The Houston Astros fell 4-3 to the New York Mets at Clover Park on Sunday in spring training play. Despite Jose Altuve's 1-for-2 effort at the plate, the Astros could not pull even when it mattered. Jason Alexander worked 2.0 innings on the mound, allowing 0 earned runs on 1 hit. The Mets out-hit the Astros 6-5 on the day. The Astros will look to regroup as spring training rolls on. There is still time to work through the rough patches before the regular season arrives, and the coaching staff will use today's performance as a learning opportunity.
Key Performers
Jose Altuve was the key contributor at the plate, going 1-for-2. He put together quality at-bats throughout the game. It was the kind of day at the plate that suggests good things ahead for the Astros offense.
Will Bush chipped in, going 1-for-2 with a double, Joey Loperfido added to the attack, going 1-for-2, and Chase Call provided support, going 1-for-1. Despite the individual efforts, the offense could not generate enough sustained production.
On the other side of the diamond, Tyrone Taylor led the Mets offense with a 1-for-2 with a home run and an RBI day. Chris Suero also contributed, going 1-for-1 with a home run and an RBI. Yonatan Henriquez 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
Jason Alexander got the start, having a rough go of it, working 2.0 innings while allowing 0 earned runs on 1 hit with one strikeout. He threw 28 pitches in the outing. His outing provided the coaching staff with another data point as rotation and bullpen decisions loom.
The bullpen combined for 5.5 innings of work, allowing 4 earned runs while striking out nine. The relief corps kept the game within reach after the starter departed. Managing the bullpen workload is a key priority during the spring, and every outing helps the coaching staff gauge who is ready for high-leverage situations.
Among the relievers, Tom Cosgrove stood out with 1.0 innings of scoreless work, striking out two. The outing gave the coaching staff confidence in his ability to contribute this season.
How It Happened
The Astros struck first, tallying a run in the third inning. Mets answered with two runs in the fourth. The Astros responded with a run in the sixth. The Astros pushed across a run in the seventh. Mets struck back with a run in the seventh. Mets added a run in the ninth. The Mets were able to score in three separate innings, keeping the pressure on throughout the contest. Mets out-hit the Astros 6-5, with 1 error committed between the two clubs. A crowd of 5,766 was on hand to take in the action.
Looking Ahead
The Astros will regroup and get back to work in their next outing. While the final score was not in their favor, the exhibition season is about building toward the regular season, and this game provided useful reps for a roster still taking shape. The coaching staff will review the performance and make adjustments before the next time out.
