2012 - Timeline
from This Date in Astros History

Jun 13 - San Francisco's Matt Cain tosses a 10-0 perfect game which signals Houston's slide into a three-year abyss of 100-loss seasons. A credible 26-36 and 8-1/2 games out of the NL Central race, the Astros would tumble to a 29-81 record after this humiliating defeat.

Aug 18 - Brad Mills is fired after watching the core he agreed to manage sold off beneath him. In just under three years, he compiled a 171-274 (.384) record. Tony DeFrancesco was brought up from AAA to serve as interim manager. The change did not bring immediate results as Houston lost to Arizona, 12-4, and completed the month on a 1-13 run.

Nov 02 - It's back to the future as Astros reveal a return to the orange and navy blue colors of their earlier decades and a wardrobe look designed off their uniforms of the 1960s. The change is met with great approval.

Dec 17 - Astros sign Carlos Pena to be the team's first regular Designated Hitter, which the club will need with their move to the American League. Pena, the 2009 AL home run champ with Tampa Bay, bats .209 with eight homers before he was released.