Porter debuts vs. former coach in Wash

HOUSTON -- When the starting lineups were introduced prior to Sunday night's game, Rangers manager Ron Washington and Astros manager Bo Porter shared a handshake and an embrace. Washington was Oakland's third-base coach when Porter was playing for the A's in 2000, and they've remained friends.

"We've always kept a close relationship and he's a friend, first and foremost, and throughout the course of the year we will compete against each other, but at the end of the day our friendship will remain," Porter said.

In fact, Washington has been a source of guidance for Porter, who was hired last year by the Astros to be their manager after interviewing with a couple of clubs previously, including the Marlins.

"When Ron Washington was hired by the Texas Rangers, I was one of the first five to 10 people that gave him a call and congratulated him," Porter said. "When I was hired by the Houston Astros, Ron Washington was one of the first people that called and congratulated me."

Porter said Washington has been a sounding board for him on a number of different things.

"Even before I became a manager, the first couple of times I interviewed and it went all the way down to the wire with an opportunity get the job and I didn't get the job, he was one of the people that called me and said, 'Hey, hang in there. I interviewed 11 times before I was hired, your opportunity is going to come, and when it comes it will be the right opportunity for you,'" Porter said.