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Astros aim for sweep minus LF Lee

Aug 10, 2008 - 7:12 AM Houston (57-59) at Cincinnati (52-66) 1:15 pm. EDT

CINCINNATI (Ticker) -- Carlos Lee has carried the Houston Astros the last month, but all he can do is watch now. The Astros begin life without their slugger on Sunday when they aim for a four-game sweep of the Cincinnati Reds.

Lee suffered a broken pinky left pinky after being hit by Bronson Arroyo in the third inning of Saturday's 3-1 win. The slugging left fielder is expected to be placed on the disabled list on Sunday, and will undergo surgery in Houston on Monday.

Lee, who leads the National League with 100 RBI, will miss six-to-eight weeks. It is a devastating blow to the Astros, who have won 11 of 15 to keep their slim wild-card hopes alive. The Astros trail Milwaukee (66-51) by 8 1/2 games in the wild-card race.

Houston will be hard-pressed to keep up that pace without Lee, who was leading baseball with a 390 batting average and 47 RBI since June 20.

"(Lee has) just been an awesome player, getting big hits after big hits, he basically kind of carried us for about a month and-a-half," Astros manager Cecil Cooper said. "Home runs, base hits, he played terrific defensively. It's a big hole to fill but we can fill it."

While Lee is headed to the DL, Aaron Harang is making his way back from injury. Harang (3-11, 4.76 ERA) makes his first start in nearly a month after being sidelined with a strained right forearm. In his last start, Harang allowed six runs and five hits in 4 1/3 innings in a 7-3 loss to Chicago on July 8.

Harang is having an off-year, but is 6-0 with a 3.00 ERA in his last seven starts vs. Houston. He will try and help the Reds snap a season-high five game skid.

The Astros, who have won 11 of the last 12 meetings with the Reds dating to last season, counter with Wandy Rodriguez. Rodriguez (6-4, 3.98) has been roughed up for 12 runs in his last 9 2/3 innings.