The Washington Nationals played the Houston Astros to a 3-3 draw at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches on Monday in spring training action. Keibert Ruiz led the offensive effort with a 2-for-3 with a home run and an RBI day, but neither club could land the decisive blow. Josiah Gray worked 1.2 innings on the mound, allowing 1 earned run on 2 hits. The Nationals finished with 6 hits on the day while holding the Astros to 5. The draw is part of the exhibition experience, and the coaching staff will evaluate the individual performances as they continue assembling the Opening Day roster.
Key Performers
Keibert Ruiz was the top performer at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a home run and an RBI. His ability to drive the ball out of the park was the highlight of the afternoon. Performances like this give the Nationals confidence that the lineup is rounding into form.
Brady House provided support, going 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI, James Wood also contributed, going 1-for-3, and Phillip Glasser chipped in, going 1-for-1 with a double. While there were individual bright spots, the lineup could not string hits together consistently.
On the other side of the diamond, James Nelson led the Astros offense with a 1-for-2 with an RBI day. Jose Altuve also contributed, going 1-for-3. Josh Wakefield added a 1-for-2 with a double effort as well. The Astros offense proved to be too much for the Nationals pitching staff to contain on this particular day.
On the Mound
Josiah Gray got the start, struggling with his command, working 1.2 innings while allowing 1 earned run on 2 hits with three strikeouts. He threw 39 pitches in the outing. It was a useful learning experience as the Nationals evaluate their pitching depth heading into the regular season.
The bullpen combined for 6.4 innings of work, allowing 2 earned runs while striking out eight. Spring training gives the coaching staff a chance to evaluate bullpen depth, and today provided useful information about the current state of the bullpen. Each reliever is auditioning for a roster spot, and innings like these factor into those decisions.
Among the relievers, Drew Smith stood out with 1.0 innings of scoreless work, striking out two. His performance was one of the day's bright spots from the bullpen.
How It Happened
The Nationals struck first, scoring a run in the second inning. Astros countered with a run in the second. The Nationals struck back with a run in the fourth. The Nationals added a run in the fifth. Astros responded with a run in the seventh. Astros pushed across a run in the eighth. The Nationals out-hit Astros 6-5 on the day, with 1 error committed between the two clubs. A crowd of 2,302 was on hand to take in the action.
Looking Ahead
The Nationals will move on from the draw as spring training continues. Exhibition games can end in ties under spring training rules, and the coaching staff will focus on the individual performances rather than the outcome as they finalize their roster ahead of Opening Day. Every at-bat and every inning on the mound is valuable preparation for the regular season ahead.
