Recap: Houston vs. Cincinnati
Sports Network | September 26, 2008
Houston, TX (Sports Network) - Roy Oswalt continued his dominance of the Reds, and the Houston Astros staved off elimination with an 8-6 victory over Cincinnati at Minute Maid Park.
Oswalt (17-10), who improved to 23-1 lifetime against the Reds, pitched six innings of one-run ball, allowing just two hits while walking three and striking out three. The Astros' ace also went 2-for-3 with an RBI in the win. Jose Valverde stopped a fierce rally in the ninth, earning his NL-leading 43rd save after getting two outs.
Michael Bourn had two hits and four RBI while Kaz Matsui went 3-for-3 with three RBI and two walks for Houston, which still trails the NL wild card-leading Mets and Brewers by 3 1/2 games. The Astros close with a three- game series at home against Atlanta, and they will also host a make-up game with the Chicago Cubs on Monday if necessary.
Jerry Hairston, Jr. hit a three-run homer and Jay Bruce went 2-for-4 for the Reds, who have lost three of five and finish out the season with a three-game set in St. Louis.
Cincinnati starter Johnny Cueto (9-14) lasted only 2 2/3 innings, surrendering five runs on seven hits and three walks, with one strikeout, to take the loss.
Corey Patterson gave the Reds an early 1-0 lead, blasting a first-inning homer off Oswalt over the center field wall.
Houston took the lead in the second. Brad Ausmus grounded into a fielder's choice with one out, and moved to second on passed ball. Oswalt singled Ausmus over to third, and, after Matsui walked to load the bases, Bourn hit a three- run double down the left field line to give the Astros a 3-1 advantage.
With Geoff Blum on first for Houston in the third, Ty Wigginton, Ausmus and Oswalt hit consecutive two-out singles to plate a run, giving the Astros a 4-1 lead. Matsui worked a bases-loaded walk to force home another run in the inning.
Wigginton and Ausmus led off the Astros' fifth with a single and a walk, respectively, against Gary Majewski. Matsui made it 6-1 in favor of Houston with an RBI single to right.
In the seventh, the Astros padded their lead with two more runs, off Josh Roenicke. Pinch-hitter Reggie Abercrombie hit a double, and Matsui followed with an RBI double to left. Bourn came up and ripped an RBI single to give Houston a comfortable 8-1 lead.
Cincinnati put together a rally in the ninth, but it fell short. Alberto Arias came on to pitch, but didn't last long. Bruce hit a leadoff double, and two batters later Danny Richar scored him on a single. After advancing to second, Richar went to third on a Paul Bako single and scored on a pinch-hit single by Javier Valentin.
With runners on first and second and one out, Houston went to Fernando Nieve to get out of the jam. But Hairston launched his fifth home run of the season to left to cut the deficit to two. That forced the Astros to turn to closer Valverde, who allowed the tying run in Edwin Encarnacion to step to the plate, but struck him out to end the game.
Houston wins the season series 12-3...Oswalt has won eight straight starts against the Reds...Houston's make-up game was caused when Hurricane Ike stormed through Texas and postponed an entire three-game series with the Cubs. The Astros played two of the three games at Milwaukee's Miller Park earlier in the month.
