Too many mistakes, and too many sinkers from Diamondback starter Brandon Webb led to a 5-1 defeat.
Arizona opened the scoring in the second inning without a hit. Orlando Hudson reached on an error, beat an ill-advised throw to second on a bunt, advanced to third on a fielders choice, and scored on a ground out.
The Astros tied it in the fourth on Adam Everett’s two-out double, scoring Jason Lane, who had singled and was advanced on a base hit by Brad Ausmus .
The snakes took the lead in the fifth against Astros starter Andy Pettitte with a pair of singles, a sac bunt, and a groundout.
Pettitte was also touched for a run in the sixth, allowing a one out double by Hudson, who just missed a home run off the top of the left field wall, and another double by Chris Snyder.
Arizona finished the scoring in the seventh against reliever Trever Miller when rookie Conor Jackson took him yard for an impressive 2-run shot.
The Astros could not mount a comeback against the sinkerballing Webb, who recorded 16 ground ball outs in his 8 innings, setting down 13 straight before he was relieved by fireballer Jose Valverde in the ninth.
Game two of the series Saturday at 8:40 CST, leftys Wandy Rodriguez vs. Claudio Vargas