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2000-Present
2001 The 2001 season went right down to the wire as the Astros clinched
their fourth division title in five years with a 9-2 win over the
Cardinals on October 7 in St. Louis...Craig Biggio became the first
player in franchise history to log 2,000 hits and enters the 2002
season with 2,149 hits during his 14-year career...after toiling
around the .500 mark with a 33-33 record on June 17, went on to
finish the year at a 59-36 (.621) clip to edge the Cardinals for
the division title...Major League Baseball announced that the Astros
were awarded the 2004 All-Star Game...Moises Alou, Billy Wagner
and Lance Berkman represented the Astros at the 72nd Mid-Summer
Classic...Jeff Bagwell became the sixth player in MLB history to
have 30 homers, 100 RBI and 100 runs scored in six straight seasons...after
being swept by Atlanta in the NLDS, manager Larry Dierker resigned
and was replaced by former Red Sox skipper Jimy Williams...upon
the conclusion of the season, utility infielder Bill Spiers announced
his retirement...the Astros were named Organization of the Year
by SportsTicker, Topps, Baseball America and Baseball Weekly...Brad
Ausmus received a Gold Glove award for defensive excellence at his
position.
2000 History was made as the doors of sparkling-new Enron Field
opened for the first time on March 30 before an exhibition game
with the New York Yankees...a record 3,056,139 fans passed through
the turnstiles during the Astros' inaugural season at their new
ballpark...Houston finished the season at 72-90 to mark the club's
first sub-.500 season since 1991...Jeff Bagwell set single-season
franchise records with 47 homers and 152 runs scored...Bagwell ended
the 2000 season having logged 310 career homers and became only
the 87th major leaguer to reach the 300-homer plateau...the Astros
set franchise records with 249 homers, 900 RBI and 938 runs scored...Tony
Eusebio set a franchise record with a 24-game hitting streak that
lasted nearly two months...Shane Reynolds was named to the All-Star
team, marking his first career selection to the Mid-Summer Classic.
2001 The 2001 season went right down to the wire as the Astros clinched
their fourth division title in five years with a 9-2 win over the
Cardinals on October 7 in St. Louis...Craig Biggio became the first
player in franchise history to log 2,000 hits and enters the 2002
season with 2,149 hits during his 14-year career...after toiling
around the .500 mark with a 33-33 record on June 17, went on to
finish the year at a 59-36 (.621) clip to edge the Cardinals for
the division title...Major League Baseball announced that the Astros
were awarded the 2004 All-Star Game...Moises Alou, Billy Wagner
and Lance Berkman represented the Astros at the 72nd Mid-Summer
Classic...Jeff Bagwell became the sixth player in MLB history to
have 30 homers, 100 RBI and 100 runs scored in six straight seasons...after
being swept by Atlanta in the NLDS, manager Larry Dierker resigned
and was replaced by former Red Sox skipper Jimy Williams...upon
the conclusion of the season, utility infielder Bill Spiers announced
his retirement...the Astros were named Organization of the Year
by SportsTicker, Topps, Baseball America and Baseball Weekly...Brad
Ausmus received a Gold Glove award for defensive excellence at his
position.
1990's
1990 Danny Darwin had a league-leading 2.21 ERA, becoming the third
Houston pitcher in five years to lead the NL in ERA...Franklin Stubbs
sets a club mark for lefthanders with 23 home runs...Houston ties
a league record by playing in 27 extra-inning games...on May 17,
Eric Anthony becomes the first Astros batter to hit an upper deck
home run since 1970.
1991 Jeff Bagwell becomes the Astros' first BBWAA Rookie of the
Year after hitting .294 with 15 homers and club rookie record of
82 RBI...Craig Biggio leads the club in hitting for the second straight
year (.295) and joins Pete Harnisch on the NL All-Star team.
1992 Despite a grueling 26-day road trip made necessary when the
Astrodome played host to the Republican National Convention, the
Astros rallied in the second half to post the club's first non-losing
season since 1989...Craig Biggio became the first player ever to
make the All-Star team at both catcher (1991) and second base (1992)...Doug
Jones was also named to the All-Star team and set the club single-season
record with 36 saves.
1993 The Astros established franchise records in several offensive
categories, including batting average (.267), home runs (138) and
doubles (288)...paced by Craig Biggio's career-high 21 round-trippers,
seven Houston players totaled double figures in homers for the first
time in club history...Mark Portugal set a club record by winning
his final 12 decisions...Darryl Kile posted a nine-game win streak,
and tosses the ninth no-hitter in Astros history on September 8
against New York.
