Houston Astros Tickets

From points south, take Interstate 45 north to the Scott/Downtown Destinations exit. Continue onto the St. Jospeph Parkway north to Chartes Street east (make a right). Chartes Street parallels U.S. 59 from I-45 to Minute Maid Park. Alternatively take St. Joseph Parkway north to Austin Street and turn right. Take Austin Street north to Texas Avenue east to Crawford Street for the stadium.

Nothing gets the Astros going like a slow start. For the second straight season, Houston got into a hole and played its way into the playoffs, this time advancing to the World Series for the first time in franchise history behind one of the best pitching staffs in the game.
Unfortunately for the Astros, they ran into even better pitching in the World Series, getting swept by the White Sox even though they were outscored by just six runs. But the pitching was amazing during the regular season and throughout the playoffs. Roger Clemens, Andy Pettitte and Roy Oswalt led the staff, with Clemens leading the National League with a 1.87 ERA, Pettitte compiling a 1.56 ERA in his last 20 starts, and Oswalt winning 20 games for the second year in a row. They paved the way to closer Brad Lidge, who saved 42 games with a 2.29 ERA.
The offense was good enough, particularly considering the team lost Carlos Beltran and Jeff Kent from the year before. Lance Berkman and Craig Biggio were productive as usual, though Berkman missed time with injuries, and the emergence of Morgan Ensberg and Jason Lane as bona fide run-producers got Houston over the top. The former teammates at Southern California combined for 62 home runs and 179 RBIs.
The Astros will need Pettitte and Oswalt to step forward in 2005, after the club declined to offer Clemens arbitration in December when he wouldn't commit to returning for one more season. It's still possible Clemens could re-sign after May 1, however. Houston should still have plenty of pitching either way, and the Astros will be in the playoff race again if their offense produces.