Bailey picks up 1st win since Aug. 12, Reds beat Rockies 8-1

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DENVER (AP) — Homer Bailey wouldn’t read too much into one solid outing.

Still, it was a big step in the right direction for the right-hander whose career has been riddled by arm injuries.

Bailey went six effective innings for his first win since Aug. 12, Billy Hamilton had a two-out, two-run single after missing a game with a bothersome back and the Cincinnati Reds beat the Colorado Rockies 8-1 on Tuesday night.

“You just keep grinding away,” Bailey said.

Bailey (1-2) scattered eight hits in the longest of his three starts this season. He was on the disabled list until June 24 as he recovered from offseason surgery to remove bone spurs in his pitching elbow. He’s still working his way back into form.

The 31-year-old Bailey has been limited to 11 starts since 2015 due to an assortment of arm surgeries.

“He missed a lot of time,” Reds manager Bryan Price said. “When he’s on, he’s a good matchup. He can beat anybody.”

In his first two starts this season, Bailey allowed 14 runs in 4 2/3 innings. He had plenty of traffic on the bases against Colorado, but worked his way out of trouble as he lowered his ERA from 27.00 to 12.66.

Back to his old self?

“That’s the thing about baseball — as soon as you think something is going the right way, it stops, or you think it’s going the wrong way, and it ends,” Price said. “We just let the season play itself out. That’s the safe way to go.”

Jose Peraza, Scott Schebler and pinch-hitter Scooter Gennett added homers for the Reds, who have won three of their last 18 road games.

Rockies lefty Kyle Freeland (8-7) struggled early before settling down. He gave up five runs over 5 1/3 innings in his third straight loss.

“I think the line probably looks a little worse than how he pitched,” manager Bud Black said. “He got a couple pitches up later in the game.”

Hamilton quickly rebounded from a stiff lower back. Price said his speedy outfielder arrived at the park early Tuesday, took some treatment, hit in the cage and was pronounced fit to play. Hamilton had two hits, including his two-run single in the second to make it 3-1, and was robbed of another on an over-the-shoulder catch by Rockies second baseman Alexi Amarista.

In the third inning, Peraza’s blooper dropped in for a run-scoring single after left fielder Raimel Tapia momentarily hesitated. Possibly sensing some frustration from Freeland, Black sauntered to the mound, told everyone to stay away and had a one-on-one conversation with his pitcher.

Whatever Black said — he wouldn’t elaborate — momentarily did the trick. Freeland retired eight straight, including a diving catch by Tapia, before Peraza’s homer in the sixth.

“My command is not where it needs to be,” Freeland said.

THIS & THAT

Cincinnati’s two All-Stars, Zack Cozart and Joey Votto, were a combined 0 for 10. … The Reds scored six runs with two outs. … Gennett has 14 homers this season to tie a career high.

POWER SHORTAGE

The Rockies had 10 hits — all singles.

“We need five or six guys swinging the bat well. We do not have that now,” Black said.

UP NEXT

Reds: RHP Scott Feldman will take the mound Wednesday. He leads the team in wins (7), innings pitched (97 2/3), strikeouts (80) and quality starts (9).

Rockies: RHP Jon Gray (1-0, 3.93 ERA) makes his second start since returning from a broken bone in his left foot.

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More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Homer Bailey delivers a pitch to Colorado Rockies’ Raimel Tapia in the first inning of a baseball game Tuesday, July 4, 2017, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
http://www.wnewsj.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2017/07/web1_117400622-b8e4153995714d9fbb9b14f4786266ca.jpgCincinnati Reds starting pitcher Homer Bailey delivers a pitch to Colorado Rockies’ Raimel Tapia in the first inning of a baseball game Tuesday, July 4, 2017, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Cincinnati Reds’ Billy Hamilton scores on a double hit by Adam Duvall off Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Kyle Freeland in the first inning of a baseball game Tuesday, July 4, 2017, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
http://www.wnewsj.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2017/07/web1_117400622-2fe1c6d3886a4bed828783960c0d370e.jpgCincinnati Reds’ Billy Hamilton scores on a double hit by Adam Duvall off Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Kyle Freeland in the first inning of a baseball game Tuesday, July 4, 2017, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

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