1994 Jeff Bagwell became the first Houston player ever to win the
NL Most Valuable Player award...Bagwell was a unanimous selection
for only the third time in league history after batting .368 and
setting club records with 73 extra base hits, 39 homers and 116
RBI...Bagwell earns All-Star honors along with Craig Biggio, Ken
Caminiti, Doug Drabek and rookie John Hudek...Rookie skipper Terry
Collins guided the club to a 66-49 mark, one-half game behind Cincinnati,
before a players' strike ended the season on August 12.
1995 The Astros took the chase for the NL's first-ever Wild Card
playoff berth to the final day of the season before finishing one
game behind Colorado...Craig Biggio was voted the league's starting
second baseman in the All-Star Game and slugged a solo home run...he
later was voted team MVP and picks up his second consecutive Rawlings
Gold Glove Award.
1996 A two-and-a-half game lead at the end of August slipped away
and denied Houston a shot at the NL Central title...the Astros suffered
through an 8-17 September, which included a nine-game losing streak,
to fall out of the playoff chase...Jeff Bagwell slugged 31 homers
and set single season record with 48 doubles and 120 RBI...Derek
Bell knocked in 113 runs, marking the first time ever the club had
two, 100-plus RBI players in the same season...Craig Biggio collected
his third consecutive Rawlings Gold Glove Award...Shane Reynolds
won 16 games, while he and Darryl Kile each topped the 200-mark
in strikeouts.
1997 The Astros captured their first-ever NL Central title and their
first division title in 11 years...Jeff Bagwell banged 43 homers
and swiped 31 bases to become Houston's first "30-30" man...Bagwell
set new single-season club records in homers (43), RBI (135), total
bases (335) and extra-base hits (85)...Craig Biggio became the first
player in major league history to have not grounded into a double
play in a 162-game season...fans selected Bagwell and Biggio to
represent the Astros in the 1997 All-Star Game, marking the first
time that two Astros position players were selected to start in
the Mid-Summer classic...Darryl Kile won a team-high 19 games and
was also selected to the All-Star Team...Larry Dierker became one
of only six skippers in major league history who won a division
title in his first year as manager.
1998 The Astros won their second consecutive NL Central title en
route to a franchise-best 102-win season...the club drew a record
2.45 million fans and drew ten crowds of 50,000 or more ...Larry
Dierker was voted NL Manager of the Year by the BBWAA and Baseball
America...General Manager Gerry Hunsicker was voted The Sporting
News Executive of the Year...Craig Biggio joined Tris Speaker as
the only two players in the century who have hit 50 doubles and
stolen 50 bases in the same season...Biggio and Moises Alou were
selected to represent the Astros in the 1998 All-Star Game in Denver...Biggio
broke Cesar Cedeno's record for the most runs scored by an Astro...he
and Alou each received Silver Slugger Awards for their offensive
contributions and both finished in the top five in NL MVP voting...five
Astros starting pitchers, including Randy Johnson who was acquired
just minutes before the July 31 non-waiver trading deadline, finished
the season with double-figures in wins.
1999 The Astros bid adieu to the Astrodome in dramatic fashion,
clinching their third straight NL Central title on the final day
of the regular season before a sold out crowd... standing-room only
crowds were commonplace during the last year of baseball in the
Dome as a record 2.7 million fans flocked to the Eighth Wonder of
the World...despite an injury-riddled year that landed 14 players
on the DL and sidelined three members of the coaching staff for
significant periods of time, Houston won 97 games, only five victories
fewer than its record-setting 102-win season of 1998...the pitching
staff produced two 20-game winners for the first time in club history
in Mike Hampton (22-4) and Jose Lima (21-10)...Hampton and Jeff
Bagwell were recognized as the best offensive players at their respective
positions as each was a recipient of the Silver Slugger Award...four
Astros were selected to represent the National League in the 70th
annual All-Star Game (Bagwell, Hampton, Lima, Billy Wagner)...Wagner
was the recipient of the 1999 Rolaids Relief Man Award.
