2001 Houston Astros: Lone Star Launching

2001 Houston Astros: Lone Star Launching

2001 Houston Astros: Lone Star Launching

In just their 2nd year at their new ballpark called Enron Field, the Houston Astros were already getting comfortable with their new surroundings as they utilized the quirky ballpark to the best of their ability. Enron Field featured the box-like porch in left field with its foul pole being 315 feet away from home plate while straightaway center field featured Tal’s Hill, a challenge for any outfielder to overcome, which extended as far as 436 feet away. With the help of this new ballpark the Astros adopted an identity, which was to mash the ball.

In 2001 the Houston Astros went 93-69, finishing in a tie with the St. Louis Cardinals for the National League Central division lead. The Astros held the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Cardinals as they went 9-7 against St. Louis. The Astros went 44-37 at home and 49-32 on the road. The Astros remained solid throughout each month of the regular season as they went 12-12 in April, 14-13 in May, 15-12 in June, 17-11 in July, 21-7 in August and 12-10 in September.

Left fielder Lance Berkman batted .331 with 34 home runs and 126 RBI’s off 191 hits, 55 doubles, 5 triples and 7 stolen bases. Right fielder Moises Alou batted .331 with 27 home runs and 108 RBI’s off 170 hits, 31 doubles and 5 triples. Second baseman Craig Biggio batted .292 with 20 home runs and 70 RBI’s off 180 hits, 35 doubles and 7 stolen bases. First baseman Jeff Bagwell batted .288 with 39 home runs and 130 RBI’s off 173 hits, 43 doubles, 4 triples and 11 stolen bases.

Center fielder Richard Hidalgo batted .275 with 19 home runs and 80 RBI’s off 141 hits and 29 doubles. Third baseman Vinny Castilla batted .270 with 23 home runs and 82 RBI’s off 120 hits and 28 doubles in 122 games. Shortstop Julio Lugo had 10 home runs, 135 hits, 20 doubles and 12 stolen bases. Catcher Brad Ausmus had 98 hits, 23 doubles and 4 triples in 128 games. Shortstop Jose Vizcaino batted .277 with 71 hits and 8 doubles in 107 games.

Starting pitcher Wade Miller went 16-8 with 183 strikeouts and a 3.40 ERA, recording 1 complete game. Roy Oswalt went 14-3 with 144 strikeouts and a 2.73 ERA, recording 3 complete games and 1 shutout. Shane Reynolds went 14-11 with 102 strikeouts and 2 complete games. Dave Mlicki went 7-3 as a starter. Tim Redding went 3-1 in 9 games as a starter.

Closer Billy Wagner was one of the most explosive relief pitchers all of Major League Baseball had in the 2000’s. Wagner possessed a fastball that was hard to catch up to, and his secondary pitches kept batters off balance. Wagner had 39 saves, 79 strikeouts and a 2.73 ERA. Relief pitcher Michael Jackson went 5-3 with 4 saves. Octavio Dotel went 7-5 with 2 saves and a 2.66 ERA. Nelson Cruz went 3-3 with 2 saves and 75 strikeouts. Jay Powell went 2-2 with a 3.72 ERA. Mike Williams went 4-0 from the bullpen. Pedro Astacio went 2-1 from the bullpen.

Interleague Play was beginning to be a common event in MLB, and for the Astros that meant they would have the opportunity to play the other MLB team based in the Lone Star State of Texas. From June 8 to June 10 the Astros would play against the Texas Rangers of the American League in what would later be called the “Lone Star Series”, where the only prize on the line would be a Silver Boot.

On June 8 at The Ballpark In Arlington the Astros beat the Rangers 5-4. In the bottom of the 1st inning Rangers shortstop Alex Rodriguez had an RBI double. In the top of the 4th Richard Hidalgo picked Houston up with a 2-run single. In the bottom of the 5th left fielder Rusty Greer crushed a 2-run home run for Texas, and then catcher Ivan Rodriguez followed by hitting a solo home run. Down 4-2 in the top of the 7th Craig Biggio came through for the Astros by getting an RBI single, and then Jose Vizcaino followed by grounding into a double play to score Brad Ausmus. In the top of the 11th Moises Alou hit a solo home run which became the game-winning hit.

On June 9 the Rangers evened the Lone Star Series by crushing the Astros 16-4. On June 10 the Astros would win the Silver Boot by winning the deciding 3rd game of the series 6-5. In the top of the 2nd inning Richard Hidalgo had a sacrifice fly which scored Lance Berkman. In the bottom of the 4th Texas struck back with an RBI groundout hit by right fielder Ruben Sierra and an RBI single by first baseman Andres Galarraga. In the top of the 5th catcher Tony Eusebio, the backup to Ausmus, belted a 2-run home run, and then Texas responded in the bottom of the 8th with a 2-run double hit by Sierra.

In the most unlikely of outcomes, the one who came through for the Astros in the top of the 9th was pinch hitting right fielder and first baseman Orlando Merced, who launched a 3-run home run. Even after Ivan Rodriguez’s solo home run in the bottom of the 9th, Merced’s shot decided the game and the series.

The playoffs ended quickly for the Houston Astros as they were swept 3 games to none by the Atlanta Braves in the National League Division Series. However, 2001 would not be the end of Houston’s successful build into a World Series contender. It only took a few more years for the Astros to go beyond what they had done before in the playoffs.