query: who did the astros play in the world series

pos: 2017 World Series 2017 World Series The 2017 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 2017 season. The 113th edition of the World Series, it was played between October 24 and November 1. The series was a best-of-seven playoff between the National League (NL) champion Los Angeles Dodgers and the American League (AL) champion Houston Astros. It was sponsored by the Internet television service YouTube TV and officially known as the "2017 World Series presented by YouTube TV". The Astros defeated the Dodgers, four games to three, to win their first World Series in franchise history, also becoming the

pos: Houston Astros American League Championship Series against the New York Yankees. The Astros won the ALCS four games to three, and advanced to the World Series to play against the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Astros defeated the Dodgers in the deciding seventh game of the World Series, winning the first championship in franchise history. The city of Houston celebrated the team's accomplishment with a parade on the afternoon of November 3, 2017. Houston's Independent School District gave the students and teachers the day off to watch the parade. On November 16, 2017 José Altuve was named the American League Most Valuable Player,

pos: 1982 World Series That has happened three times before, taking the 19th Century contests into account: The Brooklyn Dodgers of 1889 and 1890, the Cardinals, who won the 1886 Series when they were in the American Association, and the Houston Astros, who played in both the 2005 World Series against the Chicago White Sox as a National League team, and the 2017 World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers as an American League team. This also makes this one of two World Series in the modern era (1903–present) that it is not possible to have a rematch, the other being the Astros and

pos: Terry Wells Terry Wells Terry Wells (born September 10, 1963), is a retired Major League Baseball pitcher. Wells was drafted by the Houston Astros in the 8th round of the 1985 Major League Baseball Draft. He had been drafted twice before (by the Cleveland Indians in 1981 and Chicago White Sox in 1984) but did not sign a contract on either occasion. Wells was best known for being traded on April 1, 1990, by the Astros to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Franklin Stubbs, who had been a member of the Dodgers 1988 World Series team. The trade took place just days

pos: Evan Gattis major contribution to the Astros' championship run was his solo homer in the fourth inning of Game 7 of the ALCS off of CC Sabathia to help the Astros advance to the World Series. The Astros won the World Series in a deciding 7 games against the Los Angeles Dodgers, giving Gattis his first championship title. Gattis married longtime girlfriend Kimberly Waters on January 14, 2017, in Frisco, Texas. Evan Gattis James Evan Gattis (born August 18, 1986) is an American professional baseball designated hitter and catcher who is a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB)

pos: 2017 American League Championship Series League Baseball sold presenting sponsorships to all of its postseason series; this ALCS was sponsored by Camping World and was officially known as the American League Championship Series presented by Camping World. The Astros would go on to defeat the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series in seven games, winning their first World Series championship in franchise history. The Astros defeated the Boston Red Sox 3–1 in the 2017 American League Division Series (ALDS). This is the Astros' fifth appearance in a League Championship Series, and their first since transferring from the National League to the American League. Their

pos: 2018 Houston Astros season 2018 Houston Astros season The 2018 Houston Astros season was the 57th season for the Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise in Houston, their 54th as the Astros, sixth in both the American League (AL) and AL West division, and 19th at Minute Maid Park. The Astros were the defending World Series champions, having won the 2017 World Series four games to three over the Los Angeles Dodgers. Houston began the season March 29 against the Texas Rangers and finished the season on September 30 against the Baltimore Orioles. They repeated as American League West champions and swept the Cleveland Indians

pos: 2017 Houston Astros season in four games. Houston then advanced to the AL Championship Series (ALCS) and defeated the New York Yankees in seven games for their first American League pennant. It was the second league championship in franchise history, and first since 2005 and they became the first team in history to make it to the World Series as members of both the National League and the American League. Finally, the Astros faced and defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers in seven games in the World Series, garnering the first World Series title in franchise history. During the regular season, the Astros featured the

pos: Tyler Clippard The Astros finished the 2017 season with a 101–61 record, clinching the AL West. Clippard, however, was not part of any postseason action, although he was still on the Astros 40-man roster at the time. The Astros won their first World Series in franchise history as they bested the Los Angeles Dodgers in 7 games of the 2017 World Series. Clippard would still win his first career World Series championship after 11 seasons of service in the Majors. On March 7, 2018, Clippard signed a minor league contract with the Toronto Blue Jays. His contract was purchased by the Blue

neg: Nellie Fox scored the only run when Sherm Lollar hit into a double play in the fourth inning (this was only the second time that a World Series game did not have an RBI). It was Fox's only postseason experience, and the White Sox did not make it back to the World Series until they swept the 2005 World Series from the Houston Astros. Fox played his final two seasons (1964–65) with the Houston Colt .45s and Astros. Joe Morgan later said that he looked up to Fox's example as a rookie with the Astros; Fox and Morgan were both diminutive second

neg: 2017 World Series 6, and 7; and the Astros hosting Games 3, 4, and 5. This was the first World Series matchup, and second postseason meeting overall, between the Astros and Dodgers. Los Angeles defeated Houston in the 1981 National League Division Series in five games en route to its World Series championship that year. The teams also met in the 1980 National League West tie-breaker game. This was the first Fall Classic since , and the eighth overall, in which both participants had 100 or more wins during the regular season. The two teams did not meet in interleague play during the

neg: J. D. Davis seven RBIs. The Astros finished the year with a 101-61 record, and eventually won the 2017 World Series. Davis did not play in the playoffs, but was still on the Astros 40-man roster, giving him a chance to win his first career championship. On March 24, 2018, the Astros announced that Davis had made the Opening Day roster. J. D. Davis Jonathan Gregory Davis (born April 27, 1993) is an American professional baseball third baseman for the Houston Astros of Major League Baseball (MLB). Davis was drafted by the Tampa Bay Rays in the fifth round of the 2011 Major

neg: Kevin Bass had his best year in for an Astros team that narrowly missed a World Series appearance. Bass was named to the National League All-Star team, pacing the Astros with a .311 batting average, 20 home runs, 22 steals, and sterling defensive play. His career year did not have a storybook ending, however. In Game Six of the epic 1986 NLCS, he struck out swinging with men on first and second in the 16th inning, sealing a 7-6 victory for the Mets, allowing them to advance to the 1986 World Series. On August 3, 1987 versus the San Francisco Giants, Bass

