Cincinnati 12, Houston 9

Reds 12, Astros 9: Joey Votto went 4-for-4 with one of Cincinnati's four homers as the visiting Reds sent Houston to its eighth straight loss.

Drew Stubbs had a three-run blast and an RBI double, and Todd Frazier and Ryan Ludwick also went deep for first-place Cincinnati, which has won five of seven. Votto's two-run homer in the first extended his hitting streak at Minute Maid Park to 20 games.

Houston matched its worst losing streak since April 27-May 4, 2010. The Astros have given up 67 runs in their eight losses.

After Houston rallied from an 8-2 deficit to lead 9-8, Ludwick tied it with a fifth-inning homer and Brandon Phillips delivered the go-ahead RBI double an inning later. Phillips added a two-run single in the eighth.

Houston’s J.D. Martinez went 2-for-5 with three RBIs and Jed Lowrie hit his ninth homer, a two-run shot.

Sam LeCure (1-1) earned the win with two scoreless innings of relief, and Aroldis Chapman earned his fifth save by striking out the side in the ninth. Fernando Rodriguez (1-6) took the loss.

GAME NOTEBOOK: The Reds are 21-7 when they score first. … Astros first baseman Carlos Lee sat out with a strained hamstring and could be headed for the DL. … The Astros put OF Travis Buck on the DL with tendinitis in his Achilles and called up OF Fernando Martinez, who started and had a two-run double.

• Houston will play their next game at home against Cincinnati. The Astros have a W/L % of .500 after a win and .367 after a loss.
• Cincinnati will play their next game on the road against Houston. The Reds have a W/L % of .500 after a win and .682 after a loss.