May 1st, 2007
Reds 11, Astros 2
W: Bronson Arroyo (1-2) L: Matt Albers (0-1)
Pigpen watch: 2,954 (1-3, BB)
Other coverage:
AP from Yahoo!
Footer’s wrap
After a 10-14 record in April, the Astros hoped to start off the new month on a strong note, but fell behind quickly and the Reds snowballed their way to an 11-2 victory at Minute Maid Park, exposing the home teams weakness in every aspect as the good guys fell flat for the tenth time in the last eleven games.
Rookie righthander Matt Albers, coming off of two good starts, failed to finish the third inning as he was pounded for eight hits and six runs. Three of the runs were unearned due to errors by third baseman Mike Lamb and first baseman Lance Berkman, but Albers didn’t help his cause by allowing back-to-back homers to the first two batters in the third, or that he couldn’t hold runners from stealing bases with his slow delivery, including a swipe by the lead footed Houston area native Adam Dunn. He also walked one Red and hit another. JD noted that it is never a good thing when your starting pitcher doesn’t get an at bat. As the dust settled, the Reds led 6-0 after three complete innings, as Reds starter Bronson Arroyo mowed down the Astros nine straight.
Long relief man Brian Moehler escaped the jamb left by Albers in the third, and set down the Reds in order in the fourth with help from a double play. The Astros touched Arroyo for a run in the bottom half of the inning after Craig Biggio led off with a walk and eventually scored on a sac fly by Luke Scott. Moehler continued his good work with a perfect fifth inning, but the Astros couldn’t close the gap.
Trever Miller entered in the sixth to counter the Reds left handed lineup. He failed to get a single left handed batter out, allowing four more runs as the Reds took a commanding 10-1 lead and all hopes of a comeback with it. Dunn had the fatal blow with a three-run blast into the right field bleachers. The two teams tallied a run each in the eight inning for the final 11-2 score. The Astros run was after yet another triple by Biggio, who said in the post game that this was his new speed game as a 41 year old. Tongue firmly planted in cheek.
The natives are getting restless in the Game Zone.