While other NL contenders beefed up for the playoffs, the Atlanta Braves seemed to keep missing out on players who could’ve boosted their hopes. Turns out, they landed the guy they wanted all along. Atlanta acquired speedy outfielder Michael Bourn from the Houston Astros on Sunday in a five-player deal, giving the Braves their first true leadoff hitter in at least six years.

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The Houston Astros recognize that rebuilding may take some time with the departure of Hunter Pence. Manager Brad Mills wants his staff to focus on daily improvement for now. Pinch-hitter J.D. Martinez doubled in a run in his first major league at-bat in the eighth and J.A. Happ pitched better than he had in the last two months in the Astros’ 6-2 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday.

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Hunter Pence got misty-eyed while saying goodbye to his teammates in the Houston Astros’ dugout. Those may be tears of joy in October. Pence went from last place to a pennant race, joining the Philadelphia Phillies and ending their season-long search for a right-handed hitting outfielder. “I think every competitor at the highest level wants to be in a pennant race, wants to be in a World…

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Hunter Pence was traded midway through the game, and the Houston Astros couldn’t score with him — or without him — against Milwaukee’s Randy Wolf. Pence went 0 for 1 with a walk before being removed in the fifth inning, and Wolf pitched seven scoreless innings, giving the Brewers a 4-0 victory Friday night for their fourth consecutive victory.

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It appeared that the Philadelphia Phillies were done haggling for Hunter Pence of the Houston Astros after the…

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The St. Louis Cardinals suffered a 5-3 loss to the Houston Astros on Thursday night, but perhaps more important, they suffered some attrition. Catchers Gerald Laird and Tony Cruz both were knocked out of the game. Laird suffered a strained left ring finger.

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The Major League Baseball trade deadline is fast approaching, and plenty of big names already are on the move. Carlos Beltran is headed to San Francisco, bolstering the reigning world champions for another run at the title and Colby Rasmus is out of Tony La Russa’s dog house in St. Louis and on his way to Toronto.

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Jose Altuve tied a Houston Astros record by hitting safely in his first seven games. It took a little while to get his first RBI, but it was huge. The 21-year-old rookie drove in the go-ahead run in the ninth inning with his third hit as the Astros snapped a five-game losing streak with a 4-2 victory over the St.

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Albert Pujols has really gotten the St. Louis Cardinals off to quick starts lately. The slugger homered in the first inning for the third time in the last six games and starter Jake Westbrook made it hold up with six innings of one-run ball as the Cardinals defeated the slumping Houston Astros 3-1 on Tuesday night.

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Winning a game for the Houston Astros is not easy these days. Just ask Houston starter Brett Myers. Myers pitched his second straight quality start Tuesday in St. Louis, holding the Cardinals to three runs in eight innings of work. But his teammates only managed to score once, and all Myers (3-11) had to show for his effort was another loss as the Astros fell by a 3-1 count.

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