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Houston Astros' Cristian Javier takes 'really good' step in latest spring training start
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla.Β - With opening day in less than two weeks, Houston Astros right-hander Cristian Javier took a positive step toward the season Sunday afternoon.
Javier, who had not thrown more than two innings in a game this spring, completed four in his Grapefruit League start against the Miami Marlins. Javier allowed no runs and two hits, struck out five and departed after 56 pitches of what manager Joe Espada termed "a really good version of Javi."
After his previous outing, in which he walked three in 1 β innings, Javier said he was working through some mechanical adjustments. Javier distilled them Sunday as "maintaining my direction towards home plate" and Espada pointed to sequencing of his body in his delivery.
"When he's in sequence, he's able to be around the (zone) more often and create swing-and-misses, get action early," Espada said. "And he was able to do that (today)Β - and repeat it. That's the key, being able to repeat it. If he misses up and away, being able to find himself and get back on track."
Javier threw 38 of 56 pitches for strikes and generated 11 swing-and-misses, including five on his fastball and four on his sweeper, which he often mixed in against left-handed hitters. He said the difference from his last start was "attacking hitters more," and his "movement toward home plate."
ASTROS 1, MARLINS 0
| Miami | Houston | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ab | r | h | bi | ab | r | h | bi | ||||
| Totals | 30 | 0 | 3 | 0 | Totals | 26 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||
| Hicks c | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Cole cf | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Hostetler c | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Lytle cf | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Edwards 2b | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Altuve 2b | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Morlando lf | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Sacco 2b | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| HernΓ‘ndez lf | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | Y.Alvarez dh | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Ramirez 2b | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | Diaz c | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Conine rf | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | Salazar c | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Morel 1b | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | K.Alvarez lf-rf | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Vargas 1b | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Walker 1b | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Pauley dh | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Price 1b | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Ruiz cf | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Smith rf | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Berry 3b | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Matthews lf | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Lara 3b | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Whitcomb ss | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | ||
| Bastidas ss | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Allen 3b | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Hernandez ss | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Winkler 3b | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Miami | 000 | 000 | 000 | - | 0 |
| Houston | 000 | 000 | 01x | - | 1 |
E_Hernandez (1). LOB_Miami 5, Houston 3. 2B_Whitcomb (1). SB_Allen (1), Matthews (1).
| IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO |
|---|
| Miami | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PΓ©rez | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | |
| Phillips | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Faucher | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Blalock L,0-1 | 1 | 2-3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Acton | 1-3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Houston | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Javier | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | |
| Abreu | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Okert | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| B.King | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Blubaugh W,1-0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
HBP_Blalock (Salazar).
Umpires_Home, Ron Kulpa; First, CB Bucknor; Second, Ramon De Jesus; Third, Emil Jimenez.
T_2:05. A_2,904 (6,500).
Javier walked one batter and scattered two hits, one an infield single. Espada noted he was pleased with "the pace of game, how fast he worked."
"It was a very good outing," Javier said, through an interpreter.
Javier said he's unsure if he will have one or two more outings before his first start of the regular season. The Astros have yet to announce an initial rotation order beyond opening day starter Hunter Brown. One more spring start could let Javier increase his pitch count to the 70-75 range before his season debut.
"I feel very good," Javier said. "The most important thing is I feel confident in myself and I feel very healthy right now."
This article originally published at Houston Astros' Cristian Javier takes 'really good' step in latest spring training start.
