Final
Astros-Reds Preview
Sep 28, 2010 - 3:48 AMVideo
Houston (74-82) at Cincinnati (87-69), 7:10 p.m. EDT
The Cincinnati Reds will get the opportunity to clinch the NL Central title in front of their home fans.
With their magic number at one, the Reds look to secure their first division title in 15 years in Tuesday night's opener against the Houston Astros.
Cincinnati (87-69) could have clinched its first division title since 1995 on its day off Monday with a St. Louis loss, but the Cardinals defeated Pittsburgh 6-4. The Reds trimmed their magic number to one with Sunday's 12-2 win in San Diego, salvaging the finale of a three-game series.
"It would have been nice to clinch here so we can tear this clubhouse up, but hopefully we just clinch it at home and just get it over with," Brandon Phillips said. "It doesn't really matter where, as long as it happens."
It should happen soon, considering the Reds are an NL-best 12-4 at home since Aug. 13 and have won nine of the last 10 against Houston at Great American Ball Park. Cincinnati is 8-4 against the Astros this season, but dropped two of three in Houston from Sept. 17-19.
Edinson Volquez (4-3, 4.45 ERA) takes the ball in the opener for the Reds looking to continue his dominance over Houston while improving his chances of pitching in the postseason.
While Bronson Arroyo (16-10) and Johnny Cueto (12-6) are both expected to be Cincinnati's first two playoff pitchers, Volquez, who returned in July after missing nearly a year following Tommy John surgery, is making a strong case to join them in the rotation.
Volquez allowed one run and three hits in a season-high eight innings in last Tuesday's 4-3 win over Milwaukee, and is 1-1 with a 1.66 ERA in three starts since returning to rotation following a brief stint in the minors.
"The more he pitches, the more he fits," Dusty Baker said.
While Baker likes what he's seeing from Volquez lately, the right-hander has always looked sharp against the Astros, posting a 0.98 ERA in winning four career starts against them.
In his lone start against Houston at Great American Ball Park on April 29, 2009, Volquez allowed one hit and a walk in eight innings of a 3-0 victory.
The Astros (74-82) have lost five of seven since playing the Reds just over a week ago. With Sunday's 9-3 loss to Pittsburgh, Houston dropped its second consecutive series after losing just one of its previous eight.
"These guys have done a great job since June and we don't want to lose that momentum, lose what we accomplished up from June until now," manager Brad Mills told the Astros' official website. "It's so easy to lose track of all the good things that have gone on for the last three months (based on) the last week."
In the opener, Mills turns to Wandy Rodriguez (11-12, 3.67), who gave up three runs and six hits over 6 1-3 innings in a 4-3 loss to Washington on Wednesday, but didn't get a decision. The left-hander has allowed three runs in each of his last three starts after yielding two earned runs or fewer in each of his previous nine.
Rodriguez was a little shaky against Cincinnati on Sept. 17, giving up three runs, three hits and a career high-tying six walks in six innings of a 5-3 win without a decision. In his lone start of the season at Great American Ball Park on May 28, Rodriquez was tagged for eight runs in 3 1-3 innings in a 15-6 loss.
- Reds 3, Astros 2 - FINAL
HOUSTON ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
J Bourgeois cf 4 0 0 0 0 1 1 .225
J Keppinger 2b 3 0 1 0 1 0 0 .291
H Pence rf 4 0 1 0 0 2 2 .286
C Lee lf-1b 4 0 0 0 0 1 2 .244
C Johnson 3b 4 0 1 0 0 3 1 .316
B Wallace 1b 3 1 2 0 0 1 0 .226
vb-J Micha
Sep 28 10:04 PM - NL
AT CINCINNATI - SCORING UPDATE
SOLO HOME RUN BY JAY BRUCE (22) TO CENTER WITH 0 OUT IN THE
9TH OFF TIM BYRDAK.
FINAL SCORE: CINCINNATI 3, HOUSTON 2
Astros 2, Reds 3 Bot 9, 0 OutsSep 28 10:02 PM - NL
AT CINCINNATI - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY BRANDON PHILLIPS SCORED ORLANDO CABRERA
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, B PHILLIPS ON FIRST, S ROLEN ON SECOND, J
VOTTO ON THIRD, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: HOUSTON 2
CINCINNATI 2 BOTTOM,6TH
DUE UP FOR CINCINNATI: J BRUCE (.274, 0-FOR-2)
Astros 2, Reds 2 Bot 6, 0 OutsSep 28 9:15 PM - NL
AT CINCINNATI - SCORING UPDATE
SACRIFICE HIT BY WANDY RODRIGUEZ SCORED ANGEL SANCHEZ
SITUATION: 2 RUNS IN, J CASTRO ON SECOND, 2 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: HOUSTON 2
CINCINNATI 1 TOP,2ND
DUE UP FOR HOUSTON: J BOURGEOIS (.231, 0-FOR-1)
Astros 2, Reds 1 Top 2, 0 OutsSep 28 7:39 PM - NL
AT CINCINNATI - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY JASON CASTRO SCORED BRETT WALLACE
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, J CASTRO ON FIRST, A SANCHEZ ON THIRD, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: HOUSTON 1
CINCINNATI 1 TOP,2ND
DUE UP FOR HOUSTON: W RODRIGUEZ (.194, 0 HR, 3 RBI)
Astros 1, Reds 1 Top 2, 0 OutsSep 28 7:38 PM - NL
AT CINCINNATI - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY SCOTT ROLEN SCORED DREW STUBBS
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, S ROLEN ON FIRST, 2 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: HOUSTON 0
CINCINNATI 1 BOTTOM,1ST
DUE UP FOR CINCINNATI: J GOMES (.266, 17 HR, 84 RBI)
Astros 0, Reds 1 Bot 1, 0 OutsSep 28 7:29 PM
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