Astros reaching new depths with 10th straight loss

HOUSTON (Sp) - The Astros are heading for a record. One more loss Thursday night against Cincinnati and the Minute Maid men will tie the 1995 club record of 11 consecutive losses.

Woody Williams, with a ballooning 5.65 ERA and a 1-7 record, carries Houston hopes against Bronson Arroyo, Cincy's most valuable pitcher in 2006. Game time is 7:05 p.m. for the finale of the three-game Reds series.

Thursday's 4-3 Houston loss left the Astros percentage points ahead of the Reds for the the National League Central cellar, with both percentage points behind St. Louis. The Cards are in town for the weekend.

A weak outing by lefty Wandy Rodriguez, a faulty defense and the strong right arm of Reds ace Aaron Harang spelled doom for Houston. Even when Astro bats connected, line shots were straight at Cincy defenders.

Rodriguez allowed the first three batters he faced to score, and managed only five innings, allowing seven hits and walking two. The Astros committed three errors.

It was a typical Harang-Astro night, with the Cincy right-hander notching his ninth career complete game. He moved to 6-2 for the season and his second win over Houston in 2007. It was also Cincinnati's third straight win over the Astros.

The few Houston highlights belonged to Carlos Lee, who singled and doubled and drove in his NL leading 46th run. And Adam Everett got two hits, hiking his average to .213. A week ago it was .183.

Craig Biggio added another double to his gun belt, leaving him 26 hits shy of his 3,000 goal.

Brad Lidge continued his comeback from relief purgatory with another perfect inning and dropped his ERA to 2.92. Lidge has not allowed a run in 11 of his last 12 appearances. Chad Qualls also had a perfect inning in relief.

Lance Berkman's average and power production continue to spiral downward, but he did collect his 25th RBI, moving him into a tie with Cesar Cedeno for fifth on the Astros all-time list with 778, four behind No. 4, Bob Watson.