Page 20 - ARUBA TODAY

A20 SPORTS
Friday 29 March 2019
Verlander outpitches Snell, Astros cruise past Rays 5-1

By FRED GOODALL the Rays have sold out the
AP Sports Writer home opener, however the
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) club routinely finishes near
— Justin Verlander relished the bottom of the majors in
facing Blake Snell on open- attendance, including 29th
ing day. among 30 teams in 2018.
"I don't try to hide behind Attendance for the past
the this-is-just-another-start five home openers was
anymore," the Houston listed as Last year's opening
ace. day attendance was an-
The Astros star delivered, nounced as 31,042.
beating Snell and the Tam- "It's problematic," Rays prin-
pa Bay Rays 5-1 in a rare cipal owner Stu Sternberg
season-opening matchup said of the late sellout, not-
between pitchers who fin- ing there were far fewer
ished first and second in tickets available than for
balloting for the Cy Young previous openers.
Award. "25,000 seats given every-
"There definitely is more thing that we are; the way
intensity to it," Verlander we finished last year; the
added. " It's kind of some- team we had; the 4 o'clock
where between a playoff start, it should be a layup
game and a regular-sea- to use a different sport
son game, so I just kind of phrase," the owner added.
used the adrenalin, and "It is what it is."
you go from there." SUBPAR OUTING
George Springer homered Snell's loss was his first since
on opening day for the July 12 at Minnesota, end-
third straight year. Michael ing a stretch of nine con-
Brantley and Jose Altuve secutive victories over a
also went deep for the As- span of 10 starts. ... The
tros against Snell, the AL young left-hander didn't al-
Cy Young recipient who low more than two runs in
won 21 games and led the any of his 14 starts at home
league in ERA. in 2018. He yielded one or
Verlander (1-0) allowed fewer in 12 of them.
a leadoff homer to Austin TRAINER'S ROOM
Meadows on his fourth be- Astros: RHP's Lance McCull-
fore dominating a mostly ers Jr. (right elbow surgery)
young Tampa Bay lineup and Joe Smith (left Achil-
featuring just one player les' tendon surgery) were
— center fielder Kevin Ki- both placed on the 10-day
ermaier — who started for injured list. Meanwhile, SS
the Rays on opening day Carlos Correa (nick stiff-
last year. Houston Astros' Justin Verlander pitches to the Tampa Bay Rays during the first inning of a baseball ness) said before the game
"I just hit the reset button game Thursday, March 28, 2019, in St. Petersburg, Fla. that his injury is "nothing
real quick," the 36-year-old Associated Press major" and that he hopes
right-hander said. to be ready to play some
"It's not something you want A couple times I thought first opening day start. fourth instance of a reign- time before the end of the
to do, to lead off the year he's going to try to get me The 26-year-old lefty, who ing Cy Young recipient fac- four-game series.
with a homer," Verlander to chase an off speed, it signed a $50 million, five- ing the runner-up for the Rays: To finalize the open-
added. "But I've done it be- was a heater." year contract extension this award on opening day the ing day roster, 3B Matt
fore, so it was let's go turn Verlander, who improved month, walked two batters next season. Duffy (left hamstring tight-
the page and try to find it." to 4-1 in 11 opening day ahead of Springer's home The other two matchups ness), LHP Anthony Banda
Verlander, fresh off signing starts, struck out nine and run and finished with three both occurred in 1979, (Tommy John surgery) and
a three-year contract that only allowed one hit — strikeouts. when reigning AL win- RHP Jose De Leon (Tommy
added $66 million in guar- Yandy Diaz's seventh-inning "I was happy with a lot ner Ron Guidry (Yankees) John surgery) were placed
anteed money for 2020 double — and three baser- of things I did, but I was faced runner-up Mike on the 10-day injured list.
and 2021, limited the Rays unners total after walking a upset with sequencing," Caldwell (Brewers) and NL UP NEXT
to one run and three hits batter and plunking anoth- Snell said. "Threw first pitch winner Gaylord Perry (Pa- RHP Charlie Morton, 15-3
over seven innings before er in the second. curveballs to Springer dres) faced Burt Hooton with a 3.13 ERA in 30 starts
a crowd of 25,025 at Tropi- Ryan Pressly pitched a twice. Right there credit (Dodgers). last season with Houston,
cana Field — Tampa Bay's scoreless eighth and Ro- him. He was waiting for it. LATE SELLOUT will make his Tampa Bay
14th consecutive sellout for berto Osuna worked a per- I fell in love with the curve- Despite closing the up- debut Friday night against
a home opener. fect ninth inning to finish a ball and didn't mix pitches per deck at Tropicana the Astros and RHP Ger-
"We ran into a buzz saw. combined four-hitter. like I should have been do- Field, reducing capac- rit Cole (15-5, 2.88 ERA in
He did a great job having Springer gave Astros ace ing." ity of the domed stadium 2018). Signed to a $30 mil-
all of us off balance," Kier- all the offensive support With the NL Cy Young win- to 25,025 for this season, lion, two-year contract as
maier said. "For me person- he'd need with a three-run ner Jacob deGrom facing Thursday's game wasn't an- a free agent by the Rays,
ally, I feel like every time homer in the third off Snell, Washington's Max Scher- nounced as a sellout until Morton won Game 7 in
I thought a fastball was who yielded five runs and zer earlier Thursday, Snell late Wednesday. It's the both the ALCS and World
coming it was an offspeed. six hits over six innings of his vs. Verlander became the 14th consecutive season Series in 2017 for the Astros.