Ronel Blanco looked sharp. Home runs by Yainer Diaz and Issac Paredes, triple by Cam Smith, highlight offense.
The Astros won the first exhibition against their AAA affiliate, the Sugarland Space Cowboys, 8-4.
Key takeaways:
Although the competition wasn’t major league, Ronel Blanco looked sharper than he had all Spring. Coming in with a Spring ERA north of eight, it’s not just the one run on four hits that gives hope. He only allowed one walk with ten strikeouts. Maybe he chose the right time to finally start zeroing in.
On the other, a surprise for last year’s bullpen, Tayler Scott, whose Spring ERA was 7.56, continues to look cold, giving up two runs in 0.2 IP against the Astros’ AAA players. Bryan Abreu and Josh Hader pitched scoreless eighth and ninth innings with two Ks each.
The offense came form Isaac Paredes and Yainer Diaz homers and a Cam Smith two RBI triple. In the is-it-Dezenzo-or-Smith competition, Zack Dezenso was 0-4. Brendan Rogers added a double and Jose Altuve a two-RBI single. Yordan Alvarez was hitless (again) but did manage an sacrifice fly.
They do it again tomorrow. Hayden Wesneski gets his final warm up before Opening Day on Thrusday.