| FOR OPENERS: The Houston Astros open the | | | | stands at 40. |
| 2010 season tonight at 6:05 p.m. against the San | | | | SPRING TRAINING WRAP-UP: Houston finished |
| Francisco Giants...tonight's game is the 1st of a | | | | the 2010 Spring season at 13-15-1...Chris Johnson |
| three-game series against the Giants at | | | | led the Majors with 8 HR while hitting .323 with 22 |
| home...after an off-day on Thursday, the Astros | | | | RBI...Pedro Feliz (.356), Carlos Lee (.333) and |
| host the defending NL Champion Philadelphia Phillies | | | | Hunter Pence (.373) also had solid Springs at the |
| for a three-game set over the weekend. | | | | plate...RHP Matt Lindstrom (0.84) did not allow a |
| HOUSTON OPENING DAY HISTORY | | | | run until his 10th and final app. on Saturday (1ER |
| *Tonight marks the 49th Opening Day in Houston | | | | 10.2IP). |
| franchise history. | | | | MEDICAL UPDATES: The Astros begin the 2010 |
| *Houston is 23-25 overall on Opening Day, with an | | | | season with three players on the 15-day Disabled |
| 18-17 mark at home. | | | | List...Lance Berkman underwent arthroscopic |
| *The Astros are 3-5 when opening the season at | | | | surgery on his left knee on 3/13...RHP Alberto |
| Minute Maid Park. | | | | Arias (rot. cuff impingement) and RHP Yorman |
| *2010 is the 9th time in the last 11 seasons that | | | | Bazardo (shoulder strain) each were injured while |
| the Astros have opened at home. | | | | pitching in a game this Spring...all three players are |
| *Tonight is the 8th time the Astros have opened | | | | eligible to come off the DL on 4/10. |
| the season vs. SF...they are just 1-6 thus far vs. | | | | HOME COOKIN': Tonight's game is the start of a |
| SF on OD. | | | | 6-game homestand for the Astros...after this |
| *April 5, 2004 was last time Houston opened the | | | | 3-game series vs. SF, the Astros begin a 3-game |
| season vs. SF, also at MMP (5-4 loss). | | | | set over the weekend vs. PHI...despite their 74-88 |
| *Tonight marks Roy Oswalt's 8th consecutive | | | | overall record, the Astros were 44-37 at home in |
| Opening Day start for Houston. | | | | ‘09, giving them nine consecutive winning |
| Click Here to Watch MLB Baseball San Francisco | | | | seasons at Minute Maid Park. |
| Giants vs Houston Astros Online | | | | WINNING WAYS: Since 1993, the Astros rank 3rd |
| 45TH ANNIVERSARY: 2010 marks the 45th | | | | in the NL and 6th in the Majors in winning |
| anniversary of the Houston Astros...after debuting | | | | percentage...the club's .530 winning percentage |
| as the Colt 45s in 1962, the Houston franchise | | | | (1424-1264) in the last 17 seasons trails only the |
| changed their name to the Astros in 1965, playing | | | | Yankees (.597), Braves (.581), Red Sox (.554), |
| their first game that season on April 12 in the | | | | Cardinals (.534) and Indians (.532). |
| newly-opened Astrodome. | | | | Click Here to Watch MLB Baseball San Francisco |
| ROY WONDER: With his start tonight, Roy Oswalt | | | | Giants vs Houston Astros Online |
| will extend his franchise-record of Opening Day | | | | GRAND OPENING!: The Grand Opening for the |
| starts to eight (all consecutive)...he and Roy | | | | Astros brand-new Urban Youth Academy will be |
| Halladay entered this season tied with the longest | | | | held on Saturday, April 10 at 11 a.m. at Sylvester |
| active streaks in the Majors...Oswalt is 2-3 with a | | | | Turner Park...several Astros players and front |
| 3.35 ERA (18ER/48.1IP) in his seven previous | | | | office personnel will participate in the Grand |
| Opening Day starts, pitching 7.0-or-more innings in | | | | Opening. |
| five of those seven outings...Taming the West: | | | | TURNING BACK THE CLOCK: April 10 will be"Turn |
| Oswalt was a perfect 7-0 vs. the Western | | | | Back The Clock Night" at Minute Maid Park as the |
| Division in 2009 with a 1.98 ERA...his seven wins | | | | Astros and Phillies wear their respecitive 1965 |
| vs. the NL West were tops in the NL and his .755 | | | | uniforms as part of the Astros celebration of |
| (37-12) career winning pct. vs. NL West clubs is | | | | their 45th anniversary...the game will also feature |
