Roy Oswalt’s family home hit by tornado

Houston Astros starting pitcher Roy Oswalt adjusts his cap during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Saturday, April 17, 2010, at Wrigley Field in Chicago. Oswalt picked up his first win of the season giving up five hits during seven scoreless innings in the Astros 4-3 win. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

AP

Roy Oswalt has left the Astros temporarily to assist his parents, who suffered damage to their home Saturday when a tornado raged through Weir, Mississippi.

Oswalt pitched on Friday, so he’s off for the early part of the upcoming week anyway. He should be back in time for his next scheduled start, Thursday against the Reds.

“He just wants to make sure everything is all right,” Astros GM Ed Wade told the Associated Press on Saturday. “I told him to do whatever he needed to do. They lived in the house for over 40 years. He’s got a ranch that’s about 30 minutes away (in Kosciusko) that his parents can stay at, but 40 years worth of keepsakes and things like that, I’m sure it’s really tough on his family.”

Let’s hope all is well for the Oswalts and the counties that surround their home. Roy, 32, is 2-2 this season with a 2.42 ERA and 1.00 WHIP through his first four starts.