Houston @ Cincinnati preview
Great American Ball Park
Last Meeting ( Apr 29, 2010 ) Cincinnati 4, Houston 2
The Houston Astros could not win a series against the worst home team in baseball so it figures that they will have a tough time against one of the best.
Fresh off losing a series to the lowly Milwaukee Brewers, the Astros face the National League Central-leading Cincinnati Reds in the first of a three-game set tonight at the Great American Ballpark.
Houston lost two of three in Milwaukee, helping the Brewers raise their home win total to a major league-worst six victories.
The Reds, on the other hand, have won seven of their last eight at home and have the second-most home wins in the National League with 17, two behind the New York Mets.
The Reds took three of four from the Pittsburgh Pirates in their last series and will try to continue their recent dominance of the Astros. Cincinnati has won 12 of the last 13 meetings with Houston and swept the Astros at Minute Maid Park at the end of April.
The teams are polar opposites right now: The Astros have lost 10 of their last 13 games while the Reds are 16-9 in May.
Both were expected to be chasing the St. Louis Cardinals this season, but it is the Reds who lead the division by a game and are 19-11 in the division. Fourth in the league in runs with 229, Cincinnati is tied for second in the NL in homers with 56.
Houston is a mess offensively, having hit just 24 home runs and scored 138 runs so far, both worst in the majors. Things look so bad in Houston that ace Roy Oswalt went to the front office last Friday asking for a trade. And who can blame him? Oswalt has an ERA of 2.35 and has 69 strikeouts to 17 walks in 69 innings, but he is just 3-6 due to a constant lack of run support.
Wandy Rodriguez (2-6, 4.33 ERA) gets the start for the Astros. Rodriguez has made 16 career starts against the Reds and is 6-6 with an ERA of 3.89.
Sam LeCure will make his major league debut today, taking Homer Bailey's spot in the rotation. The 26-year-old LeCure was 5-2 with a 2.55 ERA at Triple-A Louisville in nine starts. Bailey was placed on the 15-day disabled list Monday with an inflamed shoulder.
A fourth-round draft choice in 2005, LeCure is the reigning International League player of the week. He went 2-0 and did not allow a run over 16 innings and two starts.