PITTSBURGH -- The surprising Pittsburgh Pirates are getting serious about their playoff push, acquiring pricey lefty Wandy Rodriguez in a trade Tuesday night with the Houston Astros. Without even a winning record since their last trip to the post-season in 1992, the Pirates began the night just 1 1/2 games behind the Reds in the NL Central and in the thick of the wild-card race. They have been looking to bolster the back end of their solid rotation that is led by A.J. Burnett and James McDonald. Rodriguez provides Pittsburgh with another arm. The Pirates will get up to $17.7 million in the deal to offset what could amount to over $30 million in salary for Rodriguez. They are sending Triple-A All-Star Rudy Owen and Colton Cain, both left-handers, and outfielder Robbie Grossman to Houston. "We talked since Day One of the trading season about wanting to improve our club either via pitching or via hitting," Pirates general manager Neal Huntington said. "The pitching market turned out to be more flexible than the hitting market and we decided this was the right move for us." The only player on the Astros roster remaining from their 2005 trip to the World Series, Rodriguez has been a steady presence on a rebuilding ballclub that has the worst record in the majors this year and lost 106 games last season. He made his way through Houstons dugout during the fifth inning of Tuesday nights game against the Cincinnati Reds, shaking hands and hugging his teammates. He looked sombre and his eyes were red-rimmed as he said his goodbyes. Signed by the Astros in 1999, he is 80-84 with a 4.04 ERA in eight seasons. Rodriguez is 7-9 with a 3.79 ERA this year. Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle believes Rodriguez will be helped by a change of scenery. "Im sure a change of clubhouses for him, a change of the dynamic of being in a situation (a pennant race) he hasnt been in for three or four years should be helpful," Hurdle said. "Ive prepared for him for many years as a manager and as a coach. He has also been a tough pitcher to hit, a tough pitcher to beat. Im very happy that were adding him to our rotation." The Astros rewarded Rodriguez with a three-year, $34 million contract before the 2011 season. And Houston will pay $1.7 million of the approximately $3.4 million on left on Rodriguezs contract this year. The Astros are also scheduled to pay $8.5 million of his $13 million salary next season. A $14 million team option for 2014 became a player option with the trade, and Houston would be responsible for $7.5 million should Rodriguez choose to exercise the option. The 33-year-old Rodriguezs salary is a big addition for the team with the 26th lowest payroll in baseball at the start of 2012 at $63,432,000. Owens is 8-5 with a 3.14 ERA in 19 starts for Triple-A Indianapolis. He has 85 strikeouts and only 25 walks in 117 1-3 innings. Owens, a 28th round selection in the 2006 draft, will be placed on the Astros 40-man roster., The 22-year-old Grossman was hitting .262 with 20 doubles, seven home runs and 35 RBIs in 94 games for Double-A Altoona. Baseball America ranked him as the Pirates eighth best prospect. He was a sixth-round pick in 2008 out of Cy-Fair High School in Houston. Cain, 21, is 3-5 with a 4.20 ERA in 16 starts for Class-A Bradenton. An eighth-round pick in 2009, Cain is a graduate of Waxahachie High School in Texas. Cheap Jerseys from china . -- Ryan Grant isnt bitter. Wholesale Jerseys . The Winnipeg Jets forward has signed an agreement with Dinamo Minsk during the NHL lockout and will depart for Belarus on Saturday, according to agent Craig Oster of Newport Sports. http://www.jerseystt.com/ . Hamilton set a lap of 1 minute, 12.458 seconds with his McLaren at Interlagos, just .055 in front of teammate Jenson Button. Vettels Red Bull teammate Mark Webber will start third after a lap of 1:12.581, with Vettel behind him following a run of 1:12. Cheap Jerseys . The McMaster Marauders hulking offensive lineman isnt superstitious or especially finicky about his footwear. Its just with size 17 feet, finding shoes that fit is a constant challenge. Wholesale NFL Jerseys . It was the first time since 2009 that Nestor has failed to reach the semifinals at the eight-team, year-end event. "Its definitely frustrating,, but it was not from a lack of effort," said Nestor. "We tried everything we had and left it all out there.STORRS, Conn. -- The NCAA says that Connecticuts basketball program -- already banned from the post-season for failing to meet other academic standards -- has a graduation rate of just 11 per cent. The one-year measurement, released Thursday for freshman who enrolled in 2005-06, was far below the national average of 74 per cent for mens basketball. 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