Summary Opening Day The Astros hosted their first
Opening Day at Enron Field on April 3, which featured
Daryle Ward—substituting for an injured
Moisés Alou—belting the first
grand slam during an Opening Day at home in franchise annals. Meanwhile,
Craig Biggio, returning from knee surgery, achieved his first career five-hit game. Ward's blast reprised that of teammate
Richard Hidalgo's just one year earlier, who hit the first grand slam on any Opening Day for Houston on the road at
Three Rivers Stadium. The Astros' Opening Day starter,
Scott Elarton, tossed six solid innings with two runs allowed to pick up the victory. Hidalgo also
doubled in Biggio during the bottom of the seventh and Ward continued his big with day with a single that scored Berkman and Hidalgo. Biggio scored thrice. while also tying the Opening Day club record, set during the inaugural game in franchise history by
Román Mejías in
1962. It was also Ward's first career grand slam.
Rest of April On April 4,
Richard Hidalgo swatted his first career
walk-off home run, while Daryle Ward produced his first career four-hit game in the major leagues, It was the seventh multi-homer game for Hidalgo, whose 5 RBI matched his career high set exactly one year earlier on Opening Day 2000. By slugging a home run in each of the first three games of the season, Truby established a franchise record. Meanwhile, Hidalgo who had concluded the previous season with an active
hitting streak which commenced on September 15, collected hits in the first three games of the season to extend to 17 up to April 5. Right-hander
Wade Miller earned NL
Pitcher of the Month honors for April. Miller went 4–1 over 5 games, all starts, with one
complete game, a 2.15
earned run average (ERA), and 0.929
walks plus hits per inning pitched (WHIP). Over
innings pitched, he surrendered 22 hits, 13 walks, and whiffed 44 batters. Miller became the first Astros hurler to garner the accolade since
Randy Johnson in August and September,
1998. With an
infield single on May 4, Biggio realized his 2,000th career hit, doing so at
Olympic Stadium. The milestone knock came off
Javier Vázquez. Biggio became the first Astro to attain the entirety of his 2,000 hits with the franchise, and the second to attain this career milestone with the club, following
José Cruz on September 15,
1985. Biggio later singled aagain and scored ahead of a three-run home by Jeff Bagwell, which capped a four-run fifth frame.
Wade Miller (5–1) also collected his first double of the season, while allowing three runs over eight frames to pick the victory. Lance Berkman and Brad Ausmus also doubled, while Daryle Ward and Julio Lugo also homered. On May 6, right-hander
Roy Oswalt made his major league debut at Olympic Stadium, as a relief appearance to close out a 13–7 Astons win over the
Montreal Expos.
Jeff Bagwell was 4-for-5 with a grand slam and 5
runs batted in (RBI). Bagwell's slam was the fourth of his career, which he hit off
Anthony Telford, while the four-ht game was the 23rd of Bagwell's career.
Julio Lugo produced his second career five-hit game and scored three runs. Additionally, Hidalgo and Alou homered, and Berkman went 3-for-4 with a
triple and a
stolen base.
Scott Elarton earned the win for Houston in spite of allowing nine hits and six runs over five innings.
Mike Jackson and
Octavio Dotel followed Elarton with three scoreless innings. Oswalt pitched the ninth and got
Vladimir Guerrero for the first strikeout of his career. Next,
José Vidro hit a line drive for a single, and former Astro
Geoff Blum, who was 4-for-5, doubled to deep left center to score Vidrio. Finally, Oswalt retired
Milton Bradley on a ground ball to Bagwell to limit the damage to one run surrendered that day and close out the game. Additionally, Lugo became the seventh Astro to log multiple five-hit bouts. By connecting for a triple on May 7 against the
Chicago Cubs, Bagwell achieved the 700th
extra base hit of his career. New acquisition
Vinny Castilla slugged his first home run in an Astros uniform on May 15, off
Manny Aybar of the
Chicago Cubs. Moreover, Castilla and Richard Hidalgo both doubled twice among 10 total
extra-base hits for the Astros. In the top of the twelfth inning,
pinch hitter Tony Eusebio golfed a two-run home run off
Todd Van Poppel deep to center field that scored Castilla for the game-winning runs, 9–7. Bagwell cranked his fifth career grand slam on May 21, Biggio initiated a hitting streak on May 29 that lasted until June 18, during which he hit .338, and spanned a career-best 18 games. Due to the timing and those later produced by teammates Berkman and
Moisés Alou, at least one of the three remained within a current streak until July 18, This trio of overlapping hitting streaks mirrored a similar fulfillment that transpired April 17–May 11,
1979. Between those dates, one or more of each of
Craig Reynolds,
José Cruz, and
Enos Cabell piloted their own hitting streak—each had a duration of exactly 15 games.
