--2B Kaz Matsui, who has battled injuries the last two seasons with the Astros, was out of the lineup as part of manager Cecil Cooper's plan to keep his second baseman healthy. Matsui missed almost a week with back problems earlier this season after spending three stints on the disabled list last year.
--INF Jason Smith is 0-for-21, joining Milwaukee's Brad Nelson as the only players in the majors without a hit after at least 15 at-bats this season. Manager Cecil Cooper said that Smith's .355 batting average this spring was appealing, but Smith made the team because of his defensive track record. "He hasn't gotten any base hits, but he's hit some balls hard in the games that he did start in," Cooper said of Smith. "Defensively, circumstances and situations just haven't developed for him to get in there (at short)."
--RHP Roy Oswalt was praised by manager Cecil Cooper for volunteering Sunday afternoon to pitch out of the bullpen a day after the ace he had been limited to one inning because of a long rain delay. The Astros had used five relievers Saturday to pick up the final eight innings after Oswalt was pulled. Cooper used another six relievers Sunday, when Tim Byrdak and Chris Sampson were unavailable.
BY THE NUMBERS: 9 -- Assists for Astros outfielders, tops in the major leagues through May 3. Houston had four from LF Carlos Lee, three from RF Hunter Pence and two from Bourn.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "There's no formula and there's nothing you can do. All you can do is show up and work on the things that you feel like you're doing wrong and watch video, take extra batting practice. Then you show up and you just try to battle and do something positive every day to try to help the team win." -- 1B Lance Berkman, on his attempts to shake a slump.
