Headley, errors help Yanks rally past Astros

March 19th, 2017

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- plated two runs with a double and scored another on a steal of home, and the Yankees won it in the ninth when two runs scored on a bases-loaded wild pitch for a 6-4 victory over the Astros at the Ballpark of the Palm Beaches on Sunday afternoon.
Astros catcher made two errors as the Astros unraveled in the ninth, allowing three runs to score on one hit and three walks, with reliever taking the brunt of the damage.
"These Spring Training games get a little crazy at the end," Astros manager A.J. Hinch said. "Lot of different combos, lot of things in action. One day closer to the season as far as I'm concerned."

Headley smoked a two-out, two-run double in the alley to give New York a 2-0 lead in the first inning, then stole home on a double steal in the sixth. Headley's double was among the five hits Astros starter allowed before he exited the game with two outs in the fourth inning with right foot skin irritation. The right-hander gave up two runs while striking out five and walking two in his third start this spring.
"I'll be fine. I have no worries about that," McCullers said of his injury, which stemmed from the hardness of the pitching mound rubbing through his shoe, which exposed his foot and led to bleeding. "I got new shoes; I'll put them on. It was kind of one of those things. This happens to a lot of guys throughout the course of the season."

McCullers, who threw 57 pitches (30 strikes), is looking to bounce back from elbow problems that cut short his 2016 season in August. His father, Lance McCullers Sr., pitched for the Yankees from 1989-90.
Houston got one of those runs back in the second inning on a sacrifice fly from off Yankees starter , who worked 3 2/3 innings in his fourth Grapefruit League appearance and third start. He gave up one run on four hits, striking out one and walking one. Warren threw 65 pitches, 38 for strikes.

The Astros rallied for two in the sixth on RBI singles from Moran and off Yankees reliever , but they could have come away with more if not for two great plays by center fielder . Hicks made a leaping catch at the wall to rob of an extra-base hit, then made a nice throw to get Gurriel at home one batter later to end the inning.

Astros catcher , who spent three seasons with the Yankees, went 3-for-3 against his former team.
Yankees Up Next: will make his fourth start of the spring on Monday as the Yankees visit the Nationals for a 1:05 p.m. ET contest. Pineda is coming off an outing in which he retired all 15 batters over five perfect innings, striking out eight. Watch the game live on MLB.TV.
Astros Up Next: The Astros will play the nightcap of a doubleheader on Monday at The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches. Right-hander Joe Musgrove gets the start for Houston when it hosts St. Louis at 6:05 p.m. ET following the opener between the Nationals and Yankees at 1:05 p.m. ET. Listen on Gameday Audio.
Watch every out-of-market regular-season game live on MLB.TV.