Reds 4

Astros 3

Mike Hampton pitched 6 + innings giving up 3 earned. 

 

Geoff Geary came in for Mike Hampton with a runner on 2nd in the top of the 7th and proceeded to give up a single and a walk to load the bases for Joey Votto. 

 

Tim Byrdak was brought in to face Votto and gave up a 2 run double.  Bourn, Tejada, and Rodriguez teamed up to gun down Hairston at the plate preventing him from scoring on the double as well.

 

Houston had a great opportunity to tie the ball game in the bottom of the 8th with Berkman at the plate and runners at 1st and 3rd after a lead off double by Jason Michaels and a walk by Miguel Tejada.  Berkman couldn’t come through and eventually Hunter Pence was struck out on a called 3rd strike to end the inning with the bases loaded.  Hunter is 0-4 this year with the bases loaded.

 

Matsui 1-3, K, sac bunt.

Tejada 0-3, BB, GIDP

Berkman 1-4, HR, 1 RBI, 1 R

Lee 1-3, HR, BB, 1 RBI, 1 R

Pence 2-4, K, R, 4 LOB

Blum 3-4

Rodriguez 1-4, RBI, GIDP

Bourn 1-4, K

Hampton  0-2

Michaels 1-1, 2B

 

Pitching line:

Hampton 6.1 IP, 8 H, BB, 5K, 3 ER

Geary 0.0 + IP, 1 H, BB, 1 ER

Byrdak .2 IP, 1 H, 1K

LaHawk 1 IP, BB, HBP, K

Valverde 1 IP, K

 

Bad news: Houston has managed to blow 3 out of 4 great starts from their starting pitching. The club continues to struggle with RISP. Hunter Pence left 4 on tonight and Berkman failed to bring home a gimme RBI.  Geary is not pitching well right now either, earning his second loss tonight.

 

Geary (0-2)

Arroyo (3-0)

 

Houston (4-9)