Houston Astros News

HUMBLE, Texas (AP) _ Roger Clemens was greeted by a group of autograph-seeking fans as he walked off the 18th green during a pro-am event at Redstone Golf Club on Wednesday. ``Are you coming back?'' someone asked. ``I'll know in about a month,'' Clemens answered. The 44-year-old is no closer to deciding whether he'll return for a 23rd season. He set no timetable, but repeated that he'll choose among the ...

Outfielder Carlos Lee, one of the top free agents on the market, has signed with the Houston Astros, a source close to the negotiations said Friday. Lee signed a US$100-million, six-year deal with the Astros, the source told The Associated Press. Lee, a two-time all-star left-fielder who played with the Texas Rangers and Milwaukee Brewers last season, is coming off his fifth straight season with at least 30 home runs ...

Astros utility player Chris Burke underwent surgery on his dislocated left shoulder Thursday and is expected to recover fully by spring training. The surgery was performed in Birmingham, Ala., by Dr. James Andrews. Burke hurt his shoulder crashing into the wall at Denver's Coors Field in May. He then re-injured it in June while batting against the Chicago Cubs. Burke hit .276 with a career-high nine home runs and 40 ...

The Houston Astros extended manager Phil Garner's contract through 2008 on Wednesday. ``Our goal has always been to bring a World Series championship to Houston,'' team owner Drayton McLane Jr. said. ``We have come closer to reaching that goal under Phil's tenure as manager than at any other point in the history of the franchise.'' Garner's contract was to expire after next season. Also Wednesday, the Astros fired pitching coach ...

The defending National League-champion Houston Astros came up short in their comeback and were eliminated from the Central Division race Sunday when John Smoltz pitched six shutout innings that gave the Atlanta Braves a 3-1 victory. The Astros' loss clinched the division title for the St. Louis Cardinals. Houston trailed the Cardinals by 8{ games Aug. 19, but pulled to within a half-game of the lead with a nine-game win ...

Pinch-hitter Orlando Palmeiro's single drove in the tiebreaking run as the Houston Astros scored three times in the ninth inning and held on to beat the Atlanta Braves 5-4 Saturday night and preserve their playoff hopes. Andy Pettitte, moved up one day in the rotation, allowed only four hits in seven innings. He left with a 2-1 lead, but Adam LaRoche hit reliever Trever Miller's first pitch in the eighth ...

One day after his possible final career start, Roger Clemens was in a reflective mood Saturday. Clemens threw six strong innings in Friday night's 4-1 loss to Atlanta, a defeat that put his Houston Astros in jeopardy of missing post-season play. Clemens is 7-6 in 19 starts this season. Despite the so-so record, Clemens posted a typically strong 2.30 ERA, giving up only 89 hits in 113 1-3 innings. Even ...

Houston left-hander Andy Pettitte, originally scheduled to start Sunday's final regular-season game against Atlanta, was moved up to start Saturday night against the Braves. Houston manager Phil Garner, who on Friday night said rookie Chris Sampson would start Saturday, made the change before batting practice. The Astros are one loss or one St. Louis win away from being eliminated from the NL Central race. Pettitte (14-13) will be pitching on ...

They needed nearly five hours to win the night before. This time, they waited for 3{ hours just to play. Time is running out on the Houston Astros, but it's not stopping them from winning. Roy Oswalt picked up a weary Astros bullpen with seven shutout innings and the Astros ran their improbable late-September winning streak to nine games, enduring an afternoon-long rain delay before beating the Pittsburgh Pirates 3-0 ...

Brad Ausmus' sacrifice fly in the 15th inning finished off Houston's comeback within a comeback as the Astros rallied from five runs down to beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 7-6 on Wednesday night, their eighth straight win that kept them close to St. Louis in the NL Central. The Astros didn't gain any ground for the first time during their winning streak but, almost as importantly, didn't lose any as they ...