SB Nation Houston - Houston Looks To Win First Series With Reds This Seasonhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/46691/houston-fave.png2011-08-03T12:26:53-05:00http://houston.sbnation.com/rss/stream/20733592011-08-03T12:26:53-05:002011-08-03T12:26:53-05:00Houston Looks To Win First Series With Reds This Season
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<p>(Sports Network) – The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.redreporter.com/">Reds</a> refuse to count themselves out in the National League Central race. More games like the one they had on Tuesday and neither will the rest of the division.</p>
<p>Cincinnati goes for a series victory over Houston tonight at Minute Maid Park looking for its eighth victory in 12 meetings with the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.crawfishboxes.com/">Astros</a> this season.</p>
<p>Coming off a three-game sweep of the defending World Series champion <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.mccoveychronicles.com/">Giants</a>, the Reds dropped an extra-inning game to the last-place Astros to begin this set, but rebounded with a convincing 5-1 victory last night.</p>
<p>Fresh off one of the worst starts of his career, <span>Homer Bailey</span> limited Houston to a run and five hits over eight innings and <span>Edgar Renteria</span> supplied the big blow in a five-run fifth with a grand slam.</p>
<p>The Reds, who were swept in four games at home by the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.amazinavenue.com/">Mets</a> prior to their series with the Giants, remained 6 1/2 games behind first-place Milwaukee in the NL Central despite currently being two games under .500.</p>
<p>“I think everybody in this room still believes we have a chance to make the playoffs,” Bailey said. “That’s the ultimate goal.”</p>
<p><span>Wandy Rodriguez</span> lasted five innings for the Astros and gave up all five runs. He did become the franchise’s all-time strikeouts leader by a lefty with 947, but it was a pitch to Renteria that spoiled the milestone.</p>
<p>“Renteria put a good swing on a fastball inside, that’s basically what happened,” Houston catcher <span>Carlos Corporan</span> said.</p>
<p><span>Luis Durango</span> went 1-for-4 with an <span class="caps">RBI</span> for the Astros, who have dropped four of their last five.</p>
<p>Tonight’s finale could feature a long-awaited first victory for either the Reds’ <span>Dontrelle Willis</span> or Astros rookie <span>Jordan Lyles</span>.</p>
<p>Willis will make his fifth start since joining the rotation on July 10. He hasn’t factored into the decision of his last two starts and faced the Giants on Friday. The 29-year-old southpaw gave up two runs on six hits and a pair of walks over six innings, giving him an 0-1 mark and 3.52 earned run average this season.</p>
<p>Willis, who is still looking for his first victory since June 5 of last year, is 3-2 with a 2.61 <span class="caps">ERA</span> in seven career starts against the Astros.</p>
<p>Lyles, meanwhile, takes a 12th shot at winning his first game in the majors. The Astros right-hander has gone 0-6 with a 4.41 <span class="caps">ERA</span> on the season, but did pitch well enough to win last time out.</p>
<p>Lyles held the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.brewcrewball.com/">Brewers</a> to two runs on six hits over six innings, but the gloom was already in the air as <span>Hunter Pence</span> was traded during the game. Both the runs Lyles allowed came right after Pence was pulled from the game in the fifth inning and Houston ended up getting shut out, 4-0.</p>
<p>“I still had to pitch. The game wasn’t going to stop just because he got traded,” Lyles said on Houston’s website.</p>
<p>The 20-year-old faces the Reds for the first time and is 0-3 with a 4.02 <span class="caps">ERA</span> in five games at home this season.</p>
<p>Should Houston fall behind early, it may have a tough time rallying given <span>Aroldis Chapman</span>’s current run out of the bullpen for Cincinnati. The hard- throwing lefty tossed a perfect ninth inning last night and has thrown 9 2/3 consecutive hitless frames. He has walked just one during that stretch, which dates back to July 18.</p>
<p>The Reds are 29-13 in this series since the start of the 2009 season.</p>
https://houston.sbnation.com/2011/8/3/2342117/houston-looks-to-win-first-series-with-reds-this-seasonDavid Coleman2011-08-02T10:46:48-05:002011-08-02T10:46:48-05:00Wandy Tries To Show Astros Why They Should Hold Onto Him
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<p>(Sports Network) – Though his name was mentioned in numerous trade rumors, <span>Wandy Rodriguez</span> is still an Astro. He draws the start tonight and will try to guide Houston to another victory over the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.redreporter.com/">Cincinnati Reds</a> this evening in the second contest of a three-game series at Minute Maid Park.</p>
<p>While outfielders <span>Hunter Pence</span> and <span>Michael Bourn</span> found new homes prior to Sunday’s deadline, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.crawfishboxes.com/">Astros</a> elected not to move Rodriguez, with reports saying that the three-year, $34 million contract he signed before this season made it difficult to deal the lefty. So, Houston held on to its starter, who is 7-7 with a 3.47 earned run average in 19 games this season.</p>
