Friday, April 28 Great American Ball Park | 7:10 PM ET
Roy Oswalt, RHP (4-0, 2.48)
Astros (14-6) @ Brandon Claussen, LHP (1-2, 6.75)
Reds (14-7)
Scouting Report:
Oswalt was brilliant over seven innings against the Pirates on April 23, allowing one run on six hits in a 7-2 Houston win. Oswalt is 15-0 with a 2.41 ERA lifetime against the Reds. Last year, he was 4-0 with a 2.03 ERA. His career mark against the Reds is a Major League record for the most wins vs. one opponent without a loss.
Claussen will be looking to shake off Saturday's miserable outing at Milwaukee. With his pitches left up and over the plate, he allowed four of the Brewers' record-tying five fourth-inning home runs in an 11-0 loss. The left-hander put just three innings in the book with nine earned runs allowed on eight hits with three walks and three strikeouts. Despite having never beaten Houston, Claussen's got a respectable 2.65 ERA while going 0-3 in three games.
Saturday, April 29 Great American Ball Park | 1:15 PM ET
Andy Pettitte, LHP (1-3, 4.35)
Astros (14-6) @ Aaron Harang, RHP (3-1, 4.55)
Reds (14-7)
Scouting Report:
Pettitte has had good success in his few starts versus the Reds. Lifetime, he's 2-1 with a 1.97 ERA over five games, allowing seven earned runs over 32 innings. Last year, he was 2-1 with a 1.80 ERA over three starts. He yielded four runs over 20 innings.
Harang is coming off a superb five-hit shutout of the Brewers in Sunday's 11-0 win at Miller Park. More remarkable was that the right-hander pitched on three days rest after Eric Milton was scratched with an injury a day earlier. Last season, Harang was 1-2 with a 3.33 ERA in four starts against Houston. Lifetime, he is 2-5 with a 4.87 ERA in 10 games.
Sunday, April 30 Great American Ball Park | 1:15 PM ET
Taylor Buchholz, RHP (1-1, 1.80)
Astros (14-6) @ Elizardo Ramirez, RHP (1-0, 2.57)
Reds (14-7)
Scouting Report:
Buchholz was outstanding in his most recent start on April 22 versus the Pirates, throwing 8 2/3 shutout frames in a 3-0 Houston win. He would have logged a complete game had there not been a fielding error by Eric Bruntlett on the last play. Buchholz has allowed two earned runs over four outings (two starts) this year, spanning 20 innings.
Called up from Triple-A Louisville to make a spot start for the injured Eric Milton, Ramirez notched his first Major League win with seven strong innings in a 4-2 win over the Nationals Monday at RFK Stadium. Pitching into the eighth, the 23-year-old right-hander allowed two runs on six hits in seven innings with one walk and four strikeouts. He showed effective use of a recently honed changeup pitch taught to him in by Louisville pitching coach Mario Soto.
Originally Posted by Reds1
