Sanchez allows 6 runs in loss to Houston

By foxsports
Published

JUPITER, Fla. (AP) -- Miami's Anibal Sanchez gave up six runs and seven hits in just 2 2-3 innings Monday as the Houston Astros beat the Marlins 7-4.

All the hits against Sanchez were singles. He threw 38 of 49 pitches for strikes as his ERA rose from 0.00 to 11.57.

"If you look at the positive thing, I threw a lot of strikes and that's why they made a lot of contact," Sanchez said. "They made a lot of easy hits, a lot of ground balls, bloopers. I didn't see any hard contact."

Sanchez was held back a week at the start of the exhibition season because of a tender pitching shoulder. All six of Houston's runs in the third inning were scored with two outs.

"He could have had a better outing if he made the right pitch," Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen said. "He couldn't finish a lot of hits with two strikes. He left a couple of balls around the plate. I think today was not a pretty game. Obviously pitching dictates how the game is going to be. Today is the first day we didn't have much."

After Sanchez left, Brett Wallace hit a three-run homer, just inside the right-field foul pole, on Wade LeBlanc's second pitch. LeBlanc, a left-hander battling for a bullpen spot, entered with 10 1-3 scoreless innings. He gave up one run and three hits in 4 1-3 innings while striking out six.

Houston right-hander Kyle Weiland, allowed two runs and four hits in three innings with three walks and three strikeouts. He walked two of his first three batters, then got Gaby Sanchez to bounce into a double play.

Weiland, trying to win a rotation spot, is 2-0 with a 1.64 ERA.

"I didn't have as great of off-speed stuff today," he said. "They knew I wasn't throwing my curveball for strikes early on. That's makes it a lot easy to hit a fast ball especially when you are behind in the count."

J.D. Martinez went 2-for-4 with three RBI.

Miami's Jose Reyes had hit first three-hit game of spring training, raising his batting average from .182 to .269.

Reyes also stole his first base, swiping second after a first-inning walk. Reyes, who missed 36 games last year because of a hamstring injury, has been told to refrain from base stealing to preserve his leg strength for the season.

"I was surprised," Guillen said. "I don't want him to run too much in spring training but I think we're not hitting well in the last couple of days and he wants to make things happen."