Despite stranding 10 runners on base, the Yankees managed to overcome an early deficit and secure a 5-4 victory over the Astros on Opening Day in Houston. Yankees’ starter Nestor Cortes struggled initially, yielding four runs in the first two innings, but he settled down, allowing the Yankees’ offense to gradually chip away at the lead. Cortes faced challenges early on, issuing two walks to load the bases in the first inning, leading to a two-run single by Chas McCormick and a subsequent RBI single by Yainer Diaz, putting the Astros up 3-0 after one inning.
Although Jake Meyers added a solo home run for the Astros in the second inning, Cortes found his rhythm afterward. Despite a shaky start, Cortes managed to pitch five innings, throwing a total of 76 pitches, allowing five hits, four earned runs, while striking out five batters.
On the opposing side, Framber Valdez of the Astros navigated through multiple scoring opportunities by the Yankees, particularly in the second and fourth innings when the Yankees loaded the bases but failed to capitalize, grounding into double plays both times. The Yankees finally broke through in the fifth inning when Juan Soto drove in a run with a single. However, despite loading the bases with no outs, they only managed to score two runs due to strikeouts and an inning-ending groundout.
Oswaldo Cabrera tied the game for the Yankees with a solo home run in the sixth inning, showcasing his recent strong form from spring training. The tandem of Soto and Judge, expected to be pivotal for the Yankees, had a mixed performance on Opening Day. Soto drew a walk in his first at-bat but struggled afterward, while Judge had moments of success, including a double and scoring a crucial run but also faced challenges with strikeouts.
Alex Verdugo, in his Yankees debut, contributed significantly, driving in a run with a sacrifice fly in the seventh inning and making a key defensive play in left field. Despite a tense ninth inning where the Astros threatened to tie the game, Clay Holmes managed to secure the win for the Yankees by inducing a groundout from Alex Bregman.
The Yankees will continue their series with the Astros, looking to build on their Opening Day victory with the next game scheduled for Friday evening.