Astros: Inconsistent closers since Pujols home run

The Astros have mostly lacked a dominant closer since that fateful night in 2005.

There are certain moments in sports that get burned into your memory. They don’t come around very often, but they stick with you forever. The common thread is they usually affect your soul; they either lift it up in joy or crush it in defeat. Astros fans are no stranger to this.

It was October 17, 2005 when one such moment occurred. The Astros were playing Game Five of the NLCS at Minute Maid Park against the Cardinals, holding a 3-1 lead in the series and looking to advance to the first World Series in franchise history. But it was not to be on this night.

With the Astros leading 4-2 in the ninth inning,…