Castro delivers early, but Yanks edged late

NEW YORK -- Carlos Correa reached on an eighth-inning throwing error by Dellin Betances, sending Jose Altuve home with the go-ahead run as the Astros defeated the Yankees, 5-3, on Opening Day at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday.

Correa homered and drove in two runs for Houston, but it was his dribbler up the first-base line that wound up deciding the contest. Betances lobbed his throw over both Correa, who was running on the infield grass, and first baseman Mark Teixeira. Manager Joe Girardi signaled that the Yankees would play the game under protest, arguing that Correa ran out of the baseline. Luis Valbuena added a two-run single off Betances in the three-run eighth.

• Yanks signal protest on Astros' go-ahead run

Starlin Castro had a two-run double in his Yankees' debut, accounting for the production off Dallas Keuchel, who scattered three hits over seven innings. Masahiro Tanaka made his second straight Opening Day start for New York and permitted two runs and four hits over 5 2/3 innings.

Didi Gregorius hit an eighth-inning homer off Ken Giles. The Yankees have lost five straight season openers, marking the first time they have done so since 1934-38.

Bryan Hoch is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @bryanhoch, on Facebook and read his MLBlog, Bombers Beat. Brian McTaggart is a reporter for MLB.com and writes an MLBlog, Tag's Lines. Follow @brianmctaggart on Twitter and listen to his podcast. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.