Astros Win...Astros Win

The Houston Astros won its first Grapefruit League game since they stunned Washington on February 25. They outscored Panama 7-5 but that game isn't counted in the "official" standings in the Citrus Loop.

Houston was 1-16-3 coming into the game with the Reds on Friday.

Johnny Cueto pitched well but allowed four straight hits in the second inning to send the Reds to its sixth straight defeat.

"He had good location and good movement," Dusty Baker said. "The only hit two balls hard off him."

With two outs in the second, Geoff Blum lined a single to leftfield. Reggie Abercrombie beat out a bad hop single to third. Adam "Pete" Rosales used all 6'2" to spear the ball but had no chance at the speedy Abercrombie. Humberto Quintero dumped a single to short right and Houston pitcher Russ Ortiz applied bat to ball and laced a flair to center for the second run.

"We hit some balls hard again but couldn't find any holes," Baker said.

Until the ninth the Reds had two singles from Laynce Nix and a double to the bullpen by Wilkin Castillo. Castillo's ground rule double ended up in the bucket of balls in the Reds bullpen. Once time was called some wisenheimer threw out four baseballs out on the field.

Houston manager Cecil Cooper took this game seriously.

After Lance Berkman hit a two-run home run down the right field line in the sixth, Houston led 4-0.

Darryl Ward, burned his former team with a two-run double off Bud Norris, scoring Darnel McDonald and Sean Cumberland.

Cooper went to Jeff Fulchino to get the final two outs and the Astros claimed its second win.

Norris Hopper was supposed to start in place of McDonald but came down with a case of bronchitis.