neg: 2018 American League Championship Series for Houston, their World Series reign was over. Boston's Jackie Bradley Jr., who had nine RBIs in the series on three hits (a double and two home runs), was named ALCS MVP. 2018 ALCS (4–1): Boston Red Sox beat Houston Astros. 2018 American League Championship Series The 2018 American League Championship Series was a best-of-seven series pitting the Houston Astros against the Boston Red Sox, for the American League (AL) pennant and the right to play in the 2018 World Series. The series was played in a 2-3-2 format, with the first two and last two (if necessary) games played

neg: 2005 World Series and had not been in the Series since 1959, three years before the Astros' inaugural season. Like the 1982 World Series between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Milwaukee Brewers, the 2005 World Series is one of only two World Series in the modern era (1903–present) with no possibility for a rematch between the two opponents, because the Astros moved to the AL in 2013. However, the Brewers did meet the Cardinals in the 2011 NL Championship Series. The Astros would return to the World Series in 2017 as an AL franchise, where they would win in seven games against

neg: Sports in Texas with two Major League Baseball teams. The Houston Astros started playing in 1962. The Texas Rangers debuted in 1972 after relocating from Washington, D.C. In 2005, the Astros became the first team in Texas to make it to the World Series. The Rangers followed the Astros in 2010 to their first World Series and the following year as well. In 2017, the Astros became the first team in Texas to win the World Series. Minor League Baseball is also closely followed in Texas—especially in the smaller metropolitan areas. Three teams play in the Triple-A Pacific Coast League: the El Paso

neg: Astros-Cardinals rivalry were upset that the Cardinals claimed they were NL Central Co-champs (they had tied for 1st at the end of the season, but did not play a tiebreaker because both teams had a good enough record to win the wildcard. The Astros won the division because they won the head to head record). They met in the postseason in 2004 and 2005, both times in the NLCS, where the Cardinals and Astros won, respectively. The rivalry was intense, but with respect from both teams. For example, Jeff Bagwell congratulated the cardinals for going to the world series after they beat

neg: Houston Astros Field in Chicago and the final two in Houston. Game 3 marked the first World Series game held in the state of Texas, and was the longest game in World Series history, lasting 5 hours and 41 minutes. This World Series was marked by a controversy involving the Minute Maid Park roof. MLB & Commissioner Bud Selig insisted that the Astros must play with the roof open, which mitigated the intensity and enthusiasm of the cheering Astros fans. In the 2006 offseason, the team signed Preston Wilson and moved Berkman to first base, ending the long tenure of Jeff Bagwell.

neg: World Series Ohio (Cleveland Indians and Cincinnati Reds), Florida (Tampa Bay Rays and Miami Marlins), Texas (Texas Rangers and Houston Astros – who now both play in the American League since the Astros changed leagues in 2013, making any future joint World Series appearance an impossibility unless one of the teams switches leagues), or Pennsylvania (the Philadelphia Phillies and the Pittsburgh Pirates have been traditional National League rivals going back to the late 19th Century). Neither the Phillies nor the Pirates ever faced the Athletics in October during the latter team's tenure in Philadelphia, through 1954. The Boston Red Sox never similarly

neg: Major League Baseball on NBC League Division Series. The Division Series round would not be officially instituted until 14 years later. Games 1, 3, and 5 of the Phillies/Expos series and Games 2, 3, and 5 of the Dodgers/Astros series were regionally televised. Even though Dick Enberg did play-by-play for the 1981 NLCS for NBC (working alongside Tom Seaver), Merle Harmon was, for the most part, NBC's backup baseball play-by-play announcer (serving behind Joe Garagiola, who called that year's ALCS for NBC with Tony Kubek) in 1981. Harmon's broadcast partner during this period was Ron Luciano. In late 1979, Harmon left the Milwaukee Brewers completely

neg: Drayton McLane the National League in winning percentage (.543), but never won a World Series. The Astros, originally the Colt 45's, were founded in 1962. They won their first World Series in 2017 (2017 World Series). Up until 2017, the Astros 2005 season was the most successful season on the field for the Houston franchise. Winning the "National League Pennant" to advance to the World Series, Houston hosted the first World Series game ever played in the State of Texas. However, the Astros, who had rallied from a losing record earlier in the season, were swept by the Chicago White Sox in

neg: Lone Star Series final 3 games of the series and outscore the Rangers 42-8 in the final 4 games. The Rangers did not make the 2017 playoffs and the Astros would go on to clinch their first World Series championship, the first World Series Championship in the Astros-Rangers rivalry, and the first World Series title for the State of Texas. 2018 Series: The 2018 Silver Boot Annual Ledger Account Gambling Bet Between David R. Meyer, herein referred to as "TEX", and James DW Grubb, herein referred to as "HOU". HOU was victorious in the 2018 MLB Silver Boot Annual Ledger Account Gambling Bet

neg: 1977 World Series having been denied access to the Yankees' clubhouse during the series, asserting that her 14th Amendment right was violated. Ludtke won her case. The 1977 television movie "Murder at the World Series" centered around a fictionalized version of this year's Fall Classic, in which the Houston Astros were playing the Oakland Athletics. At the time, it had been three years since the A's last appeared in a World Series, and would be eleven years until their next appearance; the Astros did not make the playoffs until 1980, win their first pennant until , or their first championship until . 1977

neg: 2010 Houston Astros season by Rays starter Matt Garza. The Rays would win game two of the series 4–2, though, to tie the series at one each. In contrast to the first two games, which were low-scoring, the series finale was a high-scorer, with the Rays winning 10–6. The Astros went to Miller Park to play the Milwaukee Brewers, losing 6–1 against former Astro Randy Wolf. The Astros got a great start from Oswalt, who pitched eight shutout innings, and won 5–0. The Astros lost the series finale 4–3 in 10 innings, with Rickie Weeks drawing a walk-off walk against Matt Lindstrom to win

neg: A. J. Hinch into the 8th inning before the Royals came back to win 9–6. The Astros would go on to lose the series. In 2016, Houston began the season 7–17. Although the team's play improved during the course of the season, the Astros finished 84–78 and did not qualify for the playoffs. In 2017, Hinch led the Astros to a club record of 50 wins in 74 games and finished the regular season 101–61 while the team won their first division title in 16 years and first since joining the American League. The 2017 postseason began at home for the Astros. Hinch

neg: 2001 National League Division Series advantage in head-to-head play. Officially the two clubs were co-champions. Although the team with the best record was normally intended to play the wild card team, the Astros played the Braves, rather than the wild card Cardinals, because the Astros and Cardinals were in the same division." The Diamondbacks and Braves went on to meet in the NL Championship Series (NLCS). The Diamondbacks became the National League champion, and defeated the American League champion New York Yankees in the 2001 World Series. The Atlanta Braves won their tenth straight division title, despite having the worst record (88–74) among playoff teams.

