CINCINNATI -- Chase Burns allowed one run on four hits over six innings, while the Reds took advantage of a key outfield drop to snap an eight-game losing streak with a 3-1 win over the Astros on Saturday at Great American Ball Park.
Burns (4-1) outdueled Houston ace Spencer Arrighetti (4-1), handing the Houston right-hander his first loss in five starts. Burns' lone run was a solo homer to Braden Shewmake. He struck out two and walked three. Burns did his best pitching in the sixth, allowing a leadoff double to Yordan Alvarez before retiring the next three batters to leave with a 3-1 lead.
Brock Burke (seventh), Graham Ashcraft (eighth) and Pierce Johnson (ninth) each worked a perfect inning in Burns' wake, with Johnson earning his first save of the season. Arrighetti was charged with three runs (one earned) on five hits, striking out five and walking three in 5 2/3 innings.
Elly De La Cruz, Cincinnati’s ultimate superhero, had two hits, including a key insurance single during a three-run fifth to give the Reds the win before 35,688 fans on Star Wars Day.
With Houston up, 1-0, after Shewmake’s third homer of the season, Astros right fielder Cam Smith moved from the sun into the shadows along the right field line, settling under the fly off the bat of Jose Trevino. The ball caromed off the heel of his glove and onto the ground for an error that allowed Spencer Steer to take third and Will Benson to take second.
Matt McLain followed with a first-pitch line-drive single to left that scored Steer and Benson, giving Cincinnati its first lead since a 6-4 ninth-inning advantage on Wednesday night at Wrigley Field. The throw in from Zach Cole escaped catcher Christian Vázquez, allowing Trevino and McLain to advance.
Following a walk to TJ Friedl and a JJ Bleday flyout, the Reds made it 3-1 on a two-out single to left from De La Cruz. Trevino scored, but McLain was thrown out by Cole to end the inning.