1989 Houston Astros season
Astros win 86 games, Scott leads NL in wins.
The 1989 Houston Astros season was the 28th for the franchise, 25th as the Astros, and 21st in the NL West. The team improved upon its previous 82–80 record, finishing 86–76 in third place, six games behind the division champion San Francisco Giants. The season was highlighted by a 16–1 stretch from late May through mid-June and Mike Scott leading the National League in wins.
Quick Facts
- Season
- 1989
- League
- National League
- Division
- West
- Ballpark
- The Astrodome
- City
- Houston, Texas
- Divisional place
- 3rd
- Owners
- John McMullen
- General managers
- Bill Wood
Facts from the source article.
Offseason
Phil Garner was added to the coaching staff. On November 22, 1988, Bob Watson was hired as assistant general manager; Watson had played for Houston from 1966 to 1979. The Astros traded a player to be named later to the Minnesota Twins for Mark Portugal on December 4, completing the deal with Todd McClure on December 7. Bob Forsch was signed as a free agent on December 21. On January 10, 1989, John Fishel, Mike Hook, and Pedro DeLeon were traded to the New York Yankees for Rick Rhoden. Dan Schatzeder signed as a free agent on January 30, and Roger Mason on February 16. Dave Johnson and Victor Hithe were traded to the Baltimore Orioles for Carl Nichols on March 31. On April 3, Mike Scott signed a two-year extension worth up to $4.75 million.
Regular season
Mike Scott made his third consecutive Opening Day start for Houston, and Art Howe made his managerial debut. The Astros hosted the Atlanta Braves at the Astrodome. Scott allowed no runs through three innings with four swinging strikeouts. Glenn Davis hit the season's first home run in the second inning, a 425-foot shot. Kevin Bass and Ken Caminiti singled, and Scott singled in both for a 3–0 lead. Errors by the Braves in the third led to three more runs. The Braves scored twice in the fourth, and Tommy Gregg homered in the fifth to cut the lead to 6–3. Larry Andersen earned a hold with a scoreless eighth, and the Astros added four runs in the bottom of the eighth for a 10–3 final. Dave Smith pitched a scoreless ninth. From May 7 to May 31, the Astros set a club record with a 10-game road winning streak. On May 19, Scott took a no-hitter into the eighth inning before Glenn Wilson singled; Scott finished with a one-hit, 3–0 complete game, his third career one-hit shutout. On May 27, Glenn Davis hit a two-out, two-run game-tying home run in the ninth, and Rafael Ramírez singled home Davis in the 12th for a walk-off win.
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