Astros 5, Yankees 3
NEW YORK -- Jose Altuve scored the tiebreaking run on a throwing error by Dellin Betances with one out in the eighth inning and Dallas Keuchel pitched seven solid innings as the Houston Astros opened the regular season with a 5-3 victory over the New York Yankees on Tuesday afternoon at frigid Yankee Stadium.
Carlos Correa drove in the first two runs for the Astros as he had an RBI forceout in the fourth and a solo home run off Masahiro Tanaka in the sixth and was involved in the go-ahead run in the eighth off Betances (0-1). Luis Valbuena added insurance with a two-run single off Betances as the Astros won their fourth straight season opener.
Two innings after Correa became the youngest Astro since Terry Puhl in 1978 to homer on Opening Day, he hit a weak grounder to the first base side of the mound. Betances went to field the ball but made a high throw over first baseman Mark Teixeira's head into right field and Altuve scored from second.
Manager Joe Girardi came out to argue with plate umpire Dana DeMuth as he contended Correa was out of the baseline. After consulting with the other umpires, DeMuth upheld the original call and Girardi returned to the dugout without being ejected although the Yankees played the rest of the game under protest even though the play cannot be reviewed.
Keuchel (1-0) allowed a two-run double to Starlin Castro in the second inning among three hits and actually walked four batters. He settled down immensely after giving up the hit to Castro and issuing two walks in the third.
After allowing four walks for the first time since June 20, Keuchel allowed a base hit to Brian McCann in the fourth but retired the next 11 hitters. The lefthander struck out five and threw 62 of 106 pitches for strikes while remaining unbeaten against the Yankees.
Ken Giles allowed a solo home run to Didi Gregorius but quickly finished the eighth and Luke Gregerson retired the side in the ninth for the save.
After being rained out Monday, it was 36 degrees at first pitch. It was the coldest first-pitch temperature in New York since April 8, 2003 and 31 degrees cooler than Houston's 3-0 win in the AL wild-card game on Oct. 4.
The Yankees ended a 29-inning scoreless streak against Keuchel when Castro doubled down the left-field line with two outs in the second.
Correa drove in Houston's first run when he hit a ground ball to third baseman Chase Headley that did not become a double play. In his next at-bat, he drove a 1-0 pitch into the right field seats.
Tanaka allowed two runs and four hits in 5 2/3 innings.
NOTES: Yankees RHP Bryan Mitchell (left big toe tear) underwent surgery Monday and is expected to be sidelined at least four months. ... Astros DH Evan Gattis (sports hernia) began working out with Double-A Corpus Christi Tuesday and will play in a rehab game Thursday. ... Monday was New York's first postponement in a home opener since 2008. ... Hideki Matsui, who hit a grand slam in the 2003 home opener and was the 2009 World Series MVP, threw out the first pitch. ... Houston manager A.J. Hinch said he wanted to reward INF Marwin Gonzalez's versatility and started him at first base. Gonzalez has been on Houston's Opening Day roster for five straight seasons but had not appeared in an opener since playing shortstop in 2012 against Colorado.