June Richard Hidalgo slugged the
walk-off home run and his fourth hit of the night on June 1, in the bottom of the ninth against the
Los Angeles Dodgers for Houston's 10–9 win. Hidalgo’s effort was augmented by
Vinny Castilla, who collected three hits and a home run. On June 2, Oswalt logged his first major league hit while batting, a double off
Darren Dreifort. This was also Oswalt's first Major League start on the mound, in which he led a 2–1 triumph over Los Angeles at Enron Field. His
sacrifice hit during the bottom of the third set up
Craig Biggio's single to right field to plate
Brad Ausmus for the insurance tally. Oswalt (3–1) surrendered just two hits over six frames, with
Adrián Beltré's home run in the fifth as the Dodgers' only score.
Billy Wagner whiffed
Mark Grudzielanek swinging to decide the contest and register the save (13).
Inaugural Lone Star Series for the first time during the regular season on June 8, 2001, and won, 5–4, beginning the
Lone Star Series rivalry. On June 8, the first-ever
interleague game between the Houston Astros and the
Texas Rangers took place at
The Ballpark at Arlington, initiating the rivalry known as the
Lone Star Series. The Astros won the first game by a score of 5–4, on a solo
home run in the top of the 11th inning from Alou, installed as the
designated hitter. The team that would win the most games between the two in a season would be awarded the Silver Boot. On June 10,
Orlando Merced stroked a
pinch-hit, two-out, three-run home run in the top of the ninth to give the Astros the lead and eventual 6–5 win, which also decided into the Astros winning their first series against the Rangers. Berkman had four hits and drove in six to key an 8–3 Astros triumph. It was Berkman's third four-hit game of the season, and established a career high in RBI. Starting June 17, Berkman put together a 21-game hitting streak that would end just after the All-Star break on July 12. He collected 41 hits for a rate of nearly two per game for a dividend batting average of .482. Combined with his uncanny patience and prodigious strength, Berkman's
on-base percentage swelled to .541 while his
slugging percentage jumped to .941, slamming nine home runs, 10 doubles, and a
triple. Moreover, four home runs landed in each of four consecutive contests from June 25–29, just one short of the then-club record amassed by
Cliff Johnson As of June 17, the Astros toiled around the .500 mark with a 33–33 record; however, they went on to finish off the season at a 59-36 (.621) pace. The league later announced that Houston would be awarded the site of the
2004 All-Star Game. Bagwell and
Lance Berkman had 4 RBI apiece on June 18 to lead a 13–5 win over the
Colorado Rockies, although the Rockies outhit the Astros, 14–12. The Astros launched five home runs on June 21 against the
Cincinnati Reds, but still lost in 11 innings, 8–7.
Craig Biggio, Bagwell, Hidalgo and Berkman (twice) all connected for Houston. The Reds hit four home runs. The following game, Alou commenced a 23-game
hitting streak and had 2 RBI, though Houston dropped a second-consecutive
extra innings contest to Cincinnati, 7–5.
July For the second time in his career, Bagwell amassed seven
runs batted in (RBI) in a game – the second time he tied the club record – against the
Kansas City Royals on July 7.
Jeff Bagwell's cycle While hosting the
St. Louis Cardinals at Enron Field on July 18, Bagwell
hit for the cycle. He went 4-for-5 with a BB and five RBI as the Astros won, 17–11. In the second-highest scoring game in the stadium's history, he collected each of the four hits off a different pitcher, including two in the same inning: a single in the first off
Mike Matthews, double in the fifth off
Luther Hackman, homer in the fifth off
Gene Stechschulte and a triple in the seventh off
Andy Benes. It was the Astros' first cycle since former teammate
Andújar Cedeño at The
Astrodome on August 25,
1992, and Biggio hit the next on April 8,
2002. With 11
extra-base hits, the Astros tied the franchise record set the year prior in a game against the
Cubs. The two clubs combined for 14 runs in the fifth inning: St. Louis scored six to erase a 6–2 deficit, and in the bottom of the inning, Houston tallied eight to take the lead for good. Meanwhile, Alou also homered among three hits to extend the 23rd consecutive and final game of his hitting streak,
Rest of July With an opportunity to extend his hitting streak on the line on July 19, Alou fouled off three pitches during his final at bat in the ninth inning before drawing a walk to close out an 0-for-3 performance, falling one short of the club record. During the streak, Alou stroked 34 hits over 82 at-bats (.415 average). Also, he cranked six homers, six doubles, piling on a staggering 22 RBI, with a stout .707
slugging percentage, and .489
on-base percentage (OBP)l. On July 28,
Vinny Castilla blasted the eighth three-home run game in club history, while becoming the fifth Houston Astro to do so. Castilla totaled five RBI on the day, during what was the first bout of the first-ever home day-night
doubleheader in
Pittsburgh Pirates' club history, the premier campaign at
PNC Park, which drew 32,977
patrons. Castilla's massive bout would be upstaged by one
Brian Giles, including a fourth inning catch over the left field wall that denied Castilla another home run. Castilla's third home run during the eighth inning led to the Astros scoring twice, and twice more in the ninth, mounting an 8–2 lead. However, the Pirates scored seven times in the bottom of the ninth, capped by Giles'
walk-off grand slam off All-Star closer
Billy Wagner that assured an 9–8 triumph for the Pirates. Bagwell was named NL
Player of the Month for July after batting .333 with nine HR, breaking his own club record with 36 RBI in a month, exceeding 34 RBI in August 2000.
