Urquidy, Gurriel dominate in Springer's return to Houston

Photo courtesy of Eric Christian Smith/Associated Press

Emotions were plentiful in Houston's opening game against the visiting Toronto Blue Jays. The actual game itself, unfortunately, wasn't nearly as intriguing.

Yuli Gurriel recorded only one out in five plate appearances, and José Urquidy shoved on the mound en route to a blowout 10-4 victory on Friday night.

There was plenty of fanfare even before first pitch. Friday's game marked former Astro George Springer's first return to Houston, after signing a six-year, $150 million deal with the Toronto Blue Jays in the offseason.

Springer reconvened and caught up with a number of his old teammates before the game.

Springer was also treated to a standing ovation from the hometown fans, as well as a tribute video from the Astros organization. Springer said he was appreciative of the gesture.

"This is the place where I got an opportunity to play and got an opportunity to grow as a big-leaguer, a person." Springer told the media. "The fans will have a very, very special place here in my heart."

Springer, currently on the IL, was forced to watch as his old team went to work on his new one. A Bo Bichette solo homer put the visiting Jays up early, but Houston quickly responded in the bottom of the second inning with a Carlos Correa two-run homer.

Jays' pitcher Ross Stripling -- a member of the 2017 Los Angeles Dodgers, and also a vocal supporter of beaning the Astros batters -- would then load the bases in the same inning, before issuing a bases loaded walk to Alex Bregman to push Houston's lead to 3-1.

The Astros would strike again in the fifth. Yuli Gurriel would smoke a ball into the Crawford Boxes in left field to add two more runs to Houston's total.

On the defensive side, José Urquidy shoved for the Astros. Urquidy would allow four hits on his evening (two of them being solo home runs) and one base on balls, representing the only runners he would allow to reach base through seven innings of work. In his last three starts, Urquidy is 3-0 with an ERA of 1.80.

Urquidy also utilized his patented changeup more, throwing 21 of them for strikes out of 26. Dusty Baker seemed pleased with the development. "I talked to [Urquidy]... and so did [pitching coach Brent Strom] about using that changeup more, and that does set up a lot of his other pitches."

Urquidy's final line -- 7.0 IP, four hits, two earned runs, one walk, and two strikeouts. He earned the win, his third victorious decision of the year.

The Astros would add five runs total in the seventh and eight innings. Yuli Gurriel would collect an RBI in both innings, bringing his total in the game up to four. Gurriel finished a perfect 4-4 on the night.

"That’s the Yuli I heard about," Baker remarked after the game. "That’s how you hit. It’s a pleasure and a joy to watch."

Gurriel, playing in front of his younger brother, Blue Jays' outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr., relished the real-time sibling rivalry. After hitting his home run, Yuli admitted that he was "making eye contact with him out of the corner of my eye."

"It’s gonna be a big conversation after the game with our family," Gurriel added, when asked how his family might feel after getting four hits and Lourdes Jr. getting none. "They’re not gonna be 100% happy because I got 4 hits and he didn’t have any. So there’ll be a little bit of a division there in the family afterward."

The Astros move to 17-15 with the win. Young right-hander Cristian Javier will toe the bump against southpaw Steven Matz tomorrow. Javier hasn't lost a start in seven straight appearances. First pitch is scheduled for 6 PM CT.