The New York Mets handed the Houston Astros a 6-2 loss at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches on Thursday in spring training play. Despite Brice Matthews's 2-for-2 with a double and an RBI effort at the plate, the Astros could not overcome a sizable deficit. Peter Lambert worked 3.1 innings on the mound, allowing 3 earned runs on 3 hits. The Astros finished with 8 hits on the day while holding the Mets to 7. 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
Brice Matthews was the standout at the plate, going 2-for-2 with a double and an RBI. His extra-base hit was a key moment in the game. The Astros will be hoping for more of the same as the spring continues.
Yordan Alvarez added to the attack, going 2-for-3 with an RBI, Cam Smith provided support, going 1-for-3 with a double, and Cavan Biggio also contributed, going 1-for-1. The Astros showed flashes of offense but could not piece together the big inning they needed.
On the other side of the diamond, Luis Robert Jr. led the Mets offense with a 2-for-4 with two doubles and two RBI day. Brett Baty also contributed, going 1-for-3 with a double and an RBI. Jose Aular added a 1-for-2 with an RBI effort as well. The Mets offense proved to be too much for the Astros pitching staff to contain on this particular day.
On the Mound
Peter Lambert took the loss after battling through his outing, working 3.1 innings while allowing 3 earned runs on 3 hits with one strikeout. He threw 54 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 4.5 innings of work, allowing 3 earned runs while striking out nine. 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.
Among the relievers, Bryan Abreu stood out with 1.0 innings of scoreless work, striking out three. It was an impressive showing that could factor into roster decisions.
How It Happened
Mets got on the board first with a run in the second inning. Mets tacked on two runs in the fourth. Mets pushed across three runs in the fifth. The Astros struck back with a run in the fifth. The Astros added a run in the seventh. The Mets were able to score in three separate innings, keeping the pressure on throughout the contest. The Astros out-hit Mets 8-7 on the day, with 1 error committed between the two clubs. A crowd of 4,400 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.
