Press Clippings July 25, 2018 THIS DAY IN REDS HISTORY 1947- sets the record for right-handers and a club record by winning his 16th consecutive start MLB.COM Bailey posts strong start, but Reds fall in extras Garrett allows game-winner in 11th; Suarez hits second straight game-tying homer By Mark Sheldon MLB.com @m_sheldon 12:44 AM EDT

CINCINNATI -- For the second straight game, the Reds endured a no-hitter scare on Tuesday while facing a rookie Cardinals starting . Reds starter has two no-hitters on his resume but has been a long way from those types of games he worked in 2012 and '13.

There have been three elbow surgeries and plenty of struggles for Bailey since then. But amid a 4-2 loss to the Cardinals in 11 innings at , there was something about the veteran right-hander that lacked for much of 2018 -- optimism.

"That was one of the best starts we have had from anyone all year," Reds interim manager Jim Riggleman said of Bailey.

While Austin Gomber took a no-hitter into the seventh, Bailey produced 6 2/3 quality innings of his own to keep his team in the game. He gave up two earned runs and five hits while walking two and striking out eight. Ultimately both ' performances were rendered moot in no-decisions. Dexter Fowler's two-run homer off of Reds reliever Amir Garrett decided the game and left Bailey not too excited about his own performance.

"I'd rather get a win," said Bailey, who threw 115 pitches in his first start for Cincinnati since May 28. "Amir's been so good for us all year. Just a rarity to see him give up the .

"We had a couple of pitches working that we were able to get some swings and misses on. Really there were only a few that they did damage on."

Bailey carried a 6.68 ERA over 12 starts into the game, with the Reds losing 11 of those. He was about to be demoted to the bullpen after his previous start but instead went on the the disabled list for seven weeks with right knee inflammation. A seven-game rehab assignment at Triple-A Louisville followed along with questions of whether Bailey would return to the club as a starter or reliever. Although there was an attempt to have him pitch in relief for Louisville, the Reds decided Bailey would start.

A big reason for his success on Tuesday vs. St. Louis: Of the 26 batters he faced, he threw 21 first-pitch strikes.

"I think that's something you're taught in A-ball: Try to get ahead," Bailey said. "Once you get ahead, you can expand the zone. You like to think the hitters will chase."

According to Statcast™, Bailey's velocity was solid, averaging 94.6 mph and topping out at 95.9 mph. He coupled that with some effective sliders and opened the game by striking out the side in the top of the first inning. Bailey gave up a leadoff to open the second inning and a two-out walk, but escaped without damage.

In the fourth inning, Paul DeJong a screaming liner that backed up Billy Hamilton in center field. The ball went in and out of Hamilton's glove for a double. DeJong scored the game's first run on a one-out RBI single from Jose Martinez.

Including a Tommy Pham to end the fourth, Bailey retired nine of 10 batters before he gave up a two-out walk to Fowler in the seventh. After Fowler stole second base, Yairo Munoz lined an RBI double for a 2-0 lead, bringing an end to Bailey's evening.

"He threw a lot of strikes," said third baseman Eugenio Suarez, who tied the game with a two-run home run off Gomber in the seventh. "He mixed breaking balls and , touching 96. He had good . It's nice for us to give you that more comfort and everybody believes in him. He's back strong, and we needed him. I think he's back healthy, and he will be all right."

Riggleman felt optimistic about what he got from Bailey.

"The way [Matt] Harvey was throwing four or five starts in a row, then Homer does that," he said. "Two veteran guys throwing well like that, that's very encouraging. We look forward to running him out there again. Hopefully, he takes that stuff out there."

Garrett took over after worked two scoreless innings. Pham hit a one-out single before Fowler pulled a 1-0 fastball from Garrett into the right-field seats for his eighth homer of the season, which evened the series heading into the rubber game on Wednesday.

"It's over now," Bailey said of his return. "I'll go back tomorrow and look at the mistakes and things we did right. We're kind of at the halfway point with All-Star break here recently. You keep plugging away."

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED

Fire alarm cools Gomber? During the seventh-inning stretch, fire alarms sounded at Great American Ball Park and brought the game to a halt until they could be turned off by the Cincinnati Fire Department. It resulted in a roughly 7 1/2-minute delay and forced Gomber to idle except for some warmup pitches. After play resumed, Votto lined a one-out single for the Reds' first hit, then Suarez knocked his two-run homer.

"First time I've seen that in my life," Suarez said. "It's crazy, but I like it because it's good for us. We broke up the no-hitter, and we tied the game in that inning."

SOUND SMART

Between Daniel Poncedeleon and Gomber, the Elias Sports Bureau says that the Cardinals are the first team to have rookie starters not allow a hit over the first six innings in consecutive games since the 1964 Kansas City Athletics did it with Blue Moon Odom and Bob Meyer.

HE SAID IT

"Same thing [as] yesterday, I try to win all my at-bats. He missed that in a hitter's count, and I just, like I always say, put a barrel on it, hit it hard to the middle and find a hole. To hit a homer and tie the game, it was a really good game, exciting game like yesterday. This time, we didn't win, but we battled all the time." -- Suarez, on his home run

UP NEXT

Sal Romano (5-8, 5.19 ERA) will make his first start of the second half as the Reds go to a rare sixth man in their rotation vs. the Cardinals at 12:35 p.m. ET on Wednesday. Romano hasn't pitched since July 15, when he tossed 1 1/3 scoreless innings in a relief appearance at St. Louis. His previous start came in a 7-4 win over the Indians on July 10, when he survived a 4-0 deficit through two innings and lasted 7 1/3 innings. Right-hander (4-4, 3.15) will be the Cardinals' scheduled starter.

Alarm sounds, Cards' no-no vanishes in wild 7th Reds' Suarez launches 2-run game-tying shot following commotion By Brian Rippee MLB.com 1:10 AM EDT

CINCINNATI -- St. Louis starter Austin Gomber couldn't do much but stand on the mound and wait as he gazed at the flickering lights and listened to the echo of an emergency alarm sounding across Great American Ball Park in Tuesday's 4-2 .

The Cardinals pitcher -- making his first MLB start -- took a no-hitter into the bottom of the seventh inning. As he warmed up to begin the seventh, fire alarms began to blare. The noise coupled with the flashing lights delayed the game by just over seven minutes as the Cincinnati Fire Department rushed to turn the alarms off.

It was later determined the alarm went off due to a malfunction in one of the detector units, according to the Reds.

Marcell Ozuna took a seat in the grass in the outfield during the wait, and fell to a knee. Gomber moved around and tried to stay loose during the delay. After a brief discussion with home plate umpire James Hoye, Gomber was headed toward the Cardinals dugout when the siren stopped, and he quickly reversed back toward the mound.

"At first, I didn't know what was going on," Gomber said. "Then, the umpire told me I could sit down, do whatever I want, I'd have time to warm up after that. Then, I saw everything flash and figured something wasn't working." Both dugouts looked perplexed as to what was happening, as did the fans in the seats.

"I'm sure that wasn't something anyone in the ballpark wanted to have happen," Cardinals interim manager said. "No explanation. I talked to the umpiring crew, and they said they'd look into it. It was probably just one of those things, but pretty odd timing."

