Reds' Bailey no-hits Pirates, 1-0
PITTSBURGH -- Homer Bailey threw the 15th no-hitter in Cincinnati Reds history Friday night as the National League Central champions edged the Pittsburgh Pirates 1-0 at PNC Park.
The 26-year-old Bailey struck out nine and retired 13 straight batters at one point in pitching his fourth career complete game and second shutout. All of his complete games have been against Pittsburgh.
The Reds' last no-hitter was also a perfect game, in 1988 by Tom Browning against the Los Angeles Dodgers. The only things standing between Bailey (13-10) and a no-hitter in this game were third baseman Scott Rolen's error on a Clint Barmes' groundball leading off the third inning and Andrew McCutchen's one-out walk in the seventh.
Bailey's no-hitter was the seventh of the season in the major leagues.
Bailey had no margin for error as Cincinnati scored the game's lone run off A.J. Burnett (16-9) in the first inning on Todd Frazier's sacrifice fly. Frazier, playing left field, also made the only above-average defensive play behind Bailey, running down Alex Presley's shallow flyball near the foul line to end the third inning.
The Pirates threatened in the seventh when McCutchen walked and stole second base with Bailey holding the one-run lead. However, McCutchen was then thrown out by catcher Ryan Hanigan when he attempted to steal third base.
