2002 Houston Astros season

April—May

Craig Biggio extended his club-record 14th Opening Day start.^[8] The Milwaukee Brewers routed Houston, 9 to 3. Both teams recorded 12 safeties, but the Astros struck out 13 times, left 11 runners on base, and went 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position. Ben Sheets stymied the Astros' offense over six frames, while Wade Miley was torched for seven runs over four innings.^[9]

With his third home run of the season on April 5, Lance Berkman equaled a club record entrenched by Chris Truby the year prior by homering in each in the season's first three contests.^[b] Berkman's performance led a 6–3 win at Astros Field over Milwakee.^[10]

On April 7, Daryle Ward connected on a Luther Hackman offering for a walk-off home run, for a 7–6 decision over the St. Louis Cardinals in the bottom of the 12th inning.^[11] This was the Astros' first walk-off hit of the season.^[12]

Craig Biggio's cycle

On April 8 versus the Colorado Rockies, second baseman Craig Biggio became the fifth Houston Astro to hit for the cycle, and sixth time in franchise history. He singled, then tripled and connected for a home run off starter Denny Neagle within the first four innings. In the sixth, Neagle issued an intentional base on balls to Biggio, but Biggio, batting again in the eighth, stroked a double to complete the cycle. When his son, Cavan, replicated the feat in 2019 as a member of the Toronto Blue Jays, they became the second father–son duo in major league history to hit for the cycle, following Gary (1980) and Daryle Ward (2004)^[13] The younger Ward and elder Biggio were teammates when Craig hit for the cycle (though not in the starting lineup together);^[14] in fact, Ward was a member of the Astros in his first five major league seasons, from 1998—2002.^[15]

Rest of April

Berkman slugged three home runs at Cinergy Field on April 16 to ignite an 8–3 Astros win over the Cincinnati Reds, the first three-home run game of Berkman's career.^[16] The first two shots were courtesy of José Acevedo offerings during the first and second innings, and the third was off José Rijo. Moreover, the Astros chased Acevedo early with seven runs during the first two innings as Jeff Bagwell and Richard Hidalgo also went deep off the Reds starter. Dave Mlicki tossed 7+2⁄3 innings pitched with six strikeouts and one run surrendered to pick up his first win of the season. Berkman had two additional opportunities to make major league history with a fourth home run but wound up short.^[17] The ninth time three-home run game in club history, it was the first since Vinny Castilla did so on July 28, 2001, and was succeeded by Hidalgo's on September 16, 2003.^[18] and remained as the only such contest of Berkman's career.^[16] Berkman delivered five runs batted in (RBi) to establish a season-high.^[19]

On April 26, reliever Brad Lidge made his major league debut, tossing two innings versus the Atlanta Braves. He allowed two runs and struck out three.^[20]

May

During the week of April 28 to May 5, Lance Berkman batted .423 / .516 on-base percentage (OBP) / .846 slugging percentage (SLG) / 1.362 on-base plus slugging (OPS), 3 home runs, 9 RBI, 11 hits, and 22 total bases.^[19] He was thus recognized as National League (NL) Player of the Week.^[21]

On May 10, Jason Lane made his major league debut, becoming the 18,000th player in major league history. He took one at bat versus the Pittsburgh Pirates^[22]

The Astros erupted for a season-high in runs on May 13,^[23] for a 17–3 rout of the Philadelphia Phillies at Astros Field. Led by third baseman Geoff Blum's game-high three doubles and five RBI, the Astros piled on 10 extra-base hits among 20 total hits and four bases on balls, with two doubles by Hidalgo and a triple from Julio Lugo. Blum reached base four times, including earning a walk. Tim Redding (2–2) yielded just one run over seven innings to earn the victory.^[24]

Hosting the Pittsburgh Pirates on May 18, starters Kris Benson and Tim Redding exchanged pitching duels for seven innings each. Deadlocked 1–1 going into the bottom of the ninth, José Vizcaíno blasted a Sean Lowe delivery for a one-out walk-off home run to ice a 2–1 Houston triumph.^[25] This triumph pulled the Astros back to the .500 mark and into a second-place tie in the division,^[26] while extending a season-high seven-game winning streak.^[23]

