Santiago Espinal's bloop single drives in 2 runs as the Reds hold off the Astros for a 5-3 win

CINCINNATI (AP) — Santiago Espinal’s well-placed bloop single drove in two runs in the fifth inning, and the Cincinnati Reds beat Justin Verlander and the Houston Astros 5-3 on Monday.

Ty France had four hits as Cincinnati stopped Houston’s five-game win streak. Amed Rosario had two hits and drove in a run.

Yainer Diaz had two hits and three RBIs for the Astros in the opener of a three-game interleague series. Verlander (3-5) was charged with five runs and eight hits in 4 2/3 innings.

Houston had a chance in the ninth, but came up empty. With Jason Heyward aboard after a leadoff single, Jose Altuve struck out looking against Emilio Pagán. Justin Wilson then earned his second save when he retired Yordan Alvarez on a liner to center.

Carson Spiers (5-5), the third of five Cincinnati pitchers, worked 2 1/3 innings for the win. He was charged with one run and three hits.

With Cincinnati’s top three starters on the shelf with injuries, manager David Bell has used a creative approach.

“The bullpen through all of this, it’s just unbelievable what they’re doing,” Bell said. “We understand what’s happening, and it means a lot.”

Verlander walked the bases full in the first inning. TJ Friedl hit a sacrifice fly, and France singled in Elly De La Cruz for a 2-0 lead.

“I was all over the place in that first inning,” Verlander said. “The mechanics, not good. The location needed to be better. I made some decent pitches that weren’t called but it’s hard to get pitches when you’re all over the place.”

Diaz responded with a tying two-run single in the third against Julian Aguiar.

Cincinnati went ahead to stay with a two-out rally in the fifth. With runners on second and third, Espinal’s blooper landed in shallow right field. Espinal swiped second and scored on Rosario’s single off Kaleb Ort.

“I felt the last few innings, especially the last couple, were a lot better,” Verlander said. “In the fifth inning, it was a tough pill to swallow.”

Cincinnati collected 13 hits, but it went 3 for 11 with runners in scoring position and left 14 runners on base.

The Reds were coming off an extra-innings win on Sunday that salvaged the finale of their four-game set with NL Central-leading Milwaukee.

The Reds had pulled even with the Cardinals for second place in the division after a sweep of St. Louis in mid-August. It’s been rough going from there, with Cincinnati dropping 12 of 18 and sliding back down in the standings.

WORTH NOTING

The Reds recalled outfielder Blake Dunn from Triple-A Louisville and designated first baseman Dominic Smith for assignment.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Astros: INF Alex Bregman missed a fifth straight game with elbow inflammation.

After a rare day off in the middle of a series, Astros right-hander Spencer Arrighetti (7-11, 4.63 ERA) is the scheduled starter against Reds right-hander Nick Martinez (6-6, 3.78 ERA).

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