neg: 2005 World Series ways that patterns appear to emerge in sporting events, the White Sox World Series win in 2005, along with the Boston Red Sox win in 2004, symmetrically bookended the two teams' previous World Series winners and the long gaps between, with the Red Sox and White Sox last Series wins having come in 1918 and 1917, respectively. 2005 World Series (4–0): Chicago White Sox (A.L.) over Houston Astros (N.L.) As per their contract, Fox Sports carried the World Series on United States television. Joe Buck provided play-by-play for his eighth World Series while analyst Tim McCarver worked his sixteenth. ESPN

neg: Jimy Williams generally given members of the home team who are introduced at an All-Star game. The following day, the Astros fired Williams and two principal coaches, having likely waited until after the festivities to avoid a public embarrassment. Williams was replaced by Phil Garner, who led the Astros to the 2004 National League Championship Series but fell one game short of going to Houston's first ever World Series. (The following year, Garner led the Astros to the World Series.) Williams finished with a record of 215 wins and 197 losses. On October 16, 2006, Williams was named the Philadelphia Phillies bench

neg: 2018 Los Angeles Dodgers season Colorado and the most ever at Dodger Stadium. The Houston Astros came to town next, for a rematch of the two teams that played in the 2017 World Series. Justin Verlander struck out 14 batters in 7 innings while only allowing four hits as the Astros took the opener 2–1. The Astros scored four times in the sixth and seven times in the eighth to route the Dodgers 14–0 in the following game. RBI doubles by Bellinger and Dozier helped the Dodgers salvage the last game of the series, 3–2. The Dodgers traveled to Oakland Coliseum to play the Oakland

neg: 2018 American League Championship Series 2018 American League Championship Series The 2018 American League Championship Series was a best-of-seven series pitting the Houston Astros against the Boston Red Sox, for the American League (AL) pennant and the right to play in the 2018 World Series. The series was played in a 2-3-2 format, with the first two and last two (if necessary) games played at the home ballpark of the higher seeded team. The series was the 49th in league history, with TBS televising all games in the United States. The Red Sox defeated the Astros, four games to one. For the second year in

neg: James Hoyt (baseball) traded to the Houston Astros for Rio Ruiz, Andrew Thurman, and Mike Foltynewicz. On August 2, 2016, the Astros promoted Hoyt to the major leagues. On March 31, 2017 he was optioned to the Fresno Grizzlies of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League. On April 20, 2017, the Astros promoted Hoyt to the major leagues. Hoyt made 32 appearances out of the bullpen for the Astros in 2017, finishing with a 1-0 record and a 4.38 ERA. The Astros finished the season with a 101-61 record for an AL West pennant, and eventually won the 2017 World Series. Hoyt did

neg: 2005 National League Championship Series Larry Walker advanced to third when the Astros failed to call timeout after the play at the plate. John Mabry ended the threat by grounding into a double play. La Russa's ejection marked the first time a manager was ejected from a postseason game since 1998, when Mike Hargrove was thrown out of a game between his Cleveland Indians and the New York Yankees. Houston was one game away from the franchise's first visit to the World Series after a 2–1 Game 4 win. Monday, October 17, 2005 at Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas The Astros struck first in

neg: 2005 World Series Radio was the nationwide radio broadcaster, as it had been since 1998. Jon Miller and Joe Morgan provided the play-by-play and analysis. Locally, KTRH-AM and WMVP were the primary carriers for the World Series in the Houston and Chicago markets. For KTRH long time Astros voice Milo Hamilton provided play-by-play while John Rooney called the games for the White Sox. Game 4 was Rooney's last call after seventeen years as the radio voice of the White Sox, as he left to take the same position with the St. Louis Cardinals. The Cardinals proceeded to win the 2006 World Series, making

neg: History of the Houston Astros Atlanta went on to win the division. The series against the Braves gave the Astros, and the fans, a taste of a race. It was also the first time in the team's history that they did not finish the season below .500. 1969 saw both the 1962 expansion teams improve, but it was the New York Mets that climbed to the top winning the World Series. In 1970 the Astros were expected to be a serious threat in the National League West. The year started with a bang when Doug Rader clobbered a shot into the upper reserve (gold) seats

neg: 2005 World Series run after back-to-back walks by Ensberg and Mike Lamb, giving Dustin Hermanson a blown save. Houston tried to rally to win in the ninth, but stranded Chris Burke at third, after he had walked, reached second on an error and stolen third. The Astros tried again in the 10th as well as in the 11th, but failed each time. In the top of the 14th, after the Sox hit into a spectacular double play started by Ensberg, Geoff Blum (a former Astro and the Astros' television color analyst as of 2015), who had entered the game in the 13th, homered

neg: Phil Garner Houston Astros, leading the Astros to the franchise's first ever World Series in 2005. In 1992, Garner replaced Tom Trebelhorn as manager of the Brewers. He quickly installed a running-focused style of play as every starter that year stole at least 10 bases. Standing out were 1992 AL Rookie of the Year Pat Listach who stole 54 bases, veteran Paul Molitor stealing 31, and outfielder Darryl Hamilton stealing 41. This gave the 1992 Brewers a 2nd-place finish in the competitive AL East but Garner's teams in later seasons in Milwaukee would not finish at .500. During a July 22, 1995

neg: 2005 World Series Chicago by virtue of the AL's 7–5 victory over the NL in the 2005 MLB All-Star Game. The Astros were attempting to become the fourth consecutive wild card team to win the Series, following the Anaheim Angels (2002), Florida Marlins (2003) and Boston Red Sox (2004). Both teams were attempting to overcome decades of disappointment, with a combined 132 years between the two teams without a title. The Astros were making their first Series appearance in 44 years of play, while the White Sox had waited exactly twice as long for a title, having last won the Series in 1917,

neg: 2010 Houston Astros season Astros lost 7–3 to conclude the short two-game series, with the Astros getting swept for the second consecutive series. The Astros came back home to face the Colorado Rockies for another two-game series, and won the first game 7–3, with a 4-run 8th involving a Jeff Keppinger 3-run double. In the next game, the Astros only got three hits for the second time this month, with Ubaldo Jiménez starting and going seven innings, as the Rockies won 4–0 for the series split. The Astros kicked off Interleague Play against the Tampa Bay Rays, winning 2–1 despite a complete game thrown

