Photo by: Gabe Rodriguez/LOD
The Yankees and Astros faced off on Tuesday in the Bronx, a day later due to inclement weather that postponed Monday’s opener.
The Yankees, looking to get off to a good start to the 2016 season, sent Masahiro Tanaka to the mound to face off against their 2015 nemesis Dallas Keuchel.
New York jumped out to an early 2-0 lead when newcomer Starlin Castro hit a two-run Double down the left field line plating Carlos Beltran and Brian McCann.
Tanaka held the Astros scoreless until the top of the 4th when Houston pulled within a run on a fielder’s choice off the bat of Carlos Correa scoring Jose Altuve.
In the 6th, the ‘Stros tied the game at 2-2, on Correa’s two-out solo shot to right center field, his first on the season.
After Tanaka walked Colby Rasmus, manager Joe Girardi made a change bringing in lefty Chasen Shreve who quickly induced a ground ball out off the bat of Carlos Gomez to end the inning.
Keuchel didn’t have his best stuff early on, as he walked four batters, which was most likely due to the frigid temperatures in the Bronx, with the high reaching just 36 degrees. But he did manage to last seven innings, allowing just two runs on three hits, striking out five batters and retiring the last 11 Yankees he faced.
In the 8th, Houston added three more runs on a throwing error and an RBI single off the bat of Luis Valbuena scoring Correa and Rasmus.
The Yankees managed a run in the bottom of the frame when Didi Gregorius pulled a 2-2 pitch over the right field fence to bring the Yanks within 5-3. But that is all the Yankees would get as the Astros bullpen retired the last six Yankees batters to give Keuchel his first win on the season.
