Scoreless Effort by Citelli Not Enough in Loss to Cincinnati

Houston took a lead and built on it in the middle of the game, but Cincinnati scored six runs over the sixth and seventh innings to take a 6-4 win on their home turf Friday.

With two outs, Cincinnati went to the bullpen in favor of the arm that would ordinarily be their Friday night starter . . . The Bearcats have been doing this for several weeks now with an opening pitcher that throws anywhere from one to three innings to their Friday guy who can go six innings in some cases . . . It has worked for Cincinnati in recent weeks, so they have stuck with it.

Houston starter Cade Citelli faced the minimum through the first three innings and the game was scoreless to that point.

Harold Coll singled to center field to get the top of the fourth inning started for Houston . . . After Coll stole second base, Ace Reese moved him to third base on a groundout to the right side . . . Cary Arbolida (2-for-4) then smashed a single into left field for his second hit of the ball game to drive in Coll and give Houston a 1-0 lead.

Tre Jones worked a walk on seven pitches to lead off the top of the sixth inning and he promptly stole second base . . . A Coby DeJesus groundout moved Jones to third base ahead of a Justin Murray (2-for-4) single up the middle to bring him across the plate . . . Anthony Tulimero doubled to left field to put Murray at third base . . . Murray then stole home to give Houston a 3-0 lead.

Cameron Nickens punched a one-out single into left field to get things started in the top of the sixth inning . . . Jones walked for the second time in as many at-bats . . . A failed hit-and-run play left Jones at second base with two outs where he was when DeJesus singled into center field to drive him home for a 4-0 Cougars advantage.

Citelli departed after five complete innings leading 4-0 having allowed just two base hits and striking out five Bearcats batters.

Cincinnati got two runs back in the bottom of the sixth inning and continued to hit the Houston bullpen in the seventh inning as they added four runs and took a 6-4 lead.

Paul Schmitz took the mound in the bottom of the seventh inning with a runner on first base with two outs and got an inning-ending groundout to bring the inning to an end.

Schmitz pitched a scoreless eighth inning to give the Cougars offense a chance in the top of the ninth inning, but to no avail as the Bearcats closed out the win on their home field.

The Houston offense earned nine hits in the game, and seven walked batters gave the Cougars plenty of traffic on the bases, but Houston left 10 runners on base in the two-run loss.

The Cougars and the Bearcats will continue the weekend series with an early afternoon affair on Saturday . . . Right-hander Duncan Howard (2-1) is set to make the start for Houston . . . First pitch is scheduled for 1pm in Cincinnati.

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