The Washington Nationals secured a 3-1 victory over the Houston Astros at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches on Sunday in spring training action. Ronny Cruz paced the offense, going 1-for-1 with a home run and two RBI, giving the coaching staff plenty to be encouraged about as the exhibition schedule continues. On the mound, Andrew Alvarez turned in a solid outing, working 4.0 innings of scoreless ball with five strikeouts. Both clubs finished with 3 hits apiece in a closely contested battle. The Nationals will take confidence from a well-rounded effort on both sides of the ball. Spring training is about building toward the regular season, and this was a step in the right direction.
Key Performers
Ronny Cruz was the standout at the plate, going 1-for-1 with a home run and two RBI. His power was on full display throughout the game. The Nationals will be hoping for more of the same as the spring continues.
Keibert Ruiz added to the attack, going 1-for-2 and Abimelec Ortiz provided support, going 1-for-1. Multiple contributors at the plate made life difficult for the opposing pitching staff.
On the other side of the diamond, Cam Smith led the Astros offense with a 2-for-3 with a home run and an RBI day. Yordan Alvarez also contributed, going 1-for-3 with a double. Despite those contributions, the Nationals pitching staff did enough to limit the damage and secure the victory.
On the Mound
Andrew Alvarez got the start, turning in a quality outing, working 4.0 innings while allowing 0 earned runs on 1 hit with five strikeouts. He threw 41 pitches in the outing. The coaching staff will review his performance as they continue mapping out the pitching plan for the regular season.
The bullpen combined for 5.0 innings of work, allowing 1 earned run while striking out six. The Nationals continue to sort through their relief options as they build their Opening Day bullpen. Every inning pitched in the spring is an opportunity for pitchers to make their case for a spot on the roster when the games start counting. Gus Varland recorded the save to close out the game.
Among the relievers, Orlando Ribalta stood out with 1.0 innings of 1-run work, striking out two. It was an impressive showing that could factor into roster decisions.
How It Happened
Astros got on the board first with a run in the fifth inning. The Nationals responded with three runs in the seventh. The Nationals made their one big inning count, doing all of their damage in a single frame. Both teams finished with 3 hits apiece, with both teams playing clean defense. A crowd of 3,325 was on hand to take in the action.
Looking Ahead
The Nationals will look to build on this positive performance as spring training winds down. With the regular season rapidly approaching, outings like this one provide confidence and continuity for a roster that is rounding into form. Every remaining exhibition game is another chance to sharpen the details before the games start counting for real.
