(Sports Network) — Dominican right-hander Aneury Rodriguez makes the first start of his big-league career today when the Houston Astros visit Great American Ball Park to continue a three-game series with the Cincinnati Reds.
Rodriguez, a rookie, has appeared in relief nine times through the season’s initial month for the Astros, logging an overall eight innings while allowing nine hits and six earned runs.
He tossed one inning against the Reds on April 5 in Cincinnati and allowed two hits and a run in a game Houston lost, 8-2.
These teams began the series Tuesday night after Monday’s scheduled opener was rained out. Jason Bourgeois went 3-for-5 with a pair of doubles and knocked in two as the Astros earned a 10-4 decision. Clint Barmes and Humberto Quintero each drove in a pair for Houston, which has won three in a row.
J.A. Happ (2-4) went 6 1/3 innings, yielding four runs on eight hits. The lefty struck out five and walked one in snapping a three-game slide. Happ also added an RBI single and scored a run.
Drew Stubbs had a two-run double for the Reds, who have dropped four of six.
Struggling with his command, Reds starter Mike Leake (3-1) was roughed up for seven runs on seven hits in only 3 2/3 innings to take the loss. The righty struck out five and walked one.
The Reds will rely on lefty Travis Wood, who’ll again seek his first win since he defeated Milwaukee in his season debut on April 2.
The 24-year-old went seven innings and allowed four hits and a run in that 4-2 triumph, but has since gone 0-3 in five starts while his earned run average swelled from 1.29 to 6.82.
He lasted just 3 1/3 innings in an April 29 outing against Florida and was raked for eight hits and seven runs.
He’s 0-1 in two starts against the Astros.
Cincinnati took two of three from the Astros earlier in the season.