neg: History of the Houston Astros starters Ezequiel Astacio and Wandy Rodríguez were also successful. In July alone, the Astros went 22–7, the best single month record in the club's history. The Astros finished the 2005 regular season by winning a wild card berth on the final day of the regular season, just as they did in 2004, becoming only the second team to come from 15 games under .500 to enter the post season, the other team being the 1914 Boston Braves, now the Atlanta Braves. (Those Braves would go on and sweep the Philadelphia Athletics in the World Series. Coincidentally, the Astros beat out

neg: Tony Kemp (baseball) Harvey. In 17 games with the Astros, Kemp had a .216 average and 4 RBI. The Astros finished the season with a 101-61 record and eventually won the 2017 World Series, their first ever championship title. Kemp did not participate in any playoff action, but was still on the 40-man roster at the time, and won his first championship title. In March 2018, the Astros optioned Kemp back to Fresno. He was called up on May 16 to replace Jake Marisnick. As of September 27, Kemp has played in 94 games for the 2018 Astros, batting .267/.352/.401 with 6 HR

neg: Charlie Morton (pitcher) shutout innings with five strikeouts, sending the Astros to the World Series. Morton started Game 4 of the World Series and pitched well over 6.1 innings, giving one earned run on 3 hits and 7 strikeouts in an eventual Astros loss. Morton's career reached a new apex when he pitched the final four innings in Game 7 of the World Series. He was credited as the winning pitcher, helping the Astros win their first World Series title. In 2018, Morton continued his successful stint with the Astros. On May 12, he set a personal record of 14 strikeouts over seven

neg: 2005 Chicago White Sox season win the ALCS MVP award as the White Sox looked to win their first World Series since 1917. Final Score: White Sox 6, Los Angeles 3 This was the White Sox first pennant since 1959. Chicago's opponent in the 2005 World Series would be the National League Champion Houston Astros, who defeated the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Championship Series to clinch a trip to their first World Series in franchise history. The night was special for Craig Biggio and Jeff Bagwell, two longtime Astros making their first trip to the World Series. Game 1 was José Contreras

neg: 2017 World Series Game 3 were Yu Darvish for the Dodgers and Lance McCullers Jr. for the Astros. The Astros scored four runs in the bottom of the second inning on a home run by Yuli Gurriel and RBIs by González, Brian McCann, and Bregman. Darvish left the game after innings, which was the shortest outing of his career. The Dodgers scored one run in the top of the third inning as Seager grounded into a double play after McCullers loaded the bases with three consecutive walks. The Astros added another run in the fifth on an RBI single by Evan Gattis and

neg: 2005 Houston Astros season and the first 1-0 game in any Series game since Game 5 of the 1996 World Series when the New York Yankees shut out the Braves in the last game ever played at Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium. 2005 World Series (4-0): Chicago White Sox (A.L.) over Houston Astros (N.L.) 2005 Houston Astros season The Houston Astros' 2005 season was a season in which the Houston Astros qualified for the postseason for the second consecutive season. The Astros overcame a sluggish 15–30 start to claim the wild card playoff spot, and would go on to win the National League pennant to advance

neg: Tim Teufel arrested after a bar fight with off-duty police officers in Houston, Texas. Tim was sentenced to a year of probation and fined $200 for his part and none of the four missed any playing time, though this incident did help fuel some rivalry between the Mets and their impending 1986 National League Championship Series competitors, the Houston Astros. Teufel managed just one hit and no RBI against the Astros in the Championship Series won by the Mets in six games. In game one of the 1986 World Series against the Boston Red Sox, the Mets suffered a fate eerily similar

neg: Lone Star Series to put Texas on ours." Astros pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. would fire back on Twitter stating, “It’s because nobody knows what Arlington is." Later in the 2017 season after Hurricane Harvey hit Houston controversy arose when the Astros and Rangers could not negotiate swapping series forcing the Astros to play a series of home games against the Rangers at the Tampa Bay Rays' stadium in Florida. The Rangers would go on to win the series in Tropicana field 2-1 but would go on to lose the season series 7-12. The Astros would go on to sweep the Rangers in the

neg: 2005 Houston Astros season 2005 Houston Astros season The Houston Astros' 2005 season was a season in which the Houston Astros qualified for the postseason for the second consecutive season. The Astros overcame a sluggish 15–30 start to claim the wild card playoff spot, and would go on to win the National League pennant to advance to the World Series for the first time in franchise history. It was longtime Astros first baseman Jeff Bagwell's final season and first World Series appearance. In February, 2005, longtime Astros players Jeff Bagwell and Craig Biggio were jointly inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame. After

neg: 2004 Houston Astros season trade, was added to the National League team as a reserve. The game had an attendance of 41,886 and boxing legend Muhammad Ali threw the ceremonial first pitch of the game. The final result was the American League defeating the National League 9-4, thus awarding an AL team (which would eventually be the Boston Red Sox) home-field advantage in the World Series. A triple play and a seven-run seventh inning on August 19 against Philadelphia highlighted an Astros 12–10 win. With the Phillies leading 7–2, Todd Pratt grounded into a bases-loaded triple play in the fifth inning, Houston's first in

neg: History of the Houston Astros agent market. They signed longtime Dodgers pitcher Don Sutton and traded Jeffrey Leonard to the San Francisco Giants for Bob Knepper. The Astros had a rough start before the strike halted play for two months. Just days before the strike, the Astros traded pitcher Joaquín Andújar to St. Louis, where he would help the Cardinals to the World Series Championship the following season, for outfielder Tony Scott. Once the strike ended, baseball decided to add an extra layer to the playoffs by having the first-half division winner face the second-half winner. While the Dodgers won the first half, it would

neg: Phil Nevin work ethic. Nevin also did not intend to seek a signing bonus approaching those received by Van Poppel and Taylor. The Astros decided to employ Nevin as a third baseman. Not wanting to draw out his contract negotiations, Nevin signed with Houston in June, receiving a $700,000 bonus. Nevin tried out for the United States national baseball team in the summer of 1990 to play in that year's Goodwill Games and World University Baseball Championship (WUBC). To prepare for those tournaments, the team played a series against Japan and a game in Cuba. Nevin played second and third base for

