Another injury: Bailey

Homer Bailey might not have been able to dodge an Albert Pujols screamer to the box, but he might have dodged a serious injury.

Bailey left his Wednesday start vs. the Cardinals with a bruised foot and he was struck by a Pujols line drove in the first inning. X-rays revealed no fracture. He will be re-evaluated on Thursday in Cincinnati.

After the bottom of the first began with back-to-back singles to Skip Schumaker and Brendan Ryan,  Pujols, ripped a 3-2 pitch up the middle off of Bailey’s leg and towards the third-base foul line.

Although Pujols was nearly on first base, Bailey fired a desperation throw into right field, scoring two and putting Pujols on third base with a single and two-base error.

Bailey tried to take a warm-up pitch afterwards but had to leave. Carlos Fisher took over and saved the bullpen, big-time, with 4 1/3 innings of work — a career-high. The Reds lost the game, 5-2. 

That’s twice in three games a Reds starter went out early. On Monday, Johnny Cueto lasted only two innings because of a tight left hip flexor that turned out to be a cramp. Overall, the bullpen provided 18 innings of work in the series.

POSTGAME UPDATE: Bailey still expected to be able to make his next start. Here was his account:

“It hit right between my ankle and toe,” Bailey said. “I knew it wasn’t broken because I could walk. Once I lifted my leg, it’s like a balloon went off and then it swelled up real big.

“I’ve had it go off my glove or nick a shoe. I’ve never been hit square like that before. That guy has a little bit of power so it got off the bat really good.”

Bailey seemed to be moving around OK in the clubhouse under the circumstances and still managed to get his feet into his trademark cowboy boots.

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