April 3, 2014
12:35PM ET, 11:35 AM CT, 10:35 AM MT, 9:35 AM PT
Great American Ballpark, Cincinnati, Ohio
TV: FSMW, FSOH, MLBN
RADIO: KMOX 1120
L. Lynn (0-0, 0.00 ERA) H. Bailey (0-0, 0.00 ERA)
The Cincinnati Reds are hoping Homer Bailey's trend of improvement over the last three seasons continues into 2014, and their confidence in it happening might best be measured in the $105 million they invested in him this offseason.
After signing a six-year extension in February, the right-hander makes his first start of the new season Thursday in front of a home crowd as the Reds try for a series win over the St. Louis Cardinals.
Bailey will oppose Lance Lynn, and neither starter should be overly intimidated from what they've seen from the opposition's bats thus far.
The NL Central clubs have combined for a .137 batting average and two runs in the first two games, with the Reds setting a franchise record with 17 straight innings without a run to start a season.
After the Cardinals won Monday's opener 1-0, the Reds returned the favor Wednesday with pinch-hitter Chris Heisey's walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth after rain delayed the start of the game by 2 hours, 40 minutes.
"It all comes down to the big hit," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. "When you're having trouble getting many of them, you just need the right one at the right time. They put it together when they had to."
Lynn showed plenty of consistency in his first two full seasons as he enters 2014 with 33 wins since the start of 2012 -- tied for the most in the NL.
He went 3-1 with a 3.38 ERA in five starts against the Reds last season, though he's struggled as a starter at Great American Ball Park with a 1-1 record and 6.00 ERA in four career starts. His first two starts of the season are likely to come against Cincinnati.
Matt Carpenter, Jhonny Peralta, Matt Holliday and Allen Craig -- the top four hitters in St. Louis' lineup Wednesday -- have gone a combined 2 for 30 in the first two games.
Great American Ball Park, 100 Joe Nuxhall Way, Cincinnati, OH 45202
Baseball Reference 2014 Cardinals Statistics
2014 Current MLB Standings
2014 Current MLB Wild Card Standings
2014 Current MLB vs. Division Standings
2014 Current MLB vs. Expanded Standings
Last Game:
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/reds-break ... --mlb.html
Reds break record slump, beat Cardinals 1-0 in 9th
By JOE KAY (AP Baseball Writer) AP - Sports
CINCINNATI (AP) -- Chris Heisey did a lot of standing around before he got his chance to snap Cincinnati's historic slump.
Heisey's pinch-hit single in the bottom of the ninth inning ended the Reds' longest scoreless streak to open a season and sent Cincinnati to a 1-0 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday night following a long rain delay.
The Reds set a modern franchise record by failing to score in the first 17 innings of the season. Their previous worst was 13 scoreless innings in 1909 and 1934.
It got broken by a player making only his second at-bat of the season.
''There's nothing like it,'' Heisey said. ''Sit around 10 hours, then get one at-bat. That's part of being a pinch-hitter.''
Ryan Ludwick and Todd Frazier opened the ninth with singles off Carlos Martinez (0-1). After a sacrifice, Brayan Pena was walked to load the bases and Heisey singled to center.
St. Louis hasn't started a season with back-to-back shutouts since 1963, when the Cardinals posted three consecutive shutouts.
NOTES: RH Lance Lynn starts for the Cardinals on Thursday. He beat the Reds three times last season. RHP Homer Bailey, who missed time during spring training with a strained groin, starts for the Reds. ... Cardinals OF Jon Jay carries a 14-game hitting streak from last season. ... Joey Votto doubled in the first inning for his 1,000th career hit. ... Cingrani picked Adams off first base in the fifth inning. He led the Reds staff by picking off six runners last season. ... Reds manager Bryan Price said RH Jonathan Broxton could come off the DL during the series in St. Louis next week. He's recovering from surgery on his pitching forearm last August. Broxton would become the closer until Chapman returns. ... C Devin Mesoraco also could be activated off the DL in St. Louis. He's sidelined by a strained oblique.