1) Offense comes up just short again

After finding themselves down three runs early, the offense had trouble putting any big innings together to threaten to take a come from behind lead. They didn't get on the board until the top of the sixth, trimming the lead to two runs on an RBI-double by Yordan Alvarez.

Down 4-1 in the top of the eighth, the Astros would have their best inning offensively, getting a leadoff walk to set up a two-run home run for Alex Bregman to make it a one-run game. Brantley would hit a no-out single next and move to second on a wild pitch but would be left stranded to keep them behind in the game. They would come up empty in the top of the ninth to drop their third straight game.

2) Early homers haunt Verlander

Justin Verlander continued to struggle with home runs in his start on Tuesday night, allowing a solo and two-run home run in the bottom of the first inning to put Houston in a quick 3-0 hole. Though Verlander would rebound well from those early runs, his offense would be unable to get him off the hook.

He'd go on to allow just two hits over the next five innings, but with his night nearing an end with two outs in the seventh, would get dinged with one more home run to extend Cincinnati's lead back to three-runs at 4-1. Verlander's final line: 7 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 8 K, 3 HR.

Chris Devenski pitched a scoreless eighth inning, but there would be no bottom of the ninth with the offense going down 1-2-3 in the top half of the inning, ending the loss for Houston.