It has been a dream start for the Astros. They are atop its Division, with the second-best collective batting average in the National League (.286), and a pitching staff with a 4-15 ERA, fifth best in the Show. Few players from the recurring cast are hitting below the .300 mark, like Jason Lane and Preston Wilson. But many of them are pretty close to that number,such are the cases of Willy Taveras (.297), Brad Ausmus (.293) and Adam Everett.

The Astros concluded the week with a sweep of the Pittsburgh Pirates, a classic underachiever at Minute maid Park, beating them at the rubber game with a 7-2 score.

Two of the main pieces responsible for such a good vibe didn’t disappoint today: Craig Biggio said hello to starter Paul Maholm with a dinger in the game’s first at-bat. The eternal Astros second baseman has three or more games in five of the last six games, and going 4-for-4 in the afternoon, scoring two runs.

Right after a single by Lance Berkman with 1 out, Morgan Ensberg shot a 2-run homer, his ninth for the season, just one short of the franchise record for April, shared by Berkman and Jeff Bagwell. Ensberg just kept on collecting more points for his current NL-leading batting average of .403.

While Maholm couldn’t solve the Astros puzzle, it was a day in the office for Roy Oswalt (4-0, 2.48), who won the pitching contest. In seven innings, the right-hander fanned 7, allowed a run and 6 hits.

Chris Burke started the game in left field, substituting Preston Wilson, who had the day off. Burke took advantage of the opportunity and went 3-for-4, driving in the fourth Astros run in the first.

A bases-loaded walk to Adam Everett represented run No. 5; and in the next frame, Lance Berkman sent a sac-fly who got him his 20th RBI of the season.

Jim Tracy brought a total of four pitchers to the mound. You could easily this was a shaky bullpen in need of an improvement: after three hard episodes for Maholm (7.40 ERA), he was relieved by Ryan Vogelsong (7.71 ERA) and John Grabow (6.75 ERA), who allowed a run each.

The Astros had an efficient outing from its bullpen, and it was quite welcome after some dubious performances. However Mike Gallo could only survive for a third of an inning, after granting a solo home run to Freddy Sanchez in the eight. Chad Qualls and Russ Springer combined for 1.2 innings without conceding offensive liberties.

Houston certainly is facing one of the best starts in franchise history, a welcome change after last
season’s dismal beginning (8-9 record in its first 17 games, 3.5 games back in the standings).This surge can only be compared to those of years like 1980 and 1986, years in which the ‘Stros appeared in the postseason.

Now the Astros will start a three-game series against the Dodgers before heading to Cincinnati. Stay tuned.

Taylor Buchholz has arrived.

In just his second MLB start, he has made quite a splash with a pitching gem carved against the Pittsburgh Pirates this Saturday at Minute Maid Park, with a final score of 3-0.

Buchholz got an immense amount of help from Craig Biggio, who scored all the runs the Astros got in the game: in the first inning, thanks to an RBI single by Morgan Ensberg; in the 5th, with a sacrifice fly from Lance Berkman (19), and finally, getting the RBI for himself with a solo shot , his second homer this season.

It was Pitching 101 being taught by the young hurler: he kept the Bucs with no alternatives: he kept a no-hitter until Jeromy Burnitz led off the Pittsburgh fifth with a single. It would be one of two hits the Pirates got in the whole contest.

Buchholz struck out 5 and ended up with a 1.80 ERA, and earning his first Win in the Majors.

It all ran smoothly until the 9th. With 2 outs, Chris Duffy and Jack Wilson got consecutive singles, putting runners on the corners. The fireworks at Minute Maid were turned on prematurely, but it meant the end of Buchholz’s appearance, crowned with a standing ovation from fans attending. And it also meant a new save opportunity for Brad Lidge.

Lidge, who had his own share of miscues last night, was able to earn his seventh rescue of the year, striking out Jason Bay in a dramatic final at-bat.

The only sour note in tonight’s game was the end of Morgan Ensberg’s streak of 6 consecutive games hitting a home run. However, his single in the 1st represented his 17th run driven in for the tournament.

For all of those who thought the Astros were standing below a cloud of uncertainty because of too many unproven young arms in the rotation, must be interesting to see two straight remarkable pitching appearances from Wandy Rodriguez and Buchholz. They represent a solid beginning that is anything but uncertain.

No matter which media you prefer. If you speak Spanish, the Astros have a way of communicating with you, whether it?s TV, radio, the Internet or print.

Yesterday, Astros VP of Market Development Rosi Hernandez explained a whole series of new initiatives the Houston team is launching to meet the needs of the Hispanic community. Alongside Hernandez, there were several honor guests such as Hall of Famer Juan Marichal, Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum President Dale Petroskey, Citgo official Frank Gygax and Astros First Base Coach José ?Cheo? Cruz.

