HOUSTON ASTROS (1-0) AT OAKLAND ATHLETICS (0-1) RHP CRISTIAN JAVIER (5-2, 3.48 IN ‘20) VS. LHP JESÚS LUZARDO (3-2, 4.12 IN ‘20) Friday, April 2, 2021 • Oakland Coliseum • Oakland, CA • 8:40 p.m. CT • AT&T SportsNet SW • KTRH 740 AM GAME #2 .......................... ROAD #2 GAME 2: The Astros and A’s will match up for Game TODAY’S VIDEO CONFERENCES: The Astros ABOUT THE RECORD 2 of the 2021 season tonight in Oakland with the Astros will make Dusty Baker (approx. 6:15 p.m. CT) and Overall Record: .................................1-0 going for their 17th 2-0 start in club history (last accom- Astros players available via video conference before Home Record: ..................................0-0 plished in 2020)...tonight’s pitching matchup features a (approx. 5:30-6:30 p.m. CT) and immediately after to- --with Roof Open: .............................0-0 pair of young starters with great nicknames in 24-year night’s game...the video conferences will be hosted on --with Roof Closed: ...........................0-0 old RHP Cristian Javier and 23-year old LHP Jesús Zoom...for access to these calls, please change your --with Roof Open/Closed: .................0-0 Luzardo...it’s a matchup of amphibians, with Javier username to your first and last name when prompted. Road Record: ...................................1-0 nicknamed El Reptíl (Spanish for reptile) and Luzardo • Meeting ID: 954 2731 5308 Current Streak: ............................Won 1 known as the Lizard King, per Baseball-Reference. • Password: 594495 Last Homestand: ..............................0-0 Current Road Trip: ............................1-0 • Link: https://zoom.us/j/95427315308?pwd=QXVhYkx- Last 5 Games: ..................................1-0 JAVIER ON THE BUMP: RHP Cristian Javier 3cEpyRkxYMUFrMGJuZkd2UT09 Last 10 Games: ................................1-0 enters his second Major League season after a suc- Series Record (prior to current series): ......0-0-0 cessful rookie season in 2020 in which he finished third AT THE HELM: Astros skipper Dusty Baker is com- Sweeps: ............................................0-0 in the AL in Rookie of the Year voting...he followed up mencing his second season in a Houston uniform after When Scoring 4 or More Runs: ........1-0 his regular season with an outstanding postseason leading the Astros to the ALCS in 2020...Baker, now When Scoring 3 or Fewer Runs: ......0-0 run, in which he posted a 2-0 record with three holds the only manager in MLB history to take five different Shutouts: ..........................................0-0 and a 2.89 ERA (3ER/9.1IP) in five relief appearances. teams to the Postseason, currently ranks 15th all time In One-Run Games: .........................0-0 in managerial wins (1,893), just three wins behind In Two-Run Games: .........................0-0 ON THE RADIO: vs. Left-Handed Starters: ..................0-0 Tonight’s Astros English radio HOFer Bill McKechnie (1,896) on that all-time list. vs. Right-Handed Starters: ...............1-0 broadcast will air exclusively on KTRH 740 AM with During the Day: .................................0-0 Robert Ford and Steve Sparks on the call...Ford and AIR YORDAN: With three RBI last night, DH Yordan At Night: ............................................1-0 Sparks are both entering their ninth season in the booth Alvarez has totaled 85 RBI in his first 90 career Major When Scoring First: ..........................1-0 since joining the club back in 2013. League games...only four players in MLB history have Opponent Scores First: ....................0-0 tallied more RBI within their first 90 career games:Walt Outhit Opponent: ..............................1-0 ASTROS EN ESPAÑOL: Tonight’s Astros Spanish Dropo (95 RBI), Rudy York (94), Joe DiMaggio (88) Outhit by Opponent: .........................0-0 radio broadcast, featuring Francisco Romero and and Ted Williams (87)...York, DiMaggio and Williams Equal Hits: ........................................0-0 Alex Treviño, can be heard exclusively on the MLB all played in the 1930s, while Dropo played in the ‘40s. When Hitting Home Run: ..................1-0 App...the Astros will announce their on-air Spanish No Home Runs: ................................0-0 Walkoff Home Runs: .........................0-0 radio partner in the coming weeks. SALTY VETS: The Astros pitching staff features Ma- Come-from-Behind Wins: .................... 0 jor League Baseball’s active leader in starts (RHP Zack Largest Comeback: .............................-- MODERN-DAY RECORD REACHED: With last Greinke) and active leader in relief appearances (RHP Losses After Leading: .......................... 0 night’s win, the Astros have won nine straight games Joe Smith)...last night, Greinke made his 460th career Last At-Bat Wins: ................................. 0 on Opening Day (2013-21), which ties the modern start, while Smith made his 783rd career appearance. Largest Blown Lead: ............................