Astros start Big League Weekend with 6-5 win over Rangers

The Astros drew first blood in the 2-game Big League Weekend series by topping the Rangers by a score of 6-5 Friday night in San Antonio. Chris Carter‘s 3-run homer in the top of the first inning helped Houston jump out to a quick 4-0 lead against Rangers lefty Matt Harrison.

Carter’s blast to rightfield  picked up teammates Jose Altuve and Jesus Guzman who were both guilty of striking out with a runner on third base and less than two outs.

Jerome Williams (Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports)

Jerome Williams got the start on the mound for the Astros. Williams went three innings, allowing two hits and one run while striking out two. Brad Peacock followed Williams to the mound and had quite an impressive outing. Peacock was consistently getting ahead of hitters and needed only 43 pitches to log three scoreless innings. Peacock fanned four and did not walk a batter. In fact, Astros pitchers issued a total of zero walks in the game.

Chad Qualls allowed an unearned run in a seventh inning that also included a couple of whiffs. Jake Buchanan gave up a first pitch homer to Kevin Kouzmanoff to start the eighth and Jason Stoffel coughed up a 2-run dinger in the ninth. But the Astros offense had already built a big enough lead to hold on for the win.

The newest Astro, Alex Presley, came through with an RBI double in his first at-bat. George Springer added a run scoring single in the top of the ninth that proved to be the margin of victory for the Astros.

With nine hits and four walks the Astros had lots of traffic on the base paths. But four double-play grounders helped keep the Rangers in the game.

Dallas Keuchel takes the mound for Saturday’s 1:05 matinee at the Alamodome as the Astros go for the sweep.