The delay created an awkward pause in Gomber's gem, and the hopes of a no-hitter were dashed shortly after the sirens shut off. He gave up a one-out base hit to Votto, then a game-tying, two-run homer to Eugenio Suarez three pitches later. Gomber was pulled from the game with the score tied 2-2 after Suarez's blast and left with a no-decision and perhaps a bizarre story to tell down the road.

"First time I've seen that in my life," Suarez said. "It's crazy. But I like it because it's good for us. We broke up the no-hitter and we tied the game in that inning.

Gomber didn't cast blame on the alarm for breaking up the no-hitter. He gave Suarez credit for hitting a good pitch and even suggested the pause in action helped him.

"I don't know if it affected the groove," Gomber said. "Even the home run pitch I thought wasn't a bad pitch. I came [to the dugout] and looked at it, and it was a pretty good pitch. I'm not going to blame giving up a home run on a delay. If anything, I think it helped me, because I was just on the bases. It gave me a little more time to catch my breath."

After the inning ended, the Reds had some fun with the situation. Billy Joel's famous song "We Didn't Start The Fire" played over the loudspeakers as the Cardinals jogged off the field.

Schebler's DL return likely to be delayed Stephens heads to 10-day DL; Scooter wins Heart and Hustle Award By Brian Rippee MLB.com Jul. 24th, 2018

CINCINNATI -- Reds outfielder Scott Schebler is eligible to come off the 10-day disabled list Wednesday, but interim manager Jim Riggleman doesn't expect Schebler to be ready to play. Schebler began the second half of the season on the DL with a sprained acromioclavicular (AC) joint in his right shoulder.

"I talked to the trainer about it today, and he did not sound optimistic that he would be ready to go tomorrow," Riggleman said on Tuesday.

Schebler took batting practice on the field prior to Tuesday's 4-2 loss to the Cardinals. The Reds seem to miss his bat when he's out for extended periods. Entering Tuesday, the club was 1-3 since Schebler went on the DL on July 15 and 1-9 during his first DL stint of the season in April, when he was out with a right ulnar nerve contusion.

Without Schebler, the Reds' four-man outfield rotation has been tabled. Jesse Winker, who would normally play right field as he did the previous two games, is also banged up with soreness in his right shoulder. In the ninth inning of Tuesday's win, Winker had to hit the ground between first and second base to avoid being hit by a line drive from Tucker Barnhart.

"I could see in his reaction after the game last night he was really upset it happened," Riggleman said. "I think he has felt something in there for months, and it was probably kind of going away, then felt it again last night."

Winker remained in the game and scored the game-winning run on a Dilson Herrera single. Winker said the shoulder has been bothering him off and on for a while and he can feel it when he makes "pretty much any baseball move." He was not ready to gauge how much time he will miss.

"I am not going to address that yet," Winker said. "I do not feel comfortable talking about that yet."

Stephens placed on 10-day DL with torn meniscus

Reds reliever Jackson Stephens was placed on the 10-day disabled list with a torn lateral meniscus in his right knee on Tuesday. The move was made retroactive to Monday.

Stephens said he doesn't know exactly when he suffered the injury, but said he woke up with soreness in his knee Monday morning after pitching 3 1/3 innings of relief in Sunday's loss to the Pirates.

"I didn't feel anything while I was pitching," Stephens said. "I woke up the next day, and it was swollen and pretty sore, so that's what happened."

Stephens said he was a little shocked to receive the news because he felt fine and the pain wasn't severe. He doesn't have a timeframe for his return. The injury will not require surgery, and Stephens said the swelling had gone down some already.

"He's going to need some days off, but I would anticipate within a couple of weeks he will be pitching," Riggleman said. "You don't want anything to happen to your knee, but if something were to happen the meniscus, it's about the mildest you can deal with."

In 18 appearances out of the bullpen for the Reds, Stephens has a 4.82 ERA and 23 strikeouts over 28 innings.

Gennett wins Heart and Hustle Award

Reds second baseman Scooter Gennett was awarded the Cincinnati Reds 2018 Heart and Hustle Award.

The award honors active players who demonstrate a passion for the game of baseball and best embody the values, spirit and traditions of the game. The Heart and Hustle Award, awarded to one player on every team, is the only award in that is voted on by former players.

"It is a great honor," Gennett said. "There are a lot of guys in here that bust their butt every day and give 100 percent. To get recognized for that award is an honor. That is something I have always done and felt like I should do, is give 100 percent no matter what."

The final winner from the 30 team winners will be announced on Nov. 8 at the 19th Annual Legends for Youth Dinner in New York City. Previous winners include Anthony Rizzo, Mike Trout, Dustin Pedroia and .

Stephens goes on DL with torn meniscus By Tyler Fenwick MLB.com Jul. 24th, 2018

Reds reliever Jackson Stephens was placed on the 10-day disabled list with a torn lateral meniscus in his right knee on Tuesday. The move was made retroactive to Monday.

Stephens has shuffled between the Reds and Triple-A Louisville this season. In 18 appearances out of the bullpen for the Reds, Stephens has a 4.82 ERA and 23 strikeouts over 28 innings. In his last outing, on July 22, Stephens tossed 3 1/3 innings of one-run ball against the Pirates.

Stephens' place on the 25-man roster was taken by Homer Bailey, who returned from the 10-day DL and was to start Tuesday's game against the Cardinals. CINCINNATI ENQUIRER Homer Bailey impressive, but the Cincinnati Reds fall to the St. Louis Cardinals 4-2 in 11 innings John Fay, Cincinnati Enquirer Published 10:57 p.m. ET July 24, 2018 | Updated 9:09 a.m. ET July 25, 2018

Homer Bailey's return the big leagues was impressive – even if the overall result for the Reds wasn't.

The St. Louis Cardinals outlasted the Reds 4-2 in 11 innings Tuesday night before a crowd of 18,379 at Great American Ball Park Tuesday night.

Tommy Pham singled off Amir Garrett, the Reds fourth pitcher of the night, with one out in the 11th. Dexter Fowler followed with an opposite-field shot to right.

Bailey went 6 ⅔ innings and allowed two runs on five hits. He walked two and struck out eight.

He threw 115 pitches. His fastball topped out at 96 mph. In short, he looked nothing like the guy who was 1-7 with 6.68 ERA before going on the disabled list.

“He was really good," Reds manager Jim Riggleman said. "The 10 strikeouts in the minor leagues was maybe an indication he was getting his slider refined and he got a lot of swings and misses with the slider today. That was one of the best starts we have had from anyone all year.”

Bailey mixed his split-finger and his slider in to put away batters.

"We had a couple of pitches working that we were able to get some swings and misses on. Really there were only a few that they did damage on," Bailey said.

He started 19 of 26 batters he faced with strikes.

"I think that's something you're taught in A ball," Bailey said. "Try to get ahead. Once you get ahead, you can expand the zone. You like the think the hitters will chase."

The effort put him in line for a loss because the Reds did not have a hit while he was in the game. But Eugenio Suarez erased the lead with one swing for the second straight night. Suarez’s’ two-run home run in the seventh tied the game at 2-2.

"That was a really good swing on it, man," Suarez said. "Same thing like yesterday, I try to win all my at-bats. He missed that changeup in a hitter’s count, and I just, like I always say, put a barrel on it, hit it hard to the middle and find a hole. To hit a homer and tie the game, it was a really good game, exciting game like yesterday. This time we didn’t win."

