Astros experience long trip home, quick turnaround

HOUSTON -- Most Major League players remember seeing the sunrise during long road trips from their days in the Minor Leagues.

The Astros got reacquainted with that travel itinerary early Tuesday morning, as the team didn't arrive back in Houston until approximately 5 a.m. CT after a late 2-1 win in Anaheim on Monday night.

"It was crazy," outfielder J.D. Martinez said at 3:45 p.m. "I just woke up an hour ago. I want to say we were leaving LA for 11:30 (PT). I think we were dragging butt a little getting into the clubhouse today."

Martinez said he was in "Minor League Mode" all day, and catcher Jason Castro agreed while relating one of his more extreme scenarios from his days with Double-A Corpus Christi.

"With the Hooks, we played a 7 p.m. game in Springfield (Mo.) and bused back to Corpus after the game, which was like a 14-hour trip," Castro said. "We got back around 3 in the afternoon. We had time to get food and come right back to the park and play. So this time wasn't too bad."

Martinez said the adrenaline from a long road trip can sometimes help a team and that he wasn't worried about the wonky schedule affecting the Astros' recent momentum.

"I've noticed when guys come in like this -- tired at first but not too wired -- you're more relaxed," he said. "You're riding a high, so you run with it and play one of your best games."

The Orioles had the day off Monday and landed in Houston Monday evening, a rare case of the road team arriving in town before the home squad.