August While hitting his 32nd HR on August 19, 2001, against
Pittsburgh, Bagwell collected his 100th RBI. It was the sixth consecutive season he reached at least 30 HR and 100 RBI, making him the eighth player in MLB history to achieve such a streak, and the only Houston player to do so. Five days later, also against Pittsburgh, he scored his 100th run, joining
Jimmie Foxx,
Lou Gehrig, and
Babe Ruth as the only players in MLB history with six consecutive seasons of 30 homers, 100 RBI and 100 runs scored. On September 30 at Chicago, Bagwell walked for his 100th of the season, thus making him the only player in MLB history register six consecutive seasons of at least 30 HR, 100 RBI, 100 runs scored, and 100 walks. Oswalt was recognized as the NL
Rookie of the Month for August, the first Astro to win this award. Over six outings, all starts, Oswalt was 4–0 with a 1.99
earned run average and two
complete games. He worked innings, surrendered 31 hits, four home runs and five bases on balls, while whiffing 46. He also carried ratios of 0.794
walks plus hits per inning pitched (WHIP) and 9.20
strikeouts to walks (K/BB)
September—October Oswalt earned his first major league
shutout on September 9, tossing it at home against the
Milwuakee Brewers and striking out a career-high 12. Having lost seven of their previous eight, on October 7, the Astros commenced the final day of the regular season just one win away from clinching their fourth NL Central division title in five years. Jeff Bagwell and Richard Hidalgo homered as Houston battered former teammate for
Darryl Kile for 10 hits and 7 runs over innings. Meanwhile, Houston starter
Shane Reynolds stymied the Cardinals for just one run over innings as the Astros triumphed, 9–2. The win evened Houston and St. Louis with identical 93–69 records for best in the National League; however, the Astros became the division champions by winning the season series, 9–7, from St. Louis. Reynolds, who picked up his 14th victory of the season, also won the 100th of his career to lead Houston's clinching of the title, and became the first Astro to achieve this milestone since
Mike Scott in
1989.
Performance overview The Astros received recognition as Organization of the Year by each of SportsTicker,
Topps,
Baseball America, and
Baseball Weekly. for the second time in club history, and first time since
1980, also with 93 wins. Houston claimed their fourth NL Central division title, of a possible seven since the inception of the division in
1994. and doubles (55), while becoming the 16th major leaguer to swat 55 doubles in one season. He led the major leagues in doubles, becoming the fifth Astro to headline the National League, and eighth instance overall. Astros antedating Berkman included
Rusty Staub (
1967),
César Cedeño (twice,
1971 and
1972), fellow "
Killer B's"
Craig Biggio (thrice,
1994,
1998, and
1999) and
Jeff Bagwell (
1996). Berkman's effort was second in club history to Biggio's 56 in 1999, who preceded Berkman as the 13th player to pound at least 55 doubles. Oswalt, who pitched 28 games including 20 starts in total as a first-year major leaguer, turned in a 2.73
earned run average (ERA). With a stellar 14–3
win–loss record, this set the franchise record for wins by a rookie pitcher. Hence, Oswalt was recognized with
The Sporting News NL Rookie Pitcher of the Year Award, the third Astros rookie pitcher named accordingly, succeeding
Tom Griffin in
1969 and
Al Osuna in
1991, and was the seventh Astros rookie overall.
Standings Record vs. opponents Transactions • June 5, 2001:
Kirk Saarloos was drafted by the Houston Astros in the 3rd round of the 2001 amateur draft. Player signed June 24, 2001. • July 9, 2001:
Charlie Hayes was released by the Houston Astros.
Roster ==Player stats==