Bailey struck out the side in the first. He stranded Marcell Ozuna after a leadoff double in the second. And he worked a perfect third.

But the Cardinals got to him for a run in the fourth. Paul DeJong led off with a double to center. Billy Hamilton tried to make a leaping catch, but he just missed the ball. An out later, Jose Martinez singled to get DeJong in.

Bailey walked Fowler with two outs int he seventh. Yairo Munoz followed with a double to get Fowler in and made it 2-0.

Michael Lorenzen took over at that point and gave up an infield single to pitcher Austin Gomber and walked Matt Carpenter to load the bases. But Lorenzen got to fly out to leave them loaded.

The Reds offense, meanwhile, was doing what it did Monday night: Not hitting. The Reds had no hits of young left-hander Gomber through 6 ⅓ innings.

Gomber, 24, was recalled from Triple-A Memphis earlier in the day to take the spot of right-hander Daniel Poncedeleon. Poncedeleon no-hit the Reds for seven innings on Monday night.

It was Gomber’s first big league start. He had appeared in 15 games in relief for the Cardinals this year. He was to 7-3 with a 3.42 ERA at Memphis.

A fire alarm went off after the top of seventh. The game was delayed for seven minutes. Joey Votto broke up the no-hitter with a single to right with one out after play resumed.

Three pitches later, Suarez hit one out to left-center for his 21st of the year, and it was tied at 2-2.

The Reds threatened in the 10th.

Adam Duvall led off with 10th for the Reds with a bloop single to center off Sam Tuivailala. Phillip Ervin squared to bunt Duvall over and was hit by a pitch. Curt Casali bunted one that Yairo Munoz fielded and threw to third to force Duvall.

Pinch-hitter Tucker Barnhart popped out to center. Billy Hamilton hit one to deep right, but Fowler ran it down.

Bailey's effort gave him optimism.

"I think so," Bailey said. "It's over now. I'll go back tomorrow and look the mistakes and things we did right. We're kind of at the halfway point with All-Star Break here recently. You keep plugging away."

Reactions: Fire alarms pause Austin Gomber's no-hit bid against Cincinnati Reds for 7 minutes Bobby Nightengale, Cincinnati Enquirer Published 9:52 p.m. ET July 24, 2018 | Updated 11:29 p.m. ET July 24, 2018

For the second consecutive night, the Reds were no-hit through the first six innings against the St. Louis Cardinals.

As St. Louis left-hander Austin Gomber prepared to take the mound for the bottom of the seventh inning Tuesday, fire alarms blared around Great American Ball Park.

With a shrieking alarm and lights flashing, the game was delayed for more than seven minutes. Gomber continued throwing warm- up pitches and Cardinals left fielder Marcell Ozuna took a seat in the outfield grass.

When Gomber resumed his bid for history, he allowed a one-out single to Joey Votto. Three pitches later, Eugenio Suarez blasted a game-tying, two-run homer into the left-field seats to end Gomber's outing.

"First time I’ve seen that in my life. It’s crazy," Suarez said. "But I like it because it’s good for us. We broke up the no-hitter and we tied the game in that inning."

The Reds announced after the game that the fire alarm was caused by a malfunction in one of the detector units.

"Probably was one of those things, but pretty odd timing," Cardinals interim manager Mike Shildt said.

Joey Votto wants to drive school bus or be crossing guard per MLB Network interview Dave Clark, Cincinnati Enquirer Published 12:12 a.m. ET July 25, 2018

Cincinnati Reds All-Star first baseman Joey Votto appeared Tuesday on MLB Network's MLB Now, talking to host Brian Kenny about Ted Williams, how Williams' The Science of Hitting has inspired his hitting approach, and much more - including Votto's aspiration to drive a school bus or be a crossing guard when he's out of baseball.

Kenny was ending a nine-minute interview with Votto when Votto stopped him:

"Oh hey, let me say one thing. So I said after I'm done playing drive a bus. I legitimately would like to drive a yellow bus when I'm older so I've actually thought about - I want to be either a crossing guard or drive a yellow bus. Drive the kids to school or let them cross to school so, you know, that's something I'm excited about. I'm serious about that. I think that will be great. I plan on retiring around 40, 41 years old and then from 40 until however long I live I'll drive that yellow bus."

Votto appeared throughout a film documentary about Williams - American Masters – Ted Williams: “The Greatest Hitter Who Ever Lived” - that debuted Monday night on PBS.

Cincinnati Reds notebook: Jesse Winker out with sore shoulder; Schebler still recovering Bobby Nightengale, Cincinnati Enquirer Published 6:03 p.m. ET July 24, 2018

A few steps away from first base during Monday’s ninth-inning comeback over the St. Louis Cardinals, Reds outfielder Jesse Winker ducked under a line-drive single from Tucker Barnhart on the base paths.

Winker fell in the dirt before advancing to second base. He eventually scored the game-winning run on Dilson Herrera’s walk-off single.

There is some concern that it could be more than just an awkward fall.

Winker was not in Tuesday’s lineup, replaced in right field by Phillip Ervin. He received treatment on his shoulder following Monday’s game.

“I hope it’s just a day or two,” Reds interim manager Jim Riggleman said. “But I could see in his reaction after the game (Monday) that he was upset that it happened. I think he’s felt something in there for months. Probably was kind of going away and then felt it again last night.”

Winker said he wasn’t comfortable talking about the severity of his shoulder injury but explained it’s something he’s dealt with “off and on” for a couple of years. Earlier this season, he could feel it when he swung the bat or slid into a base.

“Pretty much any baseball move,” Winker said.

In 16 games this month, Winker is batting .442 with six doubles, a homer and 11 RBI. He’s reached base in each game he’s played, owning an impressive .517 on-base percentage.

How would Winker describe his injury?

“I’m going to wait,” Winker said. “I don’t feel comfortable talking about it yet.”

SCHEBLER TO STAY ON DL?: Reds outfielder Scott Schebler, on the 10-day disabled list with a sprained AC joint in his right shoulder, is eligible to return as soon as Wednesday.

Riggleman said Schebler may have to wait a little bit longer.

“I’m not hearing that he’s going to be back (Wednesday),” Riggleman said. “I talked to the trainer about it today and he did not sound optimistic that he would be ready to go.”

Schebler injured his shoulder when he fell into the outfield wall while making a catch in St. Louis prior to the All-Star break.

“I am taking batting practice,” he said. “So that’s another step.”

STEPHENS TO THE DL: Making room for Homer Bailey to return to the starting rotation, the Reds placed right-handed reliever Jackson Stephens on the disabled list Tuesday because of a torn lateral meniscus in his right knee.

Stephens isn’t sure when he suffered the injury. After pitching 3 ⅓ innings out of the bullpen in Sunday’s loss to the , he felt pain in his knee Monday.

“It had to have happened when I pitched that day but I didn’t feel anything when I was pitching or nothing like that,” Stephens said. “It was just the next day, it was really swelled up and sore.”

Stephens doesn’t believe he will need surgery to repair the torn meniscus. Riggleman was hopeful that he will be pitching again in a couple of weeks.

OLD LEFT-HANDER: As the Reds prepared to face a left-handed pitcher in Tuesday's game, Tom Browning threw batting practice on the field beforehand. Browning has been a semi-regular lately.

