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Astros score five in the eighth to upend Reds

Apr 20, 2007 - 4:41 AM CINCINNATI (Ticker) -- Cincinnati Reds general manager Wayne Krivsky and manager Jerry Narron soon will be looking for some new relievers.

The Reds' bullpen yielded six runs for the third time this week, squandering a four-run lead and dropping an 8-6 decision to the Houston Astros, who swept the two-game series.

Luke Scott, who homered in the seventh against Cincinnati starter Bronson Arroyo to cut Houston's deficit to 5-2, hit a bases-clearing double off David Weathers (0-2) - the third reliever in the eighth - to tie the game at 5-5. Morgan Ensberg followed with a sacrifice fly and Jason Lane added a solo homer in the ninth for an 8-6 lead.

"You can't come in like we did last night and hit the first batter, and you can't come in like we did tonight and walk the first batter on four pitches, Narron said.

The Reds' nightmare began when pinch hitter Craig Biggio opened the inning with a four-pitch walk off Kirk Saarloos. Chris Burke struck out, but Mark Loretta followed with a single and Lance Berkman singled off a 2-2 offering from Mike Stanton, plating Biggio.

"Right now there is a lot of confidence building," Houston manager Phil Garner said. "Berkman had a good at-bat. Luke had a great at-bat to get us back in the ballgame."

Weathers got Carlos Lee to hit a ground ball to shortstop, but slick-fielding Alex Gonzalez bobbled it, setting up Scott, who doubled in three runs and went to third on second baseman Brandon Phillips' bad throw to the plate.

"The last six or seven games, I've been pulling off the ball," Scott said. "I was just trying to hit the ball as hard as I can to center field. Any situation where you come back, builds positive energy."

Saarloos, Stanton, Weathers and rookie Jon Coutlangus combined to allow four earned runs, six hits and a walk in two innings.

The Cincinnati bullpen allowed six runs in four frames in Monday's 10-6 loss to Milwaukee and six more in three innings in Wednesday's 7-2 setback here. It entered this homestand with a National league-best 1.72 ERA, but has allowed 16 earned runs in 12 2/3 innings in the first four games of this seven-game homestand.

"It's hard to believe you could have back-to-back nights where you give up five runs in the eighth inning," said Narron, whose club led, 2-1, on Wednesday.

"Bronson went out and did a great job. We need to get the bullpen back to where they were the first week."

Brad Lidge (1-0) worked a scoreless seventh for the win in relief of starter Woody Williams, and Trever Miller and Chad Qualls bridged the gap to Dan Wheeler, who logged a perfect ninth for his third save.

Arroyo yielded two runs and five hits in turning in his third straight solid start. He was worn out after his seven innings.

"I was a little more tired than normal. Not having a breaking ball or changeup wasn't a good mix to go back out there with," Arroyo said. "I wasn't putting guys away, and I felt like we had guys in the bullpen who could do that. I had to throw a lot more fastballs tonight, and it took its toll."

Reds rookie Josh Hamilton doubled, homered and drove in three runs.

"The pitch to Hamilton may have gotten too much of the plate, but it was good enough to jam most hitters," Williams said. "He's the feel-good story of the year. It's hard not to root for him."