CINCINNATI, Sept. 20 (UPI) — Homer Bailey held the Astros to two runs over seven innings and the Cincinnati Reds pounded out 14 hits Tuesday in their 6-4 victory over Houston.

Bailey (9-7) yielded six hits, walked two and struck out five for Cincinnati, allowing only J.D. Martinez’s two-run homer in the third inning en route to his second win in three starts.

The Reds’ bullpen surrendered a pair of runs but Francisco Cordero nailed down the win, earning his 34th save with a scoreless ninth.

Jay Bruce went 3-for-5 with a two-run single while Brandon Phillips and Devin Mesoraco each homered for the Reds.

Houston’s Bud Norris (6-11) was saddled with the loss, surrendering three runs on seven hits over just 2 2/3 frames.

Martinez finished 3-for-5 and Chris Johnson added a two-run, pinch-hit homer in the eighth for the Astros.

CINCINNATI (AP) — Jay Bruce hit a two-run homer in the 11th inning that lifted the Cincinnati Reds to an 8-6 win over the Chicago Cubs on Thursday night.

Joey Votto led off the 11th against James Russell (1-6) with a double to left-center field. Bruce connected on the next pitch for his 31st homer of the season, giving the Reds their third straight win over Chicago after losing the opener of the four-game series.

Nick Masset (3-5) pitched the 11th for the win.

The Cubs handed Francisco Cordero his first blown save since July 10 by scoring twice in the ninth to make it 6-all. Tony Campana led off with a pinch-hit single and scored on pinch-hitter Alfonso Soriano’s double. One out later, Darwin Barney chopped a tying single.

Cordero had successfully converted 16 consecutive save opportunities since the All-Star break.

Reds starter Homer Bailey, who hadn’t allowed more than two home runs in any of his previous 19 starts this season, gave up a pair in a span of four batters in the first inning.

Aramis Ramirez singled with two outs and Carlos Pena followed with his 28th home run of the season, a majestic 461-foot drive on a 3-2 pitch that landed in a party area on top of the center field batter’s eye.

Bryan LaHair kept the inning going with a single to center, extending his career-opening hitting streak to nine games, and Marlon Byrd hit the first pitch 414 feet into the Cincinnati bullpen in left-center field.

Bailey settled down and lasted six innings, giving up six hits and four runs with three walks and nine strikeouts, matching his season high.

Brandon Phillips hit his 16th home run, and fourth of the four-game series, in the third to cut Chicago’s lead to 4-1. Chris Heisey hit his 17th homer, and second in two nights, in the Reds fourth.

The Reds scored three times in the fifth. Bailey started the rally with a one-out single. Phillips doubled and Drew Stubbs hit an RBI single just over the glove of a leaping Starlin Castro at shortstop.

Votto walked to load the bases, and Wells walked Yonder Alonso to force in the tying run. Jeff Samardzija relieved Wells and got Heisey to hit a sharp one-hopper that glanced off the pitcher’s foot to Castro, whose throw to first wasn’t in time, allowing Stubbs to score the go-ahead run.

The Reds reached Randy Wells for seven hits and five runs with two walks and three strikeouts in 4 1-3 innings. He also threw a wild pitch.

The Reds added a run in the sixth when Paul Janish drew a leadoff walk, moved to third on Stubbs’ two-out single and scored on reliever John Gaub’s wild pitch.

NOTES: Soriano’s double was the 400th of his career. … Reds RHP Bronson Arroyo, scheduled to start against Milwaukee in Friday’s series opener, is coming off the shortest start of his career. He failed to get an out in the second inning of Cincinnati’s 12-7 loss Saturday at Colorado. … Cubs RHP Matt Garza is 2-0 with a 2.53 ERA over his last three starts going into his appearance Friday against Houston at Chicago.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)

By Russ Oates

– Senior Editor

Follow , and

Like SB Nation Denver on Facebook.

Sep 9, 2011 – The Colorado Rockies host the Cincinnati Reds this weekend to complete the home-and-home series on the schedule. Both teams are playing out the season with the postseason far from sight. The Reds are 14 games behind the Brewers for the NL Central lead, good for third place. The Rockies are 67-76 and 15.5 games behind the Diamondbacks for the NL West lead.