“They needed a left-hander after Bryan (Price) left,” he said. “I’m in town, so I said call me. It’s my exercise for the day.”

BLANDINO UNDERGOES SURGERY: Alex Blandino, the Reds’ backup infielder, had surgery Monday to reconstruct the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and repair the medial collateral ligament (MCL) in his right knee.

He suffered the injury in the ninth inning of Friday’s loss to the Pirates when he was attempting to turn a double play at second base. Pirates infielder Max Moroff collided with Blandino on an awkward slide.

Blandino is expected to recover from the injury in six to eight months. THE ATHLETIC Early returns on the Curt Casali trade suggest a savvy move by the Reds By Justin Williams July 25, 2018

CINCINNATI – Curt Casali rubbed his arms, showing off the goosebumps. They were warranted. He had just met .

“He actually fed balls on the tee for me five minutes ago,” Casali said on Monday. Bench was in town for the annual Reds Hall of Fame festivities and was hanging around the locker room before the start of the Cardinals series. “It’s like – I mean, he’s alive and well, but it’s like seeing a ghost, a legend that you thought you’d never get to meet.”

It’s the type of perk the backup catcher didn’t have access to during a few sporadic stints in the Majors with the – a franchise founded 15 years after Bench retired – but one he clearly appreciates.

Casali has proven to be quite the added benefit himself since the Reds acquired him for cash from the Rays on May 31. The team was in desperate need of a reliable backup backstop to spell Tucker Barnhart after trading Devin Mesoraco for , though Casali wasn’t necessarily an obvious choice to most fans. Over the course of four seasons (2014-17), Casali had 466 big-league plate appearances in 161 games for the Rays, slashing only .199/.285/.385 with 19 home runs, 49 RBI, 42 walks and 142 strikeouts.

It’s been a different story with the Reds. After spending all of 2018 with the Rays Triple-A affiliate prior to the trade, Casali has hit .280/.368/.460 in 58 plate appearances since the move, with two home runs and some solid defensive work.

“He’s been great,” Barnhart said. “He receives the ball really well and obviously he can hit.”

It’s allowed the Reds to give Barnhart a regular day or two off each week without having to sacrifice too much on either side of the plate.

“Playing behind Tucker, I just have to do what I can to help and make sure the pitchers don’t skip a beat while I’m back there and do my job,” Casali said. “If I play twice a week, I want to win twice a week.”

Barnhart is often lauded in the Reds locker room for how well he calls games, and it’s something Casali has worked hard to replicate since arriving, even in his more limited role. He claims that though most outsiders would assume catching a pitcher less often would make that a tougher proposition, it doesn’t have much impact on the way he prepares or interacts with the staff. Familiarity certainly helps, but that’s also something he’s able to cultivate during pregame work, or in the locker room, or by talking to Barnhart.

“Tucker and I have similar game plans, how we call pitches, and that’s just based on who is on the mound at the time,” Casali said. “But starter or backup, it really doesn’t change too much.”

The most significant factor, as far as Casali is concerned, is what a pitcher’s stuff looks like on any given day, something he can generally gauge in warm-ups.

“It’s similar to hitting – you may not feel good that day, and (the pitcher) may not feel quite right that day either,” he said. “If they have a curveball that day, we go based on that. If the arm doesn’t feel good, we change it up. If it feels great, we blow it by guys as much as we can. But it’s very much a day-by-day process.”

Pitch-framing metrics can be more art than science at times, particularly with the small sample sizes of someone like Casali, but he’s been highly regarded in that area among teammates and coaches since making his debut with Tampa Bay in 2014.

Though that defensive prowess doesn’t appear to extend too far beyond home plate. Casali was forced into late-game emergency duty at second base – a position he’d never played before – after Alex Blandino’s freak injury last weekend. Naturally, the first batter immediately hit a ground ball in his direction, which Casali promptly booted.

“I thought he had that ball lined up, but it’s hard. Our glove is so different,” said Barnhart, who could definitely sympathize with the situation. “I told him he blew any shot to win the Gold Glove at second base.”

For a club that has caught flak for the return on some of its bigger trades in recent years, the early returns look good on the smaller- scale deal for Casali, with the Reds seeming to recognize an undervalued talent mired in the Rays’ minor leagues. And aside from that brief stint at second base, the move has been all positive for Casali so far this season, too. Living ghost of Johnny Bench included.

“I think a change of league was refreshing. A change of division was definitely refreshing because the AL East is tough as nails,” he said. “Just having a new start, a do-over, a new color, it all matters. Fresh eyes, fresh arms, fresh fans. It’s been a real treat so far.”

Homer Bailey’s return a success despite Reds falling short in extra innings By Justin Williams July 25, 2018

CINCINNATI — The Reds were unable to duplicate any late-game heroics for the second consecutive night on Tuesday, falling to the St. Louis Cardinals 4-2 in 11 innings.

One night after a first-time starter no-hit the Reds through seven innings, the club was no-hit through 6.1 innings by yet another first-time starter. This time though, it was Austin Gomber relinquishing his own lead as opposed to the Cardinals bullpen. After giving up a single to Joey Votto to break up the no-no in the top of the seventh inning, Eugenio Suárez came to the plate next and knotted the game at 2-2 with a left-field blast, his second homer in two nights.

The Reds flirted with another walk-off in the bottom of the 10th, putting runners on first and second with no outs before a fielder’s choice and back-to-back fly outs ended the inning. A two-run shot by Cardinals outfielder Dexter Fowler off Amir Garrett in the top of the 11th secured the visitors a 4-2 victory.

But the most promising aspect of the night, at least as far as the Reds are concerned, were the 6.2 quality innings from the right arm of Homer Bailey. The much-maligned veteran starter returned from a rehab stint in Triple-A Louisville to go six-plus, allowing two earned on five hits, with eight strikeouts and two walks. He walked off the field to a standing ovation from Reds fans behind the home dugout.

“He looked really good,” said Curt Casali, who caught Bailey on Tuesday night. “I think quickly we got on the same page. He looked good in the bullpen (warming up) and I think for the most part he executed the pitches that he wanted to throw really well.”

Bailey entered the night with a 6.68 ERA, 1.69 WHIP and a 6.29 FIP in 12 starts after spending seven weeks on the disabled list with knee inflammation. But the numbers on Tuesday night were encouraging. The 6.2 innings made for his longest outing since he went seven innings on April 15, and the 115 pitches were a season high, as were the eight strikeouts. He consistently hit mid-90s on his fastball and had solid command all night, a reflection of what Bailey alluded to as some recent technical tweaks to his delivery.

“He threw a number of good (split-finger fastballs), a number of good sliders, and I thought his fastball started to take off toward the end as he started to gain confidence in his location,” said Casali, who was catching Bailey for the first time. “Get them into swing mode, and that’s when his slider can really execute well.”

The offense couldn’t offer much help on Tuesday, but with Matt Harvey likely to be dealt by the July 31 trade deadline, continued health and anything close to that type of form from Bailey for the remainder of the season would shoulder a significant burden for an otherwise young, potentially innings-limited rotation. It would also help make the $40 million remaining on Bailey’s contract a bit easier to stomach.

“That was one of the best starts we’ve had from anybody all year,” said Reds interim manager Jim Riggleman post-game.

Bailey was humble in response, noting that there have been a number of impressive performances among the starters.

