The Washington Nationals handed the Houston Astros a 3-1 loss at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches on Sunday in spring training play. Despite Cam Smith's 2-for-3 with a home run and an RBI effort at the plate, the Astros could not pull even when it mattered. On the mound, Hunter Brown turned in a solid outing, working 4.0 innings of scoreless ball with nine strikeouts. Both clubs finished with 3 hits apiece in a closely contested battle. The loss is a minor bump as the Astros continue fine-tuning ahead of Opening Day. The exhibition season is about preparation, and today provided the kind of reps the coaching staff needs to see.
Key Performers
Cam Smith was the standout at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a home run and an RBI. His power was on full display throughout the game. The Astros will be hoping for more of the same as the spring continues.
Yordan Alvarez added to the attack, going 1-for-3 with a double. The Astros showed flashes of offense but could not piece together the big inning they needed.
On the other side of the diamond, Ronny Cruz led the Nationals offense with a 1-for-1 with a home run and two RBI day. Keibert Ruiz also contributed, going 1-for-2. Abimelec Ortiz added a 1-for-1 effort as well. The Nationals offense proved to be too much for the Astros pitching staff to contain on this particular day.
On the Mound
Hunter Brown got the start, turning in a quality outing, working 4.0 innings while allowing 0 earned runs on 0 hits with nine strikeouts. He threw 62 pitches in the outing. The coaching staff will review his performance as they continue mapping out the pitching plan for the regular season.
The bullpen combined for 3.3 innings of work, allowing 3 earned runs while striking out four. The Astros continue to sort through their relief options as they build their Opening Day bullpen. Every inning pitched in the spring is an opportunity for pitchers to make their case for a spot on the roster when the games start counting. Gus Varland recorded the save to close out the game.
Among the relievers, Christian Roa stood out with 1.0 innings of scoreless work, striking out two. It was an impressive showing that could factor into roster decisions.
How It Happened
The Astros struck first, plating a run in the fifth inning. Nationals responded with three runs in the seventh. Both teams finished with 3 hits apiece, with both teams playing clean defense. A crowd of 3,325 was on hand to take in the action.
Looking Ahead
Despite the result, the Astros will take the lessons learned from this game and move forward. Spring training is about preparation and evaluation, not wins and losses, and the coaching staff gained valuable information about the roster today. There is still time to make adjustments before the regular season begins, and games like this one are part of that process.
