For Astros fans and Phillips 66, home opener was one to remember

For the Houston Astros and Phillips 66, the 2021 home opener was one to remember. 

The Astros welcomed fans back to Minute Maid Park for the first time since 2019 by treating them to a win over the Oakland Athletics, and Phillips 66 debuted as the official sponsor of the Phillips 66 Diamond Club, the all-inclusive seating and club area located behind home plate. 

“This will be our 22nd season as a sponsor of the Astros, and we are thrilled to experience it with fans once again,” said Phillips 66 Corporate Sponsorship Analyst Sara Hayes. “If Houston’s red-hot start is any indication, Astros fans will be in for another great season.” 

A restricted-capacity crowd of more than 21,000 fans made Houston feel right at home in the 6-2 victory. Baseball fans spent the shortened 2020 season cheering from home because of COVID-19 restrictions. 

“It was amazing, the support from the fans from the first inning,” Astros second baseman Jose Altuve told the Houston media after the game. “Tonight was a perfect night for us.” 

Carlos Correa, Yordan Alvarez and Altuve made sure to keep the crowd roaring and the Phillips 66 Home Run Pump busy, smashing home runs to lift Houston to a 6-1 start to the season. 

The pump, a mainstay of the ballpark that overlooks left-center field and counts every home run by the Astros at Minute Maid, is sporting a new, clean look this season that includes a fresh coat of paint, a more prominent shield and bolder graphics. 

Together with the new Diamond Club sponsorship and other signage, Phillips 66 will feature prominently at Minute Maid Park all season long. 

“Phillips 66 is proud to support the Astros,” Hayes said. “They have kept our Home Run Pump busy season after season, and we look forward to watching them go yard frequently again in 2021.” 

Phillips 66 enjoys a strong presence elsewhere in Major League Baseball. The company sponsors the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Seattle Mariners through the 76 brand and the St. Louis Cardinals through the Phillips 66 gas brand.