Astros 8, Reds 5
W: Paulino (1-1) | L: Coutlangus (4-2) | S: Lidge (17)
HRs: Pence (16) Votto (3)
AP recap from that ya-hoo site
Alyson’s wrap
Time is running out on Craig Biggio’s career, but he drove in the go-ahead run in game one of his final road trip as the Astros rallied from a four-run deficit to beat the Reds 8-5 Tuesday night at the rainy Great American Empty Ball Park.
The run-scoring hit was his 3,056th, moving him past Rickey Henderson for 20th place on the career hit list. He also had a sac fly to reach 50 RBIs for the season.
The Astros drew first blood in the opening frame after sitting out a short rain delay. Josh Anderson was plunked by Reds starter Beetle Simpson Homer Bailey, swiped second base easily, went to third on a passed ball, and scored on pigpen’s sac fly.
They didn’t have the lead for long. Rookie starter Felipe Paulino, in his second career start, allowed a solo homer in the bottom half of the first. After the Astros failed to score in the second, Paulino got into trouble by coughing up a pair of two-run doubles to fall behind 5-1. The Astros kept chipping away, scoring a run on a Lance Berkman double in the third, and tallied a pair in the 4th after a costly Reds error. Paulino left for a PH after 5 complete, trailing 5-4.
The Good Guys took the lead in the 6th on another costly error by the Reds, a two-out muff from their third baseman that allowed rookie catcher J.R. Towles to reach, and he went to third on a pinch-hit single from Luke Scott. Anderson followed with a chopper in the hole for the tying run, and Bidge’s single put the visitor’s ahead for good.
Dave Borkowski and Chad Qualls combined for three innings of hitless ball after Paulino exited. Hunter Pence drove in a pair of insurance runs, a solo blast in the 7th and an RBI single in the 9th. Brad Lidge, entrusted with another three run lead, was shaky trying to close this one out, but he earned the save despite having the winning run at the plate, giving Paulino his first career victory.
Other notes: JD and Brownie had new GM Ed Wade in the booth for an entire inning, and he rambled on about scouting, contracts, and having an obsession with bullpens. Pence’s homer was his 16th of the season, good for third on the all-time Astros rookie list.
A few weeks ago, someone in the Talk Zone accused Chris Burke of being a wuss. Maybe he could take this banana and flashlight test so we will know for sure.
Mike was lonesome in the Game Zone.