Rockies trip Sampson, Astros at Minute Maid

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Rockies trip Sampson, Astros at Minute Maid

So tired were the Colorado Rockies from playing a 22-inning game that didn't allow them to arrive in Houston until morning rush hour Friday, they decided to put away the Astros quickly.

The bleary-eyed Rockies jumped on starter Chris Sampson for six runs in the first inning and went on to destroy the Astros 11-5 in the opener of a three-game series at Minute Maid Park.

Sampson couldn't make it out of the first inning, giving up six runs and six hits to a patchwork Rockies lineup that didn't include Matt Holliday, Brad Hawpe or Todd Helton.

It's the first time an Astros starter didn't pitch at least one inning since Jason Jennings gave up 11 runs on July 29 of last year.

Astros second baseman Kaz Matsui, who helped Colorado to the World Series last year, made his 2008 debut and went 0-for-3 with a pair of walks and a run.

The defending National League champion Rockies needed more than six hours to beat the Padres on Thursday night in San Diego in the longest game in baseball in nearly 15 years. The team didn't arrive in their Houston hotel until 8:30 a.m.

Colorado starter Franklin Morales, who arrived in Houston hours before the rest of his teammates, nearly coughed up the 6-0 lead in the first. The Astros scored four runs in the bottom of the inning to get within 6-4, but the offense quickly fizzled.

The Astros managed just one hit from the second through seventh inning as Morales gave the Rockies' tired bullpen a boost by pitching five innings. Colorado scored three times against Brian Moehler in the fourth to pull away at 9-4.

Sampson allowed the first three batters of the game to reach, but struck out Garrett Atkins with the bases loaded. Sampson recorded only one more out as the Rockies began teeing off.

Troy Tulowitzki doubled to left to score Scott Podsednik and Willy Taveras to make it 2-0, and Jeff Baker followed with a two-run single. After Clint Barmes singled, catcher Chris Iannetta ripped a double to left to score Baker and Barmes to make it 6-0.

Lance Berkman, Carlos Lee, Hunter Pence and J.R. Towles had RBIs in the first for the Astros, who batted around to get within 6-4. Moehler ended the inning by striking out swinging in a rare first-inning at-bat for the reliever.

Sampson (0-2) was pulled after walking Podsednik during his second at-bat of the first inning, and Moehler needed just one pitch to end the first. Sampson threw 34 pitches in his first start in nine days.

An infield single by Ryan Spilborghs in the fourth ignited another Rockies rally. Spilborghs stole second and scored on Atkins' bloop single, and Tulowitzki scored Atkins with a double to left past Carlos Lee.

Barmes drove home Tulowitzki with a double to make it 9-4. Atkins hit a two-run homer in the eighth off Wesley Wright to stretch Colorado's lead to 11-4.

Mark Loretta added an RBI double in the eighth for the Astros.