Happy Birthday - 9/3

Happy Birthday to ~

C Brandon Benavente (17)
Signed by the Astros out of Venezuela during the July 2014 international signing period, Benavente has not yet made his professional debut.

Several former Astros celebrate the day as well ~

OF (and former Coach) Dave Clark (52)
Clark spent the majority of his playing days with Cleveland and Pittsburgh and played for Houston in 1998 at the end of his major league career. After his playing days, he went in to coaching. He managed the Corpus Christi Hooks from 2005 to 2007 and led them to win the Texas League Championship in 2006, managed the Round Round Express AAA affiliate for one year in 2008, and then served as the Astros third base coach from 2009 through 2012 and the first base coach in 2013. Clark served as interim manager of the Astros for 13 games in 2009 as well. Also on Clark's resume is the fact that he was a Golden Gloves boxer in high school, going 26-0. He is currently the third base coach of the Detroit Tigers.

LHP Troy Patton (29)
Drafted in the ninth round in 2004 by Houston, Patton only made three appearances for Houston in 2007 before being sent to the Orioles as part of the Miguel Tejada trade. In those three games (two starts), he was 0-2 with a 3.55 ERA and a 1.105 WHIP. He is currently in the San Diego Padres bullpen after having been traded to that team by Baltimore in May 2014.

LF Luis "Gonzo" Gonzalez (47)
Drafted in the fourth round in 1988 by Houston, Gonzo played for the Astros from 1990 to 1995 and again in 1997. In 745 games for Houston, he hit .266/.335/.417 with 153 doubles, 25 triples, 62 home runs and 63 stolen bases. Gonzo is best known, however, for his eight years in the Diamondbacks organization in which he compiled a .298/.391/.529 batting line, earned five All-Star nods and a Silver Slugger award. He played in unsuccessful NLDS for both the Astros (1997) and the Diamondbacks (1999) before taking it all in 2001 in the Diamondbacks World Series win over the Yankees.

UT Alan Bannister (63)
A first round pick by the Phillies in 1973, Bannister played in only nine games for Houston in 1984, hitting .200/.273/.300 before being traded to the Rangers. He spent the majority of his career with Cleveland and the White Sox.