neg: 1972 World Series franchise since the days of Connie Mack when the team was in Philadelphia and had won in 1930. The victory ensured manager Dick Williams' return for another year. It was the Athletics' sixth World Series title, and the first of three consecutive titles. This was the last time to date that an American League team had won a World Series Game 7 on the road until , when the Houston Astros did so in Los Angeles. 1972 World Series (4–3): Oakland A's (A.L.) over Cincinnati Reds (N.L.) 1972 World Series The 1972 World Series matched the American League champion Oakland

neg: Jesse Crain terms on a one-year contract with the Houston Astros. He was placed on the 60-day DL on March 21. He did not play a single game for the Astros. The White Sox signed Crain to a minor league contract on January 22, 2015. Crain was selected to represent Canada at the World Baseball Classic. In the first game of the 2006 edition of the Classic, Crain came into the game in the 9th inning. He got the save as Canada beat the South Africans 11–8. In the 2009 World Baseball Classic, Crain struck out all four batters he faced in

neg: 2015 World Series winning the American League (AL) Central, their seventh division title and their first since winning the AL West in 1985. They faced the Houston Astros in the 2015 American League Division Series, winning in five games. They followed that up in the 2015 American League Championship Series, beating the Toronto Blue Jays in six games. By winning the ALCS, the Royals became the first team to play in consecutive World Series since the Texas Rangers played in the 2010 World Series and 2011 World Series. The series began on October 27. As the AL won the 2015 All-Star Game, the

neg: 2005 World Series the lead two games to one, the teams played an eighteen-inning marathon in Game 4, which was the longest (in both time and innings played) postseason game in history. In this game, Roger Clemens made only the second relief appearance of his career, and the first in postseason play. Chris Burke's walk-off home run ended the game in the bottom of the eighteenth. For the second straight year, the Astros played the St. Louis Cardinals in the League Championship Series. Like the White Sox, the Astros dropped Game 1, but were able to regroup and win Games 2–4. With the

neg: Ron Kulpa he thought Holliday's foot was already on the base. He did not ask for a second opinion. When the game ended, Kulpa reviewed the play on tape and admitted he should have called Holliday out. The Cardinals went on to win the game 16-7, and eventually won the Series in seven games. On August 12, 2013, he ejected Rangers catcher A.J. Pierzynski for arguing a ball three call during pitcher Yu Darvish's bid for a perfect game against the Houston Astros. The perfect game was broken up moments later on an ensuing ball four pitch to Astros batter Jonathan Villar.

neg: 2007 Houston Astros season pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned Run Average; SO = Strikeouts" 2007 Houston Astros season The Houston Astros' 2007 season began with the team trying to take the NL Central title back from the World Series winners, the St. Louis Cardinals, after the Cardinals won it in 2006. They will have to do so without Jeff Bagwell, who retired after the Astros declined option on his contract for 2007, as well as pitchers Andy Pettitte and Roger Clemens, who both filed for free agency on November 6. To make up for losing those

neg: Tony Sipp bullpen for the remainder of the 2014 season, posting a 2.94 xFIP and striking out 11.19 batters per nine innings of work. On December 11, 2015, the Astros re-signed Sipp to a 3-year, $18 million contract. In 2017, Sipp made 46 appearances out of the bullpen and finished the season 0-1 with a 5.79 ERA. The Astros finished 2017 with a 101-61 record, giving them an AL West pennant clincher. Sipp did not see any sort of postseason action, but was still on the 40-man roster at the time, as the Astros won the 2017 World Series. Sipp throws four

neg: 1980 National League Championship Series Maddox, and the Phillies had won their first pennant since 1950, while the Astros had to wait 25 years before they would make a World Series appearance. Philadelphia went on to defeat the Kansas City Royals four games to two in the World Series. 1980 NLCS (3–2): Philadelphia Phillies over Houston Astros 1980 National League Championship Series The 1980 National League Championship Series was played between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Houston Astros from October 7 to 12. Philadelphia won the series three games to two to advance to the World Series, eventually defeating the Kansas City Royals for their

neg: Alex Bregman a 3–2 series lead. It was Bregman's first career walk-off hit. Bregman became the second player to drive in a run in each of his first five World Series games, joining Amos Otis. The series lasted seven games, and the Astros won the World Series for the first time ever. In 2018 the Astros renewed Bregman's contract at $599,000 – an increase of $60,000. In June he was named AL Player of the Month, after batting .306/.372/.713 in 108 at bats, with 11 home runs and 30 RBIs (a new Astros record for June). He became the second Astros third

neg: History of baseball in the United States did not go into effect until the 1995 World Series. In 1998, the AL and the NL each added a fifteenth team, for a total of thirty teams in Major League Baseball. The Arizona Diamondbacks joined the National League, and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays—now called simply the Rays—joined the American League. In order to keep the number of teams in each league at an even number (14 – AL, 16 – NL), Milwaukee changed leagues and became a member of the National League. In 2013, in keeping with Commissioner Bud Selig's desire for expanded interleague play, the Houston Astros

neg: Phil Nevin he would be named the Astros' starting third baseman. But the Astros did not invite him to spring training. Nevin attributed the snub to his refusal to work out with replacement players during the work stoppage. Not wanting to be seen as "scabs" by the Major League Baseball Players Association, minor league players who felt they would play in MLB after the resolution of the strike felt pressure to avoid playing with replacement players, while career minor-leaguers were happy to get a taste of the major leagues. When prospects including Nevin and Billy Wagner refused to play with the replacement

neg: Keith Jackson Jackson (alongside Tim McCarver) called the famous 16-inning sixth game of the 1986 National League Championship Series between the New York Mets and Houston Astros. That turned out to be the final Major League Baseball game that Jackson would broadcast. Jackson had previously broadcast ABC's coverage of the 1977, 1979 and 1981 World Series (Jackson split play-by-play duties with Al Michaels for the latter two with Jackson calling the games at the American League site), the 1978, 1980, and 1982 All-Star Game (again, sharing play-by-play duties with Al Michaels for the latter two), the 1980 National League Championship Series, the

neg: 2005 World Series Astros on the verge of clinching their first ever National League pennant in Game 5, Albert Pujols hit a mammoth three-run home run off Brad Lidge in the top of the ninth inning to take the lead, and subsequently stave off elimination. However, behind NLCS MVP Roy Oswalt, the Astros were able to defeat the Cards 5–1 in Game 6 and earned a trip to the World Series. This was the Astros' first World Series appearance in franchise history. Playing in their first World Series home game since 1959, the White Sox took an early lead with a home run

