List of Houston Astros Opening Day starting pitchers

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Roy Oswalt, the Houston Astros Opening Day starting pitcher for eight straight years, from 2003 through 2010.

The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise based in Houston, Texas. They currently play in the American League West division. The first game of the new baseball season for a team is played on Opening Day, and being named the Opening Day starter is an honor, which is often given to the player who is expected to lead the pitching staff that season,[1] though there are various strategic reasons why a team's best pitcher might not start on Opening Day.[2] The Houston Astros have used 21 different Opening Day starting pitchers in their 49 seasons. The 20 starters have a combined Opening Day record of 20 wins, 21 losses and 9 no decisions.[3][4] No decisions are only awarded to the starting pitcher if the game is won or lost after the starting pitcher has left the game.[5]

The Astros began to play in 1962 as the Houston Colt .45s (their name was changed to the Astros in 1965 when the Houston Astrodome opened as their home ball park).[6] Bobby Shantz started their first Opening Day game on April 10, 1962 against the Chicago Cubs at Houston's Colt Stadium and was credited with the win.[3] In their first eight seasons, the Colt .45s / Astros used eight different Opening Day starters. In 1970, that streak ended when Larry Dierker made his second Opening Day start.[3]

Roy Oswalt has made the most Opening Day starts for the Astros, with eight such starts from 2003 through 2010.[3][4][7] Three different pitchers have each made five Opening Day starts for the Astros: J. R. Richard (1976–1980), Mike Scott (1987–1991) and Shane Reynolds (1996–2000). Dierker made four Opening Day starts for the Astros, and Joe Niekro and Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan made three apiece.[3] Dierker has the best record in Opening Day starts with four wins and no losses. Niekro and Don Wilson share the worst record in Opening Day starts with no wins and two losses each. Niekro also had one no decision.[3]

The Astros have played in three home ball parks. Their first home ball park was Colt Stadium. Their starting pitchers had one win and one loss in their two Opening Day games at Colt Stadium. They played 25 Opening Day games in the Astrodome after moving there in 1965, and their starting pitchers had a record of 12 wins, 8 losses and 5 no decisions in those games. In 2000, they moved to Enron Field (subsequently renamed Astros Field and Minute Maid Park) in Downtown Houston. Through 2010, they have played nine Opening Day games there, and their starting pitchers have a record of three wins, four losses and two no decisions in those games. This makes the record of the Astros' Opening Day starting pitchers in home games 16 wins, 13 losses and 7 no decisions. Their record in Opening Day away games is four wins, eight losses and two no decisions.[3] The Astros have advanced to the World Series once, in 2005.[8] Oswalt lost to the St. Louis Cardinals as the Opening Day starter that season.[3]

Key

The Houston Astros played 25 Opening Day games in the Astrodome between 1965 and 1999.
Season Each year is linked to an article about that particular Colt .45s / Astros season.
W Win
L Loss
ND (W) No decision by starting pitcher; Colt .45s / Astros won game
ND (L) No decision by starting pitcher; Colt .45s / Astros lost game
Final score Game score with Colt .45s / Astros runs listed first
Location Stadium in italics for home game
Pitcher (#) Number of appearances as Opening Day starter with the Colt .45s / Astros
* Advanced to the post-season
** NL Champions

