Notes From Opening Night

The 2013 baseball season began with last night's interleague game between the Texas Rangers and Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park. I don't think anybody gave Houston's glorified Triple-A team much of a chance to win, so it was shocking to see the 'Stros pound their new division rivals by a score of 8-2. Bud Norris got the win, Matt Harrison took the loss and Erik Bedard earned the save.

Here are some more box score notes from the game:

• Ian Kinsler flew out in the first at-bat of 2013
• Jose Altuve recorded the first hit of the year and added an RBI single in the bottom of the fifth
• Rick Ankiel smacked the first home run of the year with a three-run bomb off Derek Lowe Ankiel was inserted into the game as a pinch-hitter for Brandon Barnes in the bottom of the sixth
• Nelson Cruz committed the first error the season (which led to an unearned run), but at least he made up for his mistake by going 2-for-3 at the dish with an RBI single and a walk
• Erik Bedard notched his first career save. Unlike a Mariano Rivera or Jonathan Papelbon, he actually had to work for his save, recording ten outs to finish what Norris started
• Lance Berkman performed well in his Rangers debut, going 2-for-4 with a run scored. A.J. Pierzynski didn't do quite as well; 1-for-4 with a strikeout
• Justin Maxwell ripped two triples, more three-baggers in one game than many hitters will over the course of an entire season. Additionally, he and Altuve were the only Astros not to strike out last night
• Both teams combined for 15 hits--12 singles, Maxwell's triples, and Ankiel's home run
• The game ran three hours long

Happy Opening Day!