Astros win 4-3 to finish sweep of Reds

Carlos Lee's RBI single in the ninth inning broke a tie and the Houston Astros beat Cincinnati 4-3 on Thursday night to complete a three-game sweep of the Reds.

Ty Wigginton doubled off the wall in left field with one out against Gary Majewski (0-4) and he scored on Lee's single to left that gave the Astros' cleanup hitter a career-high 117 RBIs. Lee went to second on the throw home and advanced to third on Majewski's throwing error before scoring on Eric Bruntlett's single.

Cincinnati right-hander Matt Belisle was perfect through six innings but he couldn't help the Reds avoid being swept by the Astros in a three-game series in Cincinnati for the first time since Aug. 30-Sept. 1, 2004.

It was the Reds' fifth consecutive loss, one shy of their season high.

Dave Borkowski (5-3) pitched a perfect eighth inning for the win. Brad Lidge gave up a run in the bottom of the ninth but earned his 18th save in 26 opportunities.

Lidge walked Jorge Cantu and David Ross to lead off the inning and they were sacrificed to second and third. Cantu scored on Javier Valentin's single, but Lidge got two fielder's choice grounders to end the game.

Belisle retired the first 18 batters he faced and the Reds led 2-0 before Josh Anderson led off the seventh with a clean single to left.

Anderson moved to third on Chris Burke's double and Cody Ransom walked to load the bases. Anderson scored on Lee's double-play grounder before Hunter Pence tied the game with a single to center.

Belisle was lifted for a pinch hitter in the seventh after giving up three hits and two runs with a walk and four strikeouts.

Edwin Encarnacion gave the Reds a 2-0 lead against left-hander Wandy Rodriguez in the first inning with his 16th home run of the season and first in 27 at-bats.

Rodriguez allowed four hits and two runs in seven innings with three walks and six strikeouts.

Notes:@ The Reds brought INF Mark Bellhorn up from the minor leagues and transferred LHP Bobby Livingston was transferred to the 60-day DL. ... 1B Lance Berkman was scratched from interim manager Cecil Cooper's original starting lineup with a sore right knee. Mike Lamb was moved from third base to first base and Ransom was inserted at third base. ... The last pitcher to throw a complete game no-hitter against Houston was right-hander Jim Maloney in a 10-0 win at Cincinnati's Crosley Field on April 30, 1969.