Twins Send Reds To 4th Straight Loss, 5-4
CINCINNATI (AP) — Homer Bailey smashed one of his bats against the wall in the clubhouse tunnel after leaving the game much earlier than desired.
The frustration of a losing streak is starting to get to the Cincinnati Reds.
Ryan Doumit and Ben Revere each had four hits Friday night, leading the Minnesota Twins to a 5-4 victory that gave the Reds their season-high fourth straight loss. Three of the four have been by one run.
"We had chances big-time," manager Dusty Baker said. "We're piling up the one-run losses this last week. Those are games we could've won if we make one pitch or get one hit."
The teams played five straight seasons from 1997-2001, but hadn't met since then. The Twins were braced for a wild first game at Great American Ball Park, which opened in 2003.
Doumit hit a solo shot off Bailey (5-5), who angrily left the field after failing to get through the sixth inning. Revere broke an 0-for-15 slump with four singles.
Chris Heisey and Scott Rolen had two-run homers off Twins starter Nick Blackburn (4-4), who lasted only five innings.
Plate umpire Jerry Layne left in the fourth after the barrel of a broken bat hit him on the left side of the head. The 23-year veteran fell on his back, got to his feet with help and went for tests at a hospital that came back normal.
"I heard the sound when it hit his mask," Twins catcher Ryan Doumit said. "It was awfully loud. That's scary."
Revere, who grew up in neighboring Kentucky and had more than two dozen friends and family in the stands, also stole two bases, scored a run and had a sacrifice fly off Bill Bray that made it 5-4 in the sixth. It was his second career four-hit game.
Doumit's four hits also matched his career high.
Minnesota's bullpen made it stand up. Alex Burnett escaped a bases-loaded, one-out threat in the sixth. Glen Perkins gave up a pair of singles in the ninth, but escaped with a pair of strikeouts for his second save in place of Matt Capps, sidelined since June 15 by a sore shoulder.
Minnesota's biggest concern was whether its starters would get rocked in a ballpark where homers are the norm. There's been at least one hit in each of the last 60 games, the longest current streak in the majors. The Twins' pitching staff has allowed a major league-leading 95 homers — 68 by the starters.
Eight pitches into the game, Blackburn gave up a two-run shot to Heisey. Blackburn has allowed at least one first-inning run in eight of his 11 starts.
Doumit's first homer since May 8 put the Twins up 3-2 in the fourth inning. Rolen, playing his fourth game since returning from a stint on the disabled list with a bum shoulder, hit his first homer since April 26, putting the Reds back ahead 4-3 in the fourth.
Bailey left after walking the bases loaded on his 106th pitch in the sixth inning, shaking his head in disagreement when Baker came to the mound. Bailey threw his cap on the ground in the dugout, then grabbed one of his bats from the rack and headed for the walkway to vent his frustration out of sight.
"I've got to do what I've got to do, with the guys they had coming up there and he had a lot of pitches at that period of time," Baker said. "We've all got jobs to do."
Bailey told Baker he thought he could get out of the one-out threat, but the manager's mind was made up.
"I definitely didn't want to come out, but Dusty's the manager," Bailey said. "I had a lot of pitches, but I was still feeling good. I felt great."
Bray relieved and walked in the tying run, then gave up a sacrifice fly by Revere that made it 5-4.
NOTES: The Twins are 8-8 in interleague play this season. The Reds are 6-7. ... Twins C Joe Mauer caught in the bullpen without a problem and pinch hit in the sixth, drawing a walk. He was replaced by a pinch runner. Mauer has been out of the lineup the last four games with a bruised right thigh. ... The Reds activated Bray off the DL before the game. ... The Reds will induct first basemen Dan Driessen and Sean Casey into their Hall of Fame before Saturday's game, along with 19th century player John Reilly. Cincinnati RHP Johnny Cueto will try for his fourth win in June.
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