When: 8:05 p.m. today, 1:15 p.m. Saturday, 2:35 p.m. Sunday.

        Where: Minute Maid Park.

        TV: Today, Fox Sports Net.

        Radio: WLW-AM (700).

        Records: Reds 63-62, third place in the National League Central entering Thursday. Astros 67-60, second place in the NL Central.

        The arms: Today -- LHP Shawn Estes (4-9, 4.36) vs. RHP Peter Munro (3-2, 2.59); Saturday -- RHP Jimmy Haynes (12-8, 4.42 ERA) vs. RHP Wade Miller (11-3, 3.81) Sunday -- RHP Ryan Dempster (7-12, 5.78) vs. RHP Kirk Saarloos (5-3, 6.52).

        The bats: The Astros are sixth in the NL in hitting but second in runs scored. The big reason is the big guys are good in the clutch. Look at their batting averages with runners in the scoring position: Lance Berkman (.359), Jeff Bagwell (.308), Craig Biggio (.289), Geoff Blum (.359) and Brad Ausmus (.315).

        The rest: The Reds miss Houston ace Roy Oswalt on this trip. The Reds are 5-9 against the Astros after splitting four games last week.

D'Backs 6, Reds 3 Reds Box, Runs Sullivan OK, itching to pitch It's make-or-break time for Reds Reds at Astros series preview Labor talks moving slowly Fox's Goren on strike: 'A deal to be made.' Astros 9, Cubs 1 Cardinals 5, Pirates 4 Phillies 7, Brewers 0 Astros bolster bullpen with Flash Gordon Toledo 6, Louisville 4

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