Astros rally to beat Reds 5-3
CINCINNATI — Matt Dominguez hit a three-run homer in the ninth inning Friday night that broke Aroldis Chapman’s streak of 27 consecutive saves and powered the Houston Astros to a 5-3 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.
Chapman (5-5) took a 3-2 lead into the ninth, but had his club-record streak broken by a player swinging with a sore left hand.
Tyler Greene and J.D. Martinez singled off Chapman with one out. Dominguez, out of the starting lineup because of the sore hand, hit Chapman’s second pitch for his second career homer and the fourth off the hard-throwing left-hander this season.
Chapman is 35 of 40 in save chances overall.
Hector Ambriz (1-0) got two outs in the eighth. Wilton Lopez pitched the ninth for his third save in six chances.
It was the sixth-time the Reds’ bullpen — the best in the NL — failed to close out a win for Homer Bailey, leaving him stuck at 10 victories.
Bailey pitched into the seventh inning, giving up two runs on a first-inning homer by Justin Maxwell.
Ryan Ludwick had a two-run single, and Jay Bruce singled home the tiebreaking run in the fifth off Lucas Harrell allowing Cincinnati to hand the lead to the NL’s top bullpen.
The Reds had Joey Votto back at first base for the second straight game. Votto missed 48 games because of torn cartilage in his left knee. He flied out and drew three walks, one of them intentional.
Although Votto was back, the Reds were missing the other side of the infield. Third baseman Scott Rolen had an MRI that found inflammation in his lower back and will miss at least a few games. Shortstop Zack Cozart was still bothered by a sore back, which he hurt on Tuesday.
Bailey and Harrell also went head-to-head on Saturday in Houston, each allowing one run and failing to get the decision. The Astros won it on an error in the ninth.
Maxwell hit his two-run homer in the first inning off Bailey, which was a familiar development in a couple of ways. Maxwell’s solo homer accounted for the only run Bailey allowed last Saturday in Houston. Also, Maxwell has 14 homers this season, eight in games in which Harrell pitched.
The Reds opened the bottom of the first with two singles and a four-pitch walk to Votto. Ludwick singled to tie it 2-all.
Chris Heisey tripled in the fifth inning and scored on Bruce’s opposite-field single, giving the right fielder a seven-game hitting streak. Heisey had three hits overall.
Notes: Astros 3B Brandon Laird got sick before the game, prompting the Astros to give Matt Downs his 11th start at the position. 3B Scott Moore was out with a strained groin, and Dominguez had the sore left hand. Dominguez got into the game in the third inning after Jose Altuve left with a strained abdomen, forcing Downs to move to second base. ... Downs had a 13-pitch at-bat before striking out in the sixth. ... Reds 3B Todd Frazier has reached base in each of his last 29 games, passing Votto for the longest streak by a Red this season.