The Astros retired Larry Dierker's uniform number 49 on May 19 during a pre-game ceremony at Astros field.^[27]

June

Accompanied with a celebration of fireworks and a locomotive steaming across the tracks beyond the left field wall carting oranges, on June 5, the Astros rechristened their stadium as Minute Maid Park. The organization announced a naming rights deal they had reached with Minute Maid, a beverage company based in Sugar Land, a suburb of Houston, since 1960. Per owner Drayton McLane, the agreement covered 28 years and was worth $100 million. The Astros had also considered proposals from other Houston-area companies, including Conoco Inc., Landry's Seafood Restaurants Inc., and Gallery Furniture.^[28]

Right-handed pitcher Shane Reynolds was placed on the 15-day disabled list on June 13 to undergo a season-ending microdiscectomy procedure to remove disc fragments in his back that were pressing on nerve. Reynolds' season ended after 13 starts, after going 3–6 and having posted a 4.86 earned run average (ERA).^[29]

On June 16, Craig Biggio connected for his 12th career walk-off hit, a single off John Rocker that secured a 7–6 triumph over the Texas Rangers in hte bottom of the ninth inning. Biggio passed Phil Garner for second-most walk-off hits in Astros history, and one behind José Cruz] (13) for the all-time franchise lead.^[12]

On June 20, Lance Berkman's grand slam (22) capped a seven-run fourth inning at Miller Park, as Houston toppled the Milwaukeee Brewers, 9–3. Wade Miller (3–2) cruised through six innings to earn the win, scattering seven hits and three walks.^[30] Berkmam's 5 RBI augmented his league-leading total to 62.^[26]

Former Astros pitcher Darryl Kile, then playing for the St. Louis Cardinals, was found dead in his Chicago hotel room on June 22, 2002.^[31] That same day, the bereaved Astros won in his memory against the Seattle Mariners, with first baseman Jeff Bagwell delivering the game-winning run batted in (RBI) in the 12th inning.^[32]

Inserted to pinch hit on June 27, Gregg Zaun had the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth inning and connected for the walk-off grand slam, sealing a 7–4 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks.^[33] Lance Berkman (23) and Brad Ausmus (3) also belted home runs for Houston. Octavio Dotel (4–3) secured the final two frames to earn the victory.^[34] Zaun became just the second pinch-hitter in club history to hit a walk-off grand slam for Houston, joining Milt May on May 22, 1974,^[c][35] and sixth walk-off grand slam by any batter in team history, Kevin Bass on August 20, 1989.^[d][36]

July

Lance Berkman was selected to play in his second MLB All-Star Game, during which he collected his first two RBI at the Midsummer Classic.^[37] During the bottom of the seventh inning, he pinch hit for Todd Helton and delivered a two-run single to score Mike Lowell and Damian Miller to place the National League ahead of the American League (AL), 7–6. The AL rallied to tie the contest, 7–7, which was the final score after 11 innings.^[38] Berkman was also a contestant in the Home Run Derby, placing last with one home run hit.^[39]

On July 25, Kirk Saarloos tossed his first career shutout, scattering six hits with no walks issued. Saarloos struck out six.^[40]

For the month of July, Kirk Saarloos won all three games (all starts) in which he appeared, with a 1.77 earned run average (ERA), one complete game shutout, and 0.836 walks plus hits per inning pitched (WHIP). In 20+1⁄3 innings pitched, Saarloos fanned 14 and surrendered just 16 hits and one walk.^[41] Thus, Saarloos was recognized as NL Rookie of the Month. He became the second Astro so named, following Roy Oswalt in August 2001.^[42]

August

From August 10–24, Bagwell produced a season-high 15-game hitting streak, marking the 12th consecutive season with at least one double-digit hit streak, a club record, and second to Roberto Alomar with 14 among all then-active players. In September, Bagwell batted .343 with 11 multi-hit games.^[43]

On August 12, Julio Lugo sustained a fractured left forearm fracture on a hit by pitch from Kerry Wood from the Chicago Cubs, ending Lugo's season. The Astros recalled shortstop Adam Everett from Triple-A New Orleans to take his place.^[44]

