Martinez: Gestures after HR
(c) Associated Press
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One thing about games that don't really count is that you don't have to finish them. In a salute to Bud Selig, the Astros and White Sox concluded the spring season with a 5-5 tie after nine innings on Wednesday. Houston concluded spring training with a 14-17-1 record.
J.A. Happ made it through the first four innings without a run scored. He wasn't so fortunate in the fifth. Gordon Beckham and Alejandro De Aza drove in the first two runs of the game but Houston answered with an RBI double by Jose Altuve and a two-run homer from J.D. Martinez to take the lead.
Alexei Ramirez belted an RBI triple off Kyle Weiland and scored in the sixth to put Chicago ahead but the Astros quickly responded when Brian Bogusevic homered to right and Chris Johnson doubled then eventually scored on a wild pitch.
Jared Mitchell went deep against Weiland in the seventh then things settled in at five-all the rest of the afternoon. Lefties Eric Stults and Brett Oberholzer kept it as a draw through the final 2-1/2 innings.
Jason Castro and Marwin Gonzalez both had a pair of singles in the contest before an official crowd of 12,000 and change.
The Astros finalized their 25-man roster by adding outfielder Travis Buck to the active roster and sending down pitcher Henry Sosa who cleared waivers and accepted an assignment to AAA Oklahoma City. A decision still needs to be made on whether to send oft-injured shortstop Jed Lowrie to the disabled list.
Wandy Rodriguez will make his first Opening Day start Friday night against the Colorado Rockies against Jeremy Guthrie. The first pitch will be at 6:05 Central time for the official 2012 lidlifter.
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