HOUSTON -- Carlos Lee initially was not aware of the wide-spread interest among his fellow Major Leaguers to wear Jackie Robinson's No. 42 on April 15, but he jumped at the opportunity to don the special number on his back when approached by general manager Tim Purpura and club owner Drayton McLane.

"They asked me if I wanted to represent the Houston Astros by wearing No. 42," Lee said. "I told them it's a heavy number to wear. I'll wear it and try to do my best. My number 45 is just a number. But 42 is a heavy number to wear on anybody's back."

Robinson's No. 42 was retired by Major League Baseball in 1997, the 50th anniversary of Robinson's historic entry into the league as baseball's first African-American player. Other than those players who already wore No. 42 and therefore were allowed to continue to wear it, the Commissioner's Office mandated that no player ever wear the jersey number again.

But Ken Griffey Jr. lobbied Commissioner Bud Selig to wear No. 42 on April 15 this year -- the 60th anniversary of that historic day. Selig liked the idea so much that he extended the offer to all Major League players.

"I'm happy to do it," Lee said. "[Robinson] was one of the best players in baseball."

Robinson debuted with the Brooklyn Dodgers on April 15, 1947.

Scott returns: Manager Phil Garner didn't check with Luke Scott before inserting him in the lineup on Friday, even though the right fielder missed two of the first three games with a hyperextended elbow.

"I just put him in," Garner said. "I didn't check in with him. I just put him in the lineup. If he can't play, he'll let me know."

No need. Scott arrived to the clubhouse confident he was past the discomfort that likely stemmed from a headfirst slide into second on Opening Day.

"I told Phil on Wednesday, 'I'll be ready to play. Whatever you need me to do,'" Scott said. "I threw on Wednesday. I was able to throw, which was a good sign. I said, 'Count me in. I'm ready to go.'"

Outta this world: Prior to Friday's game, several Astros were given a rare opportunity to chat with astronauts from the International Space Station, which is currently traveling somewhere over the South Pacific.

Through an Internet video conference, the Astros were able to chat with Commander Michael Lopez-Alegria. The group included Purpura, Garner, Craig Biggio and son Conor, traveling secretary Barry Waters and son Colin, Chad Qualls and Brad Ausmus.

"It was certainly something not a lot of people have an opportunity to do," Ausmus said. "I jumped at it."

The astronauts had a handful baseball questions for the Astros, the Astros had a few spacey questions of their own.

"We asked if you can see the space station from earth," Ausmus said. "My daughter and I saw something this winter that couldn't have been a meteorite or a plane. He said 'Yes, it's the second brightest thing in the sky.'"

Added Garner: "It was enjoyable that the Commander Mike Alegria would take that much time to chat with all of us. They're busy, and I'm sure they're restricted on who they can talk to. It was a honorable occasion."

Odds and ends:Mike Lamb started at third base on Friday, hitting second. "Don't read anything into this," Garner said. "I would like to give them all a start before we get through the first week. I'd like to get [Mark] Loretta a start in there, too. I'm just trying to find a spot to get them all in so they can have more than one at-bat." ... The Astros will soon begin a stretch with 14 of 16 games on the road. Following the current series with the Cardinals, the Astros leave for a six-game road trip that includes a three-game set at Chicago and Philadelphia. Following a brief two-game home set with Florida, the Astros are back on the road for an eight-game trip that included stops in Cincinnati, Milwaukee and Pittsburgh.

Coming up: The Astros and Cardinals continue their three-game set at 6:05 p.m. CT on Saturday at Minute Maid Park. Right-hander Roy Oswalt (0-0, 1.17) will face St. Louis righty Anthony Reyes.