| the highest in the Majors among active pitchers | | | | a free 1965 Astros replica jersey for the first |
| (min. 50 app.). | | | | 10,000 fans, special 1965 pricing on select |
| MORE ROY: Roy Oswalt's 137 wins since entering | | | | concession items and other promotions related to |
| the Majors in 2001 are tops in baseball...additionally, | | | | that season...visit for more details. |
| Oswalt is T-2nd in wins in franchise history with | | | | FANFEST A SUCCESS: The Astros Annual |
| Larry Dierker, just seven wins shy of leader Joe | | | | FanFest event, held on Friday and Saturday at |
| Niekro (144). | | | | Minute Maid Park, raised over $50,000 for the |
| OPENING DAY LINEUP: Carlos Lee starts in LF for | | | | Astros In Action Foundation...Each year, FanFest |
| Houston for the 4th consecutive season...CF | | | | features player autographs, interactive baseball |
| Michael Bourn, and RF Hunter Pence are each | | | | discussions with broadcasters and executives, |
| making their 3rd consecutive Opening Day | | | | game-used memorabilia and and a variety of |
| start...1B Geoff Blum is making his 3rd career | | | | activities for children. |
| Opening Day start, all coming as an Astro, while | | | | EL CABALLO: Carlos Lee enters this season as |
| 2B Kazuo Matsui makes his 2nd with Houston. | | | | one of six players to reach 100 RBI in each of |
| OPENING DAY ROOKIES: Tommy Manzella will | | | | the last five seasons...the other five are: Bobby |
| become the first Astros rookie to start at | | | | Abreu (2003-09), Miguel Cabrera (2004-09), Albert |
| shorstop on Opening Day since Adam Everett on | | | | Pujols (2001-09), Alex Rodriguez (1998-2009) and |
| April 2, 2002 (2x4 in 9-3 loss)...Prior to this season, | | | | Mark Teixeira (2004-09)...Lee has hit .300 with |
| CF Willy Taveraz and LF Luke Scott were the | | | | 20-plus HR and 100-plus RBI in all three of his |
| last rookies to start on Opening Day, both doing | | | | seasons with the Astros. |
| so five years ago today (4/5/05). | | | | CLIMBING THE CHARTS: Lance Berkman enters |
| NATIONAL ANTHEM: Will be performed by | | | | the 2010 season ranked 2nd in franchise history in |
| country music artist Jack Ingram...Ingram, who | | | | HR (313), 3rd in total bases (2923) and doubles |
| grew up in Houston, won the 2008 Academy of | | | | (359), 5th in AB (5262) and 6th in games |
| Country Music award for "Best New Male | | | | (1507)...Roy Oswalt currently ranks T-2nd in wins |
| Vocalist." | | | | (137), 4th in innings (1803.1) and starts (271) and |
| UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT: 53-year-old Brad | | | | 10th in app. (283). |
| Mills, who has over 30 years of experience in | | | | 2009 REVISITED |
| professional baseball, was officially named Astros | | | | SEASON WRAPUP: Houston finished the 2009 |
| manager on 10/27/09...pitching coach Brad | | | | season 74-88 and in 5th-place in the National |
| Arnsberg, first base coach Bobby Meacham and | | | | League Central Division...2009 marked just the 3rd |
| bullpen coach Jamie Quirk are also new additions | | | | time in the last 18 seasons that the Astros have |
| to the coaching staff, which returns third-base | | | | finished below .500. |
| coach Dave Clark and hitting coach Sean Berry...Al | | | | BREAKOUT SEASON: Michael Bourn led the NL in |
| Pedrique, who spent the final month of ‘09 as | | | | SB with 61 and captured his first Rawlings Gold |
| the 3rd base coach after Clark replaced Cecil | | | | Glove Award in 2009...Bourn's 56-point increase in |
| Cooper as interim manager, is Mills' bench coach in | | | | his batting average (.229-285) was the highest in |
| 2010. | | | | the Majors (min. 300 AB). |
| RECENT ROSTER MOVES: Following Saturday's | | | | GUNSLINGER: 2009 All-Star Hunter Pence led the |
| game, the Astros purchased the contract of OF | | | | NL in assists with 16, and in the process became |
| Cory Sullivan and reassigned OF Jason Bourgeois | | | | the first OF in franchise history to lead the NL in |
| to Triple A Round Rock...the 40-man roster now | | | | this category in back-to-back seasons. |