MLB
The Houston Astros’ and Colorado Rockies’ record in Mexico
This weekend Major League Baseball regular season returns to Estadio Alfredo Harp Helú Stadium in Mexico City.
Mexico City will play host to two MLB regular season games this weekend. The Houston Astros and the Colorado Rockies face off in two games to be held at Estadio Alfredo Harp Helú on Saturday 27 April and Sunday 28th.
Astros win in Monterrey
Both teams have previous experience of playing in Mexico and have forged a strong bond with the Mexican public. The Astros’ most recent appearance in Mexico was back in May 2019 when they beat the Los Angeles Angels 14-2 in the first game then followed that up with a 10-4 victory with Alex Bregman hitting a grand slam and finishing with three home runs and eight RBI in the two-game series in Monterrey.
Houston Astros in Mexico
- 4 May 2019 Houston Astros 14-2 Los Angeles Angels
- 5 May 2019 Houston Astros 10-4 Los Angeles Angels
- 26 March 2016 Houston Astros 11-1 San Diego Padres
- 27 March 2016 Houston Astros 6-21 San Diego Padres
- 14 March 2004 Houston Astros 1-6 Florida Marlins
- 15 March 2004 Florida Marlins 2-2 Houston Astros
That wasn’t Houston’s first appearance on Mexican soil - they made their debut trip in March 2016. Carlos Correa and Tyler White hit back-to-back home runs as the Astros hammered the San Diego Padres 11-1 in the first game of the series in Mexico City. The Padres got their revenge the following day, thrashing A. J. Hinch’s team 6-21 in Mexico City.
The Astros’ first visit to Mexico City was 12 years earlier in March 2004. They lost the first game 1-6 to the Florida Marlins at Estadio Foro Sol but at least managed to tie the the second game 2-2.
Colorado Rockies in Mexico
- 4 April 1999 Colorado Rockies 8-2 San Diego Padres
- 16 March 2001 Colorado Rockies 6-5 San Diego Padres
- 9 March 2019 Arizona Diamondbacks 1-5 Colorado Rockies
- 10 March 2019 Colorado Rockies 2-5 Arizona Diamondbacks
The Rockies debut in Monterrey
The Colorado Rockies and the San Diego Padres made history by taking part in the first MLB opening game to be played in Mexico. Estadio de Béisbol Monterrey was the venue - a sellout crowd of just over 27,000 gave local hero and Mexican third baseman Vinny Castilla a homecoming to remember.
Castilla finished 4 for 5 with a double and a run and on the winning side as the Rockies took the game 8-2.
In March 2001, Colorado beat the same Californian team 6-5 at Estadio General Ángel Flores in Culiacán, Sinaloa. Fast forward almost two decades to March 2019, in an exhibition series in Monterrey, the Rockies beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 1-5 in the first game and but lost the next day’s game 2-5.
For Saturday’s game, Dominican Ronel Blanco has been confirmed as the starting pitcher for Houston with Canadian right hander Cal Cantrill expected to start for the Rockies. On Sunday, the starters will be the Dominican Framber Valdéz for the Texans, while Colorado will send the North American Austin Gamber to the mound.