Astros ink five international players  ...more ?
Astros ink five international players
Blum's bat stings Padres in finale  ...more ?
Blum's bat stings Padres in finale
Astros-Padres finale delayed by bees  ...more ?
Astros-Padres finale delayed by bees
Bees make for unique day at PETCO  ...more ?
Bees make for unique day at PETCO
Bourn still adjusting to NL parks  ...more ?
Bourn still adjusting to NL parks
Tag's Lines | Alyson's Footnotes  ...more ?
Six-run fourth lifts Astros past Padres  ...more ?
Six-run fourth lifts Astros past Padres
Keppinger ready when his name is called  ...more ?
Keppinger ready when his name is called
Astros claim Duran from Rangers  ...more ?
Astros claim Duran from Rangers
Bullpen lets Hampton's win slip away  ...more ?
Bullpen lets Hampton's win slip away
Fulchino securing relief role with Astros  ...more ?
Fulchino securing relief role
Astros' top pick adjusting to pro life  ...more ?
Astros' top pick adjusting to pro life
Streaming video now part of At Bat app  ...more ?
Streaming video now part of At Bat
Oswalt goes distance to top Padres  ...more ?
Oswalt goes distance to top Padres
Hampton returning to six-man rotation  ...more ?
Hampton returning to six-man rotation
Astros option Wright to Triple-A  ...more ?
Astros option Wright to Triple-A
Lynn named Astros' All-Star Among Us  ...more ?
Lynn is Astros' All-Star Among Us
Astros set to release Backe  ...more ?
Astros set to release Backe


Yahoo! Sports

Un-bee-lievable: Bee swarm delays Astros' 7-2 win (AP)  ...more ?
You had to see it to bee-lieve it. The Houston Astros -- who once had the "Killer Bs" -- had to wait out a 52-minute bee delay before finishing their 7-2 win over the San Diego Padres on Thursday. The delay, which came with two outs in the top of the ninth, certainly gave a new meaning to getaway day.
Astros Team Report (Yahoo! Sports)  ...more ?

The Astros, notorious for their slow starts and famous for strong finishes, are back at it again.

With their 7-2 victory Thursday over the San Diego Padres, the Astros are now only one victory away from .500, a spot they haven't been in since they were 1-2 in the first week of the 2009 season.

Winners of 19 of their last 30 games, the Astros have dropped only two of their past 10 series.

The starters are pitching so well that the Astros have gone to a six-man rotation because deserved to be moved to the bullpen. Felipe Paulino came off the disabled list last week, and Mike Hampton was activated Tuesday.

The Astros have 11 quality starts in their last 13 games.

Astros 7, Padres 2:    On a day when a swarm of bees forced a delay of nearly...

Power Rankings: Angels are ascending (Yahoo! Sports)  ...more ?
The Dodgers and Red Sox continue to occupy the top two spots, but the other L.A. team is making a push.
Astros-Padres game delayed by bees in outfield (AP)  ...more ?
Talk about adding a late-inning buzz to a ballgame. Thursday's game between the Houston Astros and San Diego Padres was delayed for 52 minutes in the top of the ninth inning Thursday when a swarm of bees took over part of left field at Petco Park. A beekeeper was called the downtown ballpark and sprayed a chair and a ballgirl's jacket that had attracted the bees.
Lance Berkman beats fellow 'Stros in game of musical chairs (Yahoo! Sports)  ...more ?
Did you know? That the Houston Astros are only four games out of first in the NL Central, despite having a...
Moehler pitches 6 strong innings, Astros win 7-1 (AP)  ...more ?

Brian Moehler tried to remember the last time he was at the plate and three runs scored. "Not very often, I guess," the Houston Astros right-hander said. Moehler pitched six strong innings and hit a grounder that led to the Astros completing a six-run inning in a 7-1 win over the San Diego Padres on Wednesday night.


Astros claim INF Duran off waivers (AP)  ...more ?
The Houston Astros have claimed infielder German Duran off waivers from the Texas Rangers. Duran, who had an appendectomy on June 11 and was placed on the disabled list, was claimed by the Astros on Wednesday. He is scheduled to be examined in Houston on Thursday by team physician Jim Muntz. Once he is cleared for baseball activities, the Astros said he will be sent to their minor-league facility at...
Eckstein gets big hit in Padres' win over Astros (AP)  ...more ?

