Rolling out the Turf

The first regular-season game in the major leagues on Astro Turf takes place 59 years ago Friday with the Los Angeles Dodgers beating the Astros 6-3 before a Monday night crowd of 25,182 in Houston.

The victory goes to Don Sutton, then a 21-year-old rookie who wins for the first time in the majors and goes on to win another 323 games in his Hall of Fame career.

The losing pitcher is Robin Roberts, by then 39 and hanging on in the final major league season of his own Hall of Fame career that includes 286 wins.

The start is the second in Sutton’s then-fledgling career and the 590th in Roberts’ career.

For those wondering, the first hit on AstroTurf belongs to the Dodgers’ Maury Wills, who starts the game with a single to center field off Roberts.