2014 Grapefruit League Recap, Game 12

Houston Astros 10, Washington Nationals 9

2014 Grapefruit League record: 6-6

W- Raúl Valdés (2-0)
L- Xavier Cedeño (0-1)

Astros home runs: Jason Castro (2, 2-run in 3rd)

The Astros found themselves down 9-4 after surrendering 5 in the 5th, but they walked off with a victory by scoring 6 unanswered to close out the game. One big inning can change a game, but a scoring run can do just that, as well.






Starting Pitcher: Jerome Williams

Williams made his first start of the spring and had a couple of innings where he gave up 2 runs. All 4 of those runs were unearned, as they came off of a couple of Jonathan Villar errors. Villar had all the errors. Otherwise, Williams had a decent outing, and he has yet to issue a walk this spring.

Final line: 3.2 IP, 6 H, 4 R (all unearned), 3 K

Bullpen

The first man out was Jose Cisnero, who inherited 2 runners from Williams. None of them scored; Cisnero did his job and got out of the 4th inning with no further damage.

Rhiner Cruz got 2 outs in the 5th, but also got walloped in the process, giving up 4 runs (1 inherited).

Darin Downs got the Astros out of the 5th, but served up a 2-run homer to Nate McLouth before doing that. The homer allowed the runner he inherited from Rhiner to score. Downs had a much quieter 6th, as he erased Jamey Carroll (who singled to lead off the inning) on a double play that was upheld after review and got Tyler Moore to fly out.

Anthony Bass was excellent in his 2 scoreless frames, allowing a hit and striking out 2, and Raúl Valdés struck out 2 in a 1-2-3 9th.

Offense

Jason Castro tore it up at the plate today; he opened the scoring by crushing a double to right-center and sent a 2-run shot out in the 3rd.


Villar chipped in with an RBI single in the 4th. Then, after the big inning for the Nationals, the Astros activated comeback mode.

In the 6th, Japhet Amador reached on an error that allowed 2 runs to score, which made it 9-6. Marwin Gonzalez hit an RBI single in the 7th to cut the lead to 9-7. Then in the 9th...

Rene Garcia kept the game going with a 2-out single, and then Adron Chambers came on to pinch-run. He'd make it a 1-run game by scoring on a Delino DeShields single. Marwin's 3rd hit of the game was a double that tied the game at 9. It could've been, and in all honesty really should've been, the final out of the game, but Steven Souza, the Nationals RF, had uh... second thoughts about catching the ball. He caught a case of alligator arms. One batter later, George Springer completed the comeback by placing a ball smack-dab into left-center, allowing Marwin to come home with the winning run.

Castro, DeShields, and Springer had 2-hit afternoons. Marwin was a perfect 3-3 with 2 runs scored. Dexter Fowler also scored twice.

Three Stars

Interchangeable.

3.

Jason Castro, C
2-3, 2B, 2-R HR (2), 3 RBI, R

2.

George Springer, OF
Huh? Oh, sorry, I was mesmerized for a moment.
2-3, GW RBI single in 9th, R

1.

Marwin Gonzalez, SS/3B
3-3, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 R

Many apologies to Anthony Bass and Raúl Valdés.

Next Up

The Astros will travel to Dunedin to face the Blue Jays. On the mound, Dallas Keuchel will take on Esmil Rogers. First pitch will be at 1:05 Eastern.