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Owner Drayton McLane presents to star pitcher Roy Oswalt a $200,000 Caterpillar bulldozer to fulfill a promise he made before Game 6 of the N.L.C.S. Oswalt’s strong performance catapulted the Astros into their first World Series as he pitched two of the four victories over St. Louis. 

ByTom

2005 – Owner Drayton McLane presents to star pitcher Roy Oswalt a $200,000 Caterpillar bulldozer to fulfill a promise he made before Game 6 of the N.L.C.S. Oswalt’s strong performance catapulted the Astros into their first World Series as he pitched two of the four victories over St. Louis. 

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2Thousands attend a victory rally near City Hall to celebrate the Astros’ first pennant in their 43-year history

ByThis Day in Baseball

2005 – Thousands attend a victory rally near City Hall to celebrate the Astros’ first pennant in their 43-year history. Getting swept in the World Series did little to dampen the enthusiasm. Owner Drayton McLane says “give us one more year” to bring a World Championship to Houston. 

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Jason Lane homers and Morgan Ensberg hits the decisive sacrifice fly to nip the Cardinals, 2-1, giving Houston a 3-1 edge in the N.L.C.S. Brandon Backe and four relievers hold St. Louis to just five hits. Frustrations spill over for the Redbirds as skipper Tony LaRussa and slugger Jim Edmonds are ejected for arguing pitches with home plate umpire Phil Cuzzi. Sparkling defense ends the ninth when Eric Bruntlett and Adam Everett turn a double play on John Mabry’s roller. 

ByTom

2005 – Jason Lane homers and Morgan Ensberg hits the decisive sacrifice fly to nip the Cardinals, 2-1, giving Houston a 3-1 edge in the N.L.C.S. Brandon Backe and four relievers hold St. Louis to just five hits. Frustrations spill over for the Redbirds as skipper Tony LaRussa and slugger Jim Edmonds are ejected for arguing pitches with home plate umpire Phil Cuzzi. Sparkling defense ends the ninth when Eric Bruntlett and Adam Everett turn a double play on John Mabry’s roller. 

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2005 – Houston grabs a 2-1 lead in the N.L.C.S. with a 4-3 triumph over St. Louis. Mike Lamb doubles and homers to key a pair of two-run rallies  while Roger Clemens, Chad Qualls and Brad Lidge hold the Redbirds to seven hits. Craig Biggio adds a pair of hits. 

ByTom

2005 – Houston grabs a 2-1 lead in the N.L.C.S. with a 4-3 triumph over St. Louis. Mike Lamb doubles and homers to key a pair of two-run rallies  while Roger Clemens, Chad Qualls and Brad Lidge hold the Redbirds to seven hits. Craig Biggio adds a pair of hits. 

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Andy Pettitte is hit by a line drive during warmups and struggles through a 5-3 loss to St. Louis in Game One of the N.L.C.S. Reggie Sanders powers a two-run blast in the first off Pettitte as the Cardinals build a lead they would never surrender. Chris Burkestays hot for Houston with a pinch-hit two-run shot of his own. 

ByTom

2005 – Andy Pettitte is hit by a line drive during warmups and struggles through a 5-3 loss to St. Louis in Game One of the N.L.C.S. Reggie Sanders powers a two-run blast in the first off Pettitte as the Cardinals build a lead they would never surrender. Chris Burkestays hot for Houston with a pinch-hit two-run shot of his own. 

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2005 – Mike Lamb homers  and Craig Biggio swats three doubles to pace the Astros in a 7-3 triumph over the Braves to take a 2-1 edge in the N.L.D.S. Roy Oswalt goes seven innings for the win. Houston smacks seven doubles in all to tie a league postseason record. Eight of their 12 hits go for extra bases. 

ByTom

2005 – Mike Lamb homers  and Craig Biggio swats three doubles to pace the Astros in a 7-3 triumph over the Braves to take a 2-1 edge in the N.L.D.S. Roy Oswalt goes seven innings for the win. Houston smacks seven doubles in all to tie a league postseason record. Eight of their 12 hits go for extra bases. 

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Morgan Ensberg drives in five runs on three singles and a bases-loaded walk to pace a 10-5 victory in Atlanta in Game One of the N.L.D.S.  Andy Pettitte allows four hits over seven innings for his 14th career postseason win. The .081-hitting Pettitte adds a double and two sacrifice bunts that lead to runs. Craig Biggio scores three times. 

ByTom

2005 – Morgan Ensberg drives in five runs on three singles and a bases-loaded walk to pace a 10-5 victory in Atlanta in Game One of the N.L.D.S.  Andy Pettitte allows four hits over seven innings for his 14th career postseason win. The .081-hitting Pettitte adds a double and two sacrifice bunts that lead to runs. Craig Biggio scores three times. 

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Roger Clemens wins number 341 and tops 4,500 strikeouts

ByTom

2005 – Roger Clemens adds career win number 341 and career strikeout number 4,500 while Craig Biggio sets a personal best with his 26th homer of the year in a 3-1 victory over Chicago. More importantly, the triumph snaps a two-game skid and clinches a tie for the N.L. Wild Card spot. Clemens also becomes the fifth Astro hurler to claim the league ERA title (1.87). The next day, Roy Oswalt clinches with his 20th victory, a 6-4 thriller that ends when Brad Lidge notches his 42nd save 

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2005 – This wasn’t just an ordinary game-winning single in the bottom of the ninth for Jeff Bagwell. It was his first big league hit since mid-May when he decided on surgery to help an arthritic shoulder. There were no guarantees the franchise’s home run champ would be able to resume playing. His hit scores Willy Taveras for a 2-1 triumph over Milwaukee to keep the Astros a half-game ahead in the wild card race. Elsewhere, former Astro owner John McMullen, the man who signed the first million-dollar free agent (Nolan Ryan), dies at age 87. McMullen owned the ballclub from 1979 to 1992. 

ByTom

2005 – This wasn’t just an ordinary game-winning single in the bottom of the ninth for Jeff Bagwell. It was his first big league hit since mid-May when he decided on surgery to help an arthritic shoulder. There were no guarantees the franchise’s home run champ would be able to resume playing. His hit scores Willy Taveras for a 2-1 triumph over Milwaukee to keep the Astros a half-game ahead in the wild card race. Elsewhere, former Astro owner John McMullen, the man who signed the first million-dollar free agent (Nolan Ryan), dies at age 87. McMullen owned the ballclub from 1979 to 1992. 

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Roger Clemens notches his 340th career win

ByTom

2005 – On the day his mother Bess passes away from emphysema, Roger Clemens notches his 340th career win, a critical 10-2 victory over Florida that halts a three-game losing skid and keeps Houston 1/2 game behind in the wild card race. Mike Lamb has three hits to pace the offense. Clemens often credited his mother for his success and had thoughts of retiring so she could attend his eventual Hall of Fame induction. Roger’s sister claims Bess correctly predicted the final score of the game from her deathbed and foreshadowed an encounter with the Chicago White Sox.