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CCiinncciinnnnaattii RReeddss MMeeddiiaa CClliippss AAuugguusstt 11sstt,, 22001166 Cincinnati Reds Press Clippings August 1, 2016 THIS DAY IN REDS HISTORY 1981-Post-strike, the Reds begin a six-day conditioning session at the University of Michigan. MLB.COM First start back from surgery a win for Bailey By Mark Sheldon / MLB.com | @m_sheldon | July 31st, 2016 SAN DIEGO - Homer Bailey isn't the sentimental type, which didn't change during Sunday's long-awaited 2016 debut. But the Reds veteran starting pitcher certainly appreciated what it meant to return from Tommy John surgery on his elbow and 15 months of rehabilitation. Bailey earned the win with his solid performance in Cincinnati's 3-2 victory over the Padres. He threw 5 2/3 innings, allowing two earned runs, four hits, three walks and had six strikeouts while throwing 89 pitches. "It was great to be back out with your teammates when you've been watching them for about a year-and-a-half and wanting to be out there. To see those guys, I know how they've always had my back," Bailey said after his first big league start since April 23, 2015. Bailey's first inning wasn't a clean one with three hits, but none were very hard contact - two groundballs and a soft liner. Following Jabari Blash's two-out single in the first, Bailey essentially had his way with San Diego while retiring the next 14 batters in a row. "For the next four innings, he was really locked in," Reds manager Bryan Price said. That included a nine-pitch third inning and striking out the side in the fourth. On numerous occasions during the day, including two of the strikeout pitches in the fourth, Bailey topped out at 95 mph. "He was sharper, maybe, than I thought he would be," Reds catcher Tucker Barnhart said. "When Homer's elevating and getting swings-and-misses on fastballs up, he's at his best. It just opens up his split and his breaking balls even more. We didn't do it there early because we wanted to get into the flow of the game, but as the game progressed we started to elevate some more and it worked out." Bailey also showed some skills in the field, nimbly covering first base for a groundout to get the speedy Travis Jankowski in the third inning, and covering home plate and tagging out Alexi Amarista after a pitch got away from Barnhart in the sixth. It was in the sixth when things went awry for Bailey, who walked three-straight batters while clinging to a 3-1 lead. He said he had trouble feeling his right hand after being jammed on a pitch batting in the top of the sixth. "But I thought his command was outstanding," Price said. "He might have gotten a little fine in the sixth trying to prevent them from maybe tying the game or taking the lead." After he walked Blash -- his third walk of the sixth -- Bailey turned his back from the plate and runner Wil Myers at third base. Myers alertly stole home to make it a one-run game. "I don't know if it was much of a lapse on my part as much as it was heads-up baserunning on his part," Bailey said. "I turned my back for a second and I think he caught everybody off guard." The miscue didn't take away from a strong debut that leaves optimism going forward. "Our goal was to go six innings and have him go out there and compete. He did that," Price said. "He went 5 2/3 innings and we got him up to 89 pitches. Good first start, for sure." Reds reportedly set to deal Bruce to NL club Mets, Giants, Dodgers said to be among teams in discussions By Mark Sheldon / MLB.com | 8:11 AM ET The Reds will trade three-time All-Star Jay Bruce to a National League club -- which won't be the Dodgers -- prior to today's 4 p.m. ET non-waiver Trade Deadline, according to a report by USA Today's Bob Nightengale. The Reds have not commented on or confirmed the report. Bruce, 29, has spent all nine of his Major League seasons with the Reds and is a three-time National League All-Star. That included this season as he is batting .265/.316/.559 with 25 home runs and 80 RBIs -- numbers that have him on pace to set career highs. With the Reds in rebuilding mode, they have been seeking to trade Bruce for over a year to shed his contact. Although it's not a prohibitive payroll-eater, he is making $12.5 million in 2016 with a $13 million club option for '17 that has a $1 million buyout. Not long after reports on