2000 History was made as the doors of sparkling-new Enron Field
opened for the first time on March 30 before an exhibition game
with the New York Yankees...a record 3,056,139 fans passed through
the turnstiles during the Astros' inaugural season at their new
ballpark...Houston finished the season at 72-90 to mark the club's
first sub-.500 season since 1991...Jeff Bagwell set single-season
franchise records with 47 homers and 152 runs scored...Bagwell ended
the 2000 season having logged 310 career homers and became only
the 87th major leaguer to reach the 300-homer plateau...the Astros
set franchise records with 249 homers, 900 RBI and 938 runs scored...Tony
Eusebio set a franchise record with a 24-game hitting streak that
lasted nearly two months...Shane Reynolds was named to the All-Star
team, marking his first career selection to the Mid-Summer Classic.
2001 The 2001 season went right down to the wire as the Astros clinched
their fourth division title in five years with a 9-2 win over the
Cardinals on October 7 in St. Louis...Craig Biggio became the first
player in franchise history to log 2,000 hits and enters the 2002
season with 2,149 hits during his 14-year career...after toiling
around the .500 mark with a 33-33 record on June 17, went on to
finish the year at a 59-36 (.621) clip to edge the Cardinals for
the division title...Major League Baseball announced that the Astros
were awarded the 2004 All-Star Game...Moises Alou, Billy Wagner
and Lance Berkman represented the Astros at the 72nd Mid-Summer
Classic...Jeff Bagwell became the sixth player in MLB history to
have 30 homers, 100 RBI and 100 runs scored in six straight seasons...after
being swept by Atlanta in the NLDS, manager Larry Dierker resigned
and was replaced by former Red Sox skipper Jimy Williams...upon
the conclusion of the season, utility infielder Bill Spiers announced
his retirement...the Astros were named Organization of the Year
by SportsTicker, Topps, Baseball America and Baseball Weekly...Brad
Ausmus received a Gold Glove award for defensive excellence at his
position.
1980's
1980 Houston claims its first title as the Astros win the NL West
with a 93-70 record, defeating Los Angeles in a one-game playoff...Niekro
wins 20 games again...Joe Morgan returns to Houston to add leadership
in the Astros pennant drive.
1981 Houston gets off to a slow start, but takes advantage of the
split season created by the player's strike to win the "second season"
with a 33-20 mark, earning a spot in the playoffs...Nolan Ryan hurls
his major league record fifth no-hitter, blanking the Dodgers on
September 26...Ryan also leads the league with a 1.69 ERA...Art
Howe establishes a club record with a 23-game hitting streak.
1982 Ray Knight, an off-season acquisition from Cincinnati for Cesar
Cedeno, remains among the league leaders in hitting for most of
the season, finishing with a .294 mark...Bob Lillis takes over as
interim manager on August 10 and Astros finish 28-23 under Lillis.
1983 After struggling to an 0-9 start, the Astros rebound with one
of their finest seasons...Houston finishes at 85-77, the third-highest
win total in club history...Jose Cruz battles for NL batting title
to last day and finishes third...Nolan Ryan surpasses Walter Johnson's
all-time strikeout mark.
1984 The Astros bounce back from another slow start, finishing second
in the NL West...1983 All-Star Dickie Thon is lost for the season
in the fifth game after being hit in the head by a pitch from the
Mets' Mike Torrez...Cruz repeats as the club MVP by posting a .312
average and a career-high 95 RBI.
1985 The Astros celebrate the Astrodome's 20th Anniversary with
a 2-1 opening day victory over the Dodgers in front of 42,876 fans...Niekro
becomes Houston's all-time winningest pitcher with his 5-0 shutout
of San Francisco on June 9th...Ryan becomes first player to record
4,000 strikeouts in a career when he fans Danny Heep on July 11
at the Astrodome...Cruz reaches the 2,000 hit plateau on September
15.
1986 A Silver Anniversary season turn golden as the Astros win their
second NL West title...Rookie skipper Hal Lanier guides the team
to a club-record 96 regular season wins...Lanier earns Manager of
the Year notice from four different press associations after the
season...righthander Mike Scott becomes Houston's first ever Cy
Young award winner, leading the league in ERA (2.22) and strikeouts
(306), and winning 18 games for the second straight year.
1987 Houston finishes the season with the third-highest attendance
total in baseball (1,909,902)...Nolan Ryan leads the majors in strikeouts
with 270 and ties for the lead in ERA with a 2.76 mark...Mike Scott
is named the NL starter for the All-Star game and throws two scoreless
innings.