<p>Rodriguez, who could still be traded if he clears waivers, snapped a three- decision losing streak on Thursday by beating the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.vivaelbirdos.com/">Cardinals</a>, 5-3. The 32-year- old allowed three runs over seven innings, but only one was earned. He also struck out six and retired the final 13 batters faced.</p>
<p>“Wandy was super. He didn’t let the unearned runs bother him,” Astros manager <span>Brad Mills</span> said.</p>
<p>Rodriguez brings a career 7-7 record and 4.06 <span class="caps">ERA</span> against the Reds into this matchup and that includes a no-decision on May 11. He was charged with three runs over seven innings, giving up solo homers to <span>Chris Heisey</span> and <span>Drew Stubbs</span>.</p>
<p>Houston drew first blood in this series last night with a 4-3 victory in extra innings, just the club’s third win in its last 11 games. <span>Jose Altuve</span> knocked in the winning run, grounding a ball to second with the bases loaded. The Reds’ <span>Brandon Phillips</span> fired home, but catcher <span>Ryan Hanigan</span> dropped the throw.</p>
<p><span>Humberto Quintero</span> scored the winning run to cap a two-hit game and <span>Jimmy Paredes</span> hit a two-run triple in his first major league plate appearance.</p>
<p><span>Joey Votto</span> smacked an <span class="caps">RBI</span> double and Stubbs added two hits for the Reds, who were coming off a three-game sweep of the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.mccoveychronicles.com/">Giants</a> and now turn to a starter in <span>Homer Bailey</span> who is coming off one of the worst starts of his career.</p>
<p>Bailey failed to secure a third straight victory on Thursday, when he was hammered for a career-high nine runs along with 12 hits over four-plus innings versus the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.amazinavenue.com/">Mets</a>. The right-hander had allowed just three runs over his previous two outings, but passed that total by the fourth inning.</p>
<p>“It was a matter of not making pitches,” said Bailey after the 10-9 loss. “Bottom line is I didn’t get the job done today. Our offense scored enough runs.”</p>
<p>Bailey fell to 5-5 in 11 starts this season while watching his <span class="caps">ERA</span> jump from 3.67 to 4.68. His 2011 season does include a victory over the Astros on May 10, when he logged seven scoreless frames and struck out five to move to 2-0 lifetime versus Houston with a 1.45 <span class="caps">ERA</span>.</p>
<p>Votto’s hot hitting could help Bailey tonight. The reigning NL <span class="caps">MVP</span> has hit in seven straight, including five two-hit games, and has driven in 10 runs in that span. He is hitting .353 (12-for-34) in his career versus Rodriguez, but has never homered off him.</p>
<p>The Reds have taken six of 10 from the Astros this year and are 28-13 in this series since the start of the 2009 season.</p>
https://houston.sbnation.com/2011/8/2/2339397/wandy-tries-to-show-astros-why-they-should-hold-onto-himDavid Coleman2011-08-01T11:28:35-05:002011-08-01T11:28:35-05:00Astros Back At Home Against The Reds
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<p><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Liberation Sans', FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"> </span></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">(Sports Network) - A three-game sweep over the defending World Series champions should help instill some confidence in the playoff-hopeful <a style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; color: #c61c17; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;" href="https://www.redreporter.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Reds</a>. They would love for struggling starter <span>Bronson Arroyo</span> to get on board and he draws an opponent tonight that could serve as the perfect catalyst for a turnaround.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Cincinnati looks to win four straight for the first time since mid-May, while Arroyo tries to defeat the rival <a style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; color: #c61c17; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;" href="https://www.crawfishboxes.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Houston Astros</a> for an eighth straight time this evening in the opener of a three-game series at Minute Maid Park.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">The Reds seemed destined for a free fall after dropping four in a row to the <a style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; color: #c61c17; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;" href="https://www.amazinavenue.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">New York Mets</a> in the middle leg of a 10-game homestand as the National League West <a style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; color: #c61c17; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;" href="https://www.mccoveychronicles.