Pettitte Gets His First Win With Astros

PITTSBURGH â€”  Just as he has during nearly all of his 150 victories, Andy Pettitte stood at the clubhouse door and greeted his teammates as they left the field.

Only this was a first: Instead of shaking the hands of Bernie Williams and Derek Jeter, he was embracing Craig Biggio and Jeff Bagwell. His uniform didn’t have Yankee pinstripes, but the brick red of his hometown Astros.

Pettitte came off the disabled list to breeze effortlessly through the Pirate lineup, giving up one hit over six innings before his bullpen finished Houston’s 2-0 victory Thursday over Pittsburgh.

“It’s exciting to be able to get my first win as an Astro and, obviously, it’s a nice milestone to get No. 150 in my career,� Pettitte said. “It’s special, but I didn’t think it would take this long to get one.�

Pettitte (1-1) hadn’t pitched in 23 days because of a strained left elbow, yet looked just like the pitcher who won 21 games for New York last season and has averaged nearly 17 victories per season.

“That’s the Andy that everybody knows,� teammate Jose Vizcaino said.

The left-hander quickly settled into a rhythm, something he didn’t do in a 7-5 loss to the Giants on April 6 in his Astro debut. Raul Mondesi was the lone Pittsburgh player to reach base against him, drawing a walk in the first and hitting a ground-ball single up the middle in the third.

“You don’t win 20 games because you’re lucky,� said Mondesi, a teammate last season in New York. “He’s tough when he makes pitches like he does today.�

Pettitte showed no visible discomfort from the elbow problem. The Pirates had two fly-ball outs in the first five innings and advanced one runner as far as second against Pettitte.

“After missing as much time as I did, to go six innings was good,� Pettitte said.