| Reds offense silenced by former Cincy starter |
| Sports - Sports News Headlines |
| Written by Associated Press |
| Saturday, 09 August 2008 23:03 |
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CINCINNATI (AP) - Miguel Tejada homered and Brian Moehler pitched seven solid innings against his former team, helping the Houston Astros beat the Cincinnati Reds 3-1 Saturday night.
Moehler also doubled and scored, and Lance Berkman added an RBI single as Houston sent the Reds to their fifth consecutive loss, matching a season high. Cincinnati has had four other five-game losing streaks. Moehler (8-4), who was 2-4 in 10 games for the Reds in 2002, fell one out short of a complete game against Cincinnati in a win on July 29. He followed that up Saturday by pitching six shutout innings before allowing a run in the seventh. It was Moehler's third consecutive win in five starts. The Reds collected just five hits with three strikeouts, and Moehler didn't walk a batter. Geoff Geary and Tim Byrdak pitched a scoreless eighth and Jose Valverde pitched the ninth for his 28th save in 34 opportunities. Houston scored in the first inning for the third consecutive game. Kaz Matsui drew a leadoff walk from Bronson Arroyo, who matched a season high by giving up four walks. Matsui moved to second on Tejada's single to left and scored on Berkman's single to right. Moehler made it 2-0 in the fifth. He led off with a double past the drawn-in Reds outfield for his first hit since May 10, 2007. Moehler moved to third on Matsui's sacrifice and scored on Arroyo's wild pitch. Arroyo (10-9), who was 6-1 in his last seven starts, lasted six innings. He was gave up five hits and two runs with seven strikeouts. Tejada made it 3-0 in the seventh with his 12th homer of the season, an opposite-field shot into the first row of seats in right in the seventh. The Reds finally reached Moehler for a run in the seventh on singles by Jay Bruce and Brandon Phillips and Edwin Encarnacion's RBI infield single. |