Astros summary
Pettitte delays start
Andy Pettitte, who hasn't pitched since leaving his previous start July 26 after five innings with a sore left elbow, is scheduled to start Saturday against the Expos at Minute Maid Park.
Phil Garner had left open the possibility of starting Pettitte on Thursday, but Darren Oliver will make that start. Tim Redding, who has been demoted to the bullpen, will serve as a backup if Pettitte cannot start Saturday.
Pettitte threw long toss for about 20 minutes Tuesday afternoon and threw a few breaking pitches to test his elbow.
"I really didn't know if I could thrust it really hard today like I needed to do and make it to Thursday," Pettitte said. "I'll still have a few days until Saturday."
Garner had left the decision to start Thursday or Saturday up to Pettitte.
"I told him we had some leeway," Garner said of Pettitte. "If he didn't feel exactly 100 percent today, then we had some leeway with the rotation, and we could do something on Saturday and we could flip it."
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/sports/bb/2717936