2006 – Gene Elston is selected by the Hall of Fame to receive the Ford C. Frick Award. During his 47 years in the broadcast booth, the former Houston Astros announcer brought a no-nonsense approach to reporting the happenings on the diamond.
Major League Season Recap 2005 World Series – Chicago White Sox AL over Houston Astros NL 4 games to 0 World Series MVP – Jerome Dye Babe Ruth Award – Jerome Dye Championship Series ALCS Chicago White Sox over Los Angeles Angels 4 games to 1 ALCS MVP – Paul Konerko NLCS Houston Astros over St. Louis Cardinals 4 games…
On October 26, 2005, the Chicago White Sox defeat the Astros, 1-0, to earn their first World Series title since 1917. The victory gives the Sox a four-game sweep of Houston, whose making their first trip to the Fall Classic. Jermaine Dye, the Series MVP, delivers the game-winning hit in the eighth which is…
The Astros, one of six teams to have never played in the World Series, break the franchise’s 43-year drought and advance to the Fall Classic, beating the Cardinals in the NLCS, 5-1. Houston had been close before, coming up short five times in their history in a game with the NL flag on the line, including being one strike away in Game 5 before Albert Pujols dashed the hometown dreams by hitting a two-strike, two out three-run ninth-inning homer, forcing a Game 6 in St. Louis.
The juiced Minute Maid Park crowd, anticipating the Astros’ first National League crown, after the first two batters are quickly retired, is ‘pulverized’ when Albert Pujols hits a two out three-run ninth-inning homer. A two-strike single stroked by David Eckstein and a walk worked out by Jim Edmonds set the stage for the Cardinals’ dramatic 5-4 comeback..
2005 – Craig Biggio blasts a dramatic three-run homer off ex-Astro Billy Wagner with two outs in the ninth to stun the Phillies, 8-6. Lance Berkman and Mike Lamb had previously gone deep. It’s the second night in a row the Astros tag their former closer for the winning run, extending Houston’s mastery over Philadelphia to 12 straight, not having lost to them since May of 2003. The Astros maintain a one-game lead over Florida in the wild card chase.
In the first matchup between 300-game winners in almost 18 years, Greg Maddux outduels Roger Clemens in the Chicago Cubs’ 3 – 2 victory over the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park. The last such showdown occurred in 1987 when Don Sutton of the California Angels defeated Steve Carlton of the Minnesota Twins. Maddux earns his first win of season and 306th of his career, allowing two runs on seven hits over six innings.
2005 – Back-to-back homers by Adam Everett and Craig Biggio in the first pace the Astros over Ben Sheets and the Brewers, 6-1. Biggio drives in himself for the 1,000th RBI of his career, the second Astro to achieve that many in a Houston uniform. Later, he swipes third for his 399th career steal. Roy Oswalt tosses a complete-game four-hitter while Everett enjoys a three-hit night.
2005 – Houston avoids arbitration for the eighth straight year by coming to terms with pitcher Roy Oswalt on a two-year deal worth $16.9 million. A 20-game winner in both 2004 and 2005, he will receive $11 million in 2006.
With the Houston Astros offering $13.5 million, Roger Clemens asks for $22 million in salary arbitration. The amount, which would make Clemens the highest-paid pitcher in major league history, surpasses the previous record amount submitted for arbitration of $18.5 million by New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter in 2001.