“It’d be hard to single one (start) out,” Bailey said. “But I see compliments like that from the manager – sure, thanks.”

And though he said he would have preferred a win, the improvement in his return performance has him at least somewhat optimistic moving forward.

“Yeah, I think so. It’s kind of over now. Tomorrow we’ll go back and watch it, look at mistakes and things we did right,” Bailey said. “Just keep plugging away.”

Jesse Winker’s hot streak has him in the Rookie of the Year conversation. Not that he cares. By Justin Williams Jul7 24, 2018

CINCINNATI – Jesse Winker stopped himself mid-sentence. His eyes widened in panic, frantically scanning a suddenly very empty locker room. It was an obvious left-the-oven-on, mom-from-Home Alone moment.

“Hey, Butch,” he shouted across the clubhouse to Rob Butcher, the club’s vice president of media relations. “Where is everybody?”

Butcher shrugged. “I know you’re the only one in here.”

“Hold on,” said Winker, already sprinting around the corner to check the daily schedule. He returned a few seconds later with an embarrassed grin. “Optional infield — we’re good.”

He sat back down and exhaled. “Holy shit. OK, sorry, what was the question?”

It may have been the most angst he’s felt in months as it relates to baseball. The Reds rookie outfielder has been on a tear of late: since June 1, he’s slashing .362/.465/.554, including a 12-game hit streak that ended Sunday, and a 17-game on-base streak entering Tuesday night’s game against the Cardinals. His .405 on-base percentage for the season is second in the National League, behind only Joey Votto.

“I think it’s just hard work,” Winker said of his current hot streak. “I get to work with (hitting coach) Don Long and (assistant hitting coach) Tony Jaramillo every day, and it’s just staying with the process. We made a couple little changes here and there, but no 180-degree turns, just little things that help crisp up my swing and how I go about my at-bats. Nothing too drastic, just working at it every day.”

The two-month surge has come on the heels of an odd stretch at the end of May. In Arizona in the midst of a West Coast trip, interim manager Jim Riggleman announced that the Reds were going to abandon their four-man outfield rotation, and Winker found himself on the outside looking in. It was a head-scratcher of a move, even considering that Winker was slumping at the time, but then it got even scratchier when Winker was back in the starting lineup for the first game in San Diego. He has started 35 of the team’s 42 games since that Diamondbacks series.

“I was called in and told that they were gonna go with Schebler, Hamilton and Duvall,” Winker said of the initial benching. “And then a couple days after that I was playing in San Diego. I didn’t really look too far into it — whatever I’m told to do, I just want to go do it. I just took the days to get better, work on some things, and then when I saw my name was in the lineup, I just started playing ball again.”

Winker said he doesn’t harbor animosity because of the incident, and didn’t need to use it for any extra motivation, either.

“I think at this point if you need something like that to light a fire under you, you’re not playing ball anyway,” he said. “I have things I want to accomplish personally that lights a pretty big fire.”

Winning National League Rookie of the Year — an award Winker has put himself on the shortlist for in recent weeks — is not one of those personal goals. Or if it is, he’s being pretty coy about it.

“I don’t think about awards much. I’d be honored to be given such a thing, but winning is what I care about most,” Winker said. “I know that’s super cliché, but I think that’s what pulls the most out of me.”

At this moment, it appears the thing most likely to slow him down is a sore shoulder, an injury that had been bothering him and was re-aggravated in Monday night’s comeback, walk-off win over the Cardinals. After Eugenio Suárez tied the score at 1-1 with a solo homer, Winker and Tucker Barnhart hit back-to-back singles. With Winker on first base, Barnhart hit a liner to right field that forced Winker to pause and hit the dirt to avoid being struck. He looked to be in a bit of pain when he reached second, and Riggleman said before Tuesday’s game that Winker’s shoulder was sore. Winker is out of the lineup for Tuesday’s game, and Riggleman made it sound as if he might miss a day or two, but hoped it wasn’t anything more than that.

Regardless, once Winker is back in the lineup and looks to extend that 17-game on-base streak, don’t expect him to start worrying about how many rest days he gets, or if he’s hitting for enough power, or where the 24-year-old stands in the Rookie of the Year race.

“I only care about what my coaches, teammates and the front office says. I don’t care what anybody outside of that says,” Winker asserted. Then he paused, motioning toward the blinking light of the nearby voice recorder. “Except my family. Put my family in there. My mom would not appreciate me not putting her in there.” DAYTON DAILY NEWS Votto praises perfection of Ted Williams in PBS documentary Reds first baseman on Red Sox great: “He’s just so clearly better than everybody, save Babe Ruth.’ By David Jablonski July 25, 2018

CINCINNATI — Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto, one of the greatest hitters of his generation, heaped praise on one of the greatest hitters of all time in a new PBS documentary.

“Ted Williams: The Greatest Hitter Who Ever Lived,” premiered Monday. Votto has a starring role as the only active player interviewed for the documentary about the last man to hit .400. Williams hit .406 in 1941.

In one segment, Votto could have been describing himself as he talked about Williams starring for the for 19 seasons and appearing in the postseason only once.

The Red Sox lost the 1946 4-3 to the St. Louis Cardinals. Votto appeared in the postseason three times in his first 11 seasons with the Reds but also played for eight losing teams.

“It is really difficult to be the queen on the chessboard,” Votto said. “Championship teams, they’ve got an arsenal, so nobody feels they’ve got to carry the load. Ted clearly didn’t have that.”

Williams is tied for seventh in baseball history with a .344 career average. He recorded 2,654 hits and 521 home runs despite missing three full seasons while serving in World War II.

Williams and Votto rank among baseball’s best at getting on base. Williams is the all-time leader with a .481 on-base percentage. Votto ranks 12th (.427) and leads all active players.

“I’ll look at his career numbers,” Votto said in the documentary. “He’s just so clearly better than everybody, save Babe Ruth. There’s Babe and then there’s Ted like neck and neck, and then everybody else so far. It’s not even close.”

Here are Votto’s other comments in the film:

On hitting: “You get a ball at your head, 95 to 100 miles per hour, and you’re like, ‘Oh my god this is real,’ but if you want to hit, you’ve got to be all in.”

On Williams: “He represents perfection, greatness, setting out to do something and achieving it. ... It was like he was carved out of stone for hitting specifically. He was made like David, like just for this particular endeavor.”

On “The Science of Hitting,” the book written by Williams in 1970: “The thing that glows for me out of this book and out of him is just the level of intensity and passion. ... You walk to the altar of Ted Williams once you really want to invest yourself in hitting.”

Cardinals fans upset after fire alarm disrupts no-hit bid Reds still lose 4-2 in 11 innings at Great American Ball Park By David Jablonski July 25, 2018

CINCINNATI — St. Louis Cardinals fans threw a fit Tuesday on Twitter when a fire alarm at Great American Ball Park interrupted Austin Gomber’s no-hit bid at Great American Ball Park.

For the second night in a row, a Cardinals pitcher held the Reds hitless through six innings. Daniel Poncedeleon threw seven scoreless innings Monday before Phillip Ervin broke up the no-hitter in the eighth in a game the Reds won 2-1.

Joey Votto ended Gomber’s no-hitter with one out on the seventh, though the Reds still lost 4-2 in 11 innings when Dexter Fowler hit a two-run home run against Amir Garrett.

