Most Houston Astros fans gave up in July. Remember that month? It was long, very, very long…and included only 3 wins in 27 games. That month seems to be so long ago now that September is big hits and big wins month.

So far in September, the Astros are playing .500 ball.

They’re still sitting with 106 losses, tied with last year’s final total, but the last two games are against the Cubs, so anything really is possible. And since the Astros have pulled off back to back shut out wins….on the road? Now we know miracles can happen.

Speaking of this final series against the Cubs, tomorrow night will mark the first time since 1962 that two teams with 100 losses or more will meet to play a game of baseball. The last time it happened, the Cubs were involved as well – versus the Mets.

So tonight Lucas Harrell took his record to 11-11 for his rookie season. Not a shabby showing for a guy who got next to no run support early on, but managed to continue to be impressive from the mound. Wesley Wright earned his first save of the season, and Fernando Martinez stunned with this 3rd home run in as many games. These are NOT your July Astros.

These Astros are making the final days of National League baseball really fun to watch. Tune in tomorrow night and Wednesday afternoon and let’s see what they do to wrap it all up.

Terri Schlather (AGirlintheSouth) is the tortured Senior Houston Astros Writer for Aerys Sports. You can email her at agirlinthesouth@gmail.com, or follow her ridiculous ramblings on sports, vodka and the weeone on twitter @agirlinthesouth.

A baseball game is simply a nervous breakdown divided into nine innings.
~Earl Wilson

This season the nervous breakdowns came early. Fans gave up quickly. Astros games are watched without a lot of hope or expectation. The race to 100 losses has been looked at as a given for this team this year. But I’ve got to wonder, is 100 losses a ‘when’? Or is it still an ‘if’?

Thanks to a series win agains the Chicago Cubs, the Astros record is now 40-84. They’ve played 124 of their 162 games. That leaves 38 games remaining. I say that means that 100 losses is still an ‘if’. I’m not crazy, I know it’s still a high probability, but I just wanted to point out that if, by the grace of God, the Astros managed to go 25-13 for their last 38 games, they’d be spared the 100 loss distinction. In their last 38 games they were 11-27, so they’d have to win 14 more games than they did in the past 38. Yep, that’s a lot.

Although I like the “new” Astros and I think it’s exciting to watch them play, win or lose, just because they’re young and thrilled to be there (have you seen how Shuck runs all out all the way to first even when he knows it’s going to be an out?), even I recognize that the ‘if’ is still a technical possibility, but with this season’s Astros it is really a ‘when’. But it’s something to think about, the fact that it’s not a given as of yet.

Terri Schlather (AGirlintheSouth) is the Senior Houston Astros Writer for Aerys Sports. You can read her Astros blog at www.talesfromthejuicebox.com, email her at agirlinthesouth@gmail.com, or follow her on twitter @agirlinthesouth.