Oswalt a machine when facing Reds
Who can explain this?
Roy Oswalt got his 19th career victory against the Reds last night in Cincinnati, leading the Houston Astros to a 5-4 victory that left everybody amazed by one of baseball's most mind-boggling marks.
How could any pitcher go 19-1 against a team?
"I have no idea," said Oswalt (5-2), who gave up a pair of solo homers in seven innings. "The good thing is every time I pitch against them, I get run support. I hope it doesn't change."
Luke Scott provided the big hit this time, a tiebreaking three-run homer in the eighth off reliever Todd Coffey that left the Astros 5-1 against the Reds this season.
Oswalt's success against the Reds is unprecedented. The righthand er won his first 15 decisions against them.
Explain that?
"Have you seen Roy pitch?" Houston's Lance Berkman said. "I wouldn't be surprised if he's 19-1 against anybody. He's the best in the game, as far as I'm concerned."
He'll get no argument from the Reds, who thought they had Oswalt in trouble after Adam Dunn and Alex Gonzalez hit back-to-back homers in the second -- only the second time in Oswalt's 22 career starts against the Reds he gave up more than one homer.
"He's just so good," Dunn said. "We jumped on him early, but to his credit, like he always does, if you don't get five right there, you're not going to get it."
Dan Wheeler gave up a two-run homer to Gonzalez in the ninth before getting his sixth save in seven chances.
Kyle Lohse (1-3) matched Oswalt until the eighth, when Craig Biggio led off with a single. After Mike Stanton walked Berkman, Coffey gave up Scott's homer to right field on a full-count changeup.
Indians 10, Orioles 1 -- Travis Hafner hit a grand slam and Fausto Carmona allowed one unearned run in seven innings, enabling Cleveland to split the four-game series in Baltimore.
The Indians broke open a tie game with a four-run seventh, and Hafner hit his ninth career grand slam in the eighth off Jamie Walker. Jhonny Peralta added a solo shot in the ninth.
Carmona (3-1) allowed seven hits, struck out two, and walked one. Only one of Baltimore's hits was for extra bases.
Grady Sizemore doubled in the tiebreaking run in the seventh, and Trot Nixon capped the burst with a two-run single.
Dodgers 6, Marlins 1 -- Brad Penny struck out a career-high 14 and allowed only five runners in seven shutout innings to carry Los Angeles in Miami.
Penny (4-0) walked none and gave up five hits, including two infield singles, and lowered his ERA to 1.39. He also drove in two runs with a single.
Jeff Kent hit his third homer, doubled, and scored twice for Los Angeles.
Brewers 3, Nationals 0 -- Chris Capuano struck out a season-high nine, Geoff Jenkins homered, and host Milwaukee won for the eighth time in nine games while dealing Washington its second six-game losing streak of the season.
Capuano (5-0) pitched eight-plus innings, allowing seven hits and walking none, and the Brewers improved to 7-0 in his starts this season. He allowed just one runner past second base in the first eight innings. Francisco Cordero worked the ninth to remain perfect in 13 save chances.
Giants 9, Mets 4 -- Bengie Molina became the first Giant since Willie McCovey in 1977 to homer twice in one inning -- the first a disputed two-run homer off the top of the wall in left-center, the other a three-run drive during host San Francisco's nine-run fifth.
Rich Aurilia also hit a three-run homer in the big inning, which allowed Barry Zito (3-3) to ease through six innings and win for the first time in three starts.
Padres 4, Braves 2 -- Chris Young (4-2) combined with three relievers on a three-hitter and Adrian Gonzalez hit his ninth homer for visiting San Diego.
Young struck out eight in six innings, allowing just two runs and two hits as the Padres won their third in a row.
Rockies 3, Cardinals 2 -- Brad Hawpe's full-count walk with the bases loaded in the ninth lifted visiting Colorado.
Diamondbacks 4, Phillies 3 -- At Phoenix, Carlos Quentin hit a tiebreaking single in the eighth and also doubled and scored for Arizona.
