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Bailey seeks to pitch Reds to series win over Marlins

Apr 21, 2013 - 1:32 PM (Sports Network) - Right-hander Homer Bailey faces the Miami Marlins for the fifth time in his career - and aims for a second victory - when the Cincinnati Reds host them in the finale of a four-game series on Sunday at Great American Ball Park.

Bailey has split a pair of decisions in the previous four meetings with the Marlins while allowing just eight runs on 19 hits in 25 1/3 innings, with six walks and 19 strikeouts.

In two home starts so far in 2013, Bailey has been brilliant, allowing just four hits in 14 innings of scoreless ball with three walks and 16 strikeouts.

He was bombarded for seven runs in five innings of his only road start - at St. Louis on April 10 - which resulted in a 10-0 loss.

Bailey is 19-19 in 62 career starts at Great American, compared to 20-15 in 52 road starts.

For the Marlins, California-born righty Alex Sanabia goes for a third win in four 2013 starts while meeting the Reds for the first time.

A five-game winner in 18 big-league outings before this season, Sanabia opened April with a 7-5 defeat of the New York Mets with six innings of scoreless six-hit ball.

He was ripped for six runs in five innings of an 8-0 loss to Atlanta in start No. 2, before bouncing back with six more innings of two-run ball while defeating Washington, 8-2, on April 16.

Sanabia is 4-0 in 12 career road appearances, while going 3-4 in nine home outings.

On Saturday, Brandon Phillips' sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 13th inning lifted the Reds to a 3-2 win.

Shin-Soo Choo led off the 13th with a slicing ground-rule double down the left-field line off Steve Cishek (1-2). Choo advanced to third on pinch-hitter Cesar Izturis' flyout to center. Joey Votto was intentionally walked before Phillips lifted a fly ball to center to bring home Choo.

"That was a big get-'em-over Izturis had, huge. Brandon did what he's supposed to do," Reds manager Dusty Baker said.

Votto had a solo homer among his four hits and two RBI, while Choo added three hits and three walks for Cincinnati, which has won five of its last six contests on the heels of a five-game skid.

Alfredo Simon (1-1) spun a 1-2-3 top half of the 13th to pick up the win.

The Reds were 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position and left 17 men on base.

Miguel Olivo tallied two hits and a run scored for the Marlins, who have dropped five of their last seven tilts.

"It is the same old story. We couldn't get the big hit," Miami manager Mike Redmond said.

The teams have split their season series, 3-3, for each of the last two years. Cincinnati won five of the seven games played in 2010.