In the middle of the seventh, the game was delayed 7½ minutes as a fire alarm shrieked throughout the stadium. Cardinals fans immediately sensed a conspiracy.

“Coincidence? I think not,” wrote one fan.

“If you aren’t cheating, you aren’t trying,” wrote another.

“You are all a bunch of classless bums,” was one fan’s response.

Those were the nicer comments. The Reds released a statement about the alarm later: “We have determined the fire alarm was caused by a malfunction in one of the detector units.”

The Reds trailed 2-0 before the alarm and tied it soon after the alarm was silenced. Eugenio Suarez followed Votto’s single with a two-run home run. Suarez wasn’t sure if the alarm bothered Gomber.

“It’s the first time I’ve seen that in my life,” Suarez told reporters. “It was crazy.”

McCoy: Winker’s winning run could be costly as he aggravates shoulder injury By Hal McCoy July 24, 2018

It is amazing and astounding the different ways that baseball players injure themselves on the playing field.

Jesse Winker is a prime example and it is the reason he was not in Tuesday’s lineup against the St. Louis Cardinals.

His right shoulder has been an off-and-on problem-child for a couple of years now and Monday night he aggravated it again.

And it could be serious because Winker declined to elaborate on the latest pain when asked about it Tuesday afternoon.

“It has bothered me for a couple of years now, on and off,” he said. “I’m not going to address the injury or how long it might be or what might happen. I’m not comfortable talking about it.

The re-injury occurred Monday night when the Reds came from 1-0 down to the Cardinals to win, 2-1, on Dilson Herrera’s pinch- hit walk-off single.

With two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Eugenio Suarez homered to tie it, 1-1. Winker then singled to right field. The next batter, Tucker Barnhart, blistered a line drive between first and second. Winker had to put on the brakes to avoid getting hit and he slipped to the ground, banging his right shoulder. He limped into second and was on third base and scored the winning run on Herrera’s single.

It could be a costly run because it is apparent Winker is concerned about the injury.

“This has happened multiple times throughout the year,” he said. “Diving for balls, ducking out the way of line drives, swinging the bat, sliding and pretty much any baseball move.”

When asked if there is any official name for his injury, Winker shook his head and said, “I’m just going to wait. I don’t feel comfortable talking about it right now.”

Manager Jim Riggleman is concerned, too.

“Winker is sore, real sore,” he said. “When he went down, it didn’t look like much but that area has aggravated him before. Didn’t look like much, but he is very sore. I hope it is just a day or two, but I could see by his reaction after the game that he was very sore. He has felt it for months and it was going away and then he felt it again last night.”

HERRERA WAS the hero Monday night with his two-out bases-loaded walk-off single. But it would not have been possible without Eugenio Suarez’s home run when the Reds trailed in the ninth inning, 1-0, and there two outs and nobody on.

“It was amazing,” he said. “I was just trying to hit a double, not be the last out of the game. I just try to win all my at bats. My hands were real quick on that pitch (fastball from closer Bud Norris) and I hit it very hard. That tied the game, that’s the important thing. And we made an amazing comeback.

“I mean, that kid (Daniel Poncedeleon) pitched a no-hitter for seven innings and we won that game? That’s amazing. I like to compete, I like to be in exciting moment like that — not to be a hero but just to say to myself, ‘OK, you gotta win this game on this ,’ and that’s what I try to do every at bat.”

Suarez continues an outstanding breakout season, batting .302 with 17 home runs and 72 RBI, three behind Chicago’s Javier Baez. No Reds player has led the league in RBI since drove in 125 in 1985.

THE CRUELTIES AND VAGARIES of baseball:

Just a couple of days after pitching 3 1/3 innings of relief, tying his career high, Reds Jackson Stephens was placed on the disabled list with a torn meniscus in his right knee.

“I have no idea how I did it, I never felt anything,” he said. But Riggleman believes he did it on the last batter he faced. Stephens jumped in the air trying to snag a ground ball and landed hard on the leg.

“If there is any good part to injure in the knee, it is the meniscus,” said Riggleman. “That’s the least damaging.”

Surgery is not on the horizon and while it was sore Sunday, Stephens said it felt better Monday.

And immediately after he held the Reds hitless for seven innings in his major league debut, Poncedeleon was optioned back to Class AAA Memphis. The move was made so the Cardinals could call up left handed pitcher Austin Gomber to start Tuesday night’s game. Poncedeleon must stay in Memphis for at least 10 days before the Cardinals can recall him for another start.

QUOTE Of THE DAY

With the non-waiver trade deadline just seven days away, Riggleman said this about the return to the mound Tuesday night of Homer Bailey: “As we approach the trade deadline, this happens to a lot of clubs — somebody comes back from injury and gives your team a boost. It is kind of like making a trade or it is even better than making a trade.”

NEW YORK TIMES Getting His Bat Back By Tyler Kepner July 21, 2018

The absence of the D.H. in the low minors has complicated the transition of one of baseball’s more intriguing prospects. Hunter Greene, who was drafted second over all by the Cincinnati Reds in 2017, is exclusively a pitcher now after starring as a two-way player in high school and taking 30 at-bats last summer.

“What’s great is we start hitting in Double-A, so I’ll be able to swing it again because it’s the National League,” Greene said at the Futures Game last Sunday. “So, yeah, it’s something that I miss, something that I enjoy doing, but right now I’m focusing on pitching.”

Greene, 18, had a 4.69 average in his first 16 starts for the , the Reds’ low-Class A affiliate. But he was averaging 11.4 strikeouts per nine innings, and threw 19 fastballs at 100 miles per hour or higher while collecting four outs in the Futures Game.

“I stood in on his bullpen in this year,” said Taylor Trammell, a Reds outfielder at high-Class A who homered and tripled in the Futures Game. “The kid’s 18 years old. The potential for him is just limitless. He’s so mature for his age.”

Greene was the youngest player at the Futures Game, but was not surprised to be named to the team.

“Without sounding cocky, I’m very confident in what I can do on the mound and the baseball field,” Greene said. “I feel like I deserve to be here, a lot of people were pulling for me to be here and the performance has been there as well. I don’t feel awkward here; I feel like I fit in.”

Brendan McKay, who was chosen two picks after Greene by Tampa Bay, is pitching and playing first base in the minors this season, though he recently missed time with a strained oblique. McKay is 22, and Greene is developing on a slower track.

“Obviously I have friends that are position players, they play pretty much every day,” Greene said. “And to have to pitch, play shortstop and hit, it’s a lot on the body — and I’m still 18.”

Greene said he had not swung a bat since the off-season, putting all his emphasis on pitching, and it is easy to understand why the Reds want to maximize his pitching potential. According to Daren Willman, the creator of the Baseball Savant website, Greene threw more pitches at 100 m.p.h. or higher last Sunday than four major league franchises — Minnesota, Arizona, Milwaukee and Cleveland — have thrown in all their games since 2008.

Trammell said: “The guy’s pumping 102. And people wonder why strikeouts are so high right now.” BLEACHER REPORT Matt Harvey's Wild Rebound from On- and Off-Field Nightmare to Golden Trade Chip Zachary D. Rymer July 24, 2018

Matt Harvey was on the wrong end of a shellacking his last time out. If he were still a member of the , that would be a case of more of the same.