-- Major league record, also reached by the Mariners Extra-Inning Games: .........................0-0 (2007-15), Reds (1983-91), Mets (1975-83) and St. V’S THE A’S: The Astros and A’s have played each Different Batting Orders: ...................... 1 Louis Browns (1937-45)...per Elias, the only MLB team other 150 times in their histories, splitting the wins at After Six Innings: to post a longer winning streak on Opening Day was 75 apiece...Houston of course owns the Postseason Lead: 1-0 ........Tied: 0-0 ..........Trail: 0-0 After Seven Innings: the 1887-1896 Boston Beaneaters (current Braves record against the A’s, as they dispatched Oakland in Lead: 1-0 ........Tied: 0-0 ..........Trail: 0-0 franchise), with a 10-game streak. four games in the 2020 ALDS, their only Postseason After Eight Innings: matchup...if there was an MVP awarded for the ALDS, Lead: 1-0 ........Tied: 0-0 ..........Trail: 0-0 OPENING DAY WIN: The Astros downed the A’s it would have been SS Carlos Correa, who hit .500 ASTROS VS. ATHLETICS (2O20): by a score of 8-1 on Opening Day last night behind (7x14) with three homers and 11 RBI in the four games. Overall: .............................................3-7 a strong pitching performance by RHP Zack Greinke At Minute Maid Park: ........................2-0 (0ER/6IP) and big games from LF Michael Brantley ABOUT THE ROSTER: The Astros Opening Day At Oakland Coliseum: .......................1-7 (3x4, HR, RBI) and DH Yordan Alvarez (1x3, 3RBI)... roster consists of 13 pitchers, 13 position players and ASTROS VS. A’S (ALL-TIME): below are some highlights from last night: six on the Injured List: RHP Justin Verlander, RHP Overall: .........................................75-75 • Marked the 18th time in club history for the Astros to Pedro Báez, RHP Josh James, RHP Austin Pruitt, Record in Houston: .......................39-33 Record in Seattle: .........................36-42 open the year on the road...they are 9-9 when they RHP Andre Scrubb and LHP Framber Valdez. open on the road and 32-28 all-time on Opening Day. THIS DATE IN ASTROS HISTORY • Greinke earned his first career Opening Day win in what THE TAXI SQUAD: The Astros five-man Taxi Squad was his fifth career Opening Day start. APRIL 2 for this road trip consists of RHP Ralph Garza Jr., RHP • 2B Jose Altuve made his 10th consecutive Opening Nivaldo Rodriguez, RHP Peter Solomon, C Garrett 2018 - The Astros unveil their 2017 World Day start, becoming just the fourth player in franchise Stubbs and IF Abraham Toro. Series Championship banner in a pregame history to start double-digit Opening Day games, joining ceremony before the home opener vs. BAL... Jeff Bagwell (15 starts), 2B Craig Biggio (14 starts) CREDENTIAL DEADLINE: one of the heroes of the World Series, RHP The deadline to apply Charlie Morton, gets the start, earning the and OF Jose Cruz (11 starts). for credentials for the Astros Home Opener on April 8 win after tossing 6.0 scoreless frames in the • Brantley has homered on three straight Opening Days, vs. OAK is Monday at 7 p.m. CT...credentials can be Astros 6-1 win. joining George Springer (2017-19) and Jeff Bagwell applied for at Credentials.mlb.com...due to spacing lim- (1994-96) as the only players in club history to do so. itations, the Astros will be very limited on credentials. • Brantley and 3B Alex Bregman hit back-to-back homers in the 8th inning, making them the fourth pair EXHIBITION SEASON OVER: The Astros com- of Astros teammates to hit back-to-back homers on pleted their exhibition season with a 6-14-4 record in Opening Day, also Cesar Cedeño-Bob Watson (1976), Grapefruit League play...the Astros got strong Springs Carl Everett-Richard Hidalgo (1999) and Carlos from SS Carlos Correa (.308, 12x39), RF Michael Lee-Brian Bogusevic (2012). Brantley (11 RBI) and CF Myles Straw (.310, 13x42). UPCOMING SCHEDULE AND PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS (ALL TIMES CENTRAL) DATE TIME OPPONENT PITCHERS TELEVISION Saturday, April 3 3:07 at Oakland RHP Lance McCullers Jr. (3-3, 3.93 in ‘20) vs. LHP Cole Irvin (0-1, 17.18 in ‘20) AT&T SportsNet SW Sunday, April 4 3:07 at Oakland RHP José Urquidy (1-1, 2.73 in ‘20) vs. LHP Sean Manaea (4-3, 4.50 in ‘20) AT&T SportsNet SW All Astros games are broadcast in English on SportsTalk 790 AM in Houston, the flagship station of the Astros Radio Network. TONIGHT’S ASTROS STARTER: RHP CRISTIAN JAVIER W-L ERA G GS IP H R ER BB SO CAREER MLB SPLITS: 2020: 5-2 3.48 12 10 54.1 36 21 21 18 54 Home: 3-0, 2.17 ERA, 6G/5GS, 7ER/29IP CAREER: 5-2 3.48 12 10 54.1 36 21 21 18 54 Away: 2-2, 4.97 ERA, 6G/5GS, 14ER/25.1IP vs. OAK W-L ERA G GS IP H R ER BB SO Oakland Coliseum: 0-2, 7.88 ERA, 2G/GS, 7ER/8IP 2020: 0-2 7.88 2 2 8.0 6 7 7 5 8 Day: 1-1, 7.43 ERA, 4G/3GS, 11ER/13.1IP Night: 4-1, 2.20 ERA, 8G/7GS, 10ER/41IP ALDS: 1-0 0.00 2 0 3.1 3 0 0 1 6 Longest Winning Streak: 3, 8/15-9/1 Career Complete Games: none Last CG: none Longest Losing Streak: 1 (2x), last, 9/7 Career Shutouts: none Last SHO: none CAREER MINOR LEAGUE GAME-HIGHS: 2020 GAME-HIGHS: 2021 SPLITS: Strikeouts: 10 (4x), last, 8/17/19 vs.