CINCINNATI, WE HAVE A PROBLEM.

The Reds will begin a three game series against the Houston Astros on Tuesday before traveling to St. Louis for another three games. Throughout the rest of April and all of May, the Reds' next 33 games will include 25 against NL Central opponents. They will face every team in their division at least once. The Cardinals are currently in first place and the only NL Central team with a winning record (12-7) while the Cubs are 2.5 games behind them with an even season thus far (10-10). The month of May could be momentous for the Reds if they decide to turn things around.

The Reds will be up against a Houston team that contains two notorious Reds' killers. Astros' pitcher Roy Oswalt owns the all-time highest winning percentage against an opponent. Oswalt is 23-1 with a 2.58 ERA in 32 games against the Reds during his career. Bronson Arroyo will face Oswalt during the series finale against the Astros on Thursday. Oswalt's sole loss to the Reds was on April 28, 2006. Last season the Reds handed Oswalt four no-decisions while defeating the Astros eight times in twelve attempts.

Lance Berkman also fancies facing the Reds. In 143 career games against Cincinnati, Berkman is batting .327 with 48 homeruns and 133 RBI. Jeff Bagwell is the only Astro to hit more homeruns against the Reds (49), but that may change this week. Berkman said this about facing the Reds:

"I think a lot of it has to do with the pitching over the years. They've always had a lot of right-handed pitching and not a lot of left-handed pitching, and I'm a much better left-handed hitter than I am a right-handed hitter. I think it's a combination of factors. Statistical anomalies abound in the game. Everybody has one team they do well against and a couple they don't hit very well. I can't explain it more than that. There's a comfort level when you know you've had success against a team in the past, and it gives you more confidence going into a game and a series. So much of this game is mental, and this could give you a little boost."

Aaron Harang (0-3, 8.31) will face Bud Norris (1-1, 4.26) at 7:05pm on Tuesday.

Upcoming matchups from The Reds Report:
April 28: @Houston – Leake (1-0, 3.92 ERA) vs. Paulino (0-2, 5.94 ERA)
April 29: @Houston – Arroyo (0-2, 7.44 ERA) vs. Oswalt (2-2, 2.42 ERA)
April 30: @St. Louis – Cueto (0-1, 5.73 ERA) vs. Penny (3-0, 0.94 ERA)
May 1: @St. Louis – Bailey (0-1, 7.06 ERA) vs. Lohse (0-1, 7.31 ERA)
May 2: @St. Louis – Harang (0-3, 8.31 ERA) vs. Carpenter (2-0, 3.60 ERA)

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