WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — The Houston Astros scored twice in the seventh inning to erase a deficit but could not push across the winning run in a 3-3 tie with the Washington Nationals on Monday afternoon at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches.
Houston’s late rally was fueled by patience and pressure, but the offense stalled in the eighth and ninth as both bullpens settled in.
Nationals Strike First
Washington opened the scoring in the second inning. Keibert Ruiz delivered a run-scoring single before Andrés Chaparro grounded out to bring home another, giving the Nationals a 1-0 lead.
The Astros answered in the bottom half. Cam Smith doubled sharply to left, and Houston loaded the bases before César Salazar was hit by a pitch to force in the tying run.
Ruiz Goes Deep, House Adds On
Ruiz struck again in the fourth inning, launching a solo home run to right field off Steven Okert to give Washington a 2-1 advantage.
In the fifth, Brady House extended the lead with an RBI double after Nasim Nuñez reached and advanced on a disengagement violation. The Nationals moved ahead 3-1 as Houston’s pitching staff continued to mix and match.
Hunter Brown started for the Astros before turning the ball over to Okert and Bryan Abreu in a scheduled bullpen progression.
Seventh-Inning Push
Houston broke through in the seventh.
Josh Wakefield doubled to start the rally, and the Astros loaded the bases with a hit by pitch and a walk. Brice Matthews grounded out to bring home a run, trimming the deficit to 3-2.
Moments later, Ethan Frey worked a walk, and Houston capitalized on defensive pressure to even the score at 3-3.
The inning showcased the Astros’ depth pieces, with several late substitutions contributing to the comeback effort.
Bullpens Lock It Down
From there, both sides tightened up.
Julian Fernández, Andre Granillo, and Hudson Leach handled the final innings for Washington, combining to retire Houston’s final six hitters.
The Astros’ relief corps responded in kind. Logan VanWey and J.P. France worked clean frames, and Andre Granillo struck out two in the ninth to preserve the tie.
Brice Matthews popped out to shortstop Trey Lipscomb to end the bottom of the ninth.
Key Performances
- Yordan Alvarez returned to game action and went 0-for-2 with a strikeout in his spring debut. The results were secondary to timing and comfort at the plate, but getting him back into live competition marked an important step after last season’s hand and ankle issues. Houston’s lineup looks very different when Alvarez is in it, even in March.
- Cam Smith finished with a double and scored a run.
- Josh Wakefield delivered a key extra-base hit during the seventh-inning rally.
- César Salazar drove in a run via hit-by-pitch.
- Brady House and Keibert Ruiz accounted for the Nationals’ power production.
Bigger Picture
Houston continues to prioritize workload management over results. Hunter Brown and Bryan Abreu both logged innings as part of structured spring buildups.
The Astros showed improved plate discipline during their late rally but continue to search for consistent power production in Grapefruit League play.
Spring results remain secondary to health and development, but the competitive at-bats in the seventh provided a positive step.
FINAL: Astros 3, Nationals 3
Astros Spring Record: 1-6-3