Wow. Ugly. Reds win 11-1.
*The loss is the third 10+ run loss for the Astros of the season. They lost 14-4 on May 31 to the Nationals, and 12-2 at, yes, Cincinnati on May 29.
*This loss drops the Astros to 3-8 against the Reds in 2010. They're 7-20 against Cincinnati in 2009-2010.
*The Astros have lost two of three for just the second time since August 27-29, against the Mets.
*Nelson Figueroa may have pitched himself out of the rotation for what's left of the season with his 4.1IP, 7H/5R (3ER), 5K:2BB, 2HR performance tonight.
*In 13 games with the Phillies, Figueroa had only allowed one homer. Since coming to the Astros, he has allowed seven homers - five in his stint as a starter.
*This is Figueroa's fourth straight start that he hasn't gotten more than 15 outs, and his second consecutive start with less than 15 outs. The difference is that, in his last start, he only threw 4.2IP, but in 68 pitches. He needed 104 pitches to get his 13 outs tonight.
*The rookie pitchers had a rough night tonight, with Henry Villar allowing 1H/2BB, 2ER in 0.1IP, and newStro Enerio Del Rosario allowing 4H/3ER in 1IP.
*Big props go to Wesley Wright, who struck out three of the four batters he faced, in his first Major-League action since the fateful August 8 start, where he allowed 7ER in 2.1IP.
*Lots of pitching mistakes tonight. Thirteen hits against, four walks, two HBPs, a wild pitch, and a balk. Astros pitchers threw first-pitch strikes to 27 of 46 Reds batters.
*The Reds swung and missed on 20 of 190 pitches tonight.
*The three homers the Astros allowed tonight were the most since July 24 - against the Reds. At home. The Astros have now allowed homers in nine consecutive games.
*Jim Edmonds hit his first homer since August 18, and his second while with the Reds. It's his 31st homer against the Astros in his career.
*On offense, Carlos Lee hit his 23rd homer of the year. While that puts him one behind Hunter Pence for the team lead, he takes over the RBI lead at 86.
*If Lee or Pence don't reach 100 RBI, it'll be the first time since 1995 that the Astros don't have a player with triple-digit RBIs.
*Lee had his first three-hit game since August 3, the 18-4 win against St. Louis, aka, One of the Best Days Ever.
*This is the 38th game of the year that the Astros have been held to six hits or less.
*In 12.2IP, Bronson Arroyo has held the Astros to 10H/3ER, 12K:4BB in 2010. In his career, Arroyo only has 10+ wins against one team: the Astros.
*Chris Johnson had two hits tonight, and is now hitting .318 - easily the team leader in batting average. He's eight points behind Keppinger for the lead in OBP, and is leading the team in SLG by 20 points over Pence.
*Michael Bourn had your other hit, meaning, he has a 25-game on-base streak.
*Pitch Count Hero: Michael Bourn (1x4) - 18 pitches in four PAs.
*Pitch Count Punk: Hunter Pence (0x3, BB) - 12 pitches in four PAs.
*Man of the Match: Carlos Lee.
*Goat of the Game: Nelson Figueroa.
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