In his time with the Cincinnati Reds, however, it was an exception to the rule.

The eight-run dud Harvey laid Sunday against the Pittsburgh Pirates pushed his ERA through 13 starts with the Reds to 4.50. Before that, the right-hander was rocking a solid 3.64 ERA with a 49-to-15 -to-walk ratio in 64.1 innings.

That isn't going to be lost on contenders who are looking to trade for a starting pitcher. As Cincinnati's one and only pending free agent, Harvey may be the lone Red who's available ahead of Major League Baseball's July 31 non-waiver trade deadline. He could be worth a prospect or two in a trade.

Not bad, considering where Harvey stood when the Reds picked him up.

Cincinnati acquired Harvey from the Mets on May 8 in a trade that sent catcher Devin Mesoraco to New York. That was only three days after he had been designated for assignment and just five days after his performance as a Met had finally hit a nadir.

After the lit up the 29-year-old for five runs in a two-inning relief stint May 3, he owned a 7.00 ERA for the season and a 5.93 ERA since the start of 2016.

Since the Mets had already demoted Harvey from their starting rotation to their bullpen, they had to decide if he was more trouble than he was worth. One can imagine that his many off-the-field controversies—including a couple that interfered with his professional obligations in October 2015 and May 2017—factored into their decision.

Certainly a far greater concern, however, was whether Harvey was simply broken beyond repair.

His injury history included Tommy John surgery in 2013, thoracic outlet surgery in 2016 and a scapula injury in 2017. And it showed. Harvey's average fastball sat just south of 96 mph when he broke out as an All-Star in 2013 and returned to acehood in 2015. Through eight appearances with the Mets this year, it had declined all the way to 92.6 mph.

Once the Mets made the decision to DFA Harvey, the question became whether there was any team out there that fancied itself as his savior. Enter the Reds.

"It was primarily watching him pitch, scouting him, watching video," president of baseball operations Dick Williams said of the team's decision to take a chance on Harvey, per John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer. "We did make some calls to learn what we could about some of the things that have been talked about. It was primarily mechanics to see if there's something we could do to help."

Cut to now, and there is a subtle difference in how Harvey is throwing the ball.

Harvey's arm action has changed, going from long and out of sync with the rest of his body to shorter and very much in sync with his body.

Lo and behold, his fastball velocity has improved dramatically this season:

With New York: 92.6 mph With Cincinnati: 94.3 mph

And as Harvey's fastball velocity has increased, so has his fondness for high heat. The average height of his fastballs has increased:

With New York: 2.4 ft With Cincinnati: 2.7 ft

This has had the desired effect of stopping hitters from annihilating his fastball. Hitters were hitting it an average speed of 92.8 mph, complete with a .686 . Those figures are now down to 91.3 mph and .446.

Harvey's mechanical change has had another, no-less-important benefit: His command is better now than it has been in years.

He's walking only 2.0 batters per nine innings, compared to the 3.0 walks per nine he issued earlier in 2018 and the ugly 4.6 BB/9 he had in 2017. This is no accident, as he's been throwing more first-pitch strikes and more pitches in the strike zone in general.

Mind you, it isn't all sunshine and rainbows.

Harvey's fastball has come back to life, but his ability to miss bats hasn't. His contact rate remains far above what it used to be. Hence his strikeouts-per-nine rate barely budged throughout 2018. He was at 6.7 with the Mets. Now he's at 6.8 with the Reds.

Harvey is also never far from hard contact. He peaked with a 26.5 percent rate in 2013. He was at 43 percent with the Mets earlier this year, and he's only improved to 37.7 percent with the Reds. That's above the MLB average of 35.5 percent.

Still, if the question is whether Harvey has been reclaimed by the Reds, the answer is an unequivocal yes. He's back to being a power pitcher who throws strikes. Regardless of what warts they may have, pitchers like that aren't to be taken lightly.

And despite Harvey's misstep against the Pirates, the stars are aligning for the Reds to deal him.

Other rental starters on the market include J.A. Happ, Cole Hamels, Tyson Ross, Nathan Eovaldi and . It's not the most spectacular group, and Happ and Hamels have done more damage to their value of late than Harvey has. Though they almost certainly won't get any blue chips for him, the Reds should be able to market him to enough teams to end up with something of value in a trade.

Wherever Harvey ends up, his next step will be into free agency for the first time. In a world in which even Tyler Chatwood got three years and $38 million, a respectable contract should be in order.

In short, Harvey is an asset again. That may not be the same as an ace, but it's sure better than damaged goods. ASSOCIATED PRESS Fowler’s homer rallies Cardinals over Reds 4-2 in 11 innings By JOE KAY Today

CINCINNATI (AP) — Austin Gomber was ready to start the bottom of the seventh, still working on a no-hitter, when a siren sounded and lights started flashing. Great American Ball Park’s fire alarm had malfunctioned.

That was a new one for the Cardinals’ rookie left-hander, who got an unexpected 7-minute, 30-second break.

“At first, I didn’t know what was going on,” Gomber said. “I turned around and saw everything was flashing.”

Gomber lost his no-hitter and his shutout after the alarm was silenced in the seventh inning, but Dexter Fowler hit a two-run shot in the 11th on Tuesday night, leading the St. Louis Cardinals to a 4-2 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.

For the second straight night, a Cardinals rookie went deep into the game without allowing a hit. Daniel Poncedeleon threw no-hit ball for seven innings in his major league debut Monday before the Reds rallied against Norris for a 2-1 win featuring Eugenio Suarez’s homer.

Poncedeleon urged Gomber to emulate him Tuesday, a challenge that the left-hander laughed off.

“I was talking to Ponce and he was like, ’Go do it,’” Gomber said. “I was like, I’m probably not going to take a no-hitter into the seventh.”

Joey Votto singled with one out for the Reds’ first hit, and Suarez followed with his 21st homer, ending the rookie’s debut as a starter. Gomber made 15 relief appearances this season before the Cardinals sent him to Triple-A to get in shape to help their depleted rotation. He threw 90 pitches in his first major league start.

Mired in a season-long slump, Fowler connected off left-hander Amir Garrett (0-2) for only his second homer while batting right- handed. Fowler is batting .179 overall.

“We’ve got to keep him going and see that million-dollar smile again,” interim manager Mike Shildt said.

Sam Tuivailala (3-3) escaped a two-on threat in the 10th. Bud Norris got his 19th save in 22 chances, one night after he took a loss.

Homer Bailey returned from his latest injury and gave one of his best performances of the season, allowing a pair of runs and striking out a season-high eight batters in 6 2/3 innings. Bailey has been sidelined since late May by a sore right knee.

Bailey was so ineffective before the injury that the Reds considered moving him to the bullpen. He’s 1-7 in 13 starts this season. He called his start Tuesday encouraging.

“I’ll go back and look at it and see the mistakes I made and just keep plugging away,” Bailey said.

Jose Martinez singled home a run in the fourth and Yairo Munoz doubled home another in the seventh.

ROTATION SWITCH

The Cardinals optioned Poncedeleon to Triple-A Memphis, opening a roster spot for Gomber.

IN THE INTERIM

The Cardinals are 4-4 since Shildt became interim manager. The Reds are 41-42 under interim manager Jim Riggleman.

