The Reds executed all the little things properly Wednesday as they brought out their brooms and completed a sweep of the Pirates by edging out a 2-1 win at Great American Ball Park.
The win moved the Reds a season-high 30 games above .500 and lowered their magic number to clinch the National League Central to 8, combined with a Cardinals loss, with 18 games left on the schedule.
“It was a nice sweep, and we’re one step closer to winning the division,” said Reds manager Dusty Baker. “We finally reached 30 [games above .500], and now you set a new goal and try to get 35. I was proud of these guys. They played outstanding the whole series against a very tough Pirate team.”
The Reds have been 29 games above .500 four different times this season, but the fifth attempt proved to be the charm as Reds starter Homer Bailey outdueled Pirates ace A.J. Burnett to earn his 11th win of the season.
Prior to Wednesday’s outing, Bailey hadn’t earned a victory since Aug. 10, despite giving up two earned runs or fewer in four of his past five starts.
“Homer’s been dealing his last four or five starts and [didn’t have] a whole bunch to show for it,” Baker said. “We wanted to hold that one, big time. He’s lost the last three or four where we didn’t hold the lead.”
Bailey nearly got the short end of the stick again Wednesday and found himself in a sixth-inning jam with the go-ahead run on third.
Bailey had held the Pirates to just one run on five hits — three of which came in the third inning — when Alex Presley slapped a one-out triple down the right-field line.
Two pitches later, the Pirates attempted to execute a suicide squeeze that the Reds snuffed out from the get-go. Presley took off for home as Bailey delivered to Clint Barmes.
Suspicious of the steal, Bailey got the sign to pitch out but slipped on the mound and delivered a low and away pitchout, and Barmes whiffed on the bunt attempt.
“I still came close to it,” Barmes said. “But when I lunged, my top hand came off the bat, and the barrel dipped.”
Catcher Ryan Hanigan snagged the ball after a slight juggle, blocked the plate with his left leg and applied the tag. Barmes then flied out to center to end the inning.
“I think all of that credit goes to Dusty and [bench coach Chris] Speier over there,” Bailey said. “As soon as I saw the sign, I tried to get it higher and more away. [Hanigan] has been a warrior out there. He blocked the plate, did a great job. He had chalk and dirt all over his face. Most of the credit goes to them. I just threw it.”
Baker called the play “the difference in the game,” and the momentum swing went the Reds’ way. Ryan Ludwick doubled to left to start the bottom half of the frame and made it to third on Jay Bruce’s flyout to deep center.
Scott Rolen then launched a sacrifice fly deep enough to left field to plate Ludwick for the eventual game-winning run.
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