Bailey strikes out 11 in strong start, Reds top Brewers 7-4

By foxsports
Published

MILWAUKEE (AP) Homer Bailey struck out 11 in six scoreless innings in his third game back from Tommy John surgery in the Cincinnati Reds' 7-4 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday night.

Adam Duvall hit his 27th home run and Billy Hamilton stole three bases to push his major league-leading total to 51.

Bailey (2-1) struck out Jonathan Villar looking to open the game and finished by fanning the side in the sixth. He allowed three hits.

Milwaukee starter Jimmy Nelson (6-12) labored through five innings, allowing three runs off six hits and three walks.

Ramon Flores hit a solo shot in the eighth, and Manny Pina hit a three-run homer with two outs in the ninth for the Brewers.

Bailey flashed all the abilities that landed him a $105 million, six-year contract in 2014.

The right-hander was especially dominant against the top of Milwaukee's order of Villar, promising rookie Orlando Arcia and Ryan Braun. The trio combined to go 0 for 9 with seven strikeouts against Bailey.

Meanwhile, Nelson, expected to be a key contributor in Milwaukee's rotation, hasn't been reliable since May. After getting the first two outs of the game, he loaded the bases on a walk, a hit batter and a single before walking in a run.

It wouldn't get much better from there. Duvall, Cincinnati's All-Star left fielder, hit a solo homer off Nelson in third and the Reds pounced on Milwaukee's bullpen, plating four runs in the seventh.

MAN OF STEAL

Hamilton stole bases on back-to-back pitches in the second and swiped his 51st base in the fourth, but was caught stealing later in the inning on a nice pickoff play by Nelson. Hamilton has 12 steals in his last five games.

OFFENSE EVAPORATES

The Brewers didn't score until the eighth after they became the eighth team since 1961 to score in every inning they hit in in an 11-3 victory over Atlanta on Thursday.

COUNSELL EJECTED

Brewers manager Craig Counsell was ejected by plate umpire Bill Miller before the eighth.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Reds: Both Scott Schebler (calf) and Brandon Phillips (quad) returned to the lineup after both left Tuesday's win over the Cardinals. Cincinnati had a day off on Thursday.

UP NEXT

Reds: Dan Straily (7-6, 3.76 ERA) is 3-0 with a 1.93 ERA in his last five starts for Cincinnati, which is 16-10 since the All-Star break.

BREWERS: Milwaukee sends Zach Davies (9-4, 3.58) to the mound. Davies is 9-1 with a 2.92 ERA in his last 17 starts.