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Felipe Paulino Blanks Reds For Eight Innings; Astros Win 2-0 In Ten
Cincinnati, OH (Sports Network) - Lance Berkman's two-out, two-run double in the top of the 10th inning proved to be the difference, as the Houston Astros held on for a 2-0 win over the Cincinnati Reds in the finale of a three-game series at Great American Ball Park.
Michael Bourn and Cory Sullivan scored for the Astros, who salvaged a win in the series and snapped a nine-game losing streak in Cincinnati. Houston had dropped six of seven coming into the contest.
Felipe Paulino did not get a decision after throwing eight innings of four-hit ball with five strikeouts and four walks. Brandon Lyon (4-1) took the win for throwing a scoreless ninth. Matt Lindstrom locked the game down in the 10th to record his 11th save of the season.
Brandon Phillips had three of Cincinnati's six hits. The Reds had a four-game winning streak halted
Mike Leake allowed seven hits over six innings, but did not factor in the decision. The rookie right-hander struck out three and walked three. Micah Owings (3-1) suffered the loss for giving up the two-run double to Berkman.
In the top of the 10th, Owings retired the first hitter before issuing back- to-back walks to pinch-hitter Sullivan and Bourn. After getting Jeff Keppinger to foul out to third, Berkman laced a first-pitch cutter to right that plated both runners.
Lindstrom came in for the bottom half and allowed a one-out base hit to Phillips before retiring Jay Bruce on a flyout to center and striking out Jonny Gomes to end the game.
Houston posted threats in each of the first three innings, but were unable push anything cross.
Phillips reached with a two-out double in the home sixth, but Bruce grounded out weakly to short end the inning.
In the top of the seventh, Carlos Fisher and Arthur Rhodes combined to throw a scoreless inning. Rhodes stayed on and set down the first two hitters in the eighth, but left with a hip injury and was replaced by Nick Masset, who fanned Carlos Lee.
Francisco Cordero pitched a perfect top of the ninth, then in the home half, Gomes led off the frame with a base hit off Lyon and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Laynce Nix was intentionally walked and Ramon Hernandez bunted into a fielders' choice.
With runners still on first and second, pinch-hitter Scott Rolen popped up to second and pinch-hitter Drew Stubbs walked to load the bases, but Orlando Cabrera flied out to right, forcing the game into extra innings.
Reds first baseman Joey Votto (neck) missed his fifth straight game...Cincinnati swept a three-game set from the Astros in late April and despite the loss has won 14 of the last 16 in the series...The Astros finished 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position and stranded eight, while Cincinnati went 0-for-9 with RISP and left 11.
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