MLB OPENING DAY
For openers, Astros knock off Rangers 4-1 to begin title defense
Mar 29, 2018, 5:59 pm
Justin Verlander was on his game in the opener in Arlington. Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images
A huge American flag in the outfield. Watching an amazing flyover after the national anthem. The cheer from the crowd the first time the home team takes the field, followed by the first “play ball!” of the season. Is there anything better than MLB opening day? Just one thing: a win.
The Astros started their World Series defense with a 4-1 win over the Rangers in Arlington on Thursday afternoon. They were led by a strong outing from ace Justin Verlander, who had run support thanks to RBIs from George Springer, Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa, and Jake Marisnick.
That RBI from Springer came on the third pitch in the game, getting a season-starting leadoff home run for the second year in a row, the only player in MLB history who can make that claim. The dinger made it 1-0 Astros right off the bat, a lead they extended in the third inning on a sacrifice fly from Altuve to make it 2-0.
They quickly extended their lead to 3-0 on a solo shot from Jake Marisnick in the third, and the score would stay that way deep into the game thanks to a strong first start from Verlander. Verlander went six full innings, throwing 90 pitches which resulted in only four hits for the Rangers, no runs, and five strikeouts.
Chris Devenski got his first inning of work in the seventh, a nearly perfect inning where he blanked the Rangers with two strikeouts. In the top of the eighth, Correa drove in Altuve, who scored from first on a great read on the hit paired with his amazing speed, bringing the score to 4-0 heading into the eighth.
Brad Peacock took over on the mound in the bottom of the eighth, throwing a scoreless inning with one strikeout. Ken Giles looked to bounce back from a poor postseason in 2017 and start 2018 on a good note when he came in to close the game in the bottom of the ninth, but instead gave up a leadoff double to Elvis Andrus who would tag on a fly ball then score on a wild pitch to get the Rangers their first run of the game and make it 4-1. Giles eventually got the final out with a strikeout, sealing the Astros' first win of the season.
Next up: The Astros will continue the four-game series in Arlington tomorrow through Sunday before heading home for the home opener on Monday. Stay tuned to SportsMap for our weekly recaps of the Astros all season.
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Jose Altuve hit a two-run homer in the sixth inning that sent the Houston Astros to an 8-5 win over the Detroit Tigers on Monday night.
That ball landed on Mars.#TheNextFrontier pic.twitter.com/yDh0fp1RvO
— Houston Astros (@astros) April 29, 2025
Christian Walker also had a two-run shot in the fourth to begin Houston's comeback from a 3-0 deficit. The Astros still trailed by one when Jeremy Peña singled in the sixth. Altuve followed with his drive off Jack Flaherty (1-3) that crashed off the wall above the left-field seats to put Houston up 4-3.
Altuve had two hits and three RBIs while batting second for the first time since 2023. He asked to move out of the leadoff spot to give him more time to get ready to hit in the first inning after coming in from the outfield. The nine-time All-Star moved to left field this year after spending his first 14 major league seasons playing second base.
Houston’s victory snapped a four-game winning streak for the Tigers, who got two homers from Riley Greene and one from Kerry Carpenter but managed just two other hits.
The Astros tacked on four runs in the seventh with the help of sloppy defense by the Tigers. Rookie shortstop Trey Sweeney made throwing errors on consecutive plays with no outs to put runners at second and third.
Mauricio Dubón singled to score them both and extend the lead. Houston added runs on a groundout by Altuve and an RBI single by Yordan Alvarez to push it to 8-3.
Houston starter Ronel Blanco allowed three hits and three runs while striking out six in five innings. Steven Okert (1-0) worked a scoreless sixth for the win. Josh Hader pitched the ninth for his eighth save.
Flaherty yielded six hits and four runs — both season highs — in five-plus innings.
Key moment
Altuve’s home run.
Key stat
Peña has four hits in two games batting leadoff. He hit first Sunday — with Altuve getting a day off — and stayed in the top spot Monday when Altuve dropped to second.
Up next
Houston RHP Ryan Gusto (3-1, 2.78 ERA) opposes RHP Reese Olson (3-1, 3.28) when the series continues Tuesday night.