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Once down by seven games in the Wild Card standings and behind five other clubs, the Astros come all the way back on the wings of their 12th straight win, a 5-2 triumph over Cincinnati, clinching their third straight series sweep. Four homers in the first inning (by Craig Biggio, Jeff Bagwell, Lance Berkman and Mike Lamb) is all Roger Clemens needs to get his 16th win, the 326th of his career, passing Eddie Plank for 11th on the All-Time wins list. The Astros tie the club record for winning streaks, set in 1999. The victory, however, ends their streak of eleven straight games scoring six or more runs, not done since the Brooklyn Bridegrooms in 1895. 

ByTom

2004 – Once down by seven games in the Wild Card standings and behind five other clubs, the Astros come all the way back on the wings of their 12th straight win, a 5-2 triumph over Cincinnati, clinching their third straight series sweep. Four homers in the first inning (by Craig Biggio, Jeff Bagwell, Lance Berkman and Mike Lamb) is all Roger Clemens needs to get his 16th win, the 326th of his career, passing Eddie Plank for 11th on the All-Time wins list. The Astros tie the club record for winning streaks, set in 1999. The victory, however, ends their streak of eleven straight games scoring six or more runs, not done since the Brooklyn Bridegrooms in 1895. 

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Roger Clemens claims his 325th career victory, passing Nolan Ryan and Don Sutton

ByTom

2004 – Roger Clemens claims his 325th career victory, passing Nolan Ryan and Don Sutton, two former Astros, for 12th place on the all-time wins list. He does so in an 8-6 triumph over Pittsburgh. Home runs by Jose Vizcaino, Carlos Beltran, Craig Biggio and Jeff Bagwell stake Clemens to a 7-0 lead but he gives up six runs in the seventh before leaving. Lance Berkman adds an insurance tally while the bullpen quiets the Bucs. It is Clemens’ 15th win of the season and Houston’s seventh straight as they climb within 2-1/2 games of Chicago for the wild card playoff spot. 

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2004 – Given up for dead, the Astros win their fifth straight to creep back within three games of the National League wild card lead. The home run bats go to work in an 8-0 triumph over Cincinnati as Jeff Kent goes deep twice while Carlos Beltran, Jeff Bagwelland Lance Berkman go back-to-back-to-back in the fourth off Aaron Harang. Brandon Backe gets the shutout with help from three relievers. Houston still needs to overtake four other teams in order to get back to the postseason. 

ByTom

2004 – Given up for dead, the Astros win their fifth straight to creep back within three games of the National League wild card lead. The home run bats go to work in an 8-0 triumph over Cincinnati as Jeff Kent goes deep twice while Carlos Beltran, Jeff Bagwelland Lance Berkman go back-to-back-to-back in the fourth off Aaron Harang. Brandon Backe gets the shutout with help from three relievers. Houston still needs to overtake four other teams in order to get back to the postseason. 

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Carlos Beltran’s two home runs lead a five-dinger barrage as Houston clubs the Cubs, 15-7

ByTom

2004 – Carlos Beltran’s two home runs lead a five-dinger barrage as Houston clubs the Cubs, 15-7. Jeff Bagwell, Jeff Kent and Lance Berkman also supply the long ball. Roy Oswalt wins his 15th despite harassment from Chicago’s Michael Barrett who is still upset over being hit by Oswalt the previous weekend in Houston. Oswalt is plunked by Kent Mercker but nobody is tossed despite the war of words. 

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2004 – First the Astros turn a triple play then turn around a huge deficit in a 12-10 triumph in Philadelphia. The trifecta goes 5-4-3 off the bat of Todd Pratt in the fifth with Morgan Ensberg touching third, tossing to Jeff Kent at second for the force and Kent relaying to Mike Lamb at first to end the inning . But the Phils led 7-2. Next came a three-homer Houston assault in the seventh with Craig Biggio and Lance Berkman launching two-run shots before Eric Bruntlett topped them with a three-run blast for a 10-7 lead. A two-run double from Kent is needed to survive the final rally, giving Chad Qualls his first major league win. Lamb also steals home. 