In an earlier post, we mentioned the redesign our website astrosdehouston.com went through. It?s important to mention that the Astros is one of the pioneers in all of Major League Baseball (and all professional sports, for that matter) in launching an online venture in Spanish, back in March 2000.

Six years later, astrosdehouston.com is going the whole nine yards: It now offers a wealth of information and features, such as team news, columnists, videos, game previews and blogs, just like this one (our Spanish version is found here). We also offer comprehensive information on Minute Maid Park, from its history to directions on how to get there; we also explain how to buy tickets to any Astros game (they are all exciting, I tell you).

The website also gives you the chance to sign up for the Cronicas en línea newsletter, which allows you to get Astros news and promotional information right in your inbox, just like we do in English with The Astros Blast. There?s no easier way to keep abreast of what?s going on with the ?Stros, and to know the many offers available for fans.

Another alternative is the Crónicas de los Astros newspaper, which is our official program in Spanish. It has 36 full-colored pages, full of original articles and photography, and at the center you?ll find a score sheet. It?s pretty handy so you can get more involved and enjoy your baseball game a whole lot more; you can also teach your loved ones the art of scoring if you already know how to do so. And it?s all free. (Yup, I?m not kidding). You don?t have to go to Minute Maid Park to get your copy of Crónicas de los Astros (although we encourage you to do so). You can get it in the days of the month?s first series with the Rumbo de Houston newspaper, at no extra charge.

The Astros have been making airwaves in Spanish since its inception in 1962, when the franchise was known as the Colt .45s. Nowadays, the Astros baseball Spanish-language broadcast reaches all of Houston through La Tremenda 1010-AM, part of the Univision radio network. Francisco Ernesto Ruiz and former Astros backstop Alex Treviño are in charge of bringing the game closer to all Latin fans. They are both quite experienced in this field: they have been broadcasting for 14 and 11 seasons each.

These broadcasts are of excellent quality, and they are second to none, compared with any other MLB broadcast, in English or Spanish. If you?re an Astros fan and happen to be located outside of Houston, there?s no problem: You can get your daily Astros fix online through MLB.com?s Gameday Audio service. It is reasonably priced and you can listen to the games anytime, anywhere. They are all archived.

Besides radio, the Astros are entering Spanish-language TV production with the new Contacto con los Astros series. Every month, fans across Texas will be able to enjoy interviews with Astros players, coaches and executives; game recaps, series previews and special moments in Astros history, hosted by Alex Parra, Enrique Vásquez and Adrián Chavarría. Fox Sports Net Houston will carry the show starting April 30, and it?s not necessary for you to be fluent in the Spanish language: the program will be subtitled in both languages.

And as always, there?ll be lots of special events at Minute Maid Park to celebrate Hispanic heritage and the immense contribution Latin players have done to the game of baseball. Bilingual clinics, the Fiesta in the Park Concert Series and the Hispanic Weekend in September are just some of them.

Currently Minute Maid is hosting the ?Baseball! ¡Béisbol!? exhibition presented by the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum and nationally sponsored by Citgo, with 26 feet, 10 panels and more than 40 images displayed. It?s one chance you won?t want to miss to learn a bit more of how baseball has gone outside the United States and become a way of living and breathing in many countries throughout South America and the Caribbean.

In the end, if you can express yourself en español, the Astros have available for you many different options so you can follow your favorite team, in a variety of media; just to give the Hispanic community the treatment and service it rightfully deserves. It?s all available just for you, so? ¡Disfrútelos!

If there’s something we could have presumed to happen after the incident in which Phil Garner was ejected, after a heated argument with the homeplate umpire, it was that it could represent a very long ballgame for Wandy Rodriguez.

But good pìtching prevailed in the end, and Houston, despite a scare near the game’s conclusion, beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 3-2. And it only took 2 hours and 30 minutes.

  Rodriguez (3-0, 2.52 ERA) was solid in 6 innings of work, in which he allowed a run (solo shot by Jason Bay), 2 walks and fanned 4, for a total of 22 batters faced.

Wandy got some offensive help, and it all came shaped as homers: Morgan Ensberg reached a new franchise record, going for the longball for a sixth consecutive game; courtesy of Pirates starter Zach Duke, who carried with the loss. This is been a monumental April for Ensberg, who is batting an impressive .411.

Jason Lane also went yard in the sixth frame, his fourth in the tournament.

After rare efficient relief performances from Chad Qualls and Dan Wheeler, the stage was set for Brad Lidge. The Astros closer had a scare and almost blew his save opportunity: after a single by Jack Wilson, Bay gets a Walk; and Craig Wilson follows with an RBI single. Lidge got away with it in the end, after a grounder by Jeromy Burnitz and a strikeout from Jose Castillo. Lidge finally broke the threat of two men in scoring position, and earning the save.

It was a great ballgame, in which we saw good moments in all aspects of the game. More than once we saw beautifully executed doubleplays from the Astros. This is a ballclub that looked like a fine-tuned piece of machinery tonight; and it speaks volumes about Lidge’s condition and resilience the fact he was able to get out of the jam by himself.

