Astros

The Houston Astros clinched their second straight National League Central championship last night despite losing, 7-4, in 13 innings to the visiting New York Mets. The Astros' title was ensured when second-place Chicago lost to San Diego, 4-3. The Cubs' defeat dropped them into a tie with the Mets for the wild-card lead. "This is not the way we wanted to clinch but after the last two games, we'll take it any way we can get it," Astros second baseman Craig Biggio said. "It's been very exciting for us. Now we have the title early and still some games to play.

Things have come to a pretty pass when Mike Scott is being cited as one of the reasons why the Astros will have trouble winning the National League West. Scott, who is supposed to come off the disabled list in time to start for Houston tonight at Veterans Stadium, is 8-2 with a 2.96 ERA. But when people talk about the Astros and the West pennant race, they look at Scott, who is 33, and Nolan Ryan, who is 41, and they see problems. Scott strained his left hamstring June 16 against the Reds, tried to pitch again on June 21, again vs. the Reds, but left that game after 2/3 of an inning.

Colorado Rockies manager Don Baylor might not think much about his second- year club's dominance of Houston, but the Astros are thinking about it more and more. After yesterday's 4-0 loss to the Rockies in the Astrodome, the Astros are 3-13 against Colorado in two seasons. It was just the third shutout in the Rockies' two-year history. "The first time I thought about it was in the seventh or eighth inning today," Baylor said. "Right now, it's not a factor. It might be over there on the other side, though.

The Houston Chronicle is reporting that the Astros started negotiations with Roger Clemens at no less than a prorated amount of the $18 million salary that the seven-time Cy Young Award winner earned last year. "We put forth a very strong number," Astros general manager Tim Purpura told the newspaper. Clemens, 43, hasn't decided whether he wants to return for a 23d season, although he pitched for the United States in the World Baseball Classic in March. The New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, Texas Rangers and Astros have expressed interest.

The Houston Astros had 16 hits and 13 RBI, a two-run homer and tied a National League record with four sacrifice flies. Yet they couldn't stop talking about . . . their pitching? Shane Reynolds ran his scoreless streak against Pittsburgh to 22 innings before tiring, and the visiting Astros survived a five-run seventh inning to beat the Pirates, 13-6, last night. Luis Gonzalez homered, doubled and drove in three runs as the Astros won their seventh in nine games. The Pirates are 1-6 at home and have lost five of six overall.

The Houston Astros just about ended the playoff chances of the St. Louis Cardinals. Tim Redding (9-14) combined with three relievers on a three-hitter and Craig Biggio drove in three runs as the Astros beat the visiting Cardinals yesterday, 4-1, to complete a three-game sweep. Houston boosted its lead to two games over the Chicago Cubs and dropped the third-place Cardinals 5 1/2 games back with 2 weeks left in the regular season. The Astros and Cardinals play three more times in St. Louis next weekend.

The Houston Astros hired Art Howe and the Seattle Mariners named Jim Lefebvre as both teams filled their managerial vacancies. Howe, 41, who played seven seasons for Houston, was given a two-year contract. A coach for the past four seasons with the Texas Rangers, Howe replaces Hal Lanier, who was fired at the end of last season. Howe's only managing experience was four years in Puerto Rico. Astros general manager Bill Wood cited Howe's player communication skills, for which Lanier often was criticized.

Jeff Kent hit a home run in his first at-bat for Houston and Jeff Bagwell homered twice as the Astros won their season opener last night, 10-4 over the visiting Colorado Rockies. Roy Oswalt pitched seven strong innings for the win and the Astros roughed up NL Rookie of the Year Jason Jennings in their first home opener since their stadium was renamed Minute Maid Park. Kent, the 2000 NL MVP, helped lead San Francisco to the World Series last year. He signed an $18.2 million, 2-year contract with the Astros in the offseason, joining Bagwell and Lance Berkman in the middle of a powerful lineup.

The Houston Astros, in the words of songwriter/singer Paul Simon, are slowly slip-sliding away. They come into tonight's game with the visiting Phillies sporting an 11-15 record, and a three-game losing streak, which translates into fourth place in the National League West. And they won't get much higher - and might, in fact, sink lower - if things keep going the way they have been. Take their four-game series with the Mets, which they capped with a 7-1 loss last night.

The Houston Astros capped a wild day of trades, pulling off the biggest deal by getting Randy Johnson from the Seattle Mariners just minutes before last night's deadline. Todd Stottlemyre, Juan Guzman and Carlos Perez already had moved before the National League Central-leading Astros made the most surprising swap, acquiring the "Big Unit" just before the midnight EDT deadline. The New York Yankees and Cleveland had pursued Johnson all week, but Houston got him for two minor leaguers and a player to be named.

