Game 144: Sweep! 30 Games Over! Magic Number Down to 8!

Bailey Has Another Great Start Against Pirates in a Rather Lackluster Affair

PIT  1  7  1  (72-70)
CIN  2  6  0  (87-57)

W: Homer Bailey (11-9)
L: A.J. Burnett (15-7)
S: J.J. Hoover (1)

Box Score

• Recap:
• Homer Bailey: 7.0 IP, 1 R, 6 H, 2 BB, 4 SO.  Homer has owned the Pirates and tonight was no different.  Only one run allowed through seven solid innings of work.  Not much help offensively either.  Terrific job, sport.
• Brandon Phillips had two hits and a stolen base (14).  He's batting .295 on the year and continues to swing a hot bat.
• Ryan Ludwick had the only extra-base hit of the night with his 25th double on the year.
• Wilson Valdez had a single and an RBI (14).  Two big nights in a row for Wilson.
• Scotty Baseball had a big sac-fly RBI (35).
• Ryan Hanigan made a great save at the plate to stop a suicide squeeze on a close play.  On an 0-1 count,  the runner broke for home and the batter attempted to lay down a bunt.  Bailey's pitch was wide and Hanigan had trouble grabbing the ball.  But he quickly picked it up, covered the plate, and tagged the runner...out!
• Sam LeCure had yet another good outing tonight in an inning of work.
• The rookie J.J. Hoover was called upon to finish this one off for the Redlegs and he managed just fine.  It was the youngster's first big league save.  Congratulations, J.J.!

*Magic number reduced to 8 games!
*30 games over .500!   87-57 overall. 
*11.5 games up on the Cards, 14 up on the Pirates...2012 Central Division Champions! (Coming soon)