Fare Thee Well: July

Astros go 15-12, start July with a 4.5 game deficit, shave it to 1GB, and then slip back to 4.5GB.

July 1
Astros def San Diego 4-1, 4.5GB
Claim German Duran from Texas
Brendan Donnelly files for free agency

July 2
Def San Diego 7-2, 3.5GB
Sign international player Jonathan Mejia
Polin Trinidad promoted to Corpus
Sign pitcher Charlie Weatherby III

July 3
Lose to San Fran 13-0, 4.5GB
Sign international player Kilby Pena
Sign pitcher Kenny Baugh

July 4
Lose to San Fran 9-0, 4.5GB

July 5
Def San Fran 7-1, 4.5GB
Miguel Tejada and Hunter Pence selected to NL All-Star Team

July 6
Def Pittsburgh 4-1, 4GB

July 7
Lose to Pittsburgh 6-3, 5GB
Sign pitcher Garrett Bullock
Felipe Paulino demoted to bullpen, six-man rotation experiment ends

July 8
Def Pittsburgh 5-0, 4GB
Ronald Ramirez promoted to Lancaster

July 9
Def Washington 9-4, 4GB
Astros in 4th place for first time since April 8
Jason Castro and Jordan Lyles named to Baseball Prospectus' Top 25 midseason prospects
Alyson Footer wins Astros County's "Best Mainstream Astro Journalist" poll
David Duncan called up to Lexington from Tri-City

July 10
Lose completion of suspended game w Washington 11-10
Def Washington 6-5, 4GB
Russ Ortiz blasts Cecil Cooper
Scott Migl called up to Lexington from Tri-City
Eli Iorg sent to Tri-City for rehab assignment
Astros claim Chris Coste off waivers from Philadelphia

July 11
Lose to Washington 13-2, 4GB
Matt Kata assigned to Round Rock, clearing room for Coste

July 12
Def Washington 5-0, 3.5GB
Paulino sent down to Round Rock, Wright called up
J.D. Martinez called up to Tri-City
Jason Castro hits 3-run homer in Futures Game, C-Lo gets the win

July 13
Michael Bourn named Astros County's Unanimous Mid-Season MVP

July 14
AL wins All-Star Game, Pence doesn't get an AB
Phil Rogers of Chicago Tribune speculates Manny Acta could join Astros as bench coach

July 15
Astros County interviews SportsCenter anchor/Astros fan Robert Flores

July 16
Def Dodgers 3-0, 3GB
Berkman celebrates 10th anniversary of MLB debut, leaves in 8th inning with jacked up calf

July 17
Def Dodgers 8-1, 3GB
Comes to light that Towles broke his nose in a "tractor mishap"
Aaron Boone announces comeback bid

July 18
Lose to Dodgers 5-2, 3GB
Coste starts at 1B for Berkman

July 19
Lose to Dodgers 4-3, 4GB
Former 1st round pick Eli Iorg cut

July 20
Def St Louis 3-2, 3GB
Erstad to DL

July 21
Def St Louis 11-6, 2GB
Pudge changes number to 77
Jeremy Johnson released by Round Rock

July 22
Def St Louis 4-3, 1GB
Chris Carpenter and Roy Oswalt face each other. ESPN shows Texas-Boston.

July 23
Cardinals trade for Julio Lugo
Lance placed on DL

July 24
Def Mets 5-4, 1.5GB
Cardinals trade for Matt Holliday
Minor-leaguer Felix Ramirez tests positive for PEDs, suspended 50 games

July 25
Lose to Mets 10-3, 1.5GB
Sign pitcher Tom Fairchild

July 26
Lose to Mets 8-3, 2GB
Sampson comes off DL, Paronto sent down
LaHawk gets MRI on back

July 27
Lose to Cubs 5-1, 3GB
Adopt-a-Player poll announced
LaHawk tossed
LaHawk's MRI negative
LaHawk questions umpire Mark Everitt's integrity

July 28
Def Cubs 11-6, 2.5GB
Roy leaves in 2nd with back injury
Wesley Wright throws 53 pitches, sent to hospital
Bud Norris rumored to be promoted

July 29
Lose to Cubs 12-0, 3.5GB
Norris makes MLB debut

July 30
Lose to Cubs 12-3, 4GB
Russ Ortiz released

July 31
Lose to St Louis 4-3, 4.5GB
Aaron Bray wins 1st Annual Adopt-a-Player election
Oswalt rumored to DL, Norris gets Sunday start