Julio Teheran made his spring training debut this afternoon and struggled with his location early in the game giving up a double to Jose Altuve, who was then moved over by George Springer, and scored on a deep sacrifice fly by Carlos Correa. The second inning didn't start off any better either as Jason Castro blasted a long opposite field homer on the first pitch that increased the deficit to 2-0. That's when Julio locked in and retired 6 of the final 7 batters that he faced.
The Braves finally got on the board in the top of the third when Michael Bourn slapped a single to right fielder George Springer and was eventually brought home by Freddie Freeman's second HR of the spring. Freeman seems to be showing very little signs of the nagging wrist injury from last year so far evident by his 2.095 OPS this spring including a pair of home runs and a double.
That's when things fell apart for the Braves. Chris Volstad got shelled, allowing three doubles and a walk in two-thirds of an inning allowing five runs of which three were earned. Rob Wooten was almost equally ineffective as he gave up a double, and a bases loaded walk as well before finally retiring Max Stassi to end the inning.
Mauricio Cabrera came on in the fifth and struggled with his control allowing a walk, a wild pitch, and a long solo home run. The enticing pitcher who can hit 103 mph on the gun has continued to struggle with his command this spring registering two wild pitches, and giving up a combined four runs in his last two outings.
The Braves were able to counter in the top of the 6th following a walk by Kelly Johnson, a single by Hector Olivera and a double by Willians Astudillo which scored Johnson. Jace Peterson followed that up with a fielders choice which brought in Hector Olivera and reduced the deficit to 8-4.
A home run by Nate Freiman in the top of the 7th made it an 8-5 game, but that ended up being the closest the Braves would get after a Dansby Swanson throwing error allowed Preston Tucker to reach base and eventually score on an Andrew Aplin single extending the Astros lead to 9-5.
Madison Younginer was the lone bright spot for the pitching staff as he pitched 1.1 innings of hitless baseball only allowing a single walk.
Hector Olivera and Willians Astudillo lead the Braves both registering two hits. Rio Ruiz hit a laser to LF but was taken out of the game immediately after, after an odd first step out of the batters box left him limping.
Bud Norris makes his second of the spring tomorrow as the Braves face off against the Miami Marlins at Roger Dean Stadium.