NEW YORK -- The first grand slam of the 2016 baseball season belongs to George Springer.
Springer, the Astros' high-flying right fielder, launched an 0-1 pitch from Yankees starter Michael Pineda in the second inning and sent it sailing high over the left-field wall Wednesday for his first career grand slam. The homer cut the Yanks' lead to 6-5 in what would become a 16-6 New York win.
"When Springer hit the grand slam, the momentum shifted a little bit toward our favor, and they come back and get a three-spot with [Starlin Castro's] homer," Astros manager A.J. Hinch said. 
• Grand slams mean 40% off pizza
Houston didn't hit its first grand slam of last season until Aug. 1 (Hank Conger).

The homer was the 37th of Springer's career in 258 Major League games. The former first-round Draft pick bashed 20 homers in his rookie season of 2014 and hit 16 in 102 games last year. Thirteen of the homers Springer hit last year were solo shots, and he has not hit a three-run homer in his career.