If you told us a week ago that the Astros would sweep the Cubs at Wrigley Field, we would have told you "you’re nuts". Carlos Zambrano handcuffed the Astros at Minute Maid Park and the outlook wasn’t that bright for Phil Garner and his troops.

Things are different now, and Houston had a great mini-roadtrip in which they swept the Cubbies. It wasn’t the best outing ever for Roy Oswalt, but we have to keep in mind the fact he was returning from a short stint on the DL. He allowed five hits without walks and fanning 2, granting three runs in six frames. It wasn’t "Razor-sharp" Roy O this time, but being honest, we’re used to evaluate Oswalt on a higher standard. He was convincing nonetheless and took his sixth win this season, with a 5-4 final. We saw a decisive second inning in which the Astros scored three runs.

Preston Wilson had two RBI, and he has improved his offensive pace for sure. We know it’s not easy to adapt to the fact he brings a lot of strikeouts with him, but it’s also true he has seen his BA grow steadily.

It was a great start for Fernando Nieve too. He allowed two runs and 5 hits in 5.2 innings; but Zambrano, his Cubs rival and Caribes de Anzoategui teammate showed once again his worth, granting a run in seven frames.

Brad Ausmus made the difference though, with a two-run single off reliever Bob Howry, turning the tables and sealing an Astros victory 3-2, in a game filled with suspense.

Nieve was efficient, relief was top-notch, and it was so nice to see that two of the three outs gotten by Brad Lidge in the ninth were strikeouts.

It’s true: there’s no reason why Garner should sit Chris Burke, who played first base today, going 2-for-3 and with a .339 batting average; Mike Lamb went blank but he keeps a .339 BA; and Willy Taveras went 1-for-5 with an RBI. Who`s going to the bench and who’s going to start? Aren’t those exactly the kind of problems managers love to have?

Is Morgan Ensberg a streaky player? Last year he kept his average constant for most of the tournament (.298 in May, .287 in June, .300 in July, .295 in September and .286 in October), lowering it a bit in August (.264). Ensberg appeared in today’s matchup without getting a legal at-bat, he was hit by a pitch in the seventh,

Now the Astros return home: three games against the Royals, and then a series facing the Twins, with Roger Clemens returning to the rotation. I took this bit from the Internet: "This team is no stranger to mid-season runs either. They fell behind 10 games last year only to rally to win the wild card and proceed to the World Series.  With the Cubs, the Royals and the Twins awaiting the Astros, I expect Houston to make a nice run and get back in contention in the NL Central".

Amen.

Chris Burke is earning the right to be part of the Astros lineup daily. He has hit safely in nine of his last thirteen games; and last night became the spark behind Houston’s explosive hitting that beat the Chicago Cubs 9-2.

It was a career night for Burke, going 4-for-4, scoring 5 runs and driving in one, with a solo homer off starter Sean Marshall. Lance Berkman was also a main force, going 2-for-4 with 3 RBI.

Since early this season, we knew the Astros had plenty of capable outfielders suited for playing every day. Burke definitely wants to prove he has what it takes to do just that. It’s interesting to see that Burke and Mike Lamb, not precisely marquee players, taking the offensive lead. Phil Garner will have a hard time trying to sit them on the bench anytime soon.

And pitching-wise, it was a very good night for Andy Pettitte, who struggled in the beginning but was able to get himself on the right track, in an outing that was quite an improvement over his previous starts. Five hits and an earned run in seven frames. Brad Lidge had some trouble but the damage was small.

There isn’t much to complain about when the bats are swinging the right way, and especially when Pettitte, who’s had a big share of difficulties, has a strong appearance like this one.

Right after a poor offensive display on Saturday, the Astros left it all behind and went full throttle on Sunday, in the series finale against the Atlanta Braves. 17 hits in total, including a couple of homers by Eric Munson; and Jason Lane driving in five runs, for a 14-4 score. It certainly was an astronomical beating, as the Venezuelan daily Meridiano put it.

You know it better than me: explosive hitting has not been precisely the Astros’ trademark these days; despite the fact we saw a lot of that earlier in the season. Houston has won 5 of their last 6 games, and it seems like timely and consistent hitting is finally here. We hope it stays with us.

There’s a number we might overlook: Astros starters had a 2.04 ERA in its previous five games, with 8 earned runs in 35.1 innings pitched.

More hopeful signs: Roger Clemens had his second Minor League stint, this time with the Double-A Corpus Christi Hooks. 73 pitches in 8 innings, whiffing 11, tying a franchise record, allowing no hits until the fifth frames. Clemens has expressed he is taking these tuneup starts very seriously. And that seems to be true.

