REDS DEFEAT ASTROS
Bloop single drives in 2 runs as Reds hold off Astros for a 5-3 win
Sep 2, 2024, 8:48 pm
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).
The Houston Astros wrapped up yet another series win this week, this time taking two of three from the struggling Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Despite missing several key players and a bullpen that wasn’t fully available, the Astros continued their recent run of success, pushing their record to 52-35.
Manager Joe Espada appeared to be playing the long game in the rubber match on Thursday. After Houston rallied to tie the game in the seventh inning, Espada stuck with reliever Jordan Weems instead of turning to his high-leverage arms. That decision, while frustrating to some fans hoping for the sweep, underscored the team’s cautious approach to workload management as they navigate a long season.
One bright spot continues to be rookie Cam Smith, who delivered again in the clutch with a two-run triple in the seventh inning on Thursday. Smith has been Houston’s most dependable bat with runners on base and is quickly settling into the cleanup role—a rarity for a first-year player but one he’s earned with his poise and production.
Astros cleanup hitter RBIs this season:
Cam Smith: 10 RBIs in 7 games
All others: 28 RBIs in 80 games
— Matt Kawahara (@matthewkawahara) July 3, 2025
Off the field, the biggest storyline continues to be Yordan Alvarez’s injury. After reports surfaced that the slugger had experienced a setback in his return from a fractured hand, the team clarified that the issue is inflammation, not the fracture itself. Astros general manager Dana Brown said Alvarez received injections to address the irritation and is expected to rest for now. Encouragingly, the Astros say the fracture is no longer a concern, and while there’s still no definitive timeline for his return, the overall tone from the club was optimistic.
The transparency around Alvarez’s situation is part of a larger shift. After being criticized in recent seasons for vague injury updates, the Astros have begun issuing daily availability reports. It’s a move that signals the front office is trying to regain some trust with the media and fans after a stretch of frustrating ambiguity around player health.
Now, the Astros head to Los Angeles for a marquee matchup with the defending champion Dodgers. Friday’s opener will feature Lance McCullers Jr. making just his second start since returning from the injured list. McCullers gave up eight runs in his return against the Cubs and will be under the spotlight as he looks to settle back into form. Control will be the key, as walks have long been McCullers’ Achilles’ heel.
Saturday sets the stage for one of the most anticipated pitching matchups of the season: Framber Valdez versus Shohei Ohtani. With both teams fighting for positioning in their respective divisions, this weekend in LA should serve as a measuring stick—and perhaps a postseason preview.
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