Joe Blanton reached for his helmet and bat without hesitation. Maybe, if he avoided Charlie Manuel or Rich Dubee in the dugout, he could extend his outing beyond the seventh inning Monday. Manuel stopped Blanton before he escaped. "How do you feel?" the manager asked his fifth starter. "Good," Blanton said. So he batted. Even as Blanton cursed when Manuel finally emerged with the hook in the eighth inning of a 5-1 Phillies victory over Houston, there was so much to be happy about.

Hunter Pence ended his afternoon being pummeled, and he couldn't have been happier. It's much better to get beaten up by your own teammates than yourself, Pence figured. The former happened, but if Pence hadn't hit a walk-off home run in the 10th inning of Tuesday's 4-3 win over the Houston Astros at Citizens Bank Park, who knows where the jabs would have come from? The Phillies (18-19) have now won three in a row for the first time this season. Pence's ninth-inning error helped Houston tie the score 3-3 before he ended matters with his second home run of the game, a solo shot off former Phillie Brett Myers in the 10th.

At Citizens Bank Park. Monday at 7:05 p.m. Houston RHP Lucas Harrell (2-2, 4.58 ERA) vs. RHP Joe Blanton (3.24) Tuesday at 1:05 p.m. Houston (TBA) vs. LHP Cliff Lee (0-1, 2.17)

CHRIS JOHNSON had been waiting all season to hit his first home run. After finally knocking one out of the park in his first at-bat Wednesday, there was almost no wait for No. 2. Johnson had a pair of homers in consecutive at-bats among his four hits and drove in a career-high six runs to back up another solid outing by Wandy Rodriguez, and the Houston Astros beat the New York Mets, 8-1, to complete a three-game sweep. "It was a special day," Johnson said. "This is probably my best day in the major leagues.

If anybody knows of a team - maybe, say, one that plays around here - looking for help in the infield - say, second and/or third base - let them know the San Francsico Giants have released infielder Mike Fontenot. Fontenot is 31, and was hitting .278 in 13 games this spring. It looks like a money move for the Giants, since it comes just before his contract was about to become fully guaranteed, and now they just owe him a quarter of it. Phillies fans may remember the career .263 hitter as the guy who filled in for Pablo Sandoval at third for two games in the 2010 NLCS and went 2 for 8 with a walk and stolen base.

DETROIT TIGERS third baseman Miguel Cabrera will rest for a week after being struck in the right eye Monday by a one-hop smash hit by the Phillies' Hunter Pence. Cabrera has a non-displaced fracture under the eye and received eight stitches, but Tigers president and general manager Dave Dombrowski said yesterday that Cabrera's vision is "perfect" and he won't go on the disabled list. "Thank God, I had my sunglasses on," Cabrera said. "It just took a bad hop and I was unlucky.

CLEARWATER, Fla. - Jonathan Singleton leaned over the railing on the visitors dugout at Bright House Field and stared. The Phillies were taking batting practice in the stadium where Singleton began his promising 2011 season as a Clearwater Thresher. "Hey, J!" John Mayberry Jr. yelled as he ran past. "How you doing?" Singleton said. By September, Singleton had turned 20, and he was a member of the Houston Astros organization. The former Phillies top prospect, traded for Hunter Pence last July, is enjoying life in an organization emphasizing youth.

The Houston Astros fired general manager Ed Wade and team president Tal Smith on Sunday night in the first of the changes promised by new owner Jim Crane. Wade was the general manager of the Phillies from 1998 until he was fired after the 2005 season. The moves come less than a week after the sale of the team from Drayton McLane to Crane was officially completed last Tuesday, a transaction that requires the franchise to move from the NL Central to the AL West in 2013. Assistant general manager Dave Gottfried will serve as interim GM, but will not be considered for the permanent job. Wade was hired in September 2007 after spending the previous two years as a professional scout for the San Diego Padres.

NEW ASTROS owner Jim Crane is promising plenty of changes in addition to the club's move to the American League. Baseball owners unanimously approved the long-delayed sale of the team from Drayton McLane to Crane yesterday, a transaction that requires the franchise to move from the NL Central to the AL West in 2013. As part of the Astros' agreement to switch leagues, the sale price was cut from $680 million to $615 million, a person at the owners meetings in Milwaukee told the Associated Press . Crane said at a late-afternoon news conference at Minute Maid Park that the reported money totals were "fairly accurate.