There are no big reasons for concern these days (Morgan Ensberg has nothing serious in his shoulder, he’s expected to return Tuesday; Roy Oswalt won’t be on the DL for long). That’s a huge improvement to the outlook we had in front of us two weeks ago.

Fernando Nieve has been another victim of the poor run support his Astros teammates have given him. Add that up to some rough outings, and the result is the perception the casual fan might have of Nieve paying some huge dues; and that’s why he sounds as the biggest candidate in the "Roger returns" musical chairs game.

A closer look will reveal us that Nieve has two things in his favor: stability in his delivery, and the ability of recovering fast after a setback.

That was precisely what we saw last night at Minute Maid Park: after he allowed Andruw Jones belting a two-run homer in the first frame, the Venezuela-born pitcher showed his class on the mound, tossing seven innings and a third of solid baseball without granting more liberties to the Atlanta offense. Nieve got his second win this year, and the first one in Houston.

Astro bats seem to have gotten their groove back: Mike Lamb (who has a .366 BA, yikes!) went 3-for-3 driving in a run with a solo shot. Preston Wilson got two home with a double in the eighth; and Craig Biggio also went yard.

Finally, a nice streak going for the Astros after so much despair. The 7-2 score was possible, mostly due to Nieve’s outstanding performance, that helped him gain more points in the heart of Houston fans. And that is so great for us, who have followed him during his rise in baseball, and his development in the Minor Leagues and the Venezuelan Winter League, playing for the Caribes de Anzoátegui team; most especially considering his future in baseball was severely put into question due to injuries; and there was moments in which we thought he’d lost the qualities to become a starter.

Tim Purpura said to us once that he always thought of Nieve as a great third of fourth starter in his team’s rotation. And he seems to be right.

Chris Sampson left everyone amazed. Except Phil Garner.

"To say it’s surprising suggests that I didn’t think he could do it," Garner said to the media. "We know he has good stuff, great movement on his pitches, and he’s been throwing strikes. It’s a good sign." Sampson did something beyond surprise, considering the fact it was his first Major League start; since his role in the pitching staff was upgraded after Roy Oswalt landed on the DL.

Seven shutout innings, giving up three hits and without striking out anyone. Incredible. They only needed a solo homer by Brad Ausmus to get the win, offensively speaking. The final? 1-0 Astros.

More and better signs the bad times have ended? Stay tuned.

You will all remember how bad it was for Wandy Rodriguez in his past start last weekend. It was painful to watch, and wasn’t suitable enough for a good memory. Back then, Rodriguez vowed himself to do everything possible to leave it all behind and concentrate in his next start.

And he did it. After an embarrassing shutout in the hands of Carlos Zambrano and the Chicago Cubs last night, the Astros and his young starter handed over a dose from a very similar medicine to the baby bears. Rodriguez tossed seven solid innings in which the Cubs weren’t able to score; until an RBI double by John Mabry broke the spell, under the responsibility of Brad Lidge in the ninth.

The game finished with a 4-1 final; and this was a totally different Astros team. They gave us a different vibe; and those who saw this contest will agree with me. Maybe Lisa will say last night was the moment in which they hit rock bottom, and there isn’t any other way to go but up.

Wandy was sensational, leaving all the ghosts of his last outing behind: seven shutout innings, granting five hits and striking one out. Chad Qualls did his job, with an inning in zero.

Sure enough, the ‘Stros scored few runs, but they were enough thanks to the good work from the pitching staff. Preston Wilson took advantage of an error by Cubs starter Kerry Wood in order to score Houston’s first run in the second frame. Wilson went 3-for-4 tonight.

Chris Burke brought a pair home with a triple, his first of the season. In the very next inning, Lance Berkman (also 3-4 tonight) belted his sixteenth dinger this year.

Putting things in perspective, and trying to avoid excessive optimism, things are not as scary as we might believe at first. It’s true Roy Oswalt is on the DL, but it’s very probably his time there will be short. The "kiddie corps" (thank you again, Lisa) have done a good job so far and, as Wandy proved us tonight, they can bounce back from a bad time. And when it comes to the offense, we’re starting to see them scrapping in every at bat. They were efficient on the plate, squeezing out each and every turn.

It’s true what Roger Clemens said. They have what it takes. They just have to prove it more often.

This has been one busy Tuesday, so full of information (without mentioning the esoteric implications of the actual date). The draft, Roy on the DL, and Roger Clemens’ first Minor League appearance; this one with the Class-A Lexington Legends and his son Koby.

The Rocket delivered and did what he was supposed to do: he pitched three innings, with one earned run, from a solo shot in the first frame by John Drenner; fanned 6 and allowed 3 hits. Despite the initial setbacks, he quickly regained his balance and was stable throughout his full outing.

Clemens said he didn’t minimize the Minors. "This is serious baseball" he said. He was aware that he could have been smashed out by a bunch of hungry kids, just like he was more than two decades ago.

