Final
Lane home run powers Astros past Reds
Apr 19, 2007 - 3:36 AM CINCINNATI (Ticker) -- It was a case of better late than never for the Houston Astros' lineup.Jason Lane hit a three-run home run and Chris Sampson pitched seven strong innings as the Astros rallied for a 7-2 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.
Houston managed just three hits and trailed, 2-1, after seven innings. However, the Astros' fortunes changed quickly in the eighth as the team scored five runs with two outs off the Reds' bullpen.
"That five-run inning was pretty exciting," Sampson said. "I was still the pitcher of record, which was nice. I just tried to keep my team in the game. I was going to pitch my game and use my defense."
Reliever Todd Coffey (1-1) started the eighth inning for Cincinnati and promptly hit Orlando Palmeiro with a pitch. After Craig Biggio struck out attempting to sacrifice, Palmeiro advanced to second on Mike Lamb's groundout to third. Lance Berkman kept the inning alive with a two-out single that scored Palmeiro to knot the game at 2-2.
After walking Carlos Lee, Coffey was replaced by Rheal Cormier, who did not fare well either. Cormier allowed an RBI single to Mark Loretta before Lane took the lefthander's first pitch over the wall in left field for his third home run of the season.
"Palmeiro started the inning off and Lance had a big hit. I had a chance with the bases loaded but didn't get the job done. I was glad I got another chance," said Lane, who struck out with the bases full to end the fourth inning.
In two-thirds of an inning, Coffey allowed three runs, one hit, a walk and hit a batter. Cormier, who allowed the Astros to tack on another run in the ninth, allowed three runs on four hits in 1 1/3 innings.
"I'm just off the plate. I'm trying to do stuff I don't normally do," Coffey said. "Last year, I didn't try to go up and in so much. I'm definitely trying to use both sides of the plate. Maybe I should try to go back to what I did last year - throw more sinkers low and away. Last year was pretty good when I did."
Sampson (2-0) got the win despite the fact that his team trailed when he walked off the mound at the end of the seventh inning. The righthander allowed two runs, five hits and two walks while striking out two. Dan Wheeler held the Reds scoreless through the final two innings.
"What I liked about him was he wasn't falling behind," Astros manager Phil Garner said of Sampson. "Those guys are big and strong and will hit their home runs but he didn't walk any in front of them."
Cincinnati wasted a strong start from Aaron Harang, who allowed one run, three hits and two walks while striking out eight. He left after six innings and 101 pitches. Right fielder Ken Griffey Jr. helped Harang in the second inning when he reached above the outfield wall to rob Luke Scott of a home run.
"I'd rather have 100 (pitches) in eight innings," said Harang, who threw 30 pitches in the fourth inning. "I had to throw a lot of pitches in that one inning, and mentally and physically, it takes a lot out of you more mentally."
Josh Hamilton homered for the fourth time in 26 at-bats this season and Brandon Phillips hit his third home run of the year for the Reds, who had five hits in the game.
- NL
FINAL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
HOUSTON 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 5 1 7 8 0
CINCINNATI 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 5 1 (FINAL)
BATTERIES: HOU - CHRIS SAMPSON, DAN WHEELER (8TH) AND BRAD AUSMUS
CIN - AARON HARANG, VICTOR SANTOS (7TH), TODD COFFEY
(8TH), RHEAL CORMIER (8TH) AND DAVID ROSS
HOME RUNS: H
Apr 18 9:47 PM - NL
AT CINCINNATI - SCORING UPDATE
ERROR BY RYAN FREEL ALLOWED BRAD AUSMUS TO SCORE.
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, O PALMEIRO ON FIRST, 0 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: HOUSTON 7
CINCINNATI 2 TOP, 9TH
DUE UP FOR HOUSTON: C BIGGIO (.241, 0-FOR-4)
Astros vs. RedsApr 18 9:37 PM - NL
AT CINCINNATI - SCORING UPDATE
THREE-RUN HOME RUN BY JASON LANE (3) TO LEFT WITH 2 OUT IN
THE 8TH OFF RHEAL CORMIER SCORED CARLOS LEE AND MARK LORETTA.
CURRENT SCORE: HOUSTON 6, CINCINNATI 2
DUE UP FOR HOUSTON: A EVERETT (.270, 0-FOR-3)
Astros vs. RedsApr 18 9:20 PM - NL
AT CINCINNATI - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY MARK LORETTA SCORED LANCE BERKMAN.
