or more runs in four of his five starts and was tied for the league lead with seven homers allowed. In this game, he did not surrender a long ball.
“They’re a very confident team right now and he made some big pitches against a good team,” Price said.
An overworked and worn-down Brewers bullpen became exposed in the eighth. Leading off against Jim Henderson, Zack Cozart hit a single to right field. There was one out when Pena batted for Bailey and pulled Henderson’s first-pitch slider just far enough over the right-field fence for the second pinch-hit homer of his career.
“I wasn’t thinking about driving the ball. I was thinking about hitting the ball hard somewhere,” said Pena, who also homered while starting Wednesday’s game vs. the Cubs. “I just got a pitch a little bit up and took advantage of it. It’s one of those things — my focus was on trying to do my job, trying to hit the ball hard somewhere and see what happens. I wasn’t expecting the homer, to be honest with you, but I will take it.”
Pena, the primary catcher lately after Devin Mesoraco went on the disabled list, is batting .319 in 17 games this season.
“Another big at-bat,” Price said. “That’s one of the reasons that we got Brayan. Because we knew that when he wasn’t catching, he’d be able to have that type of influence on our lineup as a bench player.”
More pressure was applied when Chris Heisey followed with a single and Joey Votto doubled off of the left-field wall. Jay Bruce was intentionally walked with one out before freshly recalled reliever Rob Wooten walked first batter Todd Frazier to force home a run. Ryan Ludwick, who struck out with the bases loaded in the seventh, was redeemed with a single off of Aramis Ramirez at third base that scored two more and blew open the game.
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