Astros top pitching prospect Jarred Cosart was promoted from Class AA to Class AAA Oklahoma City, making the League City native one of the Pacific Coast League’s youngest players, three weeks short of his 22nd birthday.

Cosart, a Clear Creek High School alumnus acquired in the Hunter Pence trade, has made only four starts for Corpus Christi this year on either end of a blister issue. He has a 2.84 ERA with 13 walks and 18 strikeouts in 19 innings for the Hooks on either side of a blister problem that kept him out for two starts.

The RedHawks’ rotation will be down a man when a starter is promoted to Houston for Tuesday’s start to replace Kyle Weiland, who had surgery for an infection in his right shoulder.

Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow said that Weiland is on an antibiotics regimen that he believes will be a matter of “weeks” rather than days.

“During that time, it’s not clear how much activity he’s going to be able to do,” Luhnow said. “His shoulder is structurally sound; there’s no damage there. So it’s just a matter of going through the antibiotic course and getting him back to action.”

Berkman likely to miss series



Cardinals patient first baseman Lance Berkman likely will miss the three-game series against his former team because of a calf strain. He was eligible to come off the disabled list Friday.

Manager Mike Matheny told the St. Louis media that Berkman’s exercise session before Friday’s game to test the calf did not go well, likely keeping him on the shelf for his fourth trip back to Minute Maid Park since the Astros traded him. He torched the Astros with five home runs here last year and said he still feels good coming to what he considers the hometown ballpark.

“It’s definitely special,” Berkman said. “Every time I walk into this building, I can’t help but think of all kinds of good things that have happened here on both sides now.”

Berkman stuck up for the pocket of Houston fans angry about the Astros’ shift to the American League, likening the move as a condition of Jim Crane’s purchase to extortion on behalf of commissioner Bud Selig. Berkman called Selig shortly after to apologize and back off the strong language but says he still holds the views.

“Fans will adjust, obviously the organization will adjust and move on, but it’s not something I’m happy about still,” Berkman said.

“It’s hard for me to conceive of the Astros as an American League team.”

Cancer fight hits close to home

Sara Lyon, wife of Astros reliever Brandon Lyon, spoke on a panel among other roles at the Astros’ annual Pink in the Park luncheon, which raised more than $145,000 for the Methodist Cancer Center.

Sara Lyon’s mother is a breast-cancer survivor, and Lyons’ 5-year-old niece has dealt with pediatric cancer, and she spoke about the importance of family in the fight against the disease.

“Any type of cancer really hits home for me, but seeing what my mom went through really made me want to get involved,” Sara Lyon said.

About 350 people attended the event at Minute Maid Park, which raised money through an auction, sponsorships and donations.

Odds and ends

Jordan Schafer returned to the Astros’ lineup after missing Tuesday’s game and leaving Wednesday’s game early because of a flare-up of a stiff back. … Rusty Staub, who played for the Colt .45s and Astros from 1963-68, threw out the first pitch as part of the Flashback Fridays series, and the Astros wore their shooting-star (1965-74) throwback uniforms.