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Ageless Moyer toes the rubber for Colorado in Houston

Apr 7, 2012 - 2:38 PM (Sports Network) - Fact: The Colorado Rockies franchise wasn't even in existence when 49-year-old Jamie Moyer made his major league debut.

Age jokes aside, Moyer is set to make a historic comeback this evening when the Rockies continue their season-opening three-game series with the Houston Astros.

After missing all of the 2011 season following Tommy John surgery, the left- handed Moyer signed a minor league contract with the Rockies and became the oldest starting pitcher to be on a team's Opening Day roster at 49 years, 140 days young. Moyer cracked Colorado's rotation by going 2-1 with a 2.50 earned run average in five spring appearances, and a victory tonight would make him the oldest pitcher ever to win a game in major league history.

Moyer, who struck out 16 batters to just four walks in the spring despite a fastball that sits in the low 80s, hasn't pitched in the majors since July 20, 2010 with the Phillies. He has faced the Astros 13 times in his career, including 10 starts, and is 5-3 with a 3.48 earned run average.

On the other side of things, Astros starter Lucas Harrell will make just his sixth major league start this evening. The 26-year-old possibly hadn't picked up a baseball yet when Moyer made his professional debut and is excited about facing the veteran tonight.

"It's awesome," Harrell told MLB.com. "I remember playing with Jamie Moyer on 'Ken Griffey Jr. Baseball' on Super Nintendo when he was with Seattle, so to pitch against him is an honor. It's something I'll never forget."

The right-handed Harrell was claimed off waivers from the White Sox last season in July and went 0-2 with a 3.46 ERA in six games with the Astros, including two starts.

Harrell has faced the Rockies only once before and took a loss after giving up five runs -- three earned -- over three innings.

Harrell will try to pull the Astros even in this series after the Rockies posted a 5-3 victory in yesterday's opener. Troy Tulowitzki smacked a solo homer for the victors and Eric Young scored the go-ahead run in the top of the eight inning.

Starter Jeremy Guthrie and outfielder Michael Cuddyer both made their Colorado debuts. Guthrie picked up the win with seven innings of three-run ball, while Cuddyer went 2-for-4 with an RBI.

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

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.

The Rockies won five of seven over the Astros last season, with the clubs splitting a four-game set in Houston from Sept. 22-25.