JUPITER, Fla. — While Houston’s home squad was being shut out in West Palm Beach, the Astros’ split-squad group ran into a power surge in Jupiter.
The St. Louis Cardinals launched four home runs in a 9-4 win over the Astros at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium, completing a difficult Thursday that saw Houston drop both ends of its split-squad slate.
Early Control, Then Trouble
Peter Lambert opened with two scoreless innings, allowing two hits while keeping the Cardinals off the board. Colton Gordon followed and worked through the third and fourth, surrendering only a solo home run as Houston trailed 1-0 through four innings.
The fifth inning shifted the tone.
Miguel Ullola was tagged for three runs, including a home run, as St. Louis extended the lead. Roddery Willingham allowed four runs across the sixth and seventh innings, also yielding a homer. The Cardinals added their fourth long ball in the eighth, turning a tight contest into a 9-4 margin.
Depth arms were tested, and the Cardinals capitalized.
Offense Produces, But Not Enough
Unlike the home squad that managed only two hits against the Mets, the Jupiter lineup generated steady contact.
Brice Matthews went 3-for-3 with an RBI, continuing a strong spring. Zach Dezenzo added four hits, raising his early-camp average and strengthening his case for continued at-bats. Cooper Janek drove in three runs, and Riley Unroe contributed two RBIs.
Houston collected multiple hits throughout the lineup, but the difference was power. The Cardinals’ four home runs proved decisive, while the Astros relied on singles and scattered production.
Split-Squad Realities
With Tatsuya Imai debuting in West Palm Beach and several established relievers remaining on the home side, Thursday’s Jupiter roster leaned heavily on depth and evaluation arms.
The outing provided information, even if the results were uneven. Houston continues assessing bullpen options and back-end depth as camp progresses.
Combined with the 5-0 loss to the Mets earlier in the day, the Astros were outscored 14-4 across both games.
Looking Ahead
The Astros return to action Friday when Lance McCullers Jr. is scheduled to make his spring debut against the Washington Nationals at CACTI Park. First pitch is set for 5:05 p.m. CT.
Full spring training schedule details are available here.