Aaron Boone is hit by a pitch from the Astros' Nelson Cruz in the sixth inning. (Greg Ruffing photo) | ZOOM |

        Yes, the three-game sweep by the Arizona Diamondbacks was a disaster. But if the Reds are going to get back in the National League Central race, they have to beat the teams ahead of them.

        They get a chance to do that 13 times in the next three weeks. Friday night, they got off to good a start by beating the second-place Houston Astros 9-3 before 22,691 at Cinergy Field.

        “We have to beat the teams in front of us,” shortstop Barry Larkin said. “That's the only way we're going to catch them. We're to the point in the season where every game is important.”

        The Reds got two things they didn't get against the D'backs: good starting pitching and timely hitting.

        Brian Moehler made his second straight strong start, going seven innings with one unearned run, four hits, no walks and four strikeouts.

        Austin Kearns, Larkin and Reggie Taylor led the offense. Kearns was 3-for-5 and hit his first home run in two months. Larkin went 3-for-3 with two doubles and three RBI. Taylor, starting for the injured Ken Griffey Jr., was 2-for-4 with two RBI.

A foul ball off the bat of Lance Berkman eludes both a group of fans and a leaping Reds left fielder Adam Dunn in the 8th inning. (Greg Ruffing photo) | ZOOM |

        Friday's game was the first of 13 over 20 days against the Astros and St. Louis Cardinals. The win moved the Reds 4 games behind the first-place Cards (they lost 4-0 to Philadelphia) and a half-game behind the Astros in the Central.

        “That's the good thing,“ Moehler said. “We gained on both of them.”

        The Reds lost five of their previous six games against the Astros.

        But thanks to Moehler (2-2), they were in control of this one from the start. He retired the first 11 batters he faced and had a 3-0 lead before he allowed a hit.

        “He was terrific,” Kearns said. “He kept the game flowing. His performance was bigger than anyone's.”

A sign reacting to an impending player's strike hangs in left field. (Greg Ruffing photo) | ZOOM |

        Moehler has allowed only two earned runs over 13 innings in his last two starts. He hasn't walked a batter in 16 innings.

        “I don't have the kind of stuff where I can blow people away,” he said. “I have to get ahead of hitters. Change speeds, move the ball around.”

        Kearns got the Reds on the scoreboard in the third, crushing a 1-0 pitch for a 383-foot, two-run home run to left-center. It was Kearns' ninth homer of the year but his first since June 14; he had gone 50 games and 175 at-bats without one.

        “The last thing I want to do is go up and try to hit home runs,” Kearns said. “That's not my approach. I try to stay through the middle and drive in runs.”

        Friday gave Kearns hits in 19 of his last 22 games. He has hit .386 with 16 RBI in that stretch.

Team and city are staring at a Big Red-Ink Machine Walkout Aug. 30 as talks stumble Young Reds optimistic labor talks will succeed Fans have no sympathy for players, owners Lawmakers unlikely to go to bat for game Strike would end Cinergy's life early Reds 9, Astros 3 Reds Box, Runs Larson's promising season may be ended by broken toe Moehler starting to feel comfortable in Cincinnati Phillies 4, Cardinals 0 Rolen welcomed, Philadelphia style Late games Notes from Friday's games Louisville 7, Toledo 3

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