SITUATION: 2 RUNS IN, M LORETTA ON FIRST, C LEE ON SECOND, 2 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: HOUSTON 3
CINCINNATI 2 TOP, 8TH
DUE UP FOR HOUSTON: J LANE (.190, 1-FOR-3)
Astros vs. RedsApr 18 9:20 PM - NL
AT CINCINNATI - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY LANCE BERKMAN SCORED ORLANDO PALMEIRO.
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, L BERKMAN ON FIRST, 2 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: HOUSTON 2
CINCINNATI 2 TOP, 8TH
DUE UP FOR HOUSTON: C LEE (.327, 0-FOR-2, BB, RBI)
Astros vs. RedsApr 18 9:13 PM - NL
AT CINCINNATI - MID INNING UPDATE
PLAY: E Encarnacion hit for V Santos.
SITUATION: 0 RUNS IN, S HATTEBERG ON FIRST, 2 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: HOUSTON 1
CINCINNATI 2 BOTTOM, 7TH
DUE UP FOR CINCINNATI: E Encarnacion (.186, 0 HR, 5 RBI)
Apr 18 9:03 PM - NL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
HOUSTON 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 3 0
CINCINNATI 0 1 0 1 0 0 2 4 0 (BOT 7)
CURRENT PITCHERS: HOU - CHRIS SAMPSON
CIN - VICTOR SANTOS
DUE UP FOR CINCINNATI: S HATTEBERG (.258, 1-FOR-2)
A GONZALEZ (.306, 0-FOR-2)
D ROSS (.100, 0-FOR-1, BB)
Apr 18 8:57 PM - NL
AT CINCINNATI - SCORING UPDATE
GROUND OUT BY CARLOS LEE SCORED MIKE LAMB.
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, NONE ON, 2 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: HOUSTON 1
CINCINNATI 2 TOP, 6TH
DUE UP FOR HOUSTON: L SCOTT (.242, 0-FOR-1, BB)
Astros vs. RedsApr 18 8:35 PM - NL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
HOUSTON 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
CINCINNATI 0 1 0 1 2 3 0 (TOP 5)
CURRENT PITCHERS: HOU - CHRIS SAMPSON
CIN - AARON HARANG
DUE UP FOR HOUSTON: B AUSMUS (.259, 0-FOR-1)
C SAMPSON (.000, 0-FOR-1)
C BIGGIO (.250, 0-FOR-2)
Apr 18 8:12 PM - NL
AT CINCINNATI - SCORING UPDATE
SOLO HOME RUN BY JOSH HAMILTON (4) TO LEFT WITH 0 OUT IN
THE 4TH OFF CHRIS SAMPSON.
CURRENT SCORE: HOUSTON 0, CINCINNATI 2
DUE UP FOR CINCINNATI: A DUNN (.333, 0-FOR-1)
Astros vs. RedsApr 18 8:07 PM - NL
AT CINCINNATI - SCORING UPDATE
SOLO HOME RUN BY BRANDON PHILLIPS (3) TO CENTER WITH 1 OUT
IN THE 2ND OFF CHRIS SAMPSON.
CURRENT SCORE: HOUSTON 0, CINCINNATI 1
DUE UP FOR CINCINNATI: S HATTEBERG (.241, 1 HR, 5 RBI)
Apr 18 7:33 PM - NL
AT CINCINNATI - SCORING UPDATE
SOLO HOME RUN BY BRANDON PHILLIPS (3) TO CENTER WITH 1 OUT
IN THE 2ND OFF CHRIS SAMPSON.
CURRENT SCORE: HOUSTON 0, CINCINNATI 1
DUE UP FOR CINCINNATI: S HATTEBERG (.241, 1 HR, 5 RBI)
Astros vs. RedsApr 18 7:33 PM - NL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
HOUSTON 0 0 0 1 0
CINCINNATI 0 0 0 0 (BOT 2)
CURRENT PITCHERS: HOU - CHRIS SAMPSON
CIN - AARON HARANG
DUE UP FOR CINCINNATI: K GRIFFEY JR (.277, 0 HR, 6 RBI)
B PHILLIPS (.222, 2 HR, 6 RBI)
S HATTEBERG (.241, 1 HR
Apr 18 7:29 PM
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