The Day the Cincinnati Reds Defense Died

For many, the two most memorable days Homer Bailey ever spent on the bump for the Cincinnati Reds were a September night at PNC Park in 2012 and a July evening 10 months later at Great American Ballpark. And yet, his greatest day was likely sandwiched in between, on a cool October afternoon in 2012 against the San Francisco Giants in the cauldron of the NLDS. Those first five no-hit innings and Bailey’s final line that day: 7 innings, 1 hit, 1 earned run, 1 walk, and 10 strikeouts, was the defining moment of his tenure as a Red. It was a gutty performance destined to drive the final nail in the sorry narrative that was the Reds’ postseason series victory drought, one that stretched back to 1995. As the post-season pitching matchups were being set, I distinctly remember Homer saying he was more comfortable pitching away from GABP, so his performance that day on the river burnished the memory all the more for me.

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