neg: Houston Astros in St. Louis, where the Astros clinched a World Series appearance. Roy Oswalt was named NLCS MVP, having gone 2–0 with a 1.29 ERA in the series. Current honorary NL President William Y. Giles presented the league champion Astros with the Warren C. Giles Trophy. Warren Giles, William's father and President of the National League from to , had awarded an MLB franchise to the city of Houston in 1960. The Astros faced the Chicago White Sox in the World Series. Chicago had been considered the slight favorite but would win all four games, the first two at U.S. Cellular

neg: 2007 Houston Astros season 2007 Houston Astros season The Houston Astros' 2007 season began with the team trying to take the NL Central title back from the World Series winners, the St. Louis Cardinals, after the Cardinals won it in 2006. They will have to do so without Jeff Bagwell, who retired after the Astros declined option on his contract for 2007, as well as pitchers Andy Pettitte and Roger Clemens, who both filed for free agency on November 6. To make up for losing those key players, they signed pitcher Woody Williams, and traded with the Colorado Rockies for Jason Jennings, and Miguel

neg: 2017 World Series in a World Series. Springer also joined Hank Bauer in the 1958 World Series and Barry Bonds in the 2002 World Series with four home runs in a series. The Astros loaded the bases in the fifth inning, but did not score. Hill pitched innings, struck out five and allowed four hits and one run. In the sixth inning, Taylor tied the game with an RBI double and Seager hit a sacrifice fly to give the Dodgers the lead. Verlander pitched six innings with nine strikeouts and only three hits allowed. Pederson hit a home run in the bottom of

neg: 1962 Major League Baseball expansion before beginning play at the Astrodome in 1965. The team won its first game, defeating the Chicago Cubs by a score of 11–2. At the end of their first season, the Colt .45s were in eighth place in the NL; the Cubs and Mets were behind them. The franchise did not finish higher than ninth over the next six years, before improving in the following decade. Houston eventually changed their team nickname to the Astros, and won the 2005 NL title; in addition, they played in the National League Championship Series three other times. The Astros moved to the American

neg: History of the Cincinnati Reds Hume and Doug Bair closing. The Reds did manage to win the 1979 NL West behind the pitching of Tom Seaver but were dispatched in the NL playoffs by Pittsburgh, after a controversial play in Game 2 in which a ball hit by Pittsburgh's Phil Garner was caught by Cincinnati outfielder Dave Collins but was ruled a trap, setting the Pirates up to take a 2-1 lead. The Pirates swept the series 3 games to 0. After the season ended, Joe Morgan returned to the Astros. Ironically, the Reds would lose the NL West to those Astros in 1980, despite

neg: Tony Eusebio Tony Eusebio Raul Antonio Bare Eusebio (born April 27, 1967) is a former Major League Baseball catcher who played for the Houston Astros. In 2000, Eusebio set a Houston Astros franchise record for consecutive games with a hit with 24, although the mark has since been surpassed by Jeff Kent and Willy Taveras. Because Eusebio was a catcher and did not play in every game, his 24-game hitting streak came over a span of 51 days in which time the Astros played 45 games. This was the longest time ever for a 24-game single season streak. The streak tied for

neg: History of the Houston Astros up with the tying and winning runs on base; however Jesse Orosco would strike him out, ending the game. This 16-inning game held the record for the longest in MLB postseason history until October 9, 2005 when the Astros defeated the Atlanta Braves 7–6 in an 18-inning Division Series game. However, the 1986 game still holds the record for longest League Championship Series game. Also, Game 3 of the 2005 World Series would tie the record for longest World Series game at 14 innings, meaning that the Astros, despite having been to only 2 LCS and 1 World Series, have

neg: Jon Daniels Hamels from Philadelphia, the emergence of Shawn Tolleson as the team's closer after the team released Neftalí Feliz, the returns of Martin Perez and Derek Holland from the disabled list, and vastly improved play by Shin-Soo Choo and Adrián Beltré. However, as late as August 3 the Rangers were still below .500. The improved play continued, and on September 15 (during a four-game home series against their in-state and division rivals the Houston Astros) the Rangers would defeat the Astros 6-5, taking the division lead in the process and ultimately sweeping the series with the Astros. The Rangers would not

neg: 1980 National League Championship Series took the loss. Both teams did get men to third on a few occasions: Houston in the first and fourth and Philadelphia in the third. But the staffs held firm until the bottom of the eleventh. Joe Morgan led off the inning for the Astros with a triple to right. After two intentional walks Denny Walling hit a sacrifice fly to bring home the game's only run and give Houston the victory. The Astros were now just one win away from the franchise's first-ever appearance in the World Series. In what was by now a familiar pattern, Game 4 turned

neg: Milwaukee Brewers team relocated to Milwaukee, becoming known as the Brewers and playing their home games at Milwaukee County Stadium. In , the Brewers joined the National League. They are the only franchise to play in four divisions since the advent of divisional play in Major League Baseball in 1969. They are also one of two current MLB franchises to switch leagues in their history, the other one being the Houston Astros. The team's only World Series appearance came in . After winning the ALCS against the California Angels, the Brewers faced off against the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series,

neg: History of the Houston Astros hitting continued to plague them throughout the World Series. The White Sox swept the Astros in the best-of-seven series with a run differential of only six. After losing the World Series the Astros prepared for the offseason by signing Preston Wilson and moving Lance Berkman to first base, ending the long tenure by Jeff Bagwell. The Astros resigned pitcher Roger Clemens and traded two minor league prospects to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays for left-handed hitter Aubrey Huff and cash. In August 2006, Preston Wilson said that he wasn't getting enough playing time since Luke Scott returned from AAA ball

neg: Lone Star Series Lone Star Series The Lone Star Series (also known as the Silver Boot Series) is a Major League Baseball (MLB) rivalry featuring Texas's two major league franchises, the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers. It is an outgrowth of the "natural rivalry" established by MLB as part of interleague play as the Rangers are a member of the American League (AL) and the Astros were a member of the National League (NL) until . During interleague play, the winner of the six game series was awarded the Silver Boot, a tall display of a size 15 cowboy boot cast in silver,