Prior a contest against the San Diego Padres on August 27, Bagwell met with 11-year-old bone cancer patient named Stephen Rael, who asked him to hit a home run for him. Bagwell replied, "I'm going to try, but I'm not Babe Ruth." In the fifth inning, he hit a pitch from Mike Bynum over the left field wall. Bagwell pointed to the child in the stands as he rounded third base. Bagwell later commented, "I hit the home run, and he felt it was for him. I'm glad for that. It made it special."^[45]

During the month of August, Roy Oswalt won all six of his starts to go with a 1.22 ERA over 44+1⁄3 innings pitched. He surrendered a .184 batting average against and 0.880 walks plus hits per inning pitched (WHIP) while striking out 28.^[46] Thus, the hurler was recognized as NL Pitcher of the Month for the first time, and the first Astro to win the award since Wade Miller in April of the previous season.^[47] Moreover, Oswalt's Pitcher of the Month Award was one year removed from winning Rookie of the Month the previous August.^[42]

September

On September 9, Jason Lane cranked his first major league home run, a three-run blast in the fourth inning to left field off former Astro Mike Hampton. It also started the Astros' comeback, cutting their deficit from 0-to-4 to 3-to-4 to the Colorado Rockies.^[48] Two batters later, Geoff Blum (9) homered to tie the score. The Rockies scored in the top of the fifth to retake the lead, but Richard Hidalgo's double (17) bottom of the sixth retied the score. The game proceeded to into extra innings, until during the bottom of the 10th, Mark Loretta singled home Craig Biggio to seal a walk-off, 6–5 Astros win. Meanwhile, Brad Lidge (1–0) tossed a scoreless top of tenth in which yielded a single to Larry Walker, around striking out the side,^[49] to obtain his first major league victory.^[50]

On September 15, Berkman slugged his 100th career home run, launching an offering from Matt Morris of the st. Louis Cardinals deep to left field in the bottom of the fourth inning at Minute Maid Park.^[16]

On September 18, Brad Lidge made his only major league start,^[20][50] Lidge hurled three scoreless innings and struck out four, helping to spearhead a 3–1 victory over the Milwaukeee Brewers. He departed to a 3–0 lead after hitting an RBI single to score fellow rookie Jason Lane—his second RBI.^[51] During this at bat, Lidge pulled an oblique muscle, ending another professional season due to injury. A starter in the minor leagues, four seasons had also ended early on account of injury. Following the game, catcher Brad Ausmus recommended to Lddge that he abandon the changeup, and transition to the bullpen to leverage use of "the fastball and slider, to be a pretty dang-good end-of-the-game type guy.”^[52]

Performance overview

With an 84–78 record, the 2002 season was the second of six consecutive with a winning record, through the 2006 campaign. At the time, this signified the second-longest such in club history. They had also agglomerated 84 wins or more and qualified for the playoffs in five of each of the six prior seasons (with 2000 being the exception) and continued to win 84 or more through 2005.^[2]

Lance Berkman led the NL in runs batted in (RBI) with 128, joining Bagwell in 1994 as the second Houston Astro to accomplish this feat.^[53] Further, Berkman also became the fifth switch hitter in the major leagues to belt 40 or more home runs in the same season.^[e][4] Named the Astros' team Most Valuable Player (MVP) for the second consecutive season, Berkman also succeeded Bagwell in claiming two straight team MVPs (1999–2000). Berkman became the fifth player in club history to earn this distinction,^[54] while serving as the club's primary center fielder and leading the club in numerous offensive categories.^[55]

Bagwell drew 100 or more bases on balls for the seventh continuous season, which tied Mel Ott (1936–1942) for the National League record. Frank Thomas (eight consecutive, 1991–1998, in the American League) harbored the major league record. In 2005, former Astro Bobby Abreu tied Ott and Bagwell for the National League record.^[56]

Catcher Brad Ausmus was rewarded with his second consecutive Gold Glove,^[57] the first Astro since Biggio to win the Gold Glove over successive campaigns (1994–1997, all at second base). Ausmus also joined Doug Rader (1970–1974 at third base), César Cedeño (1972–1976 at outfield), and Biggio as the fourth Astro to both win multiple Gold Gloves, while being recognized over consecutive seasons.^[58]

National League Central

Record vs. opponents

Starters by position

Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Other batters

Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Major League debuts