Houston 2, Cincinnati 1
When: 7:05 PM ET, Saturday, September 1, 2012
Where: Minute Maid Park, Houston, Texas
Temperature:
Indoors
Umpires:
Home -
Andy Fletcher, 1B -
Rob Drake, 2B -
Joe West, 3B -
Sam Holbrook
Attendance:
18316
By SportsDirect Inc.
Astros 2, Reds 1: Matt Downs scored on a two-out error by Wilson Valdez in the bottom of the ninth inning as host Houston ended its six-game losing streak with a triumph over National League Central-leading Cincinnati.
Sean Marshall (4-5) started the ninth in relief of Homer Bailey and retired the first two batters he faced before pinch hitter Downs doubled to left field. Matt Dominguez was intentionally walked and Marshall plunked pinch hitter Brandon Barnes before Jose Altuve's routine grounder went right through second baseman Valdez's legs, allowing Downs to score the winning run.
Bailey tossed eight stellar innings and Ryan Ludwick drove in the lone run for the Reds, whose division lead over St. Louis was reduced to 8 1/2 games.
Justin Maxwell homered and starter Lucas Harrell worked seven strong frames for Houston, which won for just the second time in 18 games.
Wilton Lopez (6-3) recorded the final two outs of the ninth to pick up the win for the Astros, who are 2-9 under interim manager Tony DeFrancesco.
The Reds got on the board early against Harrell as Zack Cozart led off the game with a single and scored three batters later on Ludwick's sacrifice fly. Houston got even in the fourth inning, when Maxwell lined a 2-1 pitch from Bailey over the wall in right for an opposite-field homer, his 13th of the year.
Maxwell's blast was Houston's last until Scott Moore led off the eighth with a single. Bailey hit Fernando Martinez with a pitch following Maxwell's homer before retiring 10 in a row, a stretch that saw him strike out the side in the seventh.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Cincinnati 2B Brandon Phillips was ejected for arguing balls and strikes after striking out in the eighth inning. ... As rosters expanded to 40 on Saturday, the Reds recalled RHP Logan Ondrusek, OF Denis Phipps and INFs Didi Gregorius and Henry Rodriguez from Triple-A Louisville. C Devin Mesoraco is expected to be brought up Sunday, while RHPs Todd Redmond and Pedro Villarreal should join the team Tuesday. ... Houston also added to its roster, recalling RHP Jose Valdez, OF Jordan Schafer and INF Matt Downs from Triple-A Oklahoma City. ... The Astros claimed INF Brandon Laird off waivers from the New York Yankees. Laird made his major-league debut with New York last season, going 4-for-21 (.190) with one RBI in 11 games.
Top Game Performances
Starting Pitchers
| Cincinnati |
|
Houston |
|
Homer Bailey
|
Player |
Lucas Harrell
|
|
No Decision |
W/L |
No Decision |
|
8.0 |
IP |
7.0 |
|
9 |
Strikeouts |
3 |
|
3 |
Hits |
7 |
|
1.12 |
ERA |
1.29 |
Hitting
| Cincinnati |
|
Houston |
|
Jay Bruce
| Player |
Matt Downs |
|
1 |
Hits |
1 |
|
0 |
RBI |
0 |
|
0 |
HR |
0 |
|
2 |
TB |
2 |
|
.333 |
Avg |
1.000 |
Team Stats Summary
| Team |
Hits |
HR |
TB |
Avg |
LOB |
K |
RBI |
BB |
SB |
Errors |
| Cincinnati
|
7 |
0 |
9 |
.219 |
14 |
8 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
| Houston
|
4 |
1 |
8 |
.129 |
10 |
10 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
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