Rockies 5 - 3 Astros
Final
  for this game

Guthrie, Rockies beat Astros to open season

Apr 7, 2012 - 4:25 AM

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Houston, TX (Sports Network) - Jeremy Guthrie and Michael Cuddyer both made their Rockies debut and Eric Young scored the go-ahead run in the top of the eighth inning Friday as Colorado defeated the Houston Astros, 5-3, in the season opener for both teams.

Guthrie (1-0), who spent the previous five seasons with the Baltimore Orioles and made three Opening Day starts in that span, allowed three runs on four hits and three walks in seven innings.

"I felt comfortable," said Guthrie. "It was good to be out there."

Cuddyer spent his first 11 years with the Twins before signing with Colorado during the offseason and went 2-for-4 with a run batted in.

Troy Tulowitzki smacked a solo homer and Rafael Betancourt picked up the save with a scoreless ninth.

Carlos Lee and Brian Bogusevic hit back-to-back solo home runs in the fourth inning for Houston, which lost 106 games last season. The Astros committed four errors in their sixth consecutive Opening Day loss.

Starter Wandy Rodriguez gave up three runs -- none earned -- on six hits and two walks in 6 1/3 innings and said he struggled to get going.

"I missed a lot of pitches early. Later, I was very good," said Rodriguez.

Fernando Rodriguez (0-1) allowed the go-ahead run in the top of the eighth to take the loss.

Ramon Hernandez singled to start the visitor half of the eighth and Young came on to pinch run for him and immediately stole second. After Jason Castro blocked Fernando Rodriguez's breaking pitch in the dirt, Young got hung up at second. But Castro's throw to second sailed into center field, allowing Young to score easily.

Tulowitzki added an insurance run in the top of the ninth with a solo shot to left and Betancourt struck out Matt Downs to end the game with runners on first and second.

Lee singled home Jose Altuve, who reached on a walk, to give the Astros a quick 1-0 lead in the home half of the first.

The Rockies responded with three runs in the top of the third.

Marco Scutaro and Dexter Fowler began the frame with back-to-back singles. After Carlos Gonzalez grounded out, Tulowitzki plated Scutaro with a sac fly to left. Todd Helton brought home Fowler with a double to left and Cuddyer plated Helton with a bloop single to right.

In the home half of the fourth, Lee launched a homer into the Crawford Boxes in left and Bogusevic followed with an opposite field shot to left-center field.

"The one inning they got a couple home runs I fell behind without quality pitches," said Guthrie. "Luckily I was able to bounce back."

Game Notes

The Astros placed shortstop Jed Lowrie on the 15-day disabled list just hours before Friday's season-opener. The move is retroactive to March 29, a day after Lowrie sprained his right thumb in a Grapefruit League game against Miami...The Rockies dealt starter Jason Hammel and reliever Matt Lindstrom to the Orioles for Guthrie during the offseason...Todd Helton made his 15th consecutive Opening Day start at first base, surpassing Chipper Jones for the longest active Opening Day streak.






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