AggieJohn
03-11-2005, 06:48 PM
KISSIMMEE, FL -- Houston Astros manager Phil Garner announced today that right-handed pitcher Roy Oswalt will make his third consecutive Opening Day start when the Astros begin the 2005 Championship Season versus the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday, April 5, at 6:05 p.m. (CT) at Minute Maid Park in Houston. Left-hander Andy Pettitte (April 6 vs. STL), right-handed pitcher Roger Clemens (April 8 vs. CIN), and right-hander Brandon Backe (April 9 vs. CIN) will follow Oswalt in the rotation. The fifth slot in the rotation is TBA.
Oswalt, 27, will make his third career Opening Day start after posting a career-high 20 wins during the 2004 season. He was the only pitcher in the National League to win 20 games and just the third in Major League Baseball (also Curt Schilling, 21, BOS; Johan Santana, 20, MIN). He finished third in NL Cy Young Award voting, and he posted a 12-3 record in the second half of the 2004 season - the most wins in the NL after the All-Star break. Oswalt is 63-27 with a 3.11 ERA (255ER/739.0IP) in 120 career games (110 starts). He is 1-0 in Opening Day starts.
Pettitte, 32, will start the second game of the season on April 7 vs. the Cardinals. He made 15 starts in 2004, finishing 6-4 with a 3.90 ERA. He ranks second in wins by a left-hander since 1995 with 155 (behind Randy Johnson, 165), and is second all-time in postseason wins with 13 (trailing John Smoltz, 14). He followed Oswalt in the Opening Day rotation last season.
Clemens, 42, fills the third slot in Houston's rotation for the second consecutive season. He won his seventh Cy Young Award in 2004 after finishing the year 18-4 with a 2.98 ERA over 33 starts. He was named the Astros Pitcher of the Year by the Houston Chapter of the BBWAA and led the Majors with an .818 winning percentage. He is the Majors' active career leader with 328 wins and ranks 10th on the MLB career list, one win shy of ninth place and Steve Carlton (329). He has made 13 career Opening Day starts.
Backe, 27, appeared in 19 games (nine starts) for Houston last season, finishing 5-3 with a 4.30 ERA. He made nine consecutive starts after being recalled from Triple A New Orleans on Aug. 18. Backe made three starts in the 2004 playoffs, notching a win vs. the Atlanta Braves in his first career postseason start.
Tickets for Astros home games are available at the Minute Maid Park Box Office on Texas Avenue, on-line at www.astros.com, by phone toll-free at 877-9ASTROS (877-927-8767), and at Ticketmaster outlets including Foley's, Fiesta, select FYE, and Wherehouse Music stores. For more information, contact Astros Ticket Services at 1-800-ASTROS-2.
Oswalt, 27, will make his third career Opening Day start after posting a career-high 20 wins during the 2004 season. He was the only pitcher in the National League to win 20 games and just the third in Major League Baseball (also Curt Schilling, 21, BOS; Johan Santana, 20, MIN). He finished third in NL Cy Young Award voting, and he posted a 12-3 record in the second half of the 2004 season - the most wins in the NL after the All-Star break. Oswalt is 63-27 with a 3.11 ERA (255ER/739.0IP) in 120 career games (110 starts). He is 1-0 in Opening Day starts.
Pettitte, 32, will start the second game of the season on April 7 vs. the Cardinals. He made 15 starts in 2004, finishing 6-4 with a 3.90 ERA. He ranks second in wins by a left-hander since 1995 with 155 (behind Randy Johnson, 165), and is second all-time in postseason wins with 13 (trailing John Smoltz, 14). He followed Oswalt in the Opening Day rotation last season.
Clemens, 42, fills the third slot in Houston's rotation for the second consecutive season. He won his seventh Cy Young Award in 2004 after finishing the year 18-4 with a 2.98 ERA over 33 starts. He was named the Astros Pitcher of the Year by the Houston Chapter of the BBWAA and led the Majors with an .818 winning percentage. He is the Majors' active career leader with 328 wins and ranks 10th on the MLB career list, one win shy of ninth place and Steve Carlton (329). He has made 13 career Opening Day starts.
Backe, 27, appeared in 19 games (nine starts) for Houston last season, finishing 5-3 with a 4.30 ERA. He made nine consecutive starts after being recalled from Triple A New Orleans on Aug. 18. Backe made three starts in the 2004 playoffs, notching a win vs. the Atlanta Braves in his first career postseason start.
Tickets for Astros home games are available at the Minute Maid Park Box Office on Texas Avenue, on-line at www.astros.com, by phone toll-free at 877-9ASTROS (877-927-8767), and at Ticketmaster outlets including Foley's, Fiesta, select FYE, and Wherehouse Music stores. For more information, contact Astros Ticket Services at 1-800-ASTROS-2.