Houston Astros announce new name for Minute Maid Park

A NEW ERA BEGINS

Houston Astros announce new name for Minute Maid Park
Minute Maid Park is getting a new name. Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images.

The Houston Astros' home will get a new name on Jan. 1, becoming Daikin Park under an agreement through the 2039 season the team announced Monday.

The stadium opened as Enron Field in 2000 as part of a 30-year, $100 million agreement but the name was removed in March 2002 following Enron Corp.'s bankruptcy filing and the ballpark briefly became Astros Field.

It was renamed Minute Maid Park in June 2002 as part of a deal with The Minute Maid Co., a Houston-based subsidiary of The Coca-Cola Co. Then-Astros owner Drayton McLane said at the time the agreement was for 28 years and for more than $100 million.

The new deal is with Daikin Comfort Technologies North America Inc., a subsidiary of Daikin Industries Ltd., which is based in Japan and is a leading air conditioning company.

Minute Maid will remain an Astros partner through 2029, the team said.

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The Astros beat the Guardians, 4-2. Photo by Jack Gorman/Getty Images.

Jeremy Peña had three hits to extend his hitting streak to 12 games, Colton Gordon got his first major league win and the Houston Astros defeated the Cleveland Guardians 4-2 on Friday night.

Christian Walker drove in a pair of runs in the fifth inning and Brendan Rodgers added a solo shot in the sixth as the Astros improved to 3-1 on their six-game road trip.

Gordon (1-1), who was making his fifth start, allowed one run on seven hits and struck out five. The left-hander was an eighth-round pick in the 2021 amateur draft.

Josh Hader recorded his 17th save, tied for second in the American League.

David Fry homered for the Guardians, who have dropped three of four. Carlos Santana had his 14-game hitting streak snapped.

It is the second hitting streak this season of at least 10 games for Peña. The shortstop is batting .449 (22 of 49) with three home runs and six RBIs during his current run.

Houston took the lead with three runs in the fifth off Cleveland starter Logan Allen (3-4). Peña scored from second on a deep infield single by Jose Altuve and Walker drove in a pair with a base hit to right.

Key moment

Cleveland had a chance to do some damage in the first inning, but Angel Martínez and José Ramírez were thrown out at second by Houston left fielder Mauricio Dubón when they tried to extend base hits into doubles.

Dubón joined Toronto's Addison Barger as outfielders with a pair of assists in one inning this season.

Key stat

Houston's struggles with the bases loaded continues. The Astros were 0 for 2 Friday night and are last in the majors with a .146 batting average.

Up next

Houston RHP Hunter Brown (8-3, 1.83 ERA) is tied for the AL lead in wins. Cleveland will go with RHP Gavin Williams (5-3, 3.79 ERA).

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