Two more MiLB stints are left; and from there, if all goes out as planned, he’ll be at Minute Maid Park on June 22 against the Twins. It would be interesting to see him in a pitching duel against Johan Santana. We can only cross our fingers for that.

Just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse…

ASTROS PLACE OSWALT ON 15-DAY DISABLED LIST

Club purchases contract of Barzilla, moves Backe to 60-Day DL

HOUSTON, TX ? The Houston Astros announced today that the club has placed right-handed pitcher Roy Oswalt on the 15-day Disabled List with a mid back sprain, retroactive to May 30.  To take Oswalt?s place on the 25-man roster, the Astros have purchased the contract of left-handed pitcher Philip Barzilla from Triple A Round Rock.  To make room for Barzilla, the club has moved right-handed pitcher Brandon Backe from the 15-day to the 60-day Disabled List.

Oswalt, 28, is 5-3 with a 3.11 ERA (28ER/81IP) in 12 starts for Houston this season, striking out 33 hitters and walking 19 in 52 innings.  He received a no-decision in his last start for the club, on May 30 at St. Louis, pitching six shutout innings and allowing seven hits while walking one and striking out five.  In 167 career appearances (157 starts), Oswalt is 88-42 with a 3.07 ERA (367ER/1061.2IP).

Barzilla, 27, was 2-3, 4.13 ERA (22ER/48IP) in nine starts for Triple A Round Rock this season. The left-hander started the season 0-3 in his first four starts, but has posted a 2-0 mark with a 3.65 ERA (10ER/24.2IP) in his last four starts for the Express. He tossed a one-hit, complete-game shutout on May 23 vs. Las Vegas, and he has allowed just one home run this season. Barzilla was selected by the Astros in the fourth round of the June 2001 draft out of Rice University. He has been in the rotation full-time this year for the first time since his first professional season in 2001. He pitched for Italy in this year?s World Baseball Classic.

Backe, 28, has been on the DL since April 14 with a right elbow sprain. He is 1-0 with a 2.25 ERA (2ER/8IP) in two starts for the Astros this season. He is 17-12 with a 4.79 ERA (150ER/282IP) in 98 career appearances (36 starts) on the mound. In three seasons with Houston, Backe is 16-11 with a 4.53 ERA (113ER/224.1IP) in 61 outings (36 starts).

All the draft coverage you can handle is at mlb.com; in the meantime, here’s the press release from the Astros:

ASTROS SELECT SAPP WITH FIRST PICK

Catcher selected 23rd overall in First-Year Player Draft

HOUSTON, TX ? The Houston Astros selected catcher Max Sapp out of Bishop Moore High School in Florida with their first pick in the 2006 First-Year Player Draft today. Sapp was selected in the first round as the 23rd overall pick.

A 6-2, 220-pound high school senior from Windermere, Fla., Sapp batted .591 with nine home runs and 48 RBI to help Bishop Moore to a 29-2 record this past season and a third consecutive trip to the Florida state championships. He was recently named the Orlando Sentinel?s Central Florida Baseball Player of the Year for the second consecutive season, and he was chosen as the 4A District Player of the Year in Florida. Sapp was also recently tabbed the 2006 Florida Dairy Farmers Mr. Baseball.

Sapp was named to both Baseball America?s and Louisville Slugger?s pre-season high school All-American teams heading into the 2006 season. In 2005, he was named an AFLAC All-American, the Orange County (FL) Player of the Year, the Central Florida Player of the Year and the 3A District Player of the Year. He was a catcher on the USA Baseball Junior National Team in 2005 and on the US Youth National squad in 2004, which claimed the silver medal at the COPABE Pan An Championships in Aguascalientes, Mexico.

Houston had not selected a catcher with their first pick since Ramon Castro in 1994. Last year, the Astros took catcher Ralph Henriquez (Key West HS) in the second round.

The 50-round, two-day draft began at noon and will conclude tomorrow afternoon.

MAX SAPP

Primary Position: Catcher

Bats/Throws: Left/Right

Height/Weight: 6-2/220

Birthdate: 2/21/88 (age 18)

Hometown: Windermere, FL

High School: Bishop Moore High School in Windermere, FL

High School Coach: Dave Wheeler

Astros Area Scout: Jon Bunnell

He’s in Lexington. He has warmed up with his son and has even made an extreme makeover to the Legends clubhouse (Believe us, it was well-needed).

The time has come. Roger Clemens will make his first Minor League appearance tonight at 6 PM Central/7 PM Eastern. And you can see it all on MiLB.TV, the live video service from Minor League Baseball, with the same quality you’ve come to expect from MLB.tv.

Do not miss this opportunity. I’ll see you there.