Astros win their home opener
Astros daily report: Astros 3, A's 2
Apr 5, 2019, 10:14 pm
Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images
The Astros played their first game in front of the home crowd at Minute Maid Park on Friday night against the A's. Here's a quick recap:
Final Score: Astros 3, A's 2.
Record: 3-5, fourth in the AL West.
Winning pitcher: Collin McHugh (1-1).
Losing pitcher: Frankie Montas (1-1).
Star of the game: Carlos Correa has been very strong to start his season, and showed more of that strength tonight with a few great plays on defense then arguably the biggest hit of the night, the solo home run in the bottom of the fourth which gave Houston the lead they never relinquished.
Notes: After going scoreless the first two innings, the A's looked to strike first, getting a leadoff double in the top of the third before eventually loading the bases with two outs, but McHugh got a big strikeout of Khris Davis to end the threat. The Astros would take advantage, getting an RBI-single from Alex Bregman in the bottom of the inning to make it 1-0. A leadoff walk in the top of the fourth would bite McHugh after the runner advanced to third on a couple of groundouts then scoring on a two-out single to tie the game 1-1. Carlos Correa gave the Astros the lead right back in the bottom of the inning, though, with a solo home run to make it 2-1. Houston would load the bases in the same inning but left all three runners stranded. McHugh would hold on to the one-run lead, getting through six innings before Houston went to their bullpen in the top of the seventh to bring out Hector Rondón who threw a scoreless frame. The Astros extended their lead to 3-1 in the bottom of the seventh on an RBI-double from Jose Altuve, then Ryan Pressly held things with a scoreless eighth. Roberto Osuna, despite giving up a run to get the A's within a run, would get the save.
Up next: This series against Oakland will continue tomorrow night with first pitch at 6:10 PM. Wade Miley will get his second start for Houston while Aaron Brooks will be on the mound for the A's. Houston would take their first series of the year with a win.
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The Houston Astros wrapped up yet another series win this week, this time taking two of three from the struggling Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Despite missing several key players and a bullpen that wasn’t fully available, the Astros continued their recent run of success, pushing their record to 52-35.
Manager Joe Espada appeared to be playing the long game in the rubber match on Thursday. After Houston rallied to tie the game in the seventh inning, Espada stuck with reliever Jordan Weems instead of turning to his high-leverage arms. That decision, while frustrating to some fans hoping for the sweep, underscored the team’s cautious approach to workload management as they navigate a long season.
One bright spot continues to be rookie Cam Smith, who delivered again in the clutch with a two-run triple in the seventh inning on Thursday. Smith has been Houston’s most dependable bat with runners on base and is quickly settling into the cleanup role—a rarity for a first-year player but one he’s earned with his poise and production.
Astros cleanup hitter RBIs this season:
Cam Smith: 10 RBIs in 7 games
All others: 28 RBIs in 80 games
— Matt Kawahara (@matthewkawahara) July 3, 2025
Off the field, the biggest storyline continues to be Yordan Alvarez’s injury. After reports surfaced that the slugger had experienced a setback in his return from a fractured hand, the team clarified that the issue is inflammation, not the fracture itself. Astros general manager Dana Brown said Alvarez received injections to address the irritation and is expected to rest for now. Encouragingly, the Astros say the fracture is no longer a concern, and while there’s still no definitive timeline for his return, the overall tone from the club was optimistic.
The transparency around Alvarez’s situation is part of a larger shift. After being criticized in recent seasons for vague injury updates, the Astros have begun issuing daily availability reports. It’s a move that signals the front office is trying to regain some trust with the media and fans after a stretch of frustrating ambiguity around player health.
Now, the Astros head to Los Angeles for a marquee matchup with the defending champion Dodgers. Friday’s opener will feature Lance McCullers Jr. making just his second start since returning from the injured list. McCullers gave up eight runs in his return against the Cubs and will be under the spotlight as he looks to settle back into form. Control will be the key, as walks have long been McCullers’ Achilles’ heel.
Saturday sets the stage for one of the most anticipated pitching matchups of the season: Framber Valdez versus Shohei Ohtani. With both teams fighting for positioning in their respective divisions, this weekend in LA should serve as a measuring stick—and perhaps a postseason preview.
There's so much more to get to! Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
The MLB season is finally upon us! Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday.
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