CASPER
New member
CINCINNATI – It's happening to the Astros again.
Houston buried itself in the NL Central last season by losing its first eight games and going 17-34 in April and May. A strong finish brought a little optimism and a determination not to fall apart at the outset again.
So much for that.
Chris Heisey drove in three runs, and the Cincinnati Reds used a patient approach at the plate to beat the winless Astros 8-2 on Tuesday night for their best start in 21 years.
The defending Central champs are the league's only unbeaten team left, 4-0 for the first time since 1990. That year they won their first eight and wound up sweeping Oakland for the World Series title.
The Astros? The only winless team in the league at 0-4.
Against the Reds, they fell behind 7-0 after four innings, managed only five hits and wound up trying to overcome another subpar start. J.A. Happ (0-1) lasted only four innings, giving up seven hits, seven runs and five walks, one shy of his career high.
"We've got three starters go four innings in a row," manager Brad Mills said. "That definitely puts a little more stress on the hitting. The pitchers who are throwing against them can take a little more liberties."
The Reds sent eight batters to the plate in each of the first two innings to take control.
Happ walked Heisey with the bases loaded in the first, setting the tone. In the second, he walked Jonny Gomes to force in a run — the outfielder hesitated and waited for umpire Andy Fletcher's call on a 3-1 pitch close by the outside corner — and Heisey was hit on the left hand with the bases loaded for a 5-0 lead.
"I don't know if it was just a lack of aggressiveness at the outset," Happ said. "I felt I was around the (strike) zone. They definitely took some quality pitches."
Houston buried itself in the NL Central last season by losing its first eight games and going 17-34 in April and May. A strong finish brought a little optimism and a determination not to fall apart at the outset again.
So much for that.
Chris Heisey drove in three runs, and the Cincinnati Reds used a patient approach at the plate to beat the winless Astros 8-2 on Tuesday night for their best start in 21 years.
The defending Central champs are the league's only unbeaten team left, 4-0 for the first time since 1990. That year they won their first eight and wound up sweeping Oakland for the World Series title.
The Astros? The only winless team in the league at 0-4.
Against the Reds, they fell behind 7-0 after four innings, managed only five hits and wound up trying to overcome another subpar start. J.A. Happ (0-1) lasted only four innings, giving up seven hits, seven runs and five walks, one shy of his career high.
"We've got three starters go four innings in a row," manager Brad Mills said. "That definitely puts a little more stress on the hitting. The pitchers who are throwing against them can take a little more liberties."
The Reds sent eight batters to the plate in each of the first two innings to take control.
Happ walked Heisey with the bases loaded in the first, setting the tone. In the second, he walked Jonny Gomes to force in a run — the outfielder hesitated and waited for umpire Andy Fletcher's call on a 3-1 pitch close by the outside corner — and Heisey was hit on the left hand with the bases loaded for a 5-0 lead.
"I don't know if it was just a lack of aggressiveness at the outset," Happ said. "I felt I was around the (strike) zone. They definitely took some quality pitches."