The loss of Adrian Gonzalez dampened a comeback win by the Padres. Gonzalez left with a strained right knee during San Diego's 4-3 victory over the Houston Astros on Tuesday night and it's uncertain whether the All-Star first baseman will miss any time. "We'll see how I wake up," said Gonzalez, the Padres' top hitter.


Astros activate Hampton from DL for start (PA SportsTicker)  ...more ?
The Houston Astros have activated left-hander Mike Hampton from the 15-day disabled list.
Oswalt throws 2-hitter, Astros beat Padres 3-1 (AP)  ...more ?

Roy Oswalt is rounding into form. The Houston Astros' ace dominated the San Diego Padres again, pitching a two-hitter and retiring his final 18 batters in a 3-1 victory Monday night. It was Oswalt's 17th career complete game and second in three outings. "I feel better than I did at the beginning of the season," Oswalt said.


Astros place RHP Brandon Backe on waivers (AP)  ...more ?

The Houston Astros placed pitcher Brandon Backe on waivers Monday. The 31-year-old right-hander, who is 0-0 with a 10.38 ERA in 13 innings for the Astros this season, rejected an assignment to Triple-A Round Rock. He will likely become a free agent and receive all of his $1.5 million salary after three days.


AccuScore: Playoff shifts after week 12 (Yahoo! Sports)  ...more ?
AccuScore uses past player performance statistics to describe how players perform under different environmental,...
Inge's homer in ninth lifts Tigers over Astros (AP)  ...more ?

Brandon Inge knew what pitch was coming, and he salvaged the Detroit Tigers' final game in Houston with a single swing. Inge hit a two-run homer off Jose Valverde with two outs in the ninth inning and the Tigers averted a sweep with a 4-3 win over the Astros on Sunday. Kaz Matsui's RBI double off Edwin Jackson in the seventh gave Houston a 3-2 lead.


Paulino leads Astros over Tigers 8-1 (AP)  ...more ?

Houston manager Cecil Cooper thought Felipe Paulino could develop into a good pitcher for the Astros. But even he was a bit surprised at just how good the rookie right-hander was Saturday night. Paulino pitched seven solid innings and the Astros used a five-run third to pull away from the Detroit Tigers for an 8-1 victory.


Tejada leads Houston over Detroit 5-4 (AP)  ...more ?

Miguel Tejada hopes ending the major leagues' longest current winning streak will help the Houston Astros to start one of their own. Tejada had a double and drove in two runs to lead the Astros to a 5-4 victory over Detroit on Friday night, ending the Tigers' seven-game winning streak. "For our team it's really, really big," Tejada said of the Astros, who have won two straight...


Power Rankings: Tigers jump five spots (Yahoo! Sports)  ...more ?
The Yankees, Brewers, Phillies, Rangers and Mets dip. The Cardinals get a boost along with Detroit.
Berkman's four RBIs lead Astros past Royals 5-4 (AP)  ...more ?

Houston's Lance Berkman needed to drive in one run to become the third player in franchise history to reach 1,000 RBIs. The Astros needed all of the season-high four RBIs he had on a pair of homers to overcome an error-filled day and beat the Kansas City Royals 5-4 on Thursday. He reached the milestone on his first at-bat, a two-run shot to far left field that gave Houston a 2-1 lead and put...


Olivo's homer in 11th lifts Royals over Astros (AP)  ...more ?

Miguel Olivo had some inside information when he went to the plate against Jeff Fulchino in the 11th inning Wednesday night. And he used it to his advantage. Olivo homered on the first pitch from the former Royal, whom he caught last season, to give Kansas City a 4-3 victory over the Houston Astros. "I know what he's got," Olivo said.


Greinke leads Royals over Astros 2-1 (AP)  ...more ?

Kansas City Royals manager Trey Hillman didn't think Zack Greinke had his best stuff on Tuesday. The Houston Astros would have to disagree. Greinke pitched eight sharp innings for his first win in almost a month and Billy Butler homered as the Kansas City Royals beat the Astros 2-1. The victory breaks a five-game losing streak for the Royals, who have won just seven of their last 23.


Baracklyn Cyclones take the field (AP)  ...more ?

Nearly an hour before the gates to KeySpan Park even opened Tuesday, the line stretched for two blocks down Surf Avenue, near the Coney Island boardwalk. Fans waited for the prized possession: a Barack Obama bobblehead. For one night, the Class A Brooklyn Cyclones renamed themselves the Baracklyn Cyclones, in tribute to the new president.