The Astros continued to roll Sunday afternoon as they scored 3 runs in the bottom of the eighth — spiced by a Brad Ausmus squeeze bunt that plated Lance Berkman with the go ahead run — to beat the Cincinnati Reds for the third straight day, 6-5. The suicide squeeze play was preceded by Mike Lamb‘s key bases loaded single that scored two runs to tie the game as the Stros clawed back from an early 4-0 deficit, which was the result of yet another ineffective Tim Redding outing (3 innings, 4 runs, 5 hits, 2 walks). Redding appears to be headed for either the bullpen or AAA New Orleans for awhile until he works out his problems, which appear to be control-related.
The Stros are now 15-9 and lead the NL Central by a game over the Cubs. Roy O hopes that the Stros are ready to provide more than the five total runs that he has received in his last three outings as he takes the hill on Monday evening in the finale of the four game series against the Reds. The Pirates come to town on Tuesday for a three game set before the Stros visit Atlanta for a three game series with the Braves over next weekend.