Houston Astros vs Cincinnati Reds baseball live streaming major league video feed online radio commentary gamecast April 7, 2011 This year's Cincinnati Reds are drawing comparisons to the franchise's last two World Series-winning teams.
The Reds look to open with their sixth straight victory Thursday when they close a three-game set with the winless Houston Astros.
Cincinnati overcame a four-run deficit and remained the NL's only unbeaten team with a 12-4 victory Wednesday. The Reds are off to their best start since 1990, when they opened 9-0 and went on the win their most recent title.
That's not the only former Cincinnati team this year's club is drawing comparisons to. The 2011 Reds have scored 43 runs, their second-highest total in modern history. The Big Red Machine, led by Pete Rose, Joe Morgan, Johnny Bench and Tony Perez, scored 44 runs in the first five games of its 1976 title season.
12:35 PM ET, April 7, 2011
Great American Ball Park, Cincinnati, Ohio
Gameday Lineups
NO. Houston Cincinnati
1. J. Bourgeois, CF D. Stubbs, CF
2. A. Sanchez, SS B. Phillips, 2B
3. H. Pence, RF J. Votto, 1B
4. C. Lee, LF J. Gomes, LF
5. B. Wallace, 1B J. Bruce, RF
6. C. Johnson, 3B E. Renteria, SS
7. B. Hall, 2B J. Francisco, 3B
8. H. Quintero, C R. Hanigan, C
9. B. Myers, P S. LeCure, P
With confidence high, Cincinnati wasn't fazed Wednesday after Edinson Volquez gave up four runs in the first inning. The Reds came back with a run in the second, five in the third and continued to pour it on.
Scott Rolen drove in three runs, Paul Janish had three hits and a pair of RBIs and the Reds took advantage of five errors by the Astros, scoring four unearned runs.
"They seem to take advantage of every little thing, every little mistake the pitcher makes, every ball that falls in," said Astros pitcher Nelson Figueroa. "They're very aggressive. It's a testament to the way they played all last year, and they continue to this year."
Cincinnati will try to provide similar offensive support for Sam LeCure (0-0, 0.00 ERA), who will make his seventh career start and first this season.
LeCure, who pitched one hitless inning of relief on opening day, moved into the rotation because of an injury to Homer Bailey.
"It's funny," he told the team's official website. "My whole career I always prepared for a season as a starter. This is the one time my whole life I prepared to come in for a bullpen job ... I'm prepared now to do whatever."
LeCure was 1-4 with a 4.86 ERA in six starts last year -- his first in the majors. He also made nine relief appearances.
The right-hander made one start and pitched once in relief against the Astros last season, picking up a win after allowing two runs in six innings of a 15-6 win on May 28.
Houston (0-5) is off to another miserable start after opening last season 0-8. The Astros have been outscored 41-17 and are hitting .214 while striking out 47 times including 12 on Wednesday.
"I know our team's good enough to win," said center fielder Michael Bourn, who left in the seventh with stiff muscles in his groin. "We're tired of being known for getting off to slow starts. It's only the fifth game. It's early."
Houston also came up short in Brett Myers' first start last Friday. Myers (0-0, 1.29) gave up two runs and three hits in seven innings of a 5-4 loss to the Phillies. Myers left with the lead versus his former team, but Philadelphia scored three times in the ninth.
The right-hander split two starts against Cincinnati last season, posting a 5.68 ERA. He is 3-3 with a 4.14 ERA against them in his career, dropping his last two starts on the road.
The Reds look to open with their sixth straight victory Thursday when they close a three-game set with the winless Houston Astros.
Cincinnati overcame a four-run deficit and remained the NL's only unbeaten team with a 12-4 victory Wednesday. The Reds are off to their best start since 1990, when they opened 9-0 and went on the win their most recent title.
That's not the only former Cincinnati team this year's club is drawing comparisons to. The 2011 Reds have scored 43 runs, their second-highest total in modern history. The Big Red Machine, led by Pete Rose, Joe Morgan, Johnny Bench and Tony Perez, scored 44 runs in the first five games of its 1976 title season.
12:35 PM ET, April 7, 2011
Great American Ball Park, Cincinnati, Ohio
Gameday Lineups
NO. Houston Cincinnati
1. J. Bourgeois, CF D. Stubbs, CF
2. A. Sanchez, SS B. Phillips, 2B
3. H. Pence, RF J. Votto, 1B
4. C. Lee, LF J. Gomes, LF
5. B. Wallace, 1B J. Bruce, RF
6. C. Johnson, 3B E. Renteria, SS
7. B. Hall, 2B J. Francisco, 3B
8. H. Quintero, C R. Hanigan, C
9. B. Myers, P S. LeCure, P
With confidence high, Cincinnati wasn't fazed Wednesday after Edinson Volquez gave up four runs in the first inning. The Reds came back with a run in the second, five in the third and continued to pour it on.
Scott Rolen drove in three runs, Paul Janish had three hits and a pair of RBIs and the Reds took advantage of five errors by the Astros, scoring four unearned runs.
"They seem to take advantage of every little thing, every little mistake the pitcher makes, every ball that falls in," said Astros pitcher Nelson Figueroa. "They're very aggressive. It's a testament to the way they played all last year, and they continue to this year."
Cincinnati will try to provide similar offensive support for Sam LeCure (0-0, 0.00 ERA), who will make his seventh career start and first this season.
LeCure, who pitched one hitless inning of relief on opening day, moved into the rotation because of an injury to Homer Bailey.
"It's funny," he told the team's official website. "My whole career I always prepared for a season as a starter. This is the one time my whole life I prepared to come in for a bullpen job ... I'm prepared now to do whatever."
LeCure was 1-4 with a 4.86 ERA in six starts last year -- his first in the majors. He also made nine relief appearances.
The right-hander made one start and pitched once in relief against the Astros last season, picking up a win after allowing two runs in six innings of a 15-6 win on May 28.
Houston (0-5) is off to another miserable start after opening last season 0-8. The Astros have been outscored 41-17 and are hitting .214 while striking out 47 times including 12 on Wednesday.
"I know our team's good enough to win," said center fielder Michael Bourn, who left in the seventh with stiff muscles in his groin. "We're tired of being known for getting off to slow starts. It's only the fifth game. It's early."
Houston also came up short in Brett Myers' first start last Friday. Myers (0-0, 1.29) gave up two runs and three hits in seven innings of a 5-4 loss to the Phillies. Myers left with the lead versus his former team, but Philadelphia scored three times in the ninth.
The right-hander split two starts against Cincinnati last season, posting a 5.68 ERA. He is 3-3 with a 4.14 ERA against them in his career, dropping his last two starts on the road.