DaytonDailyNews.com

CINCINNATI — Homer Bailey won a game Thursday, Sept. 4, and most likely forgot what it felt like and how to react.

He hadn't won a minor-league or major-league game in 21 straight starts, dating back to late April, when even the Cincinnati Reds thought they still had a chance to compete.

Bailey pitched six shutout innings for the Class AAA Louisville Bats in the International League playoffs. OK, so the score was 19-3, and he did have an early 19-0 lead.

But a major-league scout witnessed the game and said, "He was terrific. Best I've seen him. And he got better as the game progressed. He was throwing strikes with four different pitches, and by the sixth inning he was throwing 95 and 96 miles an hour."

Said Reds manager Dusty Baker, "Good for Homer. He said he wanted to go back to Louisville and help them win the playoffs. That's what he's doing."

That's not all Bailey said before he left. He said he wasn't unhappy about the demotion to Triple-A.

Asked if he was bummed, Bailey responded without pause.

"It's not the big leagues, but, honestly, I'm looking forward to it. When I was down there before the guys were winning and there is good morale."

The implication was that the morale in Louisville was better than in Cincinnati (and it probably was). If that comment disturbed Baker, he covered it well.

"Yeah, I like what he said," Baker said. "One thing about Homer, he ain't going to bite his tongue, and he is going to say what is on his mind. You have to respect a man for what he says and what he feels, whether you agree with it or not. You have to like it. Some people may not like to hear stuff like that, but I like it."

No Freel or Hairston

Ryan Freel (remember him?) was in the clubhouse Thursday and mentioned he wouldn't mind playing some games in this final month.

It isn't going to happen. Neither Freel nor Jerry Hairston Jr. are expected to play again this year, both shut down because of hamstring injuries.

"The doctors tell me, and I don't think either Freel or Hairston will play again," Baker said. "There isn't enough time to come back. There is no place for them to go on rehab. They haven't played for a long time.

"You can take all the batting practice you want, but there is nothing like live hitting, and it would look to them like the pitchers are throwing 1,000 miles an hour. I do like their desire to come back."

Game time

A report in Wednesday's paper saying tonight's Reds-Cubs game starts at 3:55 p.m. was incorrect. The game starts at the normal 7:10 p.m. It should have said the Reds-Brewers game on Saturday, Sept. 20, has been moved to 3:55 p.m. to accommodate a Fox national broadcast.

If the shoes fit

Jolbert Cabrera, on his knees in the middle of the clubhouse, opened a package and found a pair of patent leather baseball spikes, resplendent in red, black and white.

"Look at these," he said. "Sending me these? They must think I'm a hot prospect."

Turns out the shoes belonged to Brandon Phillips. He smiled and said, "Keep 'em. And keep those batting gloves you took, too."

Then aside, Phillips said with a smile, "Everybody is always taking stuff out of my locker."

Quote of the day

Edwin Encarnacion was in the pregame clubhouse pounding on an African drum, a stick in his right hand and using his left palm, too, and sounding pretty good when Cincinnati writer Mark Schmetzer said, "You might want to stop that. You're causing it to rain."