The Houston Astros were defeated by the Cincinnati Reds 1-0 on Thursday. Rhett Lowder pitched 6.1 innings of shutout baseball for Cincinnati while recording three strikeouts. Lowder addressed his performance against the current leaders of the American League West, via ESPN.

“We knew they were an aggressive team,” the Reds rookie said. “I had to come out with my best stuff and get them out as fast as possible. I feel really good with where my games at right now.”

Lowder has pitched well since making his big league debut. He allowed just one earned run over four innings of work in his first start. Lowder was even better against a talented Astros team on Thursday. Cincinnati's No. 2 overall prospect has a bright future ahead of him.

Meanwhile, the Astros are trying to get back on track.

Astros offense struggles vs. Reds

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The Astros endured some frustrations to begin the season. However, the Astros knew their roster was set to compete at some point. Sure enough, Houston found their rhythm and they now lead the AL West.

The team still has some question marks, however. Star outfielder Kyle Tucker is battling an injury. Houston's pitching has been up and down throughout the '24 campaign.

Nevertheless, this is a ball club with a number of experienced veterans who understand what it takes to make a deep playoff run. Sure, the Astros have not exactly dominated the competition in 2024. That does not mean they won't make a World Series pursuit, though. Anything can happen in October.

For now, Houston will focus on trying to bounce back following their shutout loss to the Reds. The Astros will begin a three-game series at home against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday night. First pitch is scheduled for 8:10 PM EST in what certainly projects to be a competitive affair.