BREAKING BAD

With runners on first and third and two outs in the third inning, Cincinnati’s Jose Peraza got caught wandering too far off first base and was trapped in a rundown. Catcher Curt Casali broke for the plate and was thrown out, ending the threat.

FITTING TUNE

The Reds played “We Didn’t Start The Fire” during the alarm delay in the seventh inning.

STATS

Fowler’s 12 career homers against the Reds are his most against any opponent. ... The Cardinals are 6-6 in extra innings. The Reds are 5-7. ... Votto’s single in the seventh snapped an 0-for-12 slump that tied his season high. ... Billy Hamilton ended an 0-for-18 slump.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: Carlos Martinez threw in the outfield, the latest step in his recovery from a strained right oblique. He could return to the rotation next week if his recovery continues on schedule.

Reds: RH reliever Jackson Stephenson went on the 10-day DL with torn cartilage in his right knee, which began bothering him over the weekend. There are no immediate plans for surgery. ... Second baseman Scooter Gennett was back in the lineup a day after illness limited him to pinch hitting.

UP NEXT

Cardinals: Jack Flaherty (4-4) makes his fourth career start against the Reds. He made the shortest start of his career last Sept. 19 at Great American Ball Park, lasting only two innings.

Reds: Sal Romano (5-8) has faced the Cardinals twice, with the Reds losing both games.

Votto breaks up Gomber’s no-hitter in the 7th inning By JOE KAY Today

CINCINNATI (AP) — Joey Votto singled with one out in the seventh inning, breaking up left-hander Austin Gomber’s no-hitter in his starting debut for the St. Louis Cardinals. One batter later, his shutout was gone, too.

Eugenio Suarez followed Votto’s single with his second homer in two nights, pulling the Cincinnati Reds into a 2-2 tie and ending Gomber’s night.

It was the second night in a row that a Cardinals rookie went deep into a game without allowing a hit. Daniel Poncedeleon threw seven no-hit innings in his major league debut Monday night. The Reds rallied in the ninth against Bud Norris for a 2-1 win.

Gomber made 15 relief appearances this season before the Cardinals sent him to Triple-A to get him in shape to start. TRANSACTIONS 07/25/18 optioned RHP Dylan Floro to Oklahoma City Dodgers. Los Angeles Dodgers recalled RHP Walker Buehler from Oklahoma City Dodgers. optioned Tyler Wade to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders. New York Yankees recalled Luis Cessa from Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders. Tampa Bay Rays optioned Chih-Wei Hu to . Tampa Bay Rays recalled Austin Pruitt from Durham Bulls. Tampa Bay Rays traded RHP Nathan Eovaldi to Boston Red Sox for Jalen Beeks. New York Yankees activated 2B Gleyber Torres. Tampa Bay Rays activated LHP Jonny Venters. activated RHP Ervin Santana from the 60-day disabled list. Minnesota Twins designated SS Taylor Motter for assignment. New York Yankees optioned RHP to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders.

07/24/18 activated RHP Eddie Butler from the 60-day disabled list. traded LHP Zach Britton to New York Yankees for RHP Cody Carroll, RHP Dillon Tate and LHP Josh Rogers. placed LHP Chris Rusin on the 10-day disabled list. Left plantar fascitis. Colorado Rockies activated LHP Harrison Musgrave from the 10-day disabled list. New York Mets placed LF Yoenis Cespedes on the 10-day disabled list retroactive to July 21, 2018. Twin heel calcifiacations. activated SS Adalberto Mondesi. Kansas City Royals optioned RF Paulo Orlando to Omaha Storm Chasers. Kansas City Royals sent LHP Enny Romero outright to Omaha Storm Chasers. Los Angeles Dodgers sent RF Yasiel Puig on a rehab assignment to Oklahoma City Dodgers. sent RHP Matt Albers on a rehab assignment to Colorado Springs Sky Sox. New York Mets selected the contract of 2B Jeff McNeil from Las Vegas 51s. New York Mets selected the contract of 3B Phillip Evans from Las Vegas 51s. New York Mets designated 2B Ty Kelly for assignment. Milwaukee Brewers optioned RHP Brandon Woodruff to Colorado Springs Sky Sox. Milwaukee Brewers optioned 2B Nate Orf to Colorado Springs Sky Sox. Milwaukee Brewers activated 1B Eric Thames from the 10-day disabled list. Milwaukee Brewers activated RHP Junior Guerra from the 10-day disabled list. New York Yankees placed C Gary Sanchez on the 10-day disabled list. Right groin strain. New York Yankees recalled C Kyle Higashioka from Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders. Philadelphia Phillies recalled RHP Drew Anderson from Lehigh Valley IronPigs. Philadelphia Phillies optioned RHP Yacksel Rios to Lehigh Valley IronPigs. Kansas City Royals sent RHP Jesse Hahn on a rehab assignment to Northwest Arkansas Naturals. Kansas City Royals sent RHP Blaine Boyer on a rehab assignment to Northwest Arkansas Naturals. optioned CF Delino DeShields to Round Rock Express. Texas Rangers recalled LHP Brandon Mann from Round Rock Express. Oakland Athletics sent CF Boog Powell on a rehab assignment to Nashville Sounds. Chicago Cubs optioned RHP Luke Farrell to . Boston Red Sox activated LHP Drew Pomeranz from the 10-day disabled list. Boston Red Sox optioned SS Tzu-Wei Lin to Pawtucket Red Sox. Toronto Blue Jays recalled LHP Ryan Borucki from Buffalo Bisons. Toronto Blue Jays optioned LHP Tim Mayza to Buffalo Bisons. Toronto Blue Jays sent RHP Marco Estrada on a rehab assignment to Buffalo Bisons. Oakland Athletics recalled RHP Frankie Montas from Nashville Sounds. Oakland Athletics optioned 2B Franklin Barreto to Nashville Sounds. activated RHP Clay Buchholz from the 10-day disabled list. Arizona Diamondbacks optioned RHP Matt Koch to Reno Aces. transferred LHP from the 10-day disabled list to the 60-day disabled list. Right knee inflammation. Cleveland Indians recalled RHP Shane Bieber from Columbus Clippers. Cleveland Indians optioned RF Johnny Field to Columbus Clippers. Cleveland Indians claimed RF Johnny Field off waivers from Tampa Bay Rays. Cleveland Indians optioned 3B Yandy Diaz to Columbus Clippers. Cincinnati Reds placed RHP Jackson Stephens on the 10-day disabled list retroactive to July 23, 2018. Torn lateral meniscus in right knee. Cincinnati Reds activated RHP Homer Bailey from the 10-day disabled list. St. Louis Cardinals optioned RHP Daniel Poncedeleon to . St. Louis Cardinals recalled LHP Austin Gomber from Memphis Redbirds. Toronto Blue Jays sent RHP Danny Barnes on a rehab assignment to GCL Blue Jays. Miami Marlins recalled CF Magneuris Sierra from New Orleans Baby Cakes. Miami Marlins placed RF Garrett Cooper on the 10-day disabled list retroactive to July 21, 2018. Right wrist sprain. Tampa Bay Rays recalled RHP Yonny Chirinos from Durham Bulls. Tampa Bay Rays optioned LHP Adam Kolarek to Durham Bulls. Cleveland Indians sent LHP Andrew Miller on a rehab assignment to Akron RubberDucks.