ST. PETERSBURG (WDAE) -- Charlie Morton earned his first win as a member of the Rays, and Yandy Diaz hit his first home run with the team, as Tampa Bay defeated the Houston Astros 4-2 Friday at Tropicana Field.
Houston got on the board against Morton in the top of the third, as he hit Tony Kemp with a pitch, and walked Jose Altuve two batters later. Alex Bregman struck out, but Michael Brantley lined n offering into the right field corner, allowing both Kemp and Altuve to score.
Tampa Bay rallied in the bottom of the inning against Gerrit Cole, with Kevin Kiermaier leading off with a single. Mike Zunino reached two batters later on an error, and after Austin Meadows flew out for the second out in the inning, Tommy Pham singled home Kiermaier to cut the deficit back to 2-1. Pham stole second base, which allowed him to score behind Zunino on a base hit by Ji-Man Choi, giving the Rays the lead for good.
Yandy Diaz extended Tampa Bay's lead in the sixth with a solo home run to center off Cole, his first as a member of the Rays.
Morton (1-0) earned his first win with Tampa Bay, allowing the two runs on three hits in five innings of work, striking out eight. Diego Castillo provided two innings of shutout relief, while Chaz Roe and Adam Kolarek combined to put up a zero in the eighth, and Jose Alvarado allowed a hit and a walk, but finished off the ninth to earn his first save of 2019.
SATURDAY'S MATCHUP
Tampa Bay Rays vs. Houston Astros, 6:10 pm first pitch, coverage on WDAE begins at 5:00 with The Inside Pitch presented by Crown Eurocars.
Rays Starting Pitcher - RHP Tyler Glasnow (2-7. 4.27 ERA in 2018)
Astros Starting Pitcher - RHP Collin McHugh (6-2, 1.99 ERA in 2018)
UPCOMING SCHEDULE
Sunday - Rays vs. Houston Astros, 1:10 pm first pitch
Monday - Rays vs. Colorado Rockies, 7:10 pm first pitch
Tuesday - Rays vs Colorado Rockies, 7:10 pm first pitch
Wednesday - Rays vs Colorado Rockies, 1:10 pm first pitch
Photo: Getty Images