Astros' Late Rally Not Enough to Overcome Mets at CACTI Park

In a closely contested preseason game at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches, the Houston Astros fell short against the New York Mets with a final score of 2-8. This outcome brings the Astros' record to 13-11, while the Mets improved to 10-13. Despite a spirited effort in the eighth inning where they scored all their runs, Houston couldn't overcome New York's lead established earlier in the game.

Astros' Performance Highlights

The Astros struggled offensively throughout most of the game, managing only six hits and committing two errors. Their batting average was a mere .171, with an on-base percentage (OBP) of .256 and slugging percentage (SLG) of .257. The team left ten runners on base and was unable to capitalize with runners in scoring positions, highlighting their offensive challenges during this matchup.

Cameron Smith stood out for Houston by hitting a home run, one of his two hits in four at-bats, contributing significantly to his team's OPS (On-base Plus Slugging) with 1.75. Jeremy Peña also made notable contributions with an average of .333 and an OPS of .666 over three at-bats.

On the pitching side, Ronel Blanco started for Houston but faced difficulties early on, ending up with an earned run average (ERA) of 7.364 over 3.2 innings pitched. The bullpen didn't fare much better; Miguel Castro had a particularly tough outing with an ERA of 27.00 after allowing multiple runs.

Mets Take Charge Early

The Mets capitalized on their opportunities by scoring eight runs on twelve hits against Astros pitchers who struggled throughout the night. They took advantage early in the third inning by adding two runs and continued to build their lead with consistent scoring across several innings including a three-run burst in the sixth inning that solidified their advantage.

New York's offense was led by aggressive baserunning and taking advantage of errors made by Houston's defense which contributed to some unearned runs that widened their lead further.

Looking Ahead

The Astros will look to bounce back from this defeat when they face off against Miami Marlins at Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter on March 20th at 1:10 PM EDT. Fans can catch all the action live as it will be broadcasted on FDSFL.