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Astros return to Houston for 1st game since Harvey

Posted September 02, 2017 7:00 am

By KRISTIE RIEKEN

A fan holds a sign during the national anthem before the first game of a baseball doubleheader against the New York Mets, Saturday, Sept. 2, 2017, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith) The Associated Press

HOUSTON (AP) - Baseball returned to Houston on Saturday with the Astros giving the flood-ravaged city a few hours of entertainment at the end of a terrible and trying week.

The Astros beat the New York Mets 12-8 in a doubleheader opener, the first professional sporting event in the city since Hurricane Harvey.

The crowd of 30,319 included victims of the storm who were staying yards away at the George R. Brown Convention Center, which is the city's biggest shelter and is housing more than 9,000 people. The Astros provided 5,000 tickets to each game for the mayor's office to distribute at the convention center.

The Astros wore patches on the upper left side of their jerseys with the team logo and the word "STRONG" in block letters as a tribute to those who were affected by the storm. As George Springer approached home plate after hitting a two-run homer in the second inning, he pounded the patch three times with his right fist and pointed to the fans.

A "Houston Strong" patch is worn on the jersey of Houston Astros' Carlos Correa before the first game of a baseball doubleheader against the New York Mets, Saturday, Sept. 2, 2017, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith) The Associated Press

Houston mayor Sylvester Turner speaks to the media before the first game of a baseball doubleheader between the Houston Astros and the New York Mets, Saturday, Sept. 2, 2017, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith) The Associated Press

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