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Giants</a> were set to arrive in town. That didn't phase Cincinnati, who battled for an extra-inning victory in Friday's opener before outscoring San Francisco 16-2 over the final two games of the series.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><span>Johnny Cueto</span> put an exclamation mark on the sweep with a three-hit shutout on Sunday, while <span>Joey Votto</span> had a homer and four RBI in a 9-0 victory. <span>Drew Stubbs</span> ended with four hits and three runs scored, <span>Todd Frazier</span>added a solo homer and <span>Brandon Phillips</span> ran his hitting streak to 10 games.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">"We've played great baseball the past three days," Stubbs said. "We got outstanding pitching and scored some runs ... It's a good feeling for us."</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">The sweep only allowed the Reds to keep pace in the NL Central as they remained 6 1/2 games behind the<a style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; color: #c61c17; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;" href="https://www.brewcrewball.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Brewers</a> for first place after Milwaukee finished up a three-game sweep of Houston on Sunday.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Arroyo hopes that those struggles by the Astros, as well as his recent run of success against the club, will help him lead the Reds to four straight wins for the first time since a five-game run from May 13-17.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Arroyo has yet to face the Astros this year, but has limited the club to a pair of runs or less in six of the games during his current winning streak in this series. The 34-year-old hasn't lost to Houston since Aug. 9, 2008 and won all three of his starts against the franchise last season with a 1.83 earned run average.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">The right-hander comes into this start with his own struggles, though. He is 0-3 over his last five starts with a 7.42 ERA and has yielded at least four earned runs in six straight outings. Arroyo closed out a miserable July on Wednesday with a loss to the Mets, allowing five runs -- four earned -- on seven hits and three walks over six innings. He fell to 7-9 with a 5.58 ERA this season.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Arroyo faces an Astros club that scored just six runs in getting swept by the Brewers and lost eight of 10 on their road trip. Houston's swing was also highlighted by trades of two All-Star outfielders in <span>Hunter Pence</span> and<span>Michael Bourn</span>.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Pence was dealt to the <a style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; color: #c61c17; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;" href="https://www.thegoodphight.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Phillies</a> on Friday and Bourn went to the <a style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; color: #c61c17; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;" href="https://www.talkingchop.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Braves</a> on Sunday for <span>Jordan Schafer</span> and a trio of prospects. Schafer will eventually take over for Bourn in center, but is currently out with a broken finger.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">The Astros dropped a 5-4 decision in Sunday's finale with the Brewers as <span>Jason Bourgeois</span> hit three-run homer and scored twice. <span>Brett Myers</span> allowed four runs -- three earned -- over six innings, but <span>Fernando Rodriguez</span>took the loss for yielding the winning run in the seventh inning.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">"In his last five outings he has put us in a position to win," said Houston manager <span>Brad Mills</span> about Myers. "We just haven't done a good job of backing him up."</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><span>Bud Norris</span> could use some of that missing help when he takes the hill tonight for the Astros. The right-hander has allowed two earned runs in his last two outings, but is 0-1 in that span.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Norris yielded four runs -- one earned -- over 6 1/3 innings at the <a style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; color: #c61c17; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;" href="https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Cubs</a> on July 22, but was saddled with a 4-2 loss. Five days later in Cincinnati he was charged with two runs, one earned, on four hits and two walks but did not factor in the decision of a 4-2 win.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">The 26-year-old is 5-7 with a 3.39 ERA in 21 starts this year and 0-1 lifetime versus the Reds with a 7.36 ERA over two starts. In that time he has allowed nine runs on 10 hits and seven walks over 11 innings.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">The Reds have taken six of nine from the Astros this year and are 28-12 in this series since the start of the 2009 season.</p>
https://houston.sbnation.com/2011/8/1/2338837/astros-back-at-home-against-the-redsDavid Coleman