1988 Houston wins its 2,000th game 6-3 over San Diego on opening
night...Mike Scott comes within one out of his second career no-hitter
on June 12 vs. Atlanta...Bob Knepper tosses a one-hitter on September
21 vs. the Braves.
1989 Mike Scott becomes the fourth Houston pitcher to win 20 games
and wins his second Astros MVP award...the Astros win 10 straight
on the road from May 7-31 to set a club record...their 10-game winning
streak from May 26 to June 4 tied another club mark...Glenn Davis
hits a career-high 34 homers.
1970's
1970 Fred Gladding appears in 63 games, setting a club mark...three
Astros hit over .300 (Cesar Cedeno, .310; Jesus Alou, .306; Denis
Menke, .304).
1971 Cesar Cedeno leads the league with 40 doubles and Roger Metzger
and Joe Morgan share the league lead with 11 triples each...during
the 1971 winter meetings, Houston acquires Lee May, Tommy Helms
and Jimmy Stewart from the Reds for Joe Morgan, Jack Billingham,
Denis Menke, Cesar Geronimo and Ed Armbrister.
1972 Astros finish in second place with their best record ever (84-69)...Jerry
Reuss and Larry Dierker hurl back-to-back one hitters on June 18
against Philadelphia and June 19 vs. New York, respectively...Cesar
Cedeno hits for the cycle on August 2 vs. the Reds.
1973 Cesar Cedeno becomes the first player in history to steal 50
bases and hit 20 home runs in successive seasons...Roger Metzger
leads the league with 14 triples...Lee May hits safely in a club
record 21 straight games.
1974 Rookie Greg Gross leads the club with a .314 average, and sets
club mark with 185 hits...Ken Forsch appears in a then-club record
70 games...Cliff Johnson has five pinch-hit home runs.
1975 A good year for future Astros management. Former General Manager
Bob Watson leads the Astros with a .324 average, 157 hits and 85
RBI, while current manager Larry Dierker leads the staff with 14
wins.
1976 J.R. Richard becomes Houston's second 20-game winner...Cesar
Cedeno sets a club mark with 58 stolen bases and earns his fifth-straight
Gold Glove.
1977 Three Astros steal 40 bases (Cesar Cedeno, 61; Jose Cruz, 44;
Enos Cabell, 42)...Watson sets a new club record with 110 RBI.
1978 J.R. Richard strikes out 303 to become the first National League
righthander to strike out 300 batters in a season...Cabell sets
club marks for at-bats (660), games (162) and hits (195).
1979 Houston finishes in second place, just a game-and-a-half behind
the Reds...J.R. Richard improves upon his 1978 strikeout total by
fanning 313...Joe Niekro sets a club mark with 21 wins...Ken Forsch
no-hits the Braves on April 7...Bill Virdon is named Manager of
the Year.
1960's
1962 The Houston Colt .45s play their first major league game on
April 10, defeating the Chicago Cubs 11-2.
1963 Bob Bruce one-hits the Cincinnati Reds on April 26...Don Nottebart
no-hits the Phillies on May 7.
1964 Ken Johnson becomes the first major leaguer to lose a nine-inning
no-hitter on April 23 with a 1-0 loss to the Cincinnati Reds.
1965 The Houston Colt .45s become the Houston Astros and inaugurate
indoor baseball with a 2-1 exhibition win over the New York Yankees
on April 9 in the Astrodome...rookie Joe Morgan sets club marks
for at-bats, runs, hits and triples.
1966 Mike Cuellar sets a club mark with a 2.22 ERA...home attendance
mark which stood for 22 years set on June 22 as 50,908 watch Sandy
Koufax and the Dodgers down Houston 5-2.
1967 Don Wilson fires a no-hitter vs. the Atlanta Braves, 2-0 on
June 18, striking out Hank Aaron for final out...Jimmy Wynn sets
club recrods with 37 home runs and 107 RBI.
1968 Don Wilson strikes out 18 Cincinnati Reds in 6-1 win on July
14...four Houston hurlers win 10-or-more games: Don Wilson (13),
Larry Dierker (12) Dave Guisti (11) and Denny LeMaster (10)...the
Astros down the Mets 1-0 in 24 innings on April 15.
1969 Cincinnati's Jim Maloney no-hits the Astros on April 30 and
the next night, May 1, Don Wilson returns the favor by no-hitting
the Reds 4-0...Larry Dierker becomes Houston's first 20-game winner...the
club records its first .500 season (81-81).
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