Houston Astros Vs. Cincinnati Reds 6/1/12: Tyrone's Free MLB Baseball Pick - Sports Chat Place

The 28-22 Cincinnati Reds visit the 22-29 Houston Astros, an 11-5 Thursday loser at the 21-29 Colorado Rockies, on Friday. Houston fell in all four at Coors Field against Colorado who strung together five runs during the first and four more during the second inning last night.

The Astros put in one run during the top of the second on J.D. Martinez’s home run.  Jason Castro’s triple brought in Houston’s second run during the top of the fourth. The Astros’ Justin Maxwell and Jose Altuve knocked in runners too during the inning. As well Houston scored on Carlos Lee’s double-play baseball during the top of the seventh.

Cincinnati dropped a disappointing 2-1 decision at the 25-25 Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday. The Reds rolled in the first run during the rubber match in the first inning. Unfortunately Brandon Phillips’ sacrifice fly bringing in Zack Cozart resulted in the lone Cincinnati run of the night.

The Reds hope to react with a win on Friday when 1-5 Mike Leake with a 5.47 ERA goes up against the Astros who he was shelled for six runs, three earned, during 3.2 innings on April 27 in Cincinnati for. Houston won 6-4 and the Reds are 2-2 when Leake unwinds on the road. Both no-decisions ending up in wins Leake yielded eight runs, six earned, during 12.1 innings at the 28-23 New York Mets and 29-21 Washington Nationals. The Chicago Cubs and Pittsburgh Pirates bunched together 14 hits and eight runs during 12.2 innings to hand Leake losses.

Overall this year’s Astros are 16-for-48 with nine RBis, three from Chris Johnson, on Leake. 4-4 J.A. Happ with a 4.37 ERA goes next for Houston from the mound. At Minute Maid Park Happ is 4-2 with wins over the 28-24 Atlanta Braves, 18-32 Chicago Cubs, 23-28 Milwaukee Brewers and NYM, and losses to the 32-19 Los Angeles Dodgers and 27-24 St. Louis Cardinals. In wins the opposition has driven in seven runs during 24.1 innings on Happ who conceded nine runs, eight earned, during 11 innings in losses. Cincinnati is 19-for-67 with 17 RBIs on Happ with Phillips pacing the way with five RBIs. Even at home it’s hard to believe the Astros will hold down the Reds on Friday. I’m going with Cincinnati.