Box Score Bytes - Game 1

- Rox are 7-6 away from home on opening days.  Improve to 11 - 9 overall.

- Helton started his 15th consecutive Opening Day at first base for the Rox.  Also extended his Opening Day hit streak to 13 games.

- Could EY Jr be Rox designated (pinch) runner?  It's been tried once before back in 1974 when Oakland's owner Charlie Finley tapped Herb Washington to be his designated runner!  Of course Rox are  helped out having 3 catchers on the roster and the ability to pinch run if a catcher gets on late in a game...

- If Rox didn't win it would have been pretty pathetic as the Astros committed 4 errors.  For my taste the game was a little too close for comfort.

- Guthrie lived up to expectations by going a strong 7 although the back to back homers was his M.O. in Baltimore.  But he outlasted his opponent which over the last three years the Rox have gone 170-57 (71-21 on the road!).

-  Rox new acquisitions went 5 for 13 (Scutaro, Cuddyer, and Hernandez).  The old team collected only 3 hits...

- Rox went 3-9 with Runner's in scoring position.

- Brothers was nasty.  Threw 11 pitches, 8 for strikes with 2 strikeouts

- O/U for the game was 7.5.  Rox won 5-3.