REDS DEFEAT ASTROS

Bloop single drives in 2 runs as Reds hold off Astros for a 5-3 win

Astros Justin Verlander
Justin Verlander couldn't catch a break. Composite Getty Image.

Santiago Espinal’s well-placed bloop single drove in two runs in the fifth inning, and the Cincinnati Reds beat Justin Verlander and the Houston Astros 5-3 on Monday.

Ty France had four hits as Cincinnati stopped Houston’s five-game win streak. Amed Rosario had two hits and drove in a run.

Yainer Diaz had two hits and three RBIs for the Astros in the opener of a three-game interleague series. Verlander (3-5) was charged with five runs and eight hits in 4 2/3 innings.

Houston had a chance in the ninth, but came up empty. With Jason Heyward aboard after a leadoff single, Jose Altuve struck out looking against Emilio Pagán. Justin Wilson then earned his second save when he retired Yordan Alvarez on a liner to center.

Carson Spiers (5-5), the third of five Cincinnati pitchers, worked 2 1/3 innings for the win. He was charged with one run and three hits.

With Cincinnati’s top three starters on the shelf with injuries, manager David Bell has used a creative approach.

“The bullpen through all of this, it’s just unbelievable what they’re doing,” Bell said. “We understand what’s happening, and it means a lot.”

Verlander walked the bases full in the first inning. TJ Friedl hit a sacrifice fly, and France singled in Elly De La Cruz for a 2-0 lead.

“I was all over the place in that first inning,” Verlander said. “The mechanics, not good. The location needed to be better. I made some decent pitches that weren’t called but it’s hard to get pitches when you’re all over the place.”

Diaz responded with a tying two-run single in the third against Julian Aguiar.

Cincinnati went ahead to stay with a two-out rally in the fifth. With runners on second and third, Espinal’s blooper landed in shallow right field. Espinal swiped second and scored on Rosario’s single off Kaleb Ort.

“I felt the last few innings, especially the last couple, were a lot better,” Verlander said. “In the fifth inning, it was a tough pill to swallow.

Cincinnati collected 13 hits, but it went 3 for 11 with runners in scoring position and left 14 runners on base.

The Reds were coming off an extra-innings win on Sunday that salvaged the finale of their four-game set with NL Central-leading Milwaukee.

The Reds had pulled even with the Cardinals for second place in the division after a sweep of St. Louis in mid-August. It’s been rough going from there, with Cincinnati dropping 12 of 18 and sliding back down in the standings.

WORTH NOTING

The Reds recalled outfielder Blake Dunn from Triple-A Louisville and designated first baseman Dominic Smith for assignment.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Astros: INF Alex Bregman missed a fifth straight game with elbow inflammation.

UP NEXT

After a rare day off in the middle of a series, Astros right-hander Spencer Arrighetti (7-11, 4.63 ERA) is the scheduled starter against Reds right-hander Nick Martinez (6-6, 3.78 ERA).

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The Astros can breathe a sigh of relief.Photo by Christopher Pasatieri/Getty Images.

Houston Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez has a strained muscle at the top of his right hand, a diagnosis that instills optimism he won’t have a prolonged stay on the injured list.

The three-time All-Star went on the 10-day injured list Monday, retroactive to Saturday, and returned to Houston for an MRI that revealed the muscle strain.

“We look at it as good news,” Astros manager Joe Espada said before their Wednesday afternoon game with the Milwaukee Brewers.

Espada expressed hope that Alvarez wouldn’t have to stay on the injured list longer than the required 10 days. He also said the hand issue may have played a role in Alvarez’s slow start.

Alvarez, 27, is hitting .210 with a .306 on-base percentage, three homers and 18 RBIs in 29 games this season. He batted .308 with a .392 on-base percentage, 35 homers and 86 RBIs in 147 games last year while ranking ninth in the AL Most Valuable Player balloting.

He has posted an OPS of at least .959 and has finished 13th or higher in the MVP voting each of the last three seasons.

“Once he heals, once he gets back, I think we’ll see a more aggressive at bat and be not as cautious,” Espada said. “I think it had something to do with it, yes.”

His potential return could go a long way toward boosting an Astros lineup that hasn’t been as productive as usual this season. The Astros entered Wednesday’s action ranked 21st in the majors in runs (136) and 23rd in OPS (.676). Houston has ranked 11th or better in both those categories each of the last four seasons.

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