HOUSTON — Collin McHugh bounced back from the shortest start of his career by pitching seven scoreless innings and Colby Rasmus hit a two-run homer as the Houston Astros won their home opener against the Kansas City Royals, 8-2, on Monday night.
Carlos Correa had three hits and two RBI for Houston, Jose Altuve had three hits and rookie Tyler White, who was named the American League player of the week earlier in the day, added a pair of hits for his fourth multi-hit game this year.
McHugh (1-1) allowed eight hits and struck out four in his first start since he allowed six runs and walked two in one-third of an inning of a 16-6 loss to the New York Yankees.
Chris Young (0-2) allowed nine hits and six runs in 42/3 innings. The Astros jumped on him early and were up by 1 in the first after an RBI double by Correa when Rasmus launched a towering shot to the second deck in right field to make it 3-0.
Luis Valbuena had an RBI double, Jason Castro drove in a run with a triple and Altuve had a run-scoring single in the fourth to push the lead to 6-0.
The Royals had trouble stringing hits together against McHugh. He got into a bit of a jam in the fifth inning with runners at first and second with one out. But Mike Moustakas grounded into a double play to end the inning. The Royals loaded the bases with one out in the seventh, but McHugh retired Moustakas and Lorenzo Cain to end the threat.
They avoided a shutout when Kendrys Morales connected off Tony Sipp for a two-run homer to left field in the eighth inning.
Eric Hosmer added three hits for the Royals, whose three-game winning streak was snapped.
Houston backup catcher Erik Kratz didn’t make the most graceful entrance when the team was introduced before the game.
Kratz tripped on the orange carpet the Astros laid out for the pregame festivities and did a belly flop onto the ground. As soon as he got up several Royals, who were standing on the field after being introduced, laughed and pointed at him. When they were sure he was looking, about five of them tipped their caps to their former teammate, who spent parts of the last two seasons in Kansas City.
Notes: Royals OF Jarrod Dyson (right oblique strain) will continue his rehabilitation assignment with Triple-A Omaha today after taking a day off Monday. … Kris Medlen makes his first start of 2016 today for the Royals. Medlen went 6-2 with a 4.01 ERA last season after returning from Tommy John surgery following the All-Star break. Mike Fiers (0-0, 9.00) takes the mound for the Astros. Fiers, who threw a no-hitter last season, had a tough time in his 2016 debut, allowing five runs and nine hits in five innings.