Pitchers

Nolan Ryan made three Opening Day starts for the Astros.
Minute Maid Park, previously called Enron Park and Astros Field, is the Astros' current home ball park, and the Astros have played seven Opening Day games there through 2008.
Season Pitcher Decision Final
score		 Opponent Location Ref(s)
1962 Bobby Shantz W 11–2 Chicago Cubs Colt Stadium [9]
1963 Turk Farrell L 2–9 San Francisco Giants Colt Stadium [10]
1964 Ken Johnson W 6–3 Cincinnati Reds Crosley Field [11]
1965 Bob Bruce L 0–2 Philadelphia Phillies Astrodome [12]
1966 Robin Roberts L 2–3 Los Angeles Dodgers Dodger Stadium [13]
1967 Mike Cuellar W 6–1 Atlanta Braves Astrodome [14]
1968 Larry Dierker W 5–4 Pittsburgh Pirates Astrodome [15]
1969 Don Wilson L 1–2 San Diego Padres San Diego Stadium [16]
1970 Larry Dierker (2) W 8–5 San Francisco Giants Candlestick Park [17]
1971 Larry Dierker (3) W 5–2 Los Angeles Dodgers Astrodome [18]
1972 Don Wilson (2) L 0–5 San Francisco Giants Astrodome [19]
1973 Dave Roberts ND (W) 2–1 Atlanta Braves Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium [20]
1974 Dave Roberts (2) L 1–5 San Francisco Giants Candlestick Park [21]
1975 Larry Dierker (4) W 6–2 Atlanta Braves Astrodome [22]
1976 J.R. Richard L 5–11 Cincinnati Reds Riverfront Stadium [23]
1977 J.R. Richard (2) ND (W) 3–2 Atlanta Braves Astrodome [24]
1978 J.R. Richard (3) L 9–11 Cincinnati Reds Riverfront Stadium [25]
1979 J.R. Richard (4) W 2–1 Atlanta Braves Astrodome [26]
1980* J.R. Richard (5) W 3–2 Los Angeles Dodgers Astrodome [27]
1981* Joe Niekro L 0–2 Los Angeles Dodgers Dodger Stadium [28]
1982 Nolan Ryan L 3–14 St. Louis Cardinals Astrodome [29]
1983 Joe Niekro (2) ND (L) 7–16 Los Angeles Dodgers Astrodome [30]
1984 Joe Niekro (3) L 2–4 Montreal Expos Astrodome [31]
1985 Nolan Ryan (2) W 2–1 Los Angeles Dodgers Astrodome [32]
1986* Nolan Ryan (3) L 3–8 San Francisco Giants Astrodome [33]
1987 Mike Scott W 4–3 Los Angeles Dodgers Astrodome [34]
1988 Mike Scott (2) W 6–3 San Diego Padres Astrodome [35]
1989 Mike Scott (3) W 10–3 Atlanta Braves Astrodome [36]
1990 Mike Scott (4) ND (L) 4–8 Cincinnati Reds Astrodome [37]
1991 Mike Scott (5) L 2–6 Cincinnati Reds Riverfront Stadium [38]
1992 Pete Harnisch L 0–2 Atlanta Braves Astrodome [39]
1993 Doug Drabek L 1–3 Philadelphia Phillies Astrodome [40]
1994 Pete Harnisch (2) ND (W) 6–5 Montreal Expos Astrodome [41]
1995 Doug Drabek (2) W 10–2 San Diego Padres Jack Murphy Stadium [42]
1996 Shane Reynolds L 3–4 Los Angeles Dodgers Astrodome [43]
1997* Shane Reynolds (2) W 2–1 Atlanta Braves Astrodome [44]
1998* Shane Reynolds (3) ND (L) 4–9 San Francisco Giants Astrodome [45]
1999* Shane Reynolds (4) W 4–2 Chicago Cubs Astrodome [46]
2000 Shane Reynolds (5) W 5–2 Pittsburgh Pirates Three Rivers Stadium [47]
2001* Scott Elarton W 11–3 Milwaukee Brewers Enron Field [48][49]
2002 Wade Miller L 3–9 Milwaukee Brewers Astros Field [50][51]
2003 Roy Oswalt W 10–4 Colorado Rockies Minute Maid Park [52][53]
2004* Roy Oswalt (2) ND (L) 4–5 San Francisco Giants Minute Maid Park [54][55]
2005** Roy Oswalt (3) L 3–7 St. Louis Cardinals Minute Maid Park [56][57]
2006 Roy Oswalt (4) W 1–0 Florida Marlins Minute Maid Park [58][59]
2007 Roy Oswalt (5) ND (L) 2–4 Pittsburgh Pirates Minute Maid Park [60][61]
2008 Roy Oswalt (6) L 0–4 San Diego Padres Petco Park [62][63]
2009 Roy Oswalt (7) L 2–4 Chicago Cubs Minute Maid Park [4]
2010 Roy Oswalt (8) L 2–5 San Francisco Giants Minute Maid Park [7]
2011 Brett Myers ND (L) 4–5 Philadelphia Phillies Citizens Bank Park [64]
2012 Wandy Rodriguez ND (L) 4–5 Colorado Rockies Minute Maid Park [65]
2013 Bud Norris W 8–2 Texas Rangers Minute Maid Park [66]
2014 Scott Feldman W 6–2 New York Yankees Minute Maid Park [67]
2015 Dallas Keuchel W 2-0 Cleveland Indians Minute Maid Park
2016 Dallas Keuchel (2) W 5-3 New York Yankees Yankee Stadium

References

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