ByTom

2004 – First the Astros turn a triple play then turn around a huge deficit in a 12-10 triumph in Philadelphia. The trifecta goes 5-4-3 off the bat of Todd Pratt in the fifth with Morgan Ensberg touching third, tossing to Jeff Kent at second for the force and Kent relaying to Mike Lamb at first to end the inning . But the Phils led 7-2. Next came a three-homer Houston assault in the seventh with Craig Biggio and Lance Berkman launching two-run shots before Eric Bruntlett topped them with a three-run blast for a 10-7 lead. A two-run double from Kent is needed to survive the final rally, giving Chad Qualls his first major league win. Lamb also steals home. 

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Down 4-2 in the ninth, the Astros rally for three runs to nip the Expos, 5-4. Jason Lane and Orlando Palmeiro deliver RBI singles. Carlos Beltran delivers a two-run homer in the first. With a record of 57-60, Houston is 19-1/2 games in back of St. Louis and six games behind wild card leaders Chicago and San Francisco. The ninth-inning rally sparks a two-month run unmatched in franchise history. 

ByTom

2004 – Down 4-2 in the ninth, the Astros rally for three runs to nip the Expos, 5-4. Jason Lane and Orlando Palmeiro deliver RBI singles. Carlos Beltran delivers a two-run homer in the first. With a record of 57-60, Houston is 19-1/2 games in back of St. Louis and six games behind wild card leaders Chicago and San Francisco. The ninth-inning rally sparks a two-month run unmatched in franchise history. 

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2004 – Morgan Ensberg, who had smacked 25 homers the year before, belts his first homer – 213 at-bats into the season . The blast is a dramatic two-run bomb over the railroad tracks in left field in the eighth to give Houston a 7-5 comeback victory over the Texas Rangers. Ensberg swats a grand slam the next night in a 10-8 win that overcomes a five-run deficit. 

ByTom

2004 – Morgan Ensberg, who had smacked 25 homers the year before, belts his first homer – 213 at-bats into the season . The blast is a dramatic two-run bomb over the railroad tracks in left field in the eighth to give Houston a 7-5 comeback victory over the Texas Rangers. Ensberg swats a grand slam the next night in a 10-8 win that overcomes a five-run deficit. 

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2004 – Brad Lidge has a four-strikeout seventh inning against the Brewers during a 5-4 victory.  The last three come after Lidge had filled the bases with a hit batsman, a balk, a wild pitch on strike three and a walk. Milwaukee starter Ben Sheets also joins the record books with a “perfect inning”, fanning Pete Munro, Craig Biggio and Jose Vizcaino in the third on nine pitches. Dan Miceli gets the win. 

ByTom

2004 – Brad Lidge has a four-strikeout seventh inning against the Brewers during a 5-4 victory.  The last three come after Lidge had filled the bases with a hit batsman, a balk, a wild pitch on strike three and a walk. Milwaukee starter Ben Sheets also joins the record books with a “perfect inning”, fanning Pete Munro, Craig Biggio and Jose Vizcaino in the third on nine pitches. Dan Miceli gets the win. 

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2004 – Jeff Kent doubles in the second inning to set the club’s hitting streak record at 25 games. He’s gunned down attempting to steal third, however, and Milwaukee emerges with a 9-3 decision as Scott Podsednik homers and drives in four. 

ByTom

2004 – Jeff Kent doubles in the second inning to set the club’s hitting streak record at 25 games. He’s gunned down attempting to steal third, however, and Milwaukee emerges with a 9-3 decision as Scott Podsednik homers and drives in four. 

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2004 – Craig Biggio spanks a leadoff single for his 2,500th career hit.  He celebrates by launching solo homers in his next two at bats. But he strikes out in a key ninth-inning situation and the bullpen melts down in a 5-4 ten-inning loss in Atlanta. Andruw Jones’ blast off Ricky Stone is the game-winner. 

ByThis Day in Baseball

2004 – Craig Biggio spanks a leadoff single for his 2,500th career hit.  He celebrates by launching solo homers in his next two at bats. But he strikes out in a key ninth-inning situation and the bullpen melts down in a 5-4 ten-inning loss in Atlanta. Andruw Jones’ blast off Ricky Stone is the game-winner.