Houston, TX (Best E Casino) - Jolbert Cabrera knocked in a run and Edinson Volquez hurled 7 1/3 strong innings as Cincinnati clipped Houston, 2-1, in the opener of a three-game series at Minute Maid Park.
Jeff Keppinger had three hits and scored a run for the Reds, who have won four of their last five. Joey Votto hit safely twice and also scored once.
Volquez (17-6) earned the win in the longest outing of his career, scattering six hits and one run with nine strikeouts.
Kaz Matsui homered for the Astros, who have dropped seven of nine. Coupled with New York's 6-2 win over Chicago earlier Tuesday, Houston's playoff hopes are fading rapidly, after dropping to 4 1/2 games behind the Mets in the wild card chase.
Wandy Rodriguez (8-7) yielded six hits and two runs while fanning seven and walking two over five innings in defeat.
The Reds jumped out to a 2-0 lead in their first turn at the plate. Keppinger singled with one out, then was able to score when Ty Wigginton mishandled Votto's hit to left. Votto landed at third and after a single by Edwin Encarnacion and a Jay Bruce strikeout, Cabrera dumped a single to left to plate Votto.
Matsui's sixth homer of the season, a leadoff shot in the home half, cut Houston's deficit to 2-1.
From there, Volquez and Rodriguez battled to keep each side off the board through five.
Chris Sampson came on in the sixth and was cruising until the seventh, when he gave up a one-out single to Jerry Hairston then a long hit to Votto. The slugger slammed one to deep right and the ball appeared to bounce off a seat and ricochet back onto the field. After an instant replay, the hit was ruled a single. Sampson then had to leave the game due to a problem with his right elbow.
Fernando Nieve, LaTroy Hawkins and Jose Valverde combined to hold Cincinnati scoreless after that.
Volquez departed in the eighth after David Newhan slapped a pinch-hit single and Matsui bunted him to second. Bill Bray entered to retire Michael Bourn, then David Weathers walked Miguel Tejada before retiring Lance Berkman on a groundout.
In the ninth, Cordero allowed a leadoff single to Geoff Blum, and pinch-runner Reggie Abercrombie stole second. Hunter Pence fanned looking, then Wigginton lined into a disputed game-ending double play.
The ball came to Reds shortstop Paul Janish, who turned to Keppinger. Second- base umpire Jerry Meals ducked to avoid the throw and called Abercrombie safe, but first-base umpire Bill Miller overruled the original call.
Game Notes
Houston has won 10 of 13 meetings over Cincinnati in 2008, with all three losses coming at home...It was Matsui's third leadoff homer this season and the ninth in his career...Sampson suffered right lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow) and is listed as day-to-day.
