Yea! for the 'stros!
ST. LOUIS - Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte grabbed the champagne, went right for Roy Oswalt and showed the Houston Astros how to celebrate a trip to the World Series. Experts at this from their days with the Yankees, Clemens and Pettitte drenched their fellow ace in a bath of bubbly, pouring one bottle on his head, another down his back.
No wonder the party was so sweet. The Astros never had one like this before.
Houston won its first pennant after 44 seasons, owing it all to Oswalt, who took his team's hopes, dreams and gritty resolve and pitched the Astros past St. Louis 5-1 on Wednesday night.
"It was worth the wait," Clemens said. "This is for the city. This is for our fans at home."
Even with the NL trophy firmly in their grasp, the Astros could hardly believe it.
"It's been a long time, you know. I'm not greedy, I'm not selfish, just wanted to go one time," Craig Biggio said. "I can't tell you how happy I am, it took us a long time and we've got 5 million people in Houston who are very pumped up right now."
His teammate of 15 years, Jeff Bagwell, echoed those sentiments.
"Toward the end of my career, I didn't want an opportunity like this to go by," said Bagwell, a prolific slugger slowed by shoulder injuries the past few years.
Coming off a crushing loss in Game 5 of the NL championship series at home on Albert Pujols' stunning homer, the stubborn Astros refused to be shaken. They jumped to an early lead behind Biggio and Jason Lane, got perhaps a little help from the umpires and watched Oswalt shut down St. Louis for seven innings in earning the series MVP award.
Now here comes the mighty (gack) Sox. Should be a fun series.