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Sports TwitterReds still can't solve Oswalt, lose 4-1 to Astros
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
HOUSTON — The Houston Astros missed out on a fail-free promotion Wednesday, Aug. 27, in Minute Maid Park: "Guaranteed Win Night."
If the Astros didn't win, every fan in attendance would be awarded a free ticket to a future game.
They could have offered a free new car to everybody and felt smug about it. With Roy Oswalt on the mound, those sly Astros marketing folks should know they had a sure thing.
Oswalt was 21-1 for his career against the Cincinnati Reds when Wednesday began and now is 22-1 after another Oswalt Spectacular — one run and five hits over seven innings in a 4-1 victory.
One of the last things Reds manager Dusty Baker said to the media before the game was, "About time we beat this Oswalt guy."
Not this night. Oswalt may match his uniform number (44) in wins against the Reds before they figure a way to beat him.
Oswalt hasn't been THE Oswalt this year due to some arm problems, but he showed no evidence against the Reds.
"There is nothing wrong with him now," said Baker. "He reached back when he needed it. He was a consistent 94 and 95 miles an hour, then reaches back and throws 97 up in the zone and that's hard to catch up to. Not many people can dial it up to 97.
"If there was something wrong with him before, there is certainly nothing wrong with him now," Baker added.
The Reds grabbed a 1-0 lead in the first on Jeff Keppinger's infield hit, Brandon Phillips' double and Joey Votto's grounder up the middle.
Reds starter Josh Fogg kept the Astros quiet until the fourth and almost escaped with no damage in that inning.
With two on and nobody out, Houston manager Cecil Cooper decided to send the runners on a 3-and-2 pitch to Geoff Blum. Blum struck out and catcher Paul Bako threw Miguel Tejada out at third base.
Now the Astros had two outs and a runner on second, but Fogg didn't take advantage. His second pitch to Hunter Pence crash-landed in the left-field Crawford boxes, a home run that gave Houston a 2-1 lead.
Fogg was nearly as good as Oswalt, giving up two runs and six hits over six innings, but all doubt was removed in the seventh against Gary Majewski when he gave up a two-out single to Darin Erstad and a two-run home run to Ty Wigginton.
"I made a mistake to Pence for the second time in a row," said Fogg. "He got me when we played in Cincinnati, too. It was a 2-0 changeup in Cincinnati and a hanging curve today. He is a good hitter, and he did what he is supposed to do with those.
"When you are pitching against a guy like Roy Oswalt, you have to be pretty good because he was one of the premier guys in the league. His track record is that he is going to put up zeros."
Oswalt's track record is that he leaves tire tracks all over the Reds' backs.
Typical and vintage Oswalt was on display in the sixth. With two outs and a runner on third, Oswalt knew the importance of getting Joey Votto out.
What ensued was an eight-pitch argument and Oswalt stuck with his best, his fastball, dialing it up to 94 mph, then 95 mph (both fouled off), then blowing Votto away with a 97 mph fastball.
Votto didn't win that battle, but being the competitor he is, he enjoyed it, other than the result.
"I don't think Roy cruises or anything, but he really showed me what he has on that at-bat," said Votto. "After the last pitch, he gave me a little stare and I kind of got goosebumps because I love competition. It was awesome, even though I lost.
"He has almost no fear and has really good stuff and that combination leads to a lot of success," said Votto. "I wasn't around for about 21 of those wins of his, but tonight he looked like one of the best pitchers in baseball."
Jay Bruce broke an 0-for-11 slump with a leadoff single in the seventh. Oswalt immediately threw a double-play ball to Edwin Encarnacion — 5-4-3.
Houston closer Jose Valverde walked Votto on four pitches to start the ninth, then did not throw another ball out of the strike zone while striking out Bruce, Encarnacion and Corey Patterson, giving the Reds a new, round 10 strikeouts, the third straight game in which they whiffed 10 or more times.
