Reds have had their way with Astros

The Astros, weather permitting, will open their final road series of the season tonight against the Reds in Cincinnati. Unlike last year when the Astros watched the Reds clinch the division on a walk-off home run, Cincinnati doesn’t have much to play for. They were eliminated recently and were just swept in three games by the Brewers.

But the Reds have had their way with the Astros, going 15-4 in their last 19 games against Houston. In that span, the Astros have averaged 3.2 runs per game, compared to 6.1 for the Reds. What’s more, Astros pitchers have a 5.73 ERA in those 19 games, compared to 3.09 for the Reds. The Reds have outhomered the Astros 25-12 and have made two errors in that span, compared to 13 for the Astros.

Here are some other notes:

– The Astros and their opponents have averaged 6.7 runs per game since Sept. 1, the lowest in the Majors.

– The Reds have the third-worst run differential since Sept. 1 at minus-18.

– Astros rookies have 211 hits since the All-Star break, which is the third-most in the Majors in that span, trailing Kansas City (218) and Seattle (212).

– Astros outfielder Jason Bourgeois hit .157 in August and is hitting .367 in September, a .210 difference that’s the second-highest in the Majors. The Angels’ Erick Aybar hit .190 in August and is hitting .434 in September.

– In his first 22 starts, J.A. Happ was 4-14 with a 6.26 ERA, a .290 opponents’ batting average and a 1.66 WHIP (walks and hits per innings pitched). In his last four starts, he’s 2-2 with a 2.25 ERA, a .186 opponents’ batting average and a 1.21 WHIP.

Here is the Astros lineup against LHP Dontrelle Willis:

CF Jason Bourgeois

2B Jose Altuve

LF J.D. Martinez

1B Carlos Lee

RF Matt Downs

3B Jimmy Paredes

SS Clint Barmes

C Humberto Quintero

LHP J.A. Happ