5/11/10 - 5/14/10

The Reds and Astros spilt the series 2-2. In game 3, B. Backe picked up his 3rd win and took a no hitter to the 7th until he was injured. It was broken up after 7.1 innings by a J. Votto single. R. Porcello struck out 11. Astros prize prospect J. Castro added a solo homer as the Astros won 2-0, improving their record 18-16 while the Reds fall to 17-17.

2009 ends in disappointment

The Reds (85-77) lost the NL Central by 1 gameRed while the Astros (84-78) were one game behind them. The winner, Chicago Cubs, went on to sweep the Yankees in the World Series. R. Oswalt and B. Phillips each took home Gold Gloves at their respective postitions. L. Berkman (.333/36HR/123RBI) and C. Lee (.331/40HR/125RBI) each were honored as Silver Sluggers. W. Rodriguez went 15-9 with a 3.40 ERA. Reds AAA team won a championship led by top prospect T. Beckham. Astros A team won a championship led by a bunch of guys who will never touch the MLB roster. The Reds enter Free Agency with 50 Million available and Astros have 35 Million.

The Reds (74-70) and Astros (75-69) picked up their rivalry in the last series at The Great American Ballpark in 2009. They both are trying to catch the Cubs to pick up a playoff spot in the heated NL Central. In Game 1, J. Cueto picked up a complete game win after A. McCutchen hit a walk off single in the 9th inning off of L. Hawkins. Cueto scattered 6 hits to go along with his 9 strikeouts. M. Bourn hit a lead-off homerun and added a triple. The Astros face H. Pence went 0-4 with 3 strikeouts against the Reds face J. Cueto. B. Phillips had 8 RBI in the series while W. Rodriguez added a comeplete game win. The Reds took 2 of 3 in the series.

Astros take 3 of 4 from Reds

The Reds (3-10) dropped 3 of 4 games against their rivals, Houston Astros (7-6). Jonny Gomes tied game one up with a 9th inning homerun. That was followed by a R. Raburn walk off home run off of Y. Bazardo in the bottom of the 11th. A. Miller left that game after 7 strikeouts in 5.2 innings with an injury.

Houston Astros

Lineup:
CF - M. Bourn
RF - H. Pence
LF - C. Lee
3B - E. Encarnacion
1B - L. Berkman
SS - M. Tejada
C - I. Rodriguez
2B - A. Iwamura
P - R. Oswalt

Pitchers:
SP - R. Oswalt
SP - B. Sheets
SP - S. Gallagher
SP - B. Backe
SP - M. Hampton
RP - G. Geary
RP - B. Moehler
RP - T. Byrdak
RP - W. Wright
RP - D. Brocail
RP - L. Hawkins
RP - J Valverde

Prospects:
C - J. Castro
2B - R. Brignac
P - B. Norris

Cincinnati Reds

Lineup:
CF - A. McCutchen
2B - B. Phillips
3B - J. Votto
RF - J. Bruce
C - M. Wieters
LF - C. Dickerson
1B - Y. Alonso
SS - G. Beckham
P - J. Cueto

Pitchers:
SP - J. Cueto
SP - E. Volquez
SP - W. Rodriguez
SP - R. Porcello
SP - A. Miller
RP - H. Baily
RP - M. Owings
RP - B. Arroyo
RP - Y. Bazardo
RP - J. Burton
RP - D. Weathers

Prospects:
SS - T. Beckham
3B - T. Frazier
CF - D. Stubbs

The Rivalry Begins..

The Reds ship young 3B Edwin Encarnacion and lowly prospects to the Astros for Pitcher Wandy Rodriguez.