Tomorrow (6:05 CT) is Taylor Buchholz’s turn of once again making a case for a permanent spot on the rotation.

If someone understands the reason why the umpire got in front of the mound and Wandy Rodriguez, please tell me. I don’t get it as much as I have tried.

Astrosdehouston.com starts a new phase today, with more features, interesting articles, and more ways to reach for the ever-growing and thriving Hispanic community, which will have a better service and more ways of interacting with the defending NL Champs.

This is just one in a series of efforts the Astros are doing to achieve just that.

The Astros have always been at the forefront in many things, from scouting to finding ways of making the fans have a more exciting and fulfilling baseball experience. Personally, I’m honored of being part of a group of people who work hard in order to make Spanish-speaking fans across Houston and all over Latin America even closer to this ballclub. You can send me your feedback and I’ll forward it.

I’ll tell you later of other great surprises that are coming for all Hispanic fans.

There’s a solid reason that might explain why Trever Miller has not been as sharp on the mound as expected.

"I tried to self medicate with some Advil, put some hot stuff on it, got some rubdowns, thinking I could pitch through it," Miller told MLB.com’s Alyson Footer. "I’ve pitched through things like this before, with my arm or leg or some other spot on my body.

"Those tend to go away, gradually. This was going in the other direction, getting progressively worse. So was my performance out there, obviously. I wasn’t helping the team by going out there and doing that."

Miller was obviously referring to his 12.27 ERA (5 ER/3.2 IP) in 7 appearances. He was diagnosed a mild sprain of the ulnar collateral ligament in his left elbow.

That represents a stint in the 15-day DL for Miller; and the Astros are replacing him in the roster with right-hander Dave Borkowski, 29, called up from Triple-A Round Rock.

Borkowski is 0-1 with a 2.57 ERA (2 ER/7.0 IP) in 6 appearances with Round Rock this season. His last MLB appearance was with Baltimore in 2004 (3-4, 5.14 ERA, 32 ER/56.0 IP) in 17 games, including 8 starts.

One last thing. Please read this article. It saddens me because Jeff Bagwell is indeed everything a baseball player should be, and he is loved and respected by many. It’s not just a fight for playing baseball again, and that is not even the priority right now. It’s about living a pain-free and normal life. I do hope he gets that.

Those of us who watched tonight’s game on MLB.tv, noticed how the Brewers TV broadcast focused in a cute couple: she was an Astros fan, wearing a Willy Taveras jersey; he was fully clothed in Brewer colors. It was a poem in itself how sad the lady looked like, opposed to the visible joy of her date.

As the 27th out was called, the strikingly beautiful young woman broke in tears, without suspecting there was an international TV audience watching her outburst; her boyfriend hugs her in an attempt to comfort her.

There wasn’t any comfort at all for most people who attended Minute Maid Park, after they realized that a pitching gem crafted by Andy Pettitte was not enough for the Astros, who couldn’t sweep at home and lost to the Brewers 7-2.

Pettitte fought a pitcher’s duel against Milwaukee starter Chris Capuano. The contest remained tied 1-1, since Brad Ausmus scored the first Houston run driven in by a sac-fly from Craig Biggio in the fifth frame, until the top of the 7th, when Damian Miller broke the spell with an RBI double.

The Astros bullpen imploded once again, this time without a huge amount of runs in Houston’s savings account  that could  bail them out. Pettitte left the game with 2 hits and a pair of earned runs. Russ Springer (6.23 ERA), allowed Bill Hall, Ricky Weeks and Jeff Cirillo to get an RBI each with consecutive singles. Mike Gallo (9.82 ERA), gave away two more runs.

 

 

Capuano was the game’s main attraction, reducing an offense that scored 39 runs in its last 4 games, to scarcely 6 hits tonight.
He fanned 8 and allowed 2 runs in 7.2 IP. One of those runs was produced from a solo blast by Morgan Ensberg, his seventh in this still young tournament. 

The Astros third baseman was the only one who kept his hitting streak safe and sound from Capuano; who neutralized Willy Taveras
y Adam Everett, both ending their very own offensive runs.

Milwaukee scored one more run in the 9th with a single by J. Hardy, who drove in Prince Fielder.

It was a pitching gem tainted by a bullpen that is making all alarms activate, regardless of the fact we’re still in Month 1 of the 2006 season.

MLBlogs.com is one year old today. It started with Tommy Lasorda sharing his baseball stories with fans; now, it’s a thriving community full of knowledgeable baseball people, expressing their thoughts and views on everything related to the diamond; from diehard fans up to team personnel and writers such as myself,  and  a very interesting community place.

It’s an honor for me to be the very first MLblogger in two languages, and I can tell you the Astros are very excited for the opportunities this new medium represent to all of us.

Even though I’m new to this community, they have made me feel at home and I appreciate that. So, a very happy first, and many happy returns!