Bryan Abreu dominant in Astros 5-4 win over Mets.

Once one of the golden boys among Astros pitching prospects, Bryan Abreu was not well-prepared to pitch last year, the year of COVID. Since then hopes have rested on some newer names and faces who seemingly came from nowhere last year to fill the many voids left by injury.

Today Bryan Abreu said, “don’t forget about me.”

He pitched three perfect innings against a legit Mets lineup, recording four strikeouts. This is a considerable improvement on his first start this Spring, the one that followed COVID quarantine. We like the progression.

Astros bats were a little more active today, accumulating 11 hits and five runs. The bulk of the production came in the third on a Jose Altuve RBI single, and a two-run Michael Brantley double. (Later in the game Altuve killed a bases-loaded rally with a line shot triple play)

The Astros added one run in each of the fifth and sixth innings with a Yordan Alvarez single in the fifth and a Myles Straw single in the sixth.

Straw was 2-4 today, and Kyle Tucker was 3-4.

Steve Cishek, on the roster bubble, had another scoreless frame this Spring, although he allowed two hits.

Brooks Raley followed Cishek for 1.1 innings and gave up a run.

Another pitcher on the bubble was great for 2.1 innings...until he wasn’t. Kent Emanuel was cruising in the fifth and had two outs in the sixth with no one on. A fairly routine grounder was hit to the right of Jose Altuve, who misjudged the hop. It could have been scored an error, but nonetheless, Emanuel walked the next batter and then gave up a big three-run homer to Albert Almora to get the Mets to within a run.

Hector Velazquez closed out the Mets to preserve only the fourth win this Spring for the Astros.

The next Astros game is Wednesday against the Nats.

Box score HERE.