Some answers after another ugly night

Here's what we found out in the wake the Reds' 8-6 loss to Houston, aka, Bullpen Meltdown II:

--Bronson Arroyo asked to come out of the game. "I was more tired than usual," he said. Arroyo didn't have a good change-up or breaking ball so he threw a lot of fastballs. He said he would stayed in if it was 4-2. But he thought the bullpen could get six outs with a five-run lead.

--Juan Castro pinch-hit in the ninth because Ken Griffey Jr. was sent home because of the flu. Jeff Conine is still hurt apparently. And Jerry Narron was saving Javy Valentin until the Reds got a someone on, which they never did.

--Kirk Saarloos took a lot of the blame for the meltdown. "I walked the first guy on the four pitches. That changed the whole complexion of the game.

Stat of the night: The bullpen came into the homestand with 1.77 ERA. The ERA on the homestand is 11.36.