The Washington Nationals and Houston Astros met again during spring training, though neither side came away with the win in a 4-4 finish.
Though the two-game losing streak is officially over, the Washington Nationals tied for the second time in spring training after the rematch against the Houston Astros ended in a 4-4 finish.
In his Nationals debut, Miles Mikolas allowed one hit while tossing a pair of strikeouts and three walks. It started with a highlight as Jacob Young would make his spring training debut in style by robbing Jose Altuve of a home run to centerfield in the first at bat of the game. But it would end up being a long night for the Nationals pitchers after manager Blake Butera turned to eight pitchers who finished with eleven strikeouts against ten walks through the first seven innings.
The Nationals would open the scoring in the bottom of the third after Abimelec Ortiz got on base after a hit by pitch before a walk for CJ Abrams got runners on first and second with one out. But it would be an infield single from Dylan Crews that was enough to send Ortiz home from second for the game's first electrifying run, while Luis Garcia Jr. would top that in the next at bat with a 400 foot, three-run home run to extend Washington's early lead to 4-0.
Mitchell Parker, meanwhile, struggled on Friday night after throwing four walks through 43 pitches and just 1 1/3 innings, including consecutive walks to open the fourth inning. Parker was able to hold Jose Altuve to a grounder, but that would be it after Butera to pull him in favor of Holden Powell. Yet Powell wouldn't be able to salvage the runners on the corner situation after a double cut the deficit in half thanks to a double from Taylor Trammell, taking a 4-2 Nationals lead into the bottom of the inning.
The Astros would eventually make Washington pay for the continued walks with that culminating into a two-run fifth inning highlighted by consecutive walks after Julian Fernandez's second strikeout still let Houston advance to second and third. Next at-bat, a single off Connor Van Scoyoc to right would lead to the two runs, tying the game at four.
The Nationals would get a chance for the game-winning run after Yohandy Morales reached second on an Astros error on the throw to first base, but it ended in nothing after a grounder to short cemented Washington's second tie of the week.
Shinnosuke Ogasawara would prove to be a bright spot of the night after posting four strikeouts to close the final two innings of the night.
Luis Garcia Jr also finished 2-for-2 with three RBIs thanks to his home run, proving to be the source of optimism for the Nationals' offense.
Washington, now 4-2-2, will return to action on Saturday, Feb. 28 against the New York Mets. Opening pitch is set for 1:10 PM with broadcast set for MLB.TV.