LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- While the Braves gained some encouragement from a pair of their rotation candidates on Thursday afternoon at ESPN's Wide World of Sports complex, the Astros frustrated a couple of veteran relievers during a 5-3 win that was claimed courtesy of A.J. Reed's three-run homer in the eighth inning.
Reed's two-out blast off Jim Johnson provided the Astros their first lead of the game. Houston's only other runs came via Danny Worth's two-run homer in the fourth inning against Jason Grilli, who was pitching in a game for the first time since he ruptured his left Achilles tendon on July 11.