Reds drop 11th straight game to Astros at GABP

Harang gives up 6 runs in five innings

Houston Astros' Michael Bourn slides safely into second base on a steal as Cincinnati Reds' Brandon Phillips catches the throw from catcher Ramon Hernandez in the first inning of a baseball game in Cincinnati on Tuesday, April 28, 2009.

Associated Press photo by Tom Uhlman Houston Astros' Michael Bourn slides safely into second base on a steal as Cincinnati Reds' Brandon Phillips catches the throw from catcher Ramon Hernandez in the first inning of a baseball game in Cincinnati on Tuesday, April 28, 2009.

ENLARGE PHOTO

Cincinnati Reds' Aaron Harang pitches against the Houston Astros in the first inning of a baseball game in Cincinnati on Tuesday, April 28, 2009.

Associated Press photo by Tom Uhlman Cincinnati Reds' Aaron Harang pitches against the Houston Astros in the first inning of a baseball game in Cincinnati on Tuesday, April 28, 2009.

ENLARGE PHOTO

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By Hal McCoy, Staff Writer Updated 12:35 AM Wednesday, April 29, 2009

CINCINNATI — If the Houston Astros played every game in Great American Ball Park they'd finish the season 150-12 and in the interest of competitive balance commissioner Bud Selig would hire an arsonist to torch the place.

For the 11th straight time and the 16th time in their last 17 games in GABP, the Astros beat the Cincinnati Reds, this time by 8-3.

There is supposed to be a home field edge in baseball, but the Reds wonder if the visiting clubhouse attendants are feeding the Astros steak tartare and lobster tails with a caviar chaser before games.

The Astros give a new meaning to the term stealing home because they've not only stolen the Reds' home, they've taken the couch, the recliners, the end tables and the family portraits.

"Evidently they like to come in here and hit," said manager Dusty Baker. "They all talk around the batting cage about how it is such a good hitter's park. Maybe the feel comfortable and confident in here."

Only 9,878 paid to see the Astros chase Cincinnati starter Aaron Harang after only five innings, chipping at him for six runs (five earned) and six hits, with three Reds' errors aiding and abetting last-place Houston.

"I'm expecting to go seven or eight innings," said Harang. "It's tough when you try to get deep into games and you can't get it done."

Meanwhile, the Reds, who can hit neither left-handers nor right-handers (what's that leave?), were handcuffed by left-hander Wandy (not Sandy Koufax) Rodriguez on five hits over seven innings.

Rodriguez is 2-2, both wins against the Reds after he beat them 7-0 on four hits in Houston just 10 days ago, so the Reds scored one run on nine hits in 14 innings against him.

"He wasn't as sharp tonight as he was the other night, but those early runs really helped him," said Baker. "We swung better against him tonight than in Houston."

The Astros took a 1-0 lead in the first when Reds first baseman Joey Votto made two errors on one play — first kicking Michael Bourn's grounder for one error, then throwing wide of first base trying to get Bourn, another error that permitted Kaz Matsui to score from second base.

The Reds tied it in the bottom of the first with Votto batting, but he isn't proud of it. With two on and no outs, Votto hit into a double play on which Willy Taveras scored from third.

Houston pushed ahead, 2-1, in the second on a two-out home run by catcher Pudge Rodriguez.

Another error preceded four more Astros runs in the fifth when left fielder Darnell McDonald couldn't field Rodriguez's double cleanly and Geoff Blum scored from first. P-Rod also scored on Matsui's ground single through a drawn-in infield.

Carlos Lee's two-out double scored two and made it 6-1.

Defense was a point of emphasis for the Reds this year, but they've made 18 errors, third most in the National League. And the Astros stole second base four times.

After the game, the box score and statistics were placed on Baker's desk and he immediately crumpled them and deposited them in a wastebasket.

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