HOUSTON — Home runs were the name of the game for the Houston Astros Thursday as they opened the 2019 season with a win, beating the Tampa Bay Rays 5-1.
Austin Meadows hit a leadoff homer off of Justin Verlander in the first inning to put the Rays on the board first, 1-0.
George Springer hit a 3-run homer off of Blake Snell in the top of the third to give the Astros a 3-1 lead. Last year, Springer became the first player in MLB history to hit back-to-back leadoff homers on Opening Day.
Michael Brantley hit a solo home run in his debut for the Astros in the fourth inning off of Snell, to extend Houston’s lead 4-1. Jose Altuve followed with his own solo homer off of Snell in the fifth.
Shortstop Carlos Correa was not in the lineup for Thursday’s game because of a stiff neck, according to Astros.com. Correa missed the team’s last two Spring Training games because of neck problems.
The Astros will again face the Rays in the second game of a four-game series at 6:10 p.m. Friday.
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