Hunter Brown is a key fixture within the Astros’ starting rotation in the short- and long-term. His performance this upcoming season will hold a good deal of sway over the team’s fortunes for some time. But there will be an occasional clunker, as was the case against the Marlins on Saturday. Overall, the right-hander wasn’t at his best, allowing five earned runs in only 3 2⁄3 innings, including five walks. But it was the second-to-last game of Spring Training, so Brown can be excused if he is eager to get out of there.
The rest of the pitching staff held up relatively well. Bryan King threw 2⁄3 of a scoreless inning. Rafael Montero had a scoreless inning himself. Logan VanWey allowed a run but struck out three. It was an effective day for multiple possible members of the Opening Day bullpen.
The lineup was held scoreless for nearly the entire game. There were some good moments from the projected regulars, with Jeremy Peña and Jake Meyers picking up two hits apiece. Zach Dezenzo got another one himself. But the bats didn’t come alive until the end, with Joe Hudson making a game of it with a bases-clearing double in the bottom of the ninth. Tyler Whitaker would subsequently drive in Hudson to make it a 6-5 game, but the comeback stopped there.
With only one more game in Florida, Spring Training is coming to a close. Once Sunday passes, there are only two exhibition games remaining before Opening Day. The upcoming season is starting to feel real now.