Andy Pettitte is not having it easy  out there. He’s had a season start that’s too easy to forget, with a 1-4 record. His last defeat came on Saturday against the Cincinnati Reds 6-3, casually the second loss in a row for the Astros. This new Red Machine is streaking, and ready to give Astros and Cardinals a run for their money at the NL Central.

While Pettitte was shaky to say the least (6 ER, 11 H, 5.0 IP), Aaron Harang silenced the ‘Stros offense (3 runs and 7 strikeouts in 7.2 frames), deserving a standing ovation from the 24,873 people attending Great American Ballpark.

What has happened to Houston in these couple of road games? They have left 16 men on base between both contests, and adding up to a rare faux pas from Roy Oswalt (his first loss to the Reds since 2001), there’s Pettitte’s bad luck. The absence of timely hitting has been a problem for the Astros, who weren’t able to figure out Harang and his delivery.

This represents the first series loss for Houston this year. They hope to get the good vibes going once again, and that’s especially needed, considering they’ll face their nemesis, the St. Louis Cardinals in a two-game miniseries.