Worth noting

• Infielder Jake Elmore returned to action Thursday for the Astros, batting ninth and playing second base against the Nationals after missing more than a week with a strained left oblique.

Porter said Elmore played in a Minor League intrasquad game Wednesday and got a few at-bats before rejoining the big-league club.

"It's good to get him back in the lineup. He had a little setback with the oblique strain, but we were able to get him healed in a timely fashion," Porter said. "Talked to the trainers afterwards, and he didn't have any ill effects, so we wanted to get him into some game action as quickly as possible."

• Porter will appear on the final Astroline show of the season Thursday night on SportsTalk 790 AM, which will broadcast live from the Disney Boardwalk at the ESPN Zone restaurant at 8 p.m.

"That should be exciting," Porter said. "It'll be good to hang out with [Milo Hamilton] for an hour and talk to our fans back home."

• Astros reliever Xavier Cedeno faced one batter for Puerto Rico in World Baseball Classic action Wednesday, entering with the bases loaded and one out in the fifth inning before surrendering a three-run double to Anthony Rizzo.

Puerto Rico erased its three-run deficit and won, 4-3. It will face the loser of the United States and Dominican Republic, which play Thursday night at 6 p.m. CT.

Cedeno has appeared in four World Baseball Classic games, throwing two innings and surrendering one earned run on three hits with four strikeouts and one walk.