This series, though, will feature a couple of good, young catching prospects. The Rockies have 22-year-old Wilin Rosario, who hit his first career home in a loss to the Diamondbacks on Wednesday. Devin Mesoraco is 23 and was the player the Reds were unwilling to move had they wanted to trade for Ubaldo Jimenez.

Homer Bailey (7-7, 4.57 ERA) was also rumored at one point to be a trade chip in a Ubaldo Jimenez deal, but the Rockies picked up other pieces (notably Alex White and Drew Pomeranz) from the Indians. Bailey threw just three innings in his last start, a 6-4 loss to the Cardinals. He allowed five of the six runs. In August, he also pitched just three innings against the Rockies while at the Great American Ball Park. In 2009, he did throw 5-2/3 innings of one-run ball at Coors Field.

Jhoulys Chacin (11-10, 3.60 ERA) will pitch for the first time in 12 days after coming down with tonsillitis. Chacin has success against the Reds at the Great American Ball Park in August. He threw an eight-inning complete game loss, allowing just two runs in the 2-1 loss.

First pitch is set for 6:40 p.m. MT.

For more on the Rockies, visit Purple Row. Check out Red Reporter for more on the Reds.

Read More: Homer Bailey (P – CIN), Devin Mesoraco (C – CIN), Jhoulys Chacin (P – COL), Wilin Rosario (C – COL), Colorado Rockies, Cincinnati Reds

Follow , and

Like SB Nation Denver on Facebook.

Do you like this story?

CARDINALS vs. CINCINNATI REDS

At Busch Stadium, St. Louis

Scouting report — This is the start of a
10-day, nine-game trip that takes the Reds from Busch to Wrigley
Field and then out west for a weekend against the Colorado Rockies.
… Tonight’s starter, Johnny Cueto, leads the National League with
a 2.05 ERA. He would be the first Cincy starter to lead the league
in ERA since 1944. … The Reds promoted eight September callups
from Class AAA Louisville. The group included top prospects Devin
Mesoraco, a catcher, and Juan Francisco, a third baseman. Edinson
Volquez and Travis Wood, two former major leaguers, are also
earmarked for promotions from Triple A. … Cincy closer Francisco
Cordero has converted a dozen consecutive saves since the All-Star
break. … Scott Rolen remains on the disabled list after requiring
shoulder surgery on Aug. 3 to remove bone spurs and loose
fragments. … Dusty Baker is eight wins shy of tying Hall of Famer
Earl Weaver for 21st all-time.

Projected pitching matchups:

Today, 7:15 p.m. — RH Chris Carpenter (8-9,
3.76 ERA) vs. RH Johnny Cueto (9-5, 2.05)

Saturday, 3:10 p.m. — LH Jaime Garcia (10-7,
3.73) vs. RH Homer Bailey (7-6, 4.35)

Sunday, 1:15 p.m. — RH Edwin Jackson (4-2,
3.57) vs. RH Bronson Arroyo (8-11, 5.13)

Derrick Goold

Updated Aug 24, 2011 11:54 AM ET

MIAMI (AP)

The Florida Marlins and Cincinnati Reds have scheduled a doubleheader for Wednesday in an attempt to complete their series before stormy weather associated with Hurricane Irene reaches South Florida.

The final game of the series, originally planned for Thursday, will instead be played as part of the doubleheader.

Homer Bailey and Bronson Arroyo are scheduled to pitch for Cincinnati. Chris Volstad and Javier Vazquez will pitch for Florida.

The Marlins plan to fly to Philadelphia immediately after the doubleheader for a series beginning Friday. Cincinnati is scheduled to begin a series at home Friday against Washington.

Irene is forecast to be off the east coast of Florida moving north on Thursday.

CINCINNATI, Aug. 13 (UPI) — Miguel Cairo and Ryan Hanigan each hit two home runs Saturday and the Cincinnati Reds went deep seven times in their 13-1 romp over San Diego.

Joey Votto, Jay Bruce and Todd Frazier also homered for the Reds, who banged out 13 hits as they clinched their three-game series against the Padres at Great American Ball Park.

Homer Bailey (7-5) collected the victory, surrendering only one run and on six hits over seven innings while issuing one walk and striking out seven.

San Diego’s Tim Stauffer (7-9) lasted just three three frames, coughing up nine runs on seven hits.

Kyle Blanks’ solo homer provided the Padres’ only run.