Fiers, Astros shut down Reds

[June 20, 2016]  HOUSTON -- Following a pair of extra-inning games that required the contributions of six different relievers, Astros manager A.J. Hinch was doubly pleased that the positive result on Sunday featured just one.

Right-hander Mike Fiers carried a shutout into the sixth inning while Evan Gattis and Luis Valbuena recorded multi-RBI games as the Houston Astros claimed the rubber match of their three-game interleague series with the Cincinnati Reds 6-0 at Minute Maid Park.

Fiers (5-3) faced two batters over the minimum through four innings, received aid from his backstop when Gattis erased Eugenio Suarez as he attempted to steal third base in the fifth, and retired consecutive batters in the sixth after issuing a leadoff walk to Reds shortstop Zack Cozart.

Fiers departed when Reds right fielder Jay Bruce lined a pitch off Fiers' left leg with two outs in the sixth inning. However, Fiers was near the end of his start and wasn't injured despite the initial concern expressed.

"It stung for a little bit, but I was all right," said Fiers, who allowed four hits and one walk with five strikeouts over 5 2/3 innings. "I'm just glad it didn't hit me in the knee or anything. It got me in a good part of the leg. It will be sore for a day, but it will be all right."

Right-hander Chris Devenski cleaned up the small mess in the sixth and earned his first career save while needing just 44 pitches to work the final 3 1/3 innings, allowing one hit while posting three strikeouts.

"Obviously our bullpen has been used quite a bit and so for Devo to come in in a crucial situation and get the out that we needed, ... and he gives the whole bullpen a day off before a division series (against the Los Angeles Angels), that's a big step in the right direction," Hinch said.

After splitting a pair of extra-inning affairs with the Reds (27-43) on Friday night and Saturday, the Astros (34-36) posted two two-run frames against left-hander Brandon Finnegan (3-5) to take the series.

Valbuena and Gattis delivered successive run-scoring hits in the second, with Valbuena plating Gattis with a single to center field after Gattis' RBI double to right-center scored second baseman Danny Worth.

Valbuena and Gattis later added solo home runs. Valbuena belted his eighth homer on the first pitch of the fifth inning while Gattis delivered his 11th homer on an 0-2 count against Reds right-hander JC Ramirez.

Valbuena and Gattis combined to finish 4-for-7 with four RBIs and three runs.

Jose Altuve finished 1-for-2 with an RBI and a run scored. Astros center fielder Carlos Gomez extended his hitting streak to five games with an RBI double in the eighth inning that scored Altuve.

Reds center fielder Billy Hamilton robbed Altuve of an extra-base hit in the fifth with a sensational diving catch in right-center that matched his dazzling effort from Saturday. Hamilton followed with a throw to second baseman Brandon Phillips, who then fired to first baseman Joey Votto to complete an inning-ending double play on Marwin Gonzalez.

Astros starting pitcher Mike Fiers (54) delivers a pitch during the fourth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

"It's a play that I had to make and I ended up making it," said Hamilton, who returned from the seven-day concussion disabled list on Friday. "I didn't have any fear of a concussion or running into the walls or diving. It's just something that I look forward to doing day in and day out."

Finnegan allowed four runs on five hits and three walks over five innings. He had surrendered a total of four earned runs in three previous starts this month. Just 40 of his 77 pitches were strikes.

"He could have gone back out there and stayed out there but he just wasn't real sharp," Reds manager Bryan Price said of Finnegan. "It just wasn't very clean and this is a guy whose innings we'll be concerned with as we get into August and September so it just didn't make any sense at all to keep running him back out there. So we just got him out."

NOTES: With LHP Brandon Finnegan following LHPs John Lamb and Cody Reed in the series against the Astros, Cincinnati started three southpaws in succession for the first time since May 18-20, 2006 (David Williams, Brandon Claussen and Eric Milton). Lamb, Reed and Finnegan were all acquired from the Royals in the Johnny Cueto trade on July 26, 2015. ... Astros UTL Danny Worth made his first start at second base since May 26, 2014, when he played for the Tigers. Worth had started three games at third base since his selection to the major league roster last Tuesday. ... With RHPs Raisel Iglesias (right shoulder impingement) and Michael Lorenzen (sprained right elbow) progressing in their rehab assignments, Reds manager Bryan Price announced that an eight-man bullpen is a probability when Iglesias and Lorenzen return from the disabled list. Cincinnati entered Sunday second in the majors in bullpen innings (249) and an extra reliever could lessen the collective workload.

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