Cincinnati Reds vs Houston Astros Match Player Stats (May 11, 2025)
HOUSTON – Ronel Blanco picked the perfect time to deliver his best outing of the season.
With Houston’s bullpen gassed from Saturday’s 13-9 slugfest, Blanco struck out a career-high 11 batters over eight shutout innings as the Astros blanked the Reds 6-0 Sunday at Daikin Park to take the three-game interleague series.
Yainer Diaz provided the offensive spark with a three-run homer in the third inning, while Christian Walker added a two-run single to cap the Astros’ ninth home victory of the season.
Table of Contents
GAME SUMMARY: REDS 0, ASTROS 6
| SCORING | REDS | ASTROS |
|---|---|---|
| 3rd inning | Y. Diaz 3-run HR (4) | |
| 4th inning | I. Paredes scored on wild pitch | |
| 6th inning | C. Walker 2-run single | |
| FINAL | 0 | 6 |
Blanco Solves Left-Handed Puzzle
The story Sunday was Blanco’s complete mastery of a Reds lineup that exploded for 13 runs a day earlier.
The 30-year-old righty punched out 11 while allowing just two singles and a walk, throwing 71 of his 101 pitches for strikes. His previous career high was nine strikeouts, achieved three times.
“When he’s throwing like that, attacking the zone with all his pitches, he’s tough,” Astros manager Joe Espada said. “After yesterday, we needed length and he gave us more than we could have hoped for.”
Most encouraging for Houston: Blanco’s dominance against left-handed batters. Entering Sunday with lefties hitting .312 against him this season, he completely shut down Cincinnati’s left-handed trio of Friedl, Lux and Benson, who finished 0-for-9 with three strikeouts.
“My slider was sharp today,” Blanco said. “I could put it where I wanted and they weren’t picking it up.”
The gem marked Blanco’s longest outing since his no-hitter against Toronto last April, and it couldn’t have come at a better time after Houston used six relievers Saturday.
Shawn Dubin worked a scoreless ninth to close it out.
Struggling Petty No Match
Reds rookie Chase Petty (0-2) had no answers in his second major league start.
The 22-year-old’s command abandoned him early, as he walked six batters in just three innings while allowing four runs on six hits.
| TALE OF THE TAPE | IP | H | R | BB | K | STRIKES |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BLANCO (W) | 8 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 71/101 |
| PETTY (L) | 3 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 41/83 |
The breaking point came in the third. After walking three to load the bases with two outs, Petty left a changeup up that Diaz crushed 391 feet into the left field seats, turning a scoreless game into a 3-0 Astros lead.
“I’m still learning,” Petty said. “The strike zone gets smaller up here, and they don’t chase as much. It’s part of the process.”
Cincinnati’s bullpen (Suter, Barlow, Rogers, Richardson) allowed just two runs over five innings of solid relief work, but the early deficit proved insurmountable against Blanco’s brilliance.
Feast or Famine Offense Continues
Cincinnati’s offensive inconsistency was on full display this weekend.
After erupting for 13 runs on 15 hits Saturday, the Reds managed just two singles Sunday while striking out 12 times. No Red reached second base all afternoon.
“Baseball’s a humbling game,” Reds manager David Bell said. “Just when you think you’ve got it figured out, you get a day like today.”
Elly De La Cruz struck out three times in an 0-for-4 day, while Austin Hays and Matt McLain combined to go 0-for-6 with four Ks.
For Cincinnati, it marked their fourth shutout loss this season, tied for most in the National League.
Astros Finding Their Stride
Sunday’s win moved Houston to 26-17, good for second in the AL West behind Seattle (28-15).
For the Astros, several positive trends continued beyond Blanco’s gem:
- Diaz extended his hitting streak to nine games, raising his average from .248 to .283 during that span
- Paredes reached base three times, pushing his on-base streak to 19 games
- Walker continued his clutch hitting, now batting .368 (7-for-19) with runners in scoring position
The victory gave Houston their third series win in their last four, as they continue to round into form after a slow April start.
“We’re starting to click in all phases,” Espada said. “The rotation’s finding consistency, the bullpen is settling into roles, and we’re getting timely hits.”
NL Central Race Remains Tight
The loss dropped Cincinnati to 20-22, leaving them 3.5 games behind division-leading St. Louis in a crowded NL Central race where all five teams remain within 5 games of first.
For the Reds, finding consistency remains the challenge. During their last 10 games, they’ve scored 8+ runs four times but been held to 2 or fewer runs five times.
Their 7-12 road record continues to hamper their progress, with Sunday’s loss marking their fifth defeat in their last seven away games.
What’s Next
REDS: After an off day Monday, Cincinnati opens a three-game series in Philadelphia on Tuesday (7:05 p.m. ET). Hunter Greene (5-1, 2.87) gets the ball as the Reds face Aaron Nola (3-2, 3.42).
ASTROS: Houston continues its homestand Monday night (8:10 p.m. ET) against the Kansas City Royals. Framber Valdez (4-2, 3.18) starts the opener of the three-game set.
For more detailed Cincinnati Reds vs Houston Astros match player stats and analysis of other matchups like the recent Dodgers-Padres series, visit MatchPlayerStats.co.uk.
