<prompt> Bhala okuqhubekayo kwalesi sigaba - Ngemva kwezinkathi ezimbili eziphumelelayo ngaphandle kokubonakala kwe-playoff, i-Astros yayiyizintandokazi zokuqala zokunqoba i-NL pennant ka-2004. Bangezelela i-pitcher eyinkanyezi u-Andy Pettitte ohlwini olwase luvele luhlanganisa abadlali abavelele abanjengoLance Berkman noJeff Kent kanye nama-veteran uBagwell noBiggio. URoger Clemens, owayethathe umhlalaphansi ngemuva kwesizini neNew York Yankees, wavuma ukujoyina owayengumlingani wakhe weqembu uPettitte kuma-Astros ngo-2004. Isivumelwano sonyaka owodwa sasihlanganisa izimo eziyingqayizivele, njengenketho yokuthi uClemens ahlale ekhaya eHouston ohambweni oluthile lomgwaqo lapho engakahlelwanga ukuphonsa. Naphezu kokuqagela kokuqala ngempumelelo, i-Astros yayinomlando ophakathi nendawo wama-44 ku-44 ngesikhathi sekhefu le-All-Star. Ukuntuleka kokukhiqizwa kwe-run kanye nerekhodi elibi emidlalweni esondelene kwakuyizinkinga ezinkulu. Ngemuva kokukhwazwa emdlalweni we-All-Star owawubanjelwe eHouston ngo-2004, umphathi uJimy Williams waxoshwa futhi esikhundleni sakhe kwafakwa uPhil Garner, inkanyezi ye-Astros ka-1986 enqobe isigaba. Abakwa-Astros bajabulela irekhodi lama-46 ku-26 engxenyeni yesibili yesizini ngaphansi kukaGarner futhi bathola indawo ye-NL wild-card. I-Astros yahlula i-Braves ngo-3 kuya ku-2 ku-Division Series, kodwa yalahlekelwa yi-National League Championship Series  <response>: eSt. Louis Cardinals emidlalweni eyisikhombisa. UClemens wathola umklomelo wesikhombisa weCy Young Award ngo-2004. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ukwengezwa kukaCarlos Beltrán phakathi nesizini ngokushintshaniswa neKansas City Royals kwasiza kakhulu i-Astros emdlalweni wabo wokudlala. Naphezu kwamahemuhemu okuthengiselana maphakathi nesizini, uBeltrán wayezobonisa ukuthi uyithuluzi lamathemba eqembu, ukushaya ama-home run ayisishiyagalombili e-postseason. Yize ayethe ufisa ukuhlala ne-Astros, uBeltrán wasayina inkontileka yesikhathi eside neNew York Mets ngoJanuwari 9, 2005. 