Sunday said the Mets were out on Bruce, others indicated that New York was back in on the lefty-hitting outfielder. ESPN.com's Jayson Stark reported that the Reds were not asking for "elite prospects" in return, but rather for two or three good players a notch below elite status. The Dodgers also remained in discussions with the Reds about a possible deal, according to MLB.com's Jon Paul Morosi. MLB Network insider Jon Heyman confirmed the Dodgers' interest, while FoxSports.com's Ken Rosenthal reported that the Giants were among the teams in the mix for Bruce. Late Sunday evening, John Shea of The San Francisco Chronicle corroborated Rosenthal's report, noting that with several of the top relievers off the trade market, the Giants were making a "late and strong push" for Bruce. As he endured down years in 2014 and '15, Bruce was nearly moved by the Reds at last year's Deadline. Then a potential trade to Toronto was called off in February because of a medical red flag with a player in the return. But Bruce's value has increased with him having a resurgent season. The Reds' first-round Draft pick in 2005, Bruce's 233 career home runs are seventh-most in franchise history. He was scratched from Sunday's lineup as manager Bryan Price gave him a day off for a mental break. Bruce has been enduring several days of speculation that he would be dealt ahead of the Deadline. Peraza, Bailey clinch series win over Padres By AJ Cassavell and Mark Sheldon / MLB.com | July 31st, 2016 SAN DIEGO -- Reds rookie left fielder Jose Peraza did his best to make Homer Bailey's return to the mound a winning one. Peraza's first career homer put the Reds on top early, and they'd hold on late for a tense 3-2 victory over the Padres on Sunday at Petco Park. It was Cincinnati's fifth consecutive series win. Bailey -- who underwent Tommy John surgery last April -- struck out six over 5 2/3 frames, allowing just two runs on four hits. His only blunder was a mental one, coming when his momentary lapse in judgment allowed Wil Myers to steal home in the sixth, cutting the lead to one. But the Reds' bullpen held San Diego in check from there. "Probably early on it took me a few to get my rhythm. The second through the fifth were pretty sharp," Bailey said of his 89-pitch performance overall. Padres starter Paul Clemens was removed in the top of the fifth with lower-back tightness, after 4 1/3 solid innings. He allowed only the two-run shot to Peraza and had retired nine straight at the time of the injury. Clemens said the injury was minor and that he doesn't expect to miss any time as a result. In fact, he said he could've gotten five more outs if the Padres needed, but manager Andy Green wasn't taking any chances. "I think he's going to be fine," Green said. "Just had some lower back tightness, he was unable to shake it. He felt it in the fourth inning, first time, then he felt it again when we went out and got him. When he kept stretching out there, at that point in time, I guess I thought better about him being in the game." MOMENTS THAT MATTERED That's a keeper: When Peraza took Clemens deep to the second deck of the Western Metal Supply Co. building in left field, it was good for his first Major League home run. According to Statcast™, the ball traveled 429 feet and exited the bat at 103 mph. The Reds were able to retrieve the ball as a keepsake for Peraza, who was a late addition to the starting lineup in left field when right fielder Jay Bruce was scratched. "In batting practice I was pulling the ball. I was feeling really, really good," Peraza said via translator Julio Morillo. "Really strong today. In the moment in the game, I tried to put a good swing on the ball. Thank God, the ball went out." Home theft: Myers caught Bailey napping in the bottom of the sixth, stealing home when Bailey sauntered to the area behind the mound between pitches. Bailey noticed Myers' daring dash a second too late, and Myers scored without a throw. It marked the second steal of home for the Padres this season, as Melvin Upton Jr. also did so against the Rockies on June 3. "I said, 'If he lobs it back or turns his back right here I'm going to try to take it,'" Myers said. "Just lucky enough that it was just the right timing." Better fundamentals just before that: Before Myers scored, a Bailey pitch to Ryan Schimpf got away from Tucker Barnhart.