Homer leaves with 3-2 lead

Reds took a 3-2 lead on Jeff Conine's third home run of the year -- a two-run shot to left in the fourth.

Homer Bailey showed some major brass in the protecting in in the fifth. He went five innings, allowinhg two runs on five hits. He walked four and struck out three. He left with a 3-2 lead. The only downside was he only went five because the Indians pushed his pitch count to 114.

The strikeout of David Dellucci for Bailey's final out with the bases loaded and the crowd on its feet was the highlight of the year so far.

Here's the Bailey play-by-play:

Homer's first: First pitch, a ball outside. Second was a 93 mph strike. Ball 2. 93, 2-2. Foul ball. Foul on 96 mph. Grady Sizemore strikes out on an 89 mph pitch. Casey Blake grounds out 5-3.
Travis Hafner falls behind 1-2, then singles to center.
Victor Martinez gets ahead 2-0, fouls one back. Outside, 3-1. Swings through a 92 mph fastball. Full count. Foul to left. Doubles to left-center, scoring Hafner. Indians, 1-0. Might have had a play at the plate but Norris Hopper missed the cut-off man. 3-1 to Trot Nixon. 27 pitches. 3-2. Flyout to right. 29 pitches, 19 strikes.

Brandon Phillips tied with a home run the opposite way to right -- his 11th. Tied, 1-1.

Homer's second: Walked David Dellucci to start the second, then retired them in order, although Josh Barfield's flyout to left went to the wall. Bailey's at 42 pitches.

Homer's third: Top of the order. Strikes out Sizemore swinging on a 3-2 pitch. Blake and Hafner both ground out -- Hafner on a 96 mph fastball. Bailey's at 60 pitches.

Bailey hit in the third. Grounded out on 3-2 pitch.

Homer's fourth: Got ahead of Martinez, then bouced two to go full. Single to right. Nixon doubles. Delluci hits a sac fly. Nixon out going to second. Indians 2-1. Hits Barfield. Balk. Barfield to second. Mike Rouse intentionally walked. Cliff Lee grounds out. Pitch count: 91.

Homer's fifth: Sizemore singles. Blake pops out. Goes up 1-2 on Hafner on pitch No. 100. Walks Hafner on a way high curve. Martinez flies out to wall in center. Sizemore to third. Bailey's at 106 pitches. Walks Nixon on four pitche to load the bases. Crowds getting into it. Everyone's one their feet. Stirke one. Homer! Homer! Strike 2. 1-2. C alled Strike 3. Everyone goes nuts.


The place isn't full. But Bailey got a rousing ovation when he was announced.

From Tino, a frequent e-mailer:

Gary Nolan was 18 for his debut (4/15/67) for the Reds. Johnny Bench was a 19 year old Catcher in 1967 for his debut (8/28/67). I do not show younger battery mates ever for the Reds let alone any MLB team outside of the WW II Years.

Tino D.
Trivia is my life

Nolan born 5/27/48
Bench born 12/7/47

Don Gullet was 19 for his debut.