Rally for Astros as team slides into postseason

HOUSTON (FOX 26) - It's time to play ball in the fall in Houston!

The City of Houston and the Houston Astros hosted a pep rally on the steps of Houston City Hall ahead of the American League Division Series where the Astros will face the Boston Red Sox.

"We are Houston proud and we are Houston strong," said Mayor Sylvester Turner during the rally on Wednesday.

Between 50-to-100 people arrived to the rally where Astros owner Jim Crane, pitcher Joe Musgrove, outfielder Derek Fisher and mascot Orbit were on hand.

"It's incredible," said Astros pitcher Joe Musgrove. "This is why you play. It's not often that you get to land on a team like this and play championship caliber with all the young talent and veterans that we have." 

The October journey toward the World Series will begin on Thursday. The rough road to the playoffs not marked by a poor record, but by disasters affecting the Houston area and the Astros players both on and off the field.

"Throughout the season these things happen in Houston and we get hit with something so tragic that baseball seems so secondary, but then you see how the team rallies around us and it gives you that much more motivation to go out there and win it for them," said Musgrove.

"As you can see on their jersey, they've got a little badge -- Houston strong," said Astros owner Jim Crane to an enthusiastic crowd at Hermann Square. "They don't forget that."

Also fresh on the minds of players and attendees at the rally was the devastating effects of Hurricane Maria on Puerto Rico.

"Puerto Rico is very involved in baseball and we have teammates in our locker room that have grown up that also have families there," said outfielder Derek Fisher.

Mayor Turner said two supply planes from the Astros have already been sent to Puerto Rico with the City of Houston sending a third on Thursday.

"One thing about our city, while we take care of our needs, we can still share with somebody else all at the same time," said Mayor Turner.