Reds 8, Astros 3: Todd Frazier and Ryan Ludwick each recorded three hits and two RBIs as visiting Cincinnati extended its win streak to five games.
Brandon Phillips collected three hits and Mat Latos won for the eighth time in nine decisions for the National League Central-leading Reds, who have captured 12 of 14.
Frazier opened the scoring with an RBI single in the first inning and plated one of Cincinnati's three runs in the eighth with a double. Ludwick produced an RBI double in the third and a run-scoring single in the eighth as the Reds handed Houston its seventh straight loss and 20th in 22 contests.
Scott Rolen, Chris Heisey, Ryan Hanigan and Jay Bruce drove in a run apiece as Cincinnati increased its division lead over Pittsburgh to 1 1/2 games.
Latos (8-3) worked five innings, allowing two runs and eight hits with two walks and three strikeouts. The right-hander has lost just once in 17 starts since April 18.
Wandy Rodriguez (7-9) yielded three runs and seven hits over six frames. He walked three and struck out six in losing for the fifth time in six decisions.
Chris Johnson went 4-for-5 with an RBI for the Astros, who have allowed 41 runs over their last four games.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Every starter in the Reds' lineup other than Latos had at least one hit. ... Astros C Jason Castro, who was eligible to come off the disabled list Monday, is not yet ready to return. Castro has been sidelined since July 8 with a right knee injury. ... Louise Nippert, a majority owner of the Reds during their heyday in the 1970s, passed away Monday. She was 100. Nippert and her husband, Louis, bought majority control of the club in 1973 after becoming a minority owner seven years earlier. The Nipperts sold their majority ownership in 1981, but Louise held a minority interest in the team right up until her death. Louis died in 1992.
Cincinnati | Houston | |
Mat Latos | Player | Wandy Rodriguez |
Win | W/L | Loss |
5.0 | IP | 6.0 |
3 | Strikeouts | 6 |
8 | Hits | 7 |
3.60 | ERA | 4.50 |
Cincinnati | Houston | |
Todd Frazier | Player | Chris Johnson |
3 | Hits | 4 |
2 | RBI | 1 |
0 | HR | 0 |
4 | TB | 5 |
.500 | Avg | .800 |
Team | Hits | HR | TB | Avg | LOB | K | RBI | BB | SB | Errors |
Cincinnati | 17 | 0 | 22 | .370 | 29 | 9 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 0 |
Houston | 11 | 0 | 13 | .297 | 25 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 2 |