A s the Chicago White Sox celebrated winning the World Series in a sweep on October 26 2005 at Minute Maid Park members of the Houston Astros looked on in disbelief But when some of the disappointment went away those players could look back on a remarkable season Remarkable is a good word to describe the Astros presence in their first World Series that season It was the National League NL team’s 44th year in the major leagues Enter ing the season Houston had to fill gaps They were created by key player departures and injuries Center fielder Carlos Beltran signed with the New York Mets He had helped lift the Astros to the NL Champi onship Series NLCS in 2004 Second baseman Jeff Kent also was not re-signed He was the team leader in runs batted in RBIs in 2004 All-Star slugger Astros players including Brad Ausmus 11 Dan Wheeler 35 Astros players including Brad Ausmus 11 Dan Wheeler 35 and Chad Qualls 50 celebrate after the team won the 2005 NLCS and Chad Qualls 50 celebrate after the team won the 2005 NLCS BACK FROM THE DEAD 5
Lance Berkman started the year on the disabled list because of an off-season knee injury The Astros won four of their first five games in 2005 but then slumped By the end of April Houston was just 9 13 On May 5 longtime first base man Jeff Bagwell said he would undergo surgery on his injured right shoulder The procedure could possibly knock him out for the rest of the season Berkman Pitching In Pitching In One reason that the Astros did not One reason that the Astros did not panic when they started the 2005 panic when they started the 2005 panic when they started the 2005 season 15 30 was because of their season 15 30 was because of their strong pitching staff Roy Oswalt strong pitching staff Roy Oswalt Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte kept the Astros in nearly every kept the Astros in nearly every game in which they pitched Oswalt game in which they pitched Oswalt finished the season 20 12 with a finished the season 20 12 with a finished the season 20 12 with a 2 94 earned-run average ERA Cle 2 94 earned-run average ERA Cle 2 94 earned-run average ERA Cle mens was 13 8 with an NL-leading mens was 13 8 with an NL-leading 1 37 ERA Pettitte went 17 9 with a 1 37 ERA Pettitte went 17 9 with a 2 39 ERA Clemens the NL Cy Young 2 39 ERA Clemens the NL Cy Young Award winner in 2004 finished third Award winner in 2004 finished third Award winner in 2004 finished third in the voting in 2005 Oswalt was in the voting in 2005 Oswalt was in the voting in 2005 Oswalt was in the voting in 2005 Oswalt was fourth and Pettitte placed fift fourth and Pettitte placed fifth fourth and Pettitte placed fifth fourth and Pettitte placed fifth returned to the lineup But he struggled at the plate after missing all of spring training as well as April On May 24 the Astros fell to 15 30 Days later the Hous ton Chronicle newspaper ran an article in the sports section dis playing a giant tombstone The message was that it was time to bury the Astros The 1914 Boston Braves were the last team to make the postseason after falling 15 games under 500 Some fans thought that the Astros were done General manager Tim Purpura dis agreed though To him it was just a matter of time before the team got on a hot streak I thought that it was extremely premature Purpura said when he first saw the giant tombstone I guess I was right As if on cue Berkman and Morgan Ensberg picked up the 6 HOUSTON ASTROS
Roger Clemens delivers a pitch in 2005 Clemens was part of a talented pitching staff that helped Houston rocket back into contention after a poor start that season pace at the plate Jason Lane also found his stroke Lane hit eight home runs and drove in 18 runs in June Houston climbed to within six games of 500 at the end of that month Then the Astros really took off In July they won 22 of 29 games to improve to 57 48 Finally Houston sprinted to a 19 11 finish over its last 30 games of the regular season In the final game of the season the Astros defeated the visiting Chicago Cubs 6 4 Houston finished the season 89 73 The team clinched the NL’s wild-card playoff berth BACK FROM THE DEAD 7
