<xts:sports-content-set xmlns:xts="http://www.xmlteam.com">

<sports-content xmlns:xts="http://www.xmlteam.com" xmlns:str="java.lang.String" xmlns:dt="http://xsltsl.org/date-time" xmlns:exsl="http://exslt.org/common" path-id="baseball/l.mlb.com/event-summary/xt.13613561-preview" xts:systemid="mlbpreviewxml" xts:tsnid="13613561">

  <sports-metadata xmlns:fs="java.io.File" date-time="20110502T103500-0400" doc-id="xt.13613561-preview" xts:tsnslug="AAV!PREVIEW-HOU-CIN" language="en-US" revision-id="l.mlb.com-2011-e.32086-pre-event-coverage-sportsnetwork.com" fixture-key="pre-event-coverage" document-class="event-summary" fixture-name="Game Preview">

    <sports-title>Preview: Houston Astros (11-17) at Cincinnati Reds (14-14), 7:10 p.m.</sports-title>

    <sports-content-codes>

      <sports-content-code code-name="The Sports Network" code-key="sportsnetwork.com" code-type="publisher"/>

      <sports-content-code code-name="XML Team Solutions, Inc." code-key="xmlteam.com" code-type="distributor"/>

      <sports-content-code code-type="sport" code-key="15007000" code-name="Baseball"/>

      <sports-content-code code-type="league" code-key="l.mlb.com" code-name="Major League Baseball"/>

      <sports-content-code code-type="priority" code-key="normal"/>

      <sports-content-code code-type="conference" code-key="c.national" code-name="National"/>

      <sports-content-code code-type="team" code-key="l.mlb.com-t.21" code-name="Cincinnati Reds"/>

      <sports-content-code code-type="team" code-key="l.mlb.com-t.22" code-name="Houston Astros"/>

    </sports-content-codes>

  </sports-metadata>

  <sports-event>

    <event-metadata xmlns:fs="java.io.File" xmlns:xte="www.xmlteam.com/xte" date-coverage-type="event" event-key="l.mlb.com-2011-e.32086" date-coverage-value="l.mlb.com-2011-e.32086" event-status="pre-event" start-date-time="20110502T191000-0400" xts:game-of-day="1">

      <sports-content-codes/>

      <event-metadata-baseball/>

      <site>

        <site-metadata>

          <home-location/>

        </site-metadata>

        <site-stats/>

      </site>

    </event-metadata>

    <team>

      <team-metadata xmlns:fs="java.io.File" team-key="l.mlb.com-t.22" alignment="away">

        <name first="Houston" last="Astros"/>

      </team-metadata>

      <player>

        <player-metadata position-event="1">

          <name full="J.A. Happ"/>

          <player-metadata-baseball/>

        </player-metadata>

        <player-stats>

          <player-stats-baseball>

            <stats-baseball-pitching earned-runs="6.35" wins="1" losses="4" winning-percentage=".200"/>

          </player-stats-baseball>

        </player-stats>

      </player>

    </team>

    <team>

      <team-metadata xmlns:fs="java.io.File" team-key="l.mlb.com-t.21" alignment="home">

        <name first="Cincinnati" last="Reds"/>

      </team-metadata>

      <player>

        <player-metadata position-event="1">

          <name full="Mike Leake"/>

          <player-metadata-baseball/>

        </player-metadata>

        <player-stats>

          <player-stats-baseball>

            <stats-baseball-pitching earned-runs="4.40" wins="3" losses="0" winning-percentage="1.000"/>

          </player-stats-baseball>

        </player-stats>

      </player>

    </team>

  </sports-event>

  <article format="nitf">

    <nitf>

      <head>

        <docdata/>

      </head>

      <body>

        <body.head>

          <hedline>

            <hl1>Houston Astros (11-17) at Cincinnati Reds (14-14), 7:10 p.m.</hl1>

          </hedline>

          <byline>

            <byttl>Sports Network</byttl>

          </byline>

          <abstract>

            <p>Second-year right-hander Mike Leake goes for a second straight win over the Houston Astros tonight when the Cincinnati Reds host them to open a three-game series at Great American Ball Park.</p>

          </abstract>

        </body.head>

        <body.content>

          <p>(Sports Network) - Second-year right-hander Mike Leake goes for a second straight win over the Houston Astros tonight when the Cincinnati Reds host them to open a three-game series at Great American Ball Park.</p>

          <p>The San Diego native made his initial start of 2011 against the Astros on April 5 in Cincinnati and emerged with a win, allowing three hits and two runs over six innings of an 8-2 triumph.</p>

          <p>He's largely made news for off-the-field issues since, following an April 18 arrest for shoplifting six shirts valued at a total of $59.88 from a Macy's store in Cincinnati.</p>

          <p>He pleaded guilty Friday to a reduced charge, and, if he completes counseling and 30 hours of community service, the case will be dropped, and the conviction expunged from his record.</p>

          <p>In a press conference Friday, Leake said he had purchased similar shirts two weeks earlier, then took them back to the store to exchange them. But instead of dealing with a clerk, he said he attempted to leave the store with the replacements.</p>

          <p>The 23-year-old has won all three of his decisions on the season and has gone seven innings in two outings since the incident, defeating Arizona on April 21 and getting a no-decision in a 3-2 loss to Milwaukee on April 26.</p>

          <p>He's 2-1 in four career starts against Houston with a 2.49 earned run average in 25 1/3 innings.</p>

          <p>For the Astros, lefty J.A. Happ tries against to snap out of early season difficulties.</p>

          <p>The 28-year-old was 1-1 after his second start of the season - a 7-1 defeat of Florida on April 10 - but has dropped three straight since against San Diego, the New York Mets and St. Louis.</p>

          <p>In those games, he's pitched 16 2/3 innings while allowing 18 hits and 12 runs.</p>

          <p>Happ opened his season against Leake and the Reds and allowed seven runs in seven hits in four innings on the short end of the 8-2 verdict.</p>

          <p>On Sunday in Cincinnati, Emilio Bonifacio hit a three-run homer and Hanley Ramirez added a two-run shot, as the Florida Marlins clubbed a season-high five homers in taking a 9-5 decision over Cincinnati in the rubber match of a three-game set.</p>

          <p>Jay Bruce slugged a two-run homer and Brandon Phillips added a solo shot for the Reds, who have dropped three of five and haven't won consecutive games since April 11-12 at San Diego.</p>

          <p>Bronson Arroyo (3-3) was touched for seven hits and five runs with a pair of walks and fanned three over seven frames.</p>

          <p>In Houston, Carlos Lee belted a three-run homer in support of starting pitcher Bud Norris, but wound up leaving Sunday's 5-0 win over the Milwaukee Brewers following a violent collision with teammate Angel Sanchez in the seventh inning.</p>

          <p>Lee collided with Sanchez in shallow left field while pursuing a ball hit by Milwaukee's Mark Kotsay. It appeared the Astros shortstop kneed Lee in the ribs. Lee remained down for several minutes before being removed from the field on a cart. He was then taken to a local hospital to have tests performed on his left ribcage.</p>

          <p>Norris (2-1) limited the Brewers to three hits and three walks in 7 2/3 innings. The right-hander also recorded 11 strikeouts, three shy of his career high.</p>

          <p>Jason Bourgeois collected two hits and scored a run for Houston, which took two straight after dropping Friday's series opener.</p>

          <p>Cincinnati took two of three from the Astros earlier in the season.</p>

        </body.content>

      </body>

    </nitf>

  </article>

</sports-content>

</xts:sports-content-set>


