Lance Berkman passes third base coach Gene Lamont as he rounds the bases following a solo home run during the first inning. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        HOUSTON — It was a fitting end to the road trip. The Reds flailed and failed for nine innings against Houston rookie Kirk Saarloos and reliever Pedro Borbon in a 1-0 loss to the Astros before 30,018 fans Sunday at Minute Maid Park.

        As a result, the Reds come home from a six-game Western swing with only a faint pulse in the National League Central race. The Reds lost five of six on the road trip. They are back under .500 at 64-65, and are 3-10 on a 23-games-in-23-days stretch that will make or break their season.

        “It was a frustrating road trip,” Reds first baseman Sean Casey said.

        A win would have given the Reds the series and put them 6 1/2 games behind the Cardinals in the NL Central, going into a seven-game stretch against St. Louis over the next 10 days.

        And, after Saturday's dramatic, 11-inning victory, the Reds were feeling pretty good about themselves going into Sunday, especially with Saarloos on the mound. The right-hander had an 8.22 ERA and had allowed 22 hits in 15 1/3 innings in his last three starts.

        But the Reds quickly found Saarloos difficult to deal with.

        “He's not a conventional pitcher,” Reds shortstop Barry Larkin said. “He doesn't have a 90-mile-an-hour fastball. Probably the hardest he threw was 87. But he hit his spots and made pitches.”

        Ryan Dempster started for the Reds and pitched his best game since the July 12 trade that brought him to Cincinnati from the Florida Marlins. The right-hander went seven innings, allowing one run on two hits. He walked four and struck out three.

Astros third baseman Geoff Blum leaps over Aaron Boone after forcing Boone out at second base. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        The one run scored in the game came on Lance Berkman's two-strike, two-out home run in the first.

        “Dempster pitched terrific,” Reds manager Bob Boone said. “But it was terrible pitch selection on one pitch — fastball out over the plate with two strikes to Berkman. It's the same pitch he hit out (Saturday), the same pitch he's hit out about five times against us.”

        The home run was Berkman's ninth in Houston's 17-game season series with the Reds. Those nine homers are a big reason the Astros won 11 times.

        “Who knew a solo home run in the first would stand up?” Dempster said. “Pitchers will take solo home runs. If they don't hit four or five of them, they usually don't beat you.”

        Boone certainly didn't think one solo shot would.

        “Dempster pitched like we've been hoping he would when we brought him here,” Boone said. “It's a shame we couldn't get a couple of runs for him.”

        The Reds had two solid chances.

Astros starter Kirk Saarloos works against the Cincinnati Reds during the first inning Sunday. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        In the third, they loaded the bases with one out on singles from Dempster and Todd Walker and a walk by Aaron Boone. But Ken Griffey Jr. quickly fell behind 0-2, then bounced into 4-6-3 double play. Failure to get a runner home from third with fewer than two outs has hurt the Reds badly.

        “It cost us a couple of games on the road trip,” Bob Boone said.

        With one out in the fourth, Adam Dunn singled and stole second. But Casey grounded out, Larkin walked, and Kelly Stinnett ended the inning with a drive to the warning-track in right.

        “(Saarloos') ball moves all over the place,” Casey said. “This was the first time we saw him. He never splits the plate. I don't want to compare him to Greg Maddux, one of the best players in the game, but that's the style of pitcher he is.”

        Saarloos retired the last 10 Reds batters he faced. With closer Billy Wagner on the shelf after throwing two innings Saturday, Borbon was left to close it.

        Austin Kearns doubled with one out in the ninth. That just led to more frustration. Borbon struck out Dunn on five pitches and Casey on three to earn his first save in almost two years.

Astros 1, Reds 0 Reds Box, Runs Boone remains optimistic Graves garners consideration for his first start Icon in limestone will greet Reds fans Owners make some moves toward players Diamondbacks 7, Cubs 0 Phillies 5, Cardinals 3 Pirates 3, Brewers 2 Braves 7, Dodgers 5

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