Astros win ninth straight
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Roy Oswalt combined with three relievers for a five-hit shutout that helped the Houston Astros maintain their late-season charge with 3-0 win against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday.
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Pinch-hitter Orlando Palmeiro's single drove in the tiebreaking run as the Houston Astros scored three times in the ninth inning and held on to beat the Atlanta Braves 5-4 Saturday night and preserve their playoff hopes.
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Craig Biggio's two-out RBI-single capped Houston's two-run rally in the bottom of the ninth that gave the Astros a 6-5 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday night.
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Jeff Kent's three-run homer in the ninth inning gave Houston a 3-0 win over the St Louis Cardinals Monday to move the Astros within one game of reaching the World Series for the first time in their 43-year history.
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Mark Grudzielanek hit two of Chicago&#39;s six home runs and Glendon Rusch pitched seven strong innings to lift the Chicago Cubs to a 9-2 pasting of the Astros in Houston on Friday.
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Roy Oswalt pitched shutout ball into the ninth inning and Lance Berkman hit his 40th home run, helping the Houston Astros bounce back from a dispiriting loss to beat the St. Louis Cardinals 5-1 Wednesday.
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The Houston Rockets went straight back to their winning ways after the All-Star break, beating the Cavaliers 93-85 in Cleveland on Tuesday to earn their ninth win in a row.
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ATLANTA - The Houston Astros broke out the bats to back up Roger Clemens, hitting three home runs on the way to a 9-3 victory over the Atlanta Braves in Game 1 of the NLDS on Wednesday.
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Mark Lamb and Carlos Beltran homered  while Roy Oswalt won for the 17th time this season as the  Houston Astros chalked up their 11th straight victory, a 9-7  decision over the Cincinnati Reds in the National League (NL)  Tuesday.
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One of the better playoff pitching duels turned in Houston&#39;s favor when Jeff Kent swung the bat in the ninth. Oct. 18 HOUSTON  - Only when Brandon Backe and Woody Williams were done did the hitters have any chance.
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Carlos Beltran's two-run double in the eighth inning helped Houston beat the Philadelphia Phillies 9-8 Wednesday night after Roger Clemens joined Andy Pettitte on the Astros' injury list.
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Luke Scott hit two home runs, including a three-run shot in the ninth inning to give Houston a 7-4 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday night.
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Houston starter Roy Oswalt gave up 12 hits. Closer Brad Lidge couldn't finish the ninth inning. The Astros left 15 runners on base. And Houston still found a way to win a game it hopes will provide an emotional lift as it tries to defend its NL pennant.
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Roger Clemens hopped off the mound, pumped his right fist and muttered to himself all the way to the dugout. His work was done and the Houston Astros were exactly where they wanted to be &#151; right back in the NL championship series. Pitching to save the Astros' season, Clemens came through. He slowed down St. Louis for seven innings, closer Brad Lidge finished off the Cardinals and Houston went on to win 5-2 Saturday, cutting its deficit to 2-1.
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The surging Houston Astros have put their vacation plans on hold. Pinch-hitter Mike Lamb's infield single drove in the go-ahead run in the seventh inning, lifting the Astros to their sixth straight victory, 5-4 over the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday night.
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Carlos Beltran belted a solo home run to right field, his second of the series off Atlanta starter Jaret Wright, to put the Houston Astros ahead of the Braves 3-0 after three innings in the decisive Game 5 of their NL Division Series on Monday night.
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Bengie Molina drove in four runs to back up Barry Zito's strong pitching and lift the San Francisco Giants to a 9-1 victory over the Houston Astros on Wednesday, their fourth straight win.