Kurt Suzuki will manage his second major league game on Friday night when his Los Angeles Angels continue their season-opening series against the host Houston Astros.
All things considered, it will be hard to top his first game.
Suzuki received a post-game beer shower from his team after the Angels recorded a 3-0 victory for just their second Opening Day win in 13 years.
“It’s special. It’s a good feeling,” Suzuki said. “Obviously, all the work each and every one of us put in this spring leading up to this moment, it’s just Game 1, but still a special moment. You never forget that first one. Good team win.”
What had to make the victory feel even more special were the performances of star outfielder Mike Trout and staff ace Jose Soriano.
Trout, slowed by injuries in recent seasons, started in center field for a team-record 13th Opening Day and hit a home run, walked three times and even stole base.
Meanwhile, Soriano allowed just two hits over six scoreless innings while striking out seven.
Trout broke a scoreless tie in the seventh inning with a 403-foot blast over the Crawford Boxes in left field that landed on the train tracks. It was the 405th career homer for the three-time American League MVP.
“It feels great,” Trout said. “It was a tight game. Didn’t hit any (home runs) in the spring, but these ones count, so it was good. Good at-bat. Got a pitch to hit, and didn’t miss it.”
Said Suzuki: “Mikey’s having a good time. He’s enjoying himself. He’s working his butt off. He’s ready to play. I’ve been saying that all spring, and Game 1 it showed. I’m happy for him.”
Soriano and the Angels did get a break in the first inning when Yordan Alvarez hit a towering fly ball down the right-field line that hit a beam on the roof and caromed into the bleachers about 20 feet into foul territory. Umpire Chris Conroy initially ruled the ball foul, and the call stood following a video review.
“So the ball initially struck the roof over fair territory, so it was live,” Conroy told the Houston Chronicle. “But then it caromed into the stands prior to the foul pole. So that made it a foul ball.”
“That’s probably the second ball I’ve seen hit that part of the roof,” Astros manager Joe Espada said. “The ball landed foul, so it was a foul ball. But if it had landed fair, we play as is. He crushed that ball. It would have landed in the upper deck.”
Houston right-hander Mike Burrows (2-4, 3.94 ERA in 2025), obtained in a three-way trade with Tampa Bay and Pittsburgh in December, will make his first career appearance against the Angels on Friday. He will oppose left-hander Yusei Kikuchi (7-11, 3.99 ERA in 2025).
Burrows was one of the stars of spring training for Houston, compiling a 1.50 ERA in five starts with 17 strikeouts in 18 innings. He has yet to face the Angels in his career.
Kikuchi, an All-Star last season with Los Angeles, is just 1-6 with a 5.83 ERA in 16 career starts against Houston.
–Field Level Media