neg: 2017 World Series received $20,280,103.72, with shares of $259,722.14 The sportsbooks in Nevada lost $11.4 million in November 2017, a record for baseball-related betting. The city of Houston held a parade for the Astros on November 3, 2017, which Mayor Sylvester Turner proclaimed was "Houston Astros' Day". An estimated 750,000 to one million attended the parade. Springer and Altuve appeared on the cover of "Sports Illustrated" November 13, 2017, issue, with Altuve holding the Commissioner's Trophy and Springer holding a copy of a "Sports Illustrated" from 2014 that predicted the Astros would win the 2017 World Series. 2017 World Series The 2017 World

neg: 1986 Houston Astros season Red Sox, a series in which they would pull off one of the greatest comebacks of all time. The Mets had won the series with a .189 batting average, the lowest average ever recorded by a winning team in a postseason series. Their pitching had been the key. All-Star Game 1986 Houston Astros season The Houston Astros' 1986 season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Houston Astros attempting to win the National League West, which they did for their third time in seven seasons. Scott was the first pitcher in the National League and the second overall

neg: Don Drysdale covered the World Series Trophy presentation ceremonies for ABC. On October 11, 1980, Keith Jackson called an Oklahoma–Texas college football game for ABC in the afternoon, then flew to Houston to call Game 4 of the NLCS between the Houston Astros and Philadelphia Phillies. In the meantime, Drysdale filled in for Jackson on play-by-play for the early innings. In 1984, Drysdale called play-by-play (alongside Reggie Jackson and Earl Weaver) for the National League Championship Series between the San Diego Padres and Chicago Cubs. On October 6, 1984 at San Diego's Jack Murphy Stadium, Game 4 of the NLCS ended when

neg: Bob Costas game during that game, and Yogi Berra, who caught the game. Costas joined the network full-time on February 3, 2009. He hosts a regular interview show titled "MLB Network Studio 42 with Bob Costas" as well as special programming and provides play-by-play for select live baseball game telecasts. In 2017, Costas called Game 1 of the American League Division Series between the Boston Red Sox and the Houston Astros on MLB Network. The Astros went on to win 8-2. Unfortunately, Costas and his color commentator Jim Kaat received criticism for their "bantering about minutia" and misidentification of plays. Costas also

neg: 2010 Houston Astros season fine, after being hospitalized. The Astros would win that game 5–2. In the final game of the series, the Astros put up 10 runs and won 10–3, despite Pittsburgh outhitting the Astros 14–10, to secure the Astros first series sweep of the season, and their third consecutive series win. The Astros outscored the Pirates 19–8 on the backs of great pitching by Roy Oswalt, Wandy Rodríguez, and Brett Myers, who combined to give up only 5 earned runs over 20.1 innings pitched over the course of the series. After the last game, the Astros had won 7 out of their

neg: Nolan Ryan Riverfront Stadium, Ryan recorded his 3,000th career strikeout, the victim being César Gerónimo of the Cincinnati Reds (Gerónimo had also been Bob Gibson's 3,000th strikeout victim, in 1974). Ryan got his third taste of postseason play in 1980, but the Astros were stopped one game short of the World Series. In the 1980 NLCS versus the Philadelphia Phillies, Ryan pitched well in Game 2, leaving the game tied 2–2 in the seventh (having contributed to both Astros runs with a run scored following a walk, and a sacrifice bunt leading to a run) but again got a no decision in

neg: Brandon Backe run in the ninth inning, giving the Astros a 3-2 series advantage headed back to St. Louis, however the Astros lost both subsequent games and the series. Backe started the season in the Astros starting rotation, going 10-8 with a 4.76 ERA in his first full season as a starter. Backe performed well in the Astros second-consecutive postseason appearance, including a five-hit, seven-strikeout performance in Game 4 of the 2005 World Series. In the season, Backe was the Astros No. 4 starter. But after two starts he went onto the disabled list for three months. He returned in late July,

neg: 2005 Chicago White Sox season Sox 7, Astros 6 This game was the longest game in World Series history time wise, and tied for the longest game in World Series history according to innings. In the first World Series game played in the state of Texas, the hometown Astros got off to a good start. They jumped out to a 4-0 lead through four innings. However, in the fifth, the White Sox put up a five spot to take the lead 5-4 in a 46-pitch inning for Houston's Roy Oswalt. But, the Astros would tie up the score in the bottom of the eighth, and

neg: José Vizcaíno while Adam Everett was out with a broken wrist. In the 2005 National League Division Series, Vizcaíno went 0-for-5 in two games. Despite his lack of productivity, the Astros defeated the Braves in 5 games. In the 2005 National League Championship Series against the St. Louis Cardinals, Vizcaíno did not fare better, again going hitless. In the 2005 World Series, Vizcaíno collected one hit, one walk, and two runs batted in. In Game 2 of the 2005 World Series, he came close to repeating his 2000 World Series walk-off moment when he hit a two-run single with two outs in

neg: History of the Houston Astros in 1965. The Judge called the new domed stadium the Astrodome. The name was in honor of Houston's importance to the country's space program and to match with the meaning of the name, the Colt .45s were renamed the Astros. The new park, coined as the "Eighth Wonder of the World" did little to help the play on the field. While several "indoor" firsts were accomplished, the team still finished ninth in the standings. The attendance was high not because of the team accomplishments, but because people came from miles around to see the Astrodome. Just as the excitement was

neg: Jeff Bagwell commemorative insignia and inscription, "No. 5, Jeff Bagwell jersey retirement, Aug. 26, 2007." One was given to Bagwell and the other two were auctioned to raise funds on behalf of the Astros in Action Foundation. In 2009, Bagwell received the Bill Shea Distinguished Little League Graduate Award. Bagwell, along with Craig Biggio were on hand to witness the Astros win their first ever World Series championship at Dodger Stadium on November 1, 2017. Both were elated at their franchise's first championship with Bagwell saying, "I'm ecstatic. They're great kids, they play hard, they never gave up. To see them win,

neg: 2005 World Series managing the Oakland Athletics to the 1989 World Series championship. Both the White Sox and the Astros were in the Wild Card race until the final weeks of the season, with the White Sox finishing with 90 wins, the Astros with 82 wins. The White Sox made their first post-2005 playoff appearance in 2008, while the Astros would not return to the postseason until 2015, their third season as an American League team and would not return to the World Series until 2017, their fifth season as an American League team. This was the city of Chicago's first professional sports

neg: Jeff Bagwell the celebration, excitement, relief...the city of Houston, I'm sure, is going crazy right now. I couldn't be more proud of the guys that represent the Houston Astros right now." Both Bagwell and Biggio received World Series rings from the Astros during the World Series ring ceremony before an April 3, 2018 game against the Baltimore Orioles. As part of a personal services contract Bagwell signed with the Astros, he served as a coach in spring training of 2007. On July 11, 2010, the Astros hired Bagwell to be their , replacing Sean Berry. At the time of the switch, the

neg: Alex Cora Díaz. Cora argued that the baseball had too much dirt on it and should be removed from play; this was Cora's first career MLB ejection. Cora received his second World Series ring as a coach while with the Astros. During the 2017 ALCS, Cora interviewed for the open managerial position of the Boston Red Sox. It was subsequently reported that Cora would be named as Red Sox manager. On October 22, the day after the Astros defeated the New York Yankees in the 2017 ALCS, the Red Sox announced a three-year managerial contract for Cora, for the 2018 through 2020

neg: Ed Wade was dismissed two days later. Early in the 2011 season, Wade promoted future A.L. MVP second baseman José Altuve directly from Class AA Corpus Christi to the Major Leagues. Among the numerous Major League players drafted by the Astros on Wade’s watch were future 2017 Cy Young Award-winning pitcher Dallas Keuchel and future 2017 World Series MVP outfielder George Springer. Altuve, Keuchel and Springer were three key players in the franchise’s first World Series Championship in 2017. As of 2015, there were 37 players performing in the Major Leagues who were in the Astros’ organization at the time of Wade’s

neg: History of the Houston Astros back in Houston, his two MVP awards and three World Series rings with him; Morgan wanted to help make the Astros a pennant winner. 1980 saw one of the best pitching line ups the Astros ever had. Ryan with his fastball, Joe Niekro with his knuckle ball that frustrated hitters and J. R. Richard with his imposing 6 ft 8 in frame and terrifying pitches. Teams felt lucky to face Ken Forsch who was a double digit game winner in the previous two seasons. Richard became the first Astros pitcher to start an All-Star game. He pitched two inning striking

neg: Lone Star Series victory at Houston in 2000, before the two teams met for the first time in regular season in 2001. One year before their first official matchup in Interleague Play, both teams retired the number of Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan who had successful runs with both teams. According to Mike Lamb and Mark Teixeira, the Rangers-Astros "rivalry" is more for the fans of Texas than like a bitter rivalry (e.g. Windy City Series). On July 1, 2006, Gary Matthews Jr. made an unbelievable catch by taking away a home run from Houston Astros first baseman Mike Lamb in the top

neg: 1999 Houston Astros season = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts" "Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts" Atlanta wins series, 3-1 1999 Houston Astros season The 1999 Houston Astros season was a season in American baseball. The Astros won their third consecutive National League Central division title. It was their final season playing in the Astrodome as their home ballpark. In 1999, the Astros played their final season in the Astrodome as their new stadium was being prepared for play to begin

neg: 2005 World Series 2005 World Series The 2005 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 2005 season. The 101st edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff between the American League (AL) champion Chicago White Sox and the National League (NL) champion Houston Astros; the White Sox swept the Astros in four games, winning their third World Series championship and their first in 88 seasons. Although the series was a sweep, all four games were quite close, being decided by two runs or fewer. The series was played between October 22–26, 2005. Home-field advantage was awarded to

neg: NBC Sunday Night Football in Game 5 of the World Series, the Astros beat the Dodgers, 13-12, in 10 innings. In 2018, for the 5th time, the NFL scheduled the Saints to play on the Sunday Night Football-World Series competition game, this time, against the Vikings, in a rematch of the Minneapolis Miracle game. However this game wound up being scheduled opposite the fifth (and final) game of the 2018 World Series, between the LA Dodgers season and the Red Sox that night. The city of Minneapolis does have an MLB team, however, the Twins, failed to qualify for the postseason. As for the

neg: 2005 Houston Astros season Uribe. It was a bang-bang play as Paul Konerko caught the ball from Uribe at 11:01 p.m. CDT to begin the biggest celebration in Chicago since the sixth NBA championship by the Bulls in 1998, and end the second-longest period without a World Series title (the cross-town Chicago Cubs owned the longest such streak at the time, as they had not won since 1908, until winning in 2016). The 1-0 shutout was the first 1-run game to end a World Series since the 1995 World Series, in which Game 6 was won by the Atlanta Braves over the Cleveland Indians,

neg: Curse of the Black Sox they became contenders again starting in the late 1970s, and qualified for post-season play by winning the American League West division title in 1983 and 1993 and the American League Central division title in 2000. The "curse" discussion was revived by the national media during the 2005 post-season, when the Sox won their first league championship since 1959 (an even longer wait than before, 46 years). During the ensuing 2005 World Series, the White Sox swept the Houston Astros for their first World Series championship in 88 years (87 if the cancelled 1994 World Series is excluded). Some of this

neg: 2005 World Series Angeles Dodgers in seven games, resulting in Houston's first professional sports championship since the 2006–07 Houston Dynamo won their back-to-back MLS Championships. 2005 World Series The 2005 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 2005 season. The 101st edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff between the American League (AL) champion Chicago White Sox and the National League (NL) champion Houston Astros; the White Sox swept the Astros in four games, winning their third World Series championship and their first in 88 seasons. Although the series was a sweep, all four games were

neg: Major League Baseball rivalries are a member of the American League and the Astros were a member of the National League until . During interleague play, the winner of the 6-game series was awarded the Silver Boot. A tall display of a size-15 cowboy boot cast in silver, complete with a custom, handmade spur. If the series was split (3-to-3), the winner was the club which scored the most runs over the course of the series. In , the Astros joined the American League West with the Rangers and changed their rivalry from an interleague to an intra-division rivalry, the Astros played their first

neg: 1980 National League Championship Series Schmidt was doubled off first (ending the inning), thinking Leonard trapped the ball. The Astros didn't go quietly and leveled the score in the bottom of the ninth on an RBI single by Terry Puhl. But the tenth was ruinous for Houston. The Phillies' Greg Luzinski doubled home Rose with the go-ahead run on a close play at the plate where Rose ran over Astros catcher Bruce Bochy. Manny Trillo then singled home Luzinski with an insurance tally. The Astros went 1-2-3 in the bottom of the tenth, and the series was tied. Game 4 of the series was a