Homer Bailey, the Reds' No. 1 pick in the June 2004 first-year player draft (7th overall) will make his Major League debut Friday night vs Cleveland at Great American Ball Park...he will wear uniform number 34.

Homer has been at Class AAA Louisville all season (10gs, 6-1, 2.31, 58ip, 39h, 24bb, 51k, 3hr)...he will become the first player selected by the Reds in the 2004 draft to play in the Major Leagues...in each of the last 3 seasons has been rated by Baseball America as the top prospect in the organization...received the 2006 Sheldon “Chief” Bender Award as the organization’s Minor League Player of the Year and that season was voted by Baseball America as the top prospect in both the Southern League and Florida State League...in 2006 was a Baseball America Minor League All-Star and Class AA All-Star...in a Baseball America 2006 in-season poll was voted Best Pitching Prospect and Best Fastball in the Florida State League.

Thanks to Rob Butcher and the Reds media relations department for the update...

• Barry Zito pitched 6 innings without allowing an earned run, and Ryan Klesko hit a 3-run home run as the Giants breezed past the Phillies, 8-1. Ray Durham doubled, homered, and drove in 2 runs, and Randy Winn, Benjie Molina, and Kevin Frandsen each had 3 hits for San Francisco. Jimmy Rollins went 3-for-5 for Philadelphia.
• James Shields allowed just 2 runs on 4 hits in 7 2/3 innings, and Carlos Pena went 3-for-3 with 2 doubles, a home run, 2 runs scored, and 2 RBI as the Devil Rays stung the Royals, 4-2. John Buck hit 2 solo home runs for Kansas City.
• Dan Uggla had 2 hits and scored 2 runs, and Miguel Cabrera tripled and drove in 2 to lead the Marlins to a 6-4 win over the Braves. Yunel Escobar doubled, homered, went 4-for-4 and scored 2 runs for Atlanta.
• Derek Lowe took a no-hitter into the 7th inning, and Russell Martin had 2 hits, homered, and scored 2 runs as the Dodgers held off the Pirates, 6-5.
• Paul Konerko went 3-for-4 with a home run, and Tadahito Iguchi added 3 hits as the White Sox beat the Yankees, 6-4. Jon Garland allowed just one earned run in 8 1/3 innings, and Jim Thome homered and drove in 3 for Chicago. Robinson Cano had 2 hits and 2 walks for New York.
• Alfonso Soriano went 5-for-5 with a home run, 2 runs scored, and 3 RBI, and the Cubs scored 5 times in the 7th inning to come from behind and beat the Brewers, 7-2. Prince Fielder reached base 3 times and hit his 20th home run of the season for Milwaukee.
• Jered Weaver allowed just one run on 5 hits in 7 innings, Gary Matthews Jr. went 4-for-5 with a grand slam, and Orlando Cabrera had 4 hits, 4 runs, and 2 RBI as the Angels pummeled the Twins, 16-3. Mike Napoli, Reggie Willits, and Vladimir Guerrero also had 3 hits and 2 RBI each for Los Angeles.
• Ichiro Suzuki doubled, homered, had 3 hits, scored 2 runs and drove in 2, and Willie Bloomquist contributed 3 more hits as the Mariners scored 4 times in the 8th inning to cap a 7-4 comeback win over the Orioles. Brian Roberts had 3 doubles and a walk for Baltimore who lost their 4th straight.
• Mark Ellis hit for the cycle and drove in 3 runs, but it was Eric Chavez who provided the dramatics when he hit a 2-out solo home run in the bottom of the 11th inning to give the A’s a 5-4 walk-off win over the Red Sox. Dan Haren pitched another great game for Oakland, allowing just 2 runs on 4 hits while striking out 9 in 7 2/3 innings. David Ortiz doubled and homered, and Wily Mo Pena had 2 hits, a home run, and 2 RBI for Boston.  

BDD Player